Tuesday 8 September 2009

Idli – Sambhar with Onion & Tomato Chutney

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This is an ideal breakfast for any day but I had made it especially for my SIL and brother whom I met after almost 2 years. This is an all time favorite of S and  even he was  demanding it for quite some time. Finally I made  and it turned out really good.  Idli with sambhar and chutney is a very healthy meal as the Idli is steam cooked so has no oil and it’s easy to digest. It makes a good meal for ill people for the same reason.
After tasting it, my brother commented also, that we have Idli in all the best restaurant’s in London( he mentioned Sarvana Bhavan too) but they can’t make what you have made Open-mouthed. I do not want to sound that I am boasting about myself but it’s true that today I make them better than my MIL, who is an extremely talented cook, from whom I started learning the South Indian cooking. Over the years I have experimented with the proportions of the ingredients and have come up with various proportions which make soft textured Idlis. And surely I will share them gradually with every one.
Idlis remind me of my favorite Idli joint in Chennai – The Murugan. When we used to live there, almost 2-3 times a month we would visit this place and hog on those gorgeous Idlis. They serve Idli with four diffent kind of Chutneys and Sambhar. Of all the chutneys, I loved a cooked version of the tomato chutney they served, and I am still hunting for it’s recipe. If anyone reading this blog knows how to make it, please share it with me.
I had made another cooked version of tomato chutney, but with the onions. We all love this chutney a lot and this is a versatile chutney as it can be spread on bread to make a Sandwich or can be eaten with Chapati as a side dish. It’s tangy and spicy and breaks the monotony of eating Idli only with the  traditional coconut chutney. It can be cooked really quick and asks for very few ingredients, but the end result is guaranteed. My brother liked it too.Thumbs-up
The Sambhar I make is a Kannadiga version and has a delicate flavor of cinnamon. For the recipe of my version of Sambhar Masala click here. This is my MIL’s version of the masala and is really good.
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Ingredients for Tomato-Onion Chutney
1 medium onion roughly chopped
1 large tomato roughly chopped
2 small lines of curry leaves
1 small spoon  of fenugreek seeds
2 large garlic pods
6-7 bedagi chilies
salt to taste
2-3 tsp thick tamarind pulp
3 tsp oil to cook
1 tsp oil for tempering
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
a pinch of heeng (asafoetida)
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Method
Heat oil and add fenugreek seeds, followed by red chilies, curry leaves and garlic. Immediately add onions and cook till translucent. Add salt and tomatoes. Cook till tomatoes are done. Cool and grind it with the tamarind paste.
Now heat oil for tempering and mustard and asafoetida. Pour it over the chutney.
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I am sending this chutney to Think Spice- Think Red Chilies hosted by Laxmi Venkatesh of Kitchen Chronicles and is the brain child of Sunita Bhuyan of Sunita’s World
Think Spice

Ingredients for Idli-
Serves 4
2 1/2  cups Idli Rice
1 cup Urad dal (split black lentil)
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/2 cup cooked rice (I used sona masoori)
Method
Soak the rice and soak the lentil along with the fenugreek seeds separately for 3-4 hrs.
Grind the rice coarsely to a fine semolina like state using water.
Grind the lentil finely to a smooth paste also grind the cooked rice to a smooth paste.
Combine the three and adjust the consistency by adding water. It should be of a pouring consistency.
Leave it covered to ferment overnight.
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Add salt to the fermented mix and mix properly.
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Grease the idli  mould and pour the batter in it.
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Steam cook the Idlis without putting weight  in a covered utensil or pressure cooker  for 10-12 mins.
Let the idlis cool  a little and then remove then run a knife or a spoon along the edges of the idli and remove them.
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Ingredients For Sambhar
1 cup Toor dal (split pigeon peas)
2 onions sliced
2 strings curry leaves
3-4 tbsp sambhar masala
oil to cook
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp turmeric
tamarind paste to taste
salt to taste
1/2 tsp asafoetida
Method
Cook the lentil in a pressure cooker till it’s soft. (4-5 whistles)
Heat oil and add the mustard seeds and let them splutter then add fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Add asafoetida and onions. Cook till translucent. Now add the turmeric, sambhar masala, salt and tamarind pulp. Now add the mashed lentils and cook for 2 –3 mins so that the masala gets mixed properly in the dal. Now add water gradually and keep mixing. Bring the sambhar to a boil then simmer and cook for another 5-7 mins. Add chopped cilantro.
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I am sending this to  It’s Vegan world- Indian hosted by Erbe in Cucina and is the brainchild of Vaishali .
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32 comments:

Parita said...

