Idli and Sambar

South Indian breakfast isn't complete without idli and sambar .Previously when I started doing this I did the most typical way ,by adding idli rava to saoked and ground Urad daal.Once I heard  that one of my friend does idlis by using idli rice.When we moved into a city where Indian stores where very far,and the kind of idli rava they used to sell were musty.Didn't had much choice but to go for idli rice.Once I started doing this,I never gave up using idli rice.I told my family members that the idlis taste just like the ones at hotels.So here comes my recipe for it.

Idli Rice.

Ingredients for Idli,
Idli rice- 2 cups
Urad daal-1 cup
Poha -1/2 cup
Bi carbonate of soda--1/2 tbsp
salt- 2 teaspoons

1. Rinse and soak the Idli rice,urad daal  in water ,so that they are completely immersed for 8 hours(i soak them in the morning and leave it to ferment overnight).
2. Soak poha in  a cup of water just before you grind them.Do not add too much of water while grinding.i usaually  divide the soaked ingredients into 3 parts and add 1/4 cup of water for each batch of ingredients while grinding.
3. Drain water from poha and then grind it along with the other ingredients.Make sure that the idli batter isnt watery.
4. Leave it to ferment for 8 hours or overnight.
5. Add bicarbonate of soda just half an hour before you start making idlis.Add salt according to taste.
6. Grease the idli pans with little oil and pour the idli batter into it.
7. I usually put water in a pressure cooker and put the idli plates inside it and cover the cooker with a big plate ,so that the water vapour can escape with little vents from the plate on top of it.
8. Bake the idlis for about 15 to 20 minutes.
9. Scoop out the idlis with a spoon.

Ingredients for sambar,
Potatoes-2 big or 3 small
onion-1 medium(Cut into 1 inch cubes)
tomatoes-2 small(cut into 1 inch cubes)
coriander leaves-6 to 7 strands (strands cut at the bottom and finely chooped)
curry leaves-4
tamarind juice-1/4 cup(soak a quarter size ,mean a tablespoon of tamarind in water for an hour and sueeze the tamarind to get the juice,substitute with tamarind pulp if you would like it)
sambar powder-1 tbsp(table spoon)
red chilli powder-1/2 tbsp(spice according to your taste)

1. Boil the potatoes and peel the skin and partially mash them.
2. Saute the onions and tomatoes in a teaspoon of oil and grind it along with coriander (add garlic if you like it)in a blender  with almost 1 cup of water and keep it aside.
3. For tampering ,take 1 tbsp of oil in a pan .When the oil is getting heated add of  1/2 a tbsp mustard seeds,as they splutter add  1/2 a tbsp of cumin seeds,a pich of asafoetida and 1/4 tbsp of turmeric.
4. Add tamarind juice to this,bring it to boil.Add sambar powder and red chilli powder.
5. Add the blended mix of onions and tomatoes with water required enough to grind.
6. Finally add the partially mashed potatoes to it(add 1/2 cup of water if required)  and boil it for 5 minutes.You can even grind this with the roasted onions and tomatoes and add it in the beginning it self.

serve with idlis

Idli batter after adding bicarbonate of soda

and salt.

Have enough water in your cooker till the plate immerses

and add a little more ,some of the water is lost while steaming.

grease the idli plates' pits with oil and pour in the batter.

Place the idli plates inside the cooker.Turn on the heat.

Keep it high until the water gets heated,then slowly keep it

to medium flame for 15 to 20 minutes .

Cover with a large plate make sure that the steam has a little way to 

escape.The cooking time depends on the consistency of the batter.

Slowly remove the plate,wait for a few seconds

and then poke a spoon inside the idli to make sure it is cooked.

If the spoon comes clean then the idli is cooked.

It wont take more than 20 minutes max.

the spoon came clean.

If the idlis are not cooked ,you can see the watery 

batter on the edge of the spoon.

Rava idli

Rava idli.
Making rava idli at home?,never thought of this as we usually ate this at restaurants when we were kids.When I saw this on the Internet I was very suspicious if I can get the right kind of idlis,I mean the texture and the taste,Finally I tried it and its the easiest idli I can imagine doing .

Ingredients for rava idli
Rava sooji (fine) - 2 cups.
Yogurt-3 teaspoons.
Salt-as per taste
water-1 1/2 cups
sodium bi carbonate-1/2 tea spoon.

Take  a teaspoon of oil(i used sunflower oil),which ever you have at home also does good, ghee works better and roast the rava till light orange color make sure to keep stirring the rava or else rava might get burnt.Add the tempering prepared.Place the whole roasted rava in a bowl,and then add the yogurt and salt and slowly add the water till all the rava is soaked .The batter must be thick.Add the sodium bi carbonate powder .Soak it for at least 2 to 3 hours.Preferably 3 hours.

Tempering for the idli
oil-4 teaspoons
mustard seeds- 1/4 tbsp
jeera- 1/4 tbsp
channa daal-1 teaspoon
urad daal-1teaspoon.
chopped coriander leaves- 1/4 cup
curry leaves-  4
asafoetida-a pinch
Salt-  1 tsp.

chop the coriander leaves,curry leaves,heat a little oil in a pan,put the mustard seeds,after the mustard seeds start spluttering add jeera ,urad daal,channa daal and remove it from the heat add the chopped coriander and curry leaves and a pinch of hing(asafoetida).Add this tampering to the prepared mix of rava.Add salt to this.
Grease the idli plates with oil and add the batter  and cook in the idli cooker for 15 to 20 minutes.

Serve hot with Coconut Mint Chutney

Roast Rava in a pan.

Add tempering to this.

Add yogurt,water,salt and sodium bi carbonate.

soak for 2-3 hours.

Soaked rava idli batter.

Grease idli pans and pour in the batter.

Cook for 15 to 20 min.It won't take more than 15

minutes to cook.