Sambar Recipe for Idli / Idli Sambar

I have posted a sambar recipe earlier that's Kerala style Sambar with Roasted Coconut  it's thicker & best served with steamed rice & a   Sambar masala powder ..
The sambar used for idli the gravy should not be thicker nor runny with no vegetables..
Idli sambar chutney was my dad's favorite he used to mix all & enjoy it 😋

The day i make idli sambar i make it more so that we can have for lunch yes 2 In 1 😄

 Mini idli's is perfect for sambar they look lovely & i love to dunk the idli's in the sambar top it with a dollop of Coconut chutney it's awesome ..Try it 😋

Ingredients :

• 1/8 cup / 2 tbsp toovar dal.
• 12 sambar onions / Shallots.
• 3 green chilies.
• A pinch of hing / asafoetida.
• 1/2 tsp oil.
• A few chopped coriander leaves.
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder.
• 1 tomato( puree)
• Marble size tamarind .
• 2 tbsp sambar powder.

Seasoning :

• 1 tbsp oil.
• 1 tsp mustard seeds.
• 1/2 tsp jeera / cumin seeds.
• 3 crushed garlic.
• Few curry leaves.
• 2 whole red chilies.

Method :

• Soak the tamarind  in 1/8 cup hot water for a few min.. Then extract tamarind juice from the soaked tamarind ..
• Wash the dal &pressure cook them with shallots, green chilies,a pinch hing, 1/2 tsp oil,few coriander leaves.1/2 tsp turmeric powder& 1& 1/2 cup water for 3-4 whistles or till the dal is overcooked, once the pressure is down open the lid & Mash them well.
• Add the tomato puree, tamarind water, salt to taste & 1 cup water or more to make a thin gravy let it boil...
• Meanwhile in another pan dry roast the sambar powder for 2-3 sec & add to the gravy..mix well.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan add the mustard seeds once it stops popping add jeera crushed garlic fry till garlic is light brown in color next add the curry leaves & red chilies( cut in two pieces) saute for a sec & pour into the sambar ,simmer for 5-10 mins & off the flame.. 

• Serve hot with idli or dunk the mini idli's in sambar top it with a dollop of  Coconut chutney looks delicious & tasty 😋

Olan

Happy vishu April 14-2017
I'm all ready to celebrate the vishu festival making notes what to buy & cook .. I know now a days we get to buy the Vishu/ onam sadhya kit  all over the world ,it's gr8 for those who are busy...I prefer to make it at home & enjoy cooking with my childhood memories celebrating with the  family 😊 Today's recipe is  a simple tasty side dish  Olan...

Olan is made with venupayar /lobia dal / cow peas & ash gourd flavored with, Coconut milk, coconut oil & curry leaves....

It's light, mildly spiced side dish served with rice....

Ingredients :

• 220 gm ash gourd ( peel the skin then measure )
• 50 gm cow peas / venpayar.
• 1 sprig curry leaves.
• 1 tsp grated ginger.
• 4-5 green chilies.
• 1 cup thick Coconut milk .
• 1 cup thin Coconut milk.
• 1 tsp salt or according to your taste.
• A pinch of hing / asafoetida ( soaked in 1 tbsp water)
• 1 tbsp coconut oil.

Method :

• Soak the cow peas overnight.
• Slice the ash gourd into small cubes.

• Pressure cook the cow beans in 1 cup water till done. ( if you have acidity then throw away the water) Add in....

• The ash gourd pieces,hing/asafoetida. ginger, green chilies. salt,thin coconut milk  & cook or pressure cook to 1 whistle.. 

• Once the pressure is down open the lid ....

• Mix well & let it boil till the gravy is reduced....

• Add the thick coconut milk & simmer on medium flame ..

• Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil when hot add the curry leaves saute for a sec off the flame & pour over the gravy.. simmer for 5 mins.the gravy should be thick..
• Serve as a side dish...

Vishu Kani

Happy vishu 😊

                    

    

  

Idli Dhokla Sandwich & Cup Cake Idli ( idli in different ways )

Idli a simple steamed rice cake with innumerable health benefits, this Indian breakfast has made it's way through generation & made in different shapes... ( dhokla, cupcake,cocktail idli's )
Dhokla is a mouthwatering Gujarati snack traditionally made from besan flour...Here is my way of making dhokla sandwich made with idli batter sandwiched with Shallot Garlic Chutney or Coconut Chutney or any chutney of your choice ( except the chutney should be thick ).... Soft, spongy dhokla looks very appealing to eat 😋

 Before i share my dhokla recipe here is another of my fond memories...
The first lesson i got from the kitchen was from my dad at the tender age was how to make soft idli's 😊 Yup  those days we were staying in rented house & i remember there was a huge kitchen & a grinding stone which mom & the maid used to grind for the daily cooking for masala pastes,idli's etc... Those days electric mixer was not invented & the grinding stone was indispensable appendage in every home in those days...I used to love playing with the grinding stone when mom was busy with other work i used to sit opposite  the maid  & help in turning the stone round & round  it was fun( Now i prefer the mixer) 😉
Sometimes dad would help in grinding for idli batter if the maid was not there & i would sit next to dad....That was how i got the first lesson that for the soft fluffy idli's the urad dal should be ground to a fine paste & then keep grinding for another 5-10 min till it increase in volume that's the secret for soft idli's 😊 Even now when i grind the urad dal i remember dad's tip !!!!

.Recently i saw a pic of  idli chutney in cup cake style, it was a visual treat & looked appealing to me & i remember my mom used to make idli's in small steel bowls hurriedly pouring batter into small bowls batch after batch trying to finish so that we kids could take the idli's to school for lunch...

