Idli Sambar

Idli a famous South Indian tiffin is well popular throughout the India. Though children hates , preparing these fluffy pillows is  a very easy go tiffin in terms of cooking as well as digestion and suggested for people suffering from fever or any type of health aliments. The combination of Idly with sambar makes a very mouth watering break fast. Even the left over idlis are used to prepare an evening snack item. I would like to share a funny event regarding idlies. During my clients visit to Hyd(he is from Newzealand) one day i questioned him about his breakfast.He replied as round white cakes with yellow soup. I could not stop laughing and he too joined me.

Ingrediants:

• 2 cups rice/par boiled rice
• 1 cup urad dal(white)
• about a fistful of cooked rice
• oil for greasing
• 1 tbl spoon salt(adjust)
• a pinch of baking powder

 Procedure:

1. Soak rice and urad dal for almost 8 hrs probably @afternoon.
2. Grind rice and urad dal with cooked rice so that the batter is not so smooth.
3. Ferement the batter through out the night.(This is the crucial step in getting soft idlies and by morning the batter doubles the voulme).
4. Add salt ,baking powder and mix up well.
5. Grease the idly plates with oil and fill the plates with 3/4th batter.
6. Place the idly plates in the idly cooker and cook for 10 minutes or until the cooker whistles .
7. Remove idlies with spatula carefully and serve with hot sambar.

Note: The batter should be fermented for atleast 8 hours inorder to get soft idlies. Dont overcrown the idly plates with batter as the idlies will rasie while cooking.

Sambar Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup tur dal/kandi pappu
• a cup of cooked vegetables like radish, brinjal,drumstick (anyone vegetable also goes fine)
• 3 baby onions whole
• 1 medium sized onion cut lenght wise
• 2-3 tomatoes
• 1 lemon sized tamarind
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• a pinch of mustard seeds,cumin seeds,fenugreek seeds
• 2 red chillies
• 3-4 flakes of garlic
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp salt(adjust)
• 2 cups water
• few curry leaves and cilantro

 For sambar powder:

• 2 tbsp corainder powder
• 1 tbsp chilli powder
• 6 garlic flakes
• 1 tbsp grated dry coconut

 Grind well all the above ingredients and make the sambar powder ready.

Procedure:

1. Soak the tur dal and tamarind separately for 20 minutes..
2. Now pressure cook dal, turmeric powder,tomatoes, baby onions for 3 whistles.
3. Carefully separate the cooked onions from the dal and mash the dal.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds,fenugreek,cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add red chillies, curry leaves, onions,garlic pods and fry till onions and garlics are transparent.
5. Add the above contents to mashed dal .Also add cooked vegetables, baby onions and water.
6. Add the sambar powder ,salt and tamarind paste and cook for 10 minutes until the rawness of tamarind disappears.
7. Finally add cilantro and serve hot with idlies.

 Note: Instead of home made sambar powder we can use instant powders. In such case dont forget to add chilli powder to the sambar. Soaking and cooking of dal depends on the nature of dal. Sometimes it needs for soaking of half an hour and cooking for 4 whistles. While frying we can use ghee instead of oil.