Idli Sambar is a popular South Indian dish that consists of idli (steamed rice cakes) served with sambar (a spicy lentil soup). It is a staple breakfast or brunch item in many households and is also commonly served in restaurants and street food stalls across South India.
To prepare Idli Sambar, you will need the following ingredients:
For Idli:
- 2 cups of idli rice (parboiled rice)
- 1 cup of urad dal (split black gram)
- 1/2 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds (optional)
- Salt to taste
- Water for soaking and grinding
For Sambar:
- 1 cup of toor dal (pigeon pea lentils)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 small carrot, diced
- 1 small potato, diced
- 1 drumstick, cut into pieces (optional)
- 1/2 cup of tamarind extract
- 2 tablespoons of sambar powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- Water for cooking
- For tempering:
- 2 tablespoons of oil
- 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
- A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
- 2-3 dried red chilies
- A few curry leaves
Here's a step-by-step guide to making Idli Sambar:
1. Idli Preparation:
- Wash the rice and urad dal separately and soak them in water for about 4-6 hours. If using fenugreek seeds, you can soak them along with the urad dal.
- After soaking, drain the water and grind the rice and urad dal separately to a smooth batter using a wet grinder or a blender. You may need to add a little water during grinding to achieve the right consistency.
- Mix the ground rice and urad dal batter together in a large bowl.
- Add salt to taste and mix well. Ferment the batter overnight or for at least 8 hours, allowing it to rise.
2. Sambar Preparation:
- Wash the toor dal and cook it in a pressure cooker or a pot with enough water until it becomes soft and mushy.
- In a separate pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds. Let them splutter.
- Add cumin seeds, dried red chilies, and asafoetida (hing). Stir for a few seconds.
- Add chopped onions and sauté until they turn translucent.
- Add tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, drumstick, and sauté for a few minutes.
- Add sambar powder, turmeric powder, and salt. Mix well.
- Add the cooked toor dal and tamarind extract. Add water as needed to achieve the desired consistency.
- Let the sambar simmer for about 15-20 minutes on medium heat, allowing the flavors to blend together.
3. Idli Steaming:
- Grease the idli plates or molds with a little oil to prevent sticking.
- Pour the fermented idli batter into the molds, filling them about 3/4th full.
- Steam the idlis in a steamer or an idli cooker for about 10-12 minutes, or until they are cooked and firm.
- Once cooked, remove the idli plates from the steamer and let them cool for a minute or two.
- Use a spoon or a butter knife to gently remove the idlis from the molds.
To serve, place the idlis on a plate and pour the
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