My comfort food!

Preeti Kashyap said...

Perfect Breakfast! The idlis have come out smooth and soft.

Sushma Mallya said...

Idlis look so soft and nice Pari .....perfect and healthy breakfast....just love them actually

Nithya said...

This is the best food in the world according to me.. harmless and absolutely comforting. :) nice post.

Do take a look at my blog for an event announcement. Your participation will make us thrilled. :)

Unknown said...

One of the comfort breakfast item, they indeed look delicious.

Gita Jaishankar said...

This combination is the ultimate comfort food for me...looks so delicious :)

Sanghi said...

Wow.. its been months since i had idlis.. After i came away from india, i didn't make it.. only dosas..! I'm drooling over ur's now.!:)

Home Cooked Oriya Food said...

lovely idlis... the cooked rice - when do u mix that ? Can you use basmati cooked rice or is it something special ?

Pari Vasisht said...

Hi!
@ Home cooked oriya food
Thanks for pointing out , I have made the changes.
You can use any cooked rice.I used sona masoori you can use basmati or any small grain rice.

Nandinis food said...

Idlis are soft and side dishes are tempting! :)

Kitchen Chronicles said...

Idli with tomato chutney is always a winning combo.

Kitchen Chronicles said...

Try to participate in Think Spice - Think Red chillies event going on in my blog.
http://delightsofcooking.blogspot.com/2009/09/chillies-some-like-it-hot.html

lata raja said...

A very tempting combo. Walking right into my kitchen to soak rice and dhal!

Chitra said...

WOW, will have it rite now..Drooling!!soft idlies :)

Priya Narasimhan said...

Nice pictures...and the idli looks so soft...Its an irony that we south indians, atleast most of them I know, always prefer dosa over idlis.. :-)

sangeeta said...

i love idlis....the sambar n chutny is so good.

Srivalli said...

Looks great...never seen a 3 idli plate..so cute!

Anonymous said...

Nothing better than Idli breakfast..looks splendid with the hot chutney.

Priya Suresh said...

Soft and fluffy idli looks awesome and that spicy onion tomato chutney makes me hungry..

PriyaRaj said...

Idli,sambar & chutney looks fantastic Pari... Pls collect ur awards from my blog dear...

Desisoccermom said...

That looks yummy Pari. I will have idlis over dosa anyday. Love your sambhar and chutney as well. No wonder your brother preferred it over restaurant food. Great job.

Shri said...

Now, you are making me hungry,Pari!The idlis looks super soft!

Pavithra Kodical said...

Perfect breakfast.. Idly with sambar is always a winner.Idly looks soft :)

Padma said...

Perfect breakfast... love idli's with chutney and sambar... nice step by step pictures

radha said...

The tomato chutney looks delicious! And soft fluffy idlis....

Suparna said...

hi looks so comforting and yummm, I love idlis both with sambars and chutneys too, thanks for ur version dear, nice clicks

Katy ~ said...

So tempting and beautifully prepared.

So nice that your brother gave you a nice compliment!

Sailaja Damodaran said...

Looks perfect...thanks

Sailaja Damodaran said...

Iam not able to follow u...it says page cannot found.Pl.check on it,,,

My Little Space said...

Oh, I would love to try that Idlis recipe. Looks fantastic!

Divya Kudua said...

The first thing that struck me while reading this post is,the triangular shaped idli moulds..:)wow,I have never come across this one,its always the round ones.The idlies look very soft and fluffy.

On another note,I somehow do not like the idlies in Murugan.I've had it a few times and every time I felt they were kind of sticky.Maybe its only me,but that's how I felt.I prefer Ratna Cafe ones,soft and grainy dunked in Sambhar..yum:)

akanksha deshpande said...

hi tai i cant tell u how much i m drooling over this recipe trying it staright away ....

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