IDLI SAMBHAR (RICE DUMPLINGS AND SPICY SOUR SOUP)

INGREDIENTS
For Idli

• Rice Rava 3 cups
• Urad Dal (Split black gram) 1 cup
• Canola oil 1 Tbsp
• Water

For Sambhar

• Arahar/Toor Dal 1 cup, washed and soaked in water for 1/2 hour.
• Carrot 1/2, chopped thin 1 inch size
• Green chili 5, chopped
• Okra (Ladies fingers, bhindi) 5, chopped thin 1 inch size
• Egg plant (Baingan) baby , tubular type 3 small size, chopped thin 1 inch size
• Tomato 1, chopped
• Ginger 1/2 inch chopped
• Coriander leaves, chopped 1 cup
• Curry leaves (curry patta) 8-10
• Lemon/Lime juice 1 tsp
• Tamarind (imli) 1 tsp soaked in water and crushed
• Water 4-5 cups

Spices

• Salt to taste
• Red chili powder 1 tsp
• Coriander powder 1 tsp
• Cummin seeds 1/2 tsp
• Coriander seeds 1/2 tsp
• Hing (Asafoateda) powder 1/8 tsp
• Mustered seeds 1/2 tsp
• Fenugreek (Methi) seeds 1 tsp
• Canola oil 3 tsp

Preparation Idli

1. Wash rice (Idli rice). Soak in water for 8-10 hours.
2. Wash dal. Soak in water for 8-10 hours.
3. Drain all the water from the dal and grind in a grinder to get a fine thick paste.
4. Drain all the water from the rice and add it to the dal of step 3. Add salt to taste (about 1 tsp). Mix well.
5. Transfer the mixture of step 4 to a deep skillet, whose size should be such that its more than half portion remains empty. You can take mixture in two skillets of smaller size. Cover the skillet with a plate.
6. Place the skillet in a warm place for 8-10 hours to let the mixture ferment. The mixture will raise and fill the skillet. In winter, you can place it in oven (switched off).
7. Grease the idli maker plates with the oil and fill with the mixture of step 7. Cook for about 10 minutes.

OR if you do not have idli maker,

1. Take a flat bottom wide skillet. Pour 2 cups of water. Invert a round cake making empty dish on the base of the skillet.
2. Take another round cake making dish, lightly grease it and fill it to a height of about half centimeter with the mixture of step 6.
3. Place this dish on the inverted dish in the skillet. Cover the skillet with a plate.
4. Put the skillet on medium heat. Let the water in the skillet boil for 8-10 minutes. Switch off the heat and let the skillet stand for another 10 minutes.
5. Remove the lid of the skillet, take out the idli dish, invert it to remove the idli. cut into smaller pieces and serve hot.

Sambar

1. Take dal in a pressure cooker and add 2 cups water and 1 tsp salt. Cook for about 8-10 minutes after the pressure is reached.
2. Take methi seed in a frying pan and place it on medium heat. Roast the seeds until turn dark. Remove the seeds and let them cool. Grind in a grinder to make powder.
3. In a deep skillet take 2 tspn oil and put on medium heat. When the oil gets hot, first add cummin seeds. When the seeds pops up, add all the spices including methi powder. Fry the spices for a while and add all the vegetables including coriander leaves and curry leaves. Stir for 2-3 minutes. Add 2 cup water. Boil for 10 minutes. Add dal of step 1 and mix well.

Serve idli and sambher hot.

Tips

1. Fermentation is the key steps. The softness of idlies (like sponge) depends on proper fermentation. After fermentation, the dal-rava mixture should increase to at least double the volume. The fermentation is slow in winter and quick in summer.
2. Ferment only the required quantity of dal-rava mixture and store the rest in the refrigerator. Take it out 4 hours before putting for fermentation.
3. The typical flavour of sambhar will come from methi powder.
4. If you have made too many idlies, store them in the refrigerator. When required, take out and microwave them for a few seconds to get idlies as good as fresh and serve with hot sambhar. Actually no body will know that they are not freshly made.
5. It is a good idea to make methi powder in advance and keep it in air tight bottle.