Ingredients for Idli:

  • 2 cups of idli rice (parboiled rice)
  • 1 cup of urad dal (split black gram)
  • Salt to taste
  • Water for soaking and grinding

Ingredients for Sambhar:

  • 1 cup of toor dal (split pigeon peas)
  • 1 small lemon-sized ball of tamarind
  • 2 medium-sized tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2-3 green chilies, slit lengthwise
  • 1 medium-sized carrot, diced
  • 1 small potato, diced
  • 5-6 okra (ladyfinger), chopped
  • 1/4 cup of green peas
  • 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
  • A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
  • 1 sprig of curry leaves
  • 2-3 dry red chilies
  • 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder
  • 2 tablespoons of sambhar powder
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 tablespoons of oil
  • Water as needed

Instructions:

For Idli:

  1. Soaking:
  • Wash the idli rice and urad dal separately under running water.
  • Soak them in enough water separately for at least 4-6 hours or overnight.
  1. Grinding:
  • Drain the water from soaked urad dal and grind it to a smooth and fluffy batter using a wet grinder or a high-power blender. Add water gradually as needed.
  • Similarly, grind the soaked rice to a slightly coarse batter. The texture should be finer than semolina (sooji).
  • Mix both the batters together in a large bowl. Add salt to taste and mix well.
  • Cover and let the batter ferment in a warm place for about 8-10 hours or until it doubles in volume.
  1. Steaming:
  • Grease the idli moulds with a little oil.
  • Pour the batter into each mould, filling them 3/4th full.
  • Steam the idlis in an idli steamer or any steamer for about 10-12 minutes on medium heat.
  • Once done, let them cool for a few minutes, then remove them from the moulds using a spoon.

For Sambhar:

  1. Cooking Dal:
  • Wash the toor dal and pressure cook it with enough water until soft and mushy. Mash the cooked dal well and set it aside.
  1. Preparing Tamarind Extract:
  • Soak the tamarind in warm water for 10-15 minutes. Squeeze it to extract the pulp. Discard the solids and keep the tamarind water aside.
  1. Cooking Vegetables:
  • Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
  • Add cumin seeds, asafoetida, dry red chilies, and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.
  • Add chopped onions and green chilies. Sauté until onions turn translucent.
  • Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they turn mushy.
  • Add turmeric powder and sambhar powder. Mix well.
  • Now add all the chopped vegetables (carrot, potato, okra, green peas) along with salt. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.
  1. Making Sambhar:
  • Add the cooked and mashed toor dal to the vegetables.
  • Pour in the tamarind extract and mix well.
  • Adjust the consistency by adding water if needed.
  • Let the sambhar simmer on low heat for about 15-20 minutes until all the flavors blend well and the vegetables are cooked through.

Serving:

  • Serve the steaming hot idlis with piping hot sambhar and coconut chutney for a delicious South Indian breakfast or brunch. Enjoy!
Last updated on April 18, 2024