Now a days it's steamed in silicon moulds looks like a cupcake topped with chutney 😁

Ingredients : For idli batter...

• 1/2 cup urad dal.
• 2 cups idli rice.
• 1/4 tsp methi / fenugreek seeds.
• 1 & 1/2 salt.
• Small piece of banana leaf.

Method :

• Wash the urad dal & rice separately until the water is clear & soak in enough water & leave aside for 4-5 hrs.
• Add the fenugreek seeds to the urad dal while soaking..
• First grind the urad dal to a fine paste add enough water while grinding, i uasally add 1 cup water & add more if required..Keep blending till it rises & fluffy...
•  Transfer the urad dal batter to a large vessel & keep aside.
• Next goes the soaked rice in the mixer add enough water & grind to paste.( when rice grinds it absorbs water so keep adding water as you go a little @ a time )
• Once done add the rice paste to the urad dal batter with salt to taste & mix well so that the rice & dal gets combined well. ( the batter should be semi thick )
• Set aside this batter ( It should be filled half of the vessel to allow room for rising during fermentation. Keep aside for 8-10 hr or till the batter rises..
• Pour into greased idli moulds & steam for 10-12 min or if the batter is remaining you can make dosa or dhokla the next day or for snacks..😀 

• Serve hot idli's with Coconut Chutney or make cocktail idli's soak in sambar & enjoy this healthy breakfast..

NOTE: To prevent the idli, dosa batter from getting sour place a small piece of banana leaf in the batter...

In winter the batter never rises so place a hot water vessel on the idli batter vessel 😊

For the dhokla sandwich...

• You need 2 small steel thali's of equal size..
• Idli batter
• Red chutney or any chutney of your choice...
• 1/2 tsp oil
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds.
• Few curry leaves chopped finely.
• 1/4 tsp chilly powder or you can use idli chutney powder.

• Grease the thali's pour a thin layer of the idli batter in the thali's & steam them till done...
• Once it's cool remove the idli cake from the thali...
• On one base spread a layer of the Shallot Garlic Chutney  or Coconut Chutney or any chutney of your choice...

• Cover with the another layer of the idli ( like a sandwich) press it lightly.

• For the topping...Heat 1/2 tsp oil in a kadai when hot add the mustard seeds once it stops crackling add the finely chopped curry leaves saute for a sec off the flame then add the chili  powder.. Pour this over the idli cake spread evenly....
• It's tasty & gr8 for snack...

• For the cupcake... pour the idli batter in silicon moulds or cupcake moulds & steam till done...
• When done remove the idli's from the mould & place a spoonful of Shallot Garlic Chutney  or Coconut Chutney or any chutney of your choice on top of the idli & garnish with fried curry leaves.
• Serve hot or cold.....

For mini idli's... Pour idli batter in small size idli mould& steam them...

• Arrange the mini idli's in a plate & add more sambar let it soak for 2-3 min & top it with Coconut Chutney it's yummy try it 😋 
• Happy cooking !!!!!!

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

• Sambar Masala Powder

• Banana & Date Payasam

• Egg Vellayappam / Appam

Coconut Chutney for Idly( 2 different way's)

Chutneys tastes best when they are made fresh, for me this coconut chutney is a must & best for idli, simple pure coconut chutney without adding any gram dal ,groundnuts or shallots nor the chutney powder... The only irritating job for me in making coconut chutney is getting up early in morning 😪 to grate the coconut... Fresh coconut is tasty but i prefer grating the coconut the previous evening  & refrigerate it...This makes my job easier 😊
Today i'm sharing 2 ways of making chutney or you can say 2 different colors of coconut chutney which goes well with idli...When i'm going to post a idli recipe a coconut chutney is a must in my blog otherwise it's not complete 😃
The white color coconut chutney is a Mangalorean style with green chilies...The way my mom is to make...

Ingredients : 1 cup fresh grated coconut, 3 green chilies or according to your taste, 1/2 inch ginger,
1/2 tsp salt, a small piece tamarind, 1/2 cup water.
Seasoning : 1/2 tsp oil,1/2 tsp mustard seeds, few curry leaves, 1 green chilly(slit).

Method : Add the grated coconut, green chilies, ginger, salt & tamarind in a mixer & grind to paste 
( not too fine) Add salt &water as per your desired consistency & taste ( i prefer semi thick chutney for idli & thick chutney for dosa),,, Transfer the chutney to a bowl.
Heat oil in a kadai add the mustard seeds once it stops crackling add the curry leaves & the green chilly fry for a sec off the flame & pour over the chutney & immediately cover with a lid .
Serve with idli, dosa or vada 😋

The orange color chutney is the traditional  Kerala style chutney instead of green chilly they use red chilly( So next time you don't have green chilly you can use red chilly 😀) & the chutney consistency is thinner, Mangaloreans don't heat the chutney while in Kerala they heat the chutney slightly...

Ingredients : 1/2 cup grated coconut,2-3 red chilies, 1/2 inch ginger, small piece tamarind, 1/2 tsp salt  & 3/4 cup water(As per your consistency)
Seasoning : 1/2 tsp coconut oil,1 tsp mustard seeds, few curry leaves,2 whole red chilies.

Method : Grind all the ingredients to a paste & keep aside..
Heat oil in a kadai when its hot add the mustard seeds once it stops crackling add the curry leaves & the red chilies ( break in two pieces) & fry for a sec...Add the chutney paste, mix well & let it simmer until the steam comes through ...Don't let it boil..That'it enjoy with idli or dosa..😋