Idli Sambhar

Idli Sambhar, I believe is a staple food of South India. Inspite of staying here for almost 8 years, I have missed out on this simple recipe in my blog.

Here is the simple formula to prepare soft and delicious Idlis :)

Ingriedients:
Dosa rice - 4 cups
Urad dal - One cup
Methi seeds - one-forth teaspoon
Poha\ Avalakki - one fistful
Baking soda - a small pinch
Water
Oil - for lining the idli maker

Procedure:

Preparing Idli Batter
1. Wash and soak the rice, urad dal and methi seeds atleast for 8 hours. I usually soak it in the morning and prepare the batter in the late evening.
2. Wash and soak the avalakki (Poha) 2 hours before preparing the batter.
3. To prepare the batter, grind the soaked dosa rice, urad dal, methi seeds and avalakki in the mixer. Grind the avalakki seperately in the mixer as it gets ground very fast.
4. Store this batter in a bigger conatiner as after fermentation, the dosa batter increases in quantity.
5. Add a pinch of baking soda , mix well and keep it outside for around 12 hours. I usually keep it overnight and prepare the idlis, next day morning for breakfast.

Preparing Idlis
1. Grease the idli maker with little oil.
2. Pour the idli batter in the idli maker.

3. Once it is done, fill the cooker with more water. The water level should be little below the first idli plate.
4. Remove the whistle from the rice cooker.
5. Initially keep it on a high flame for around 5 minutes as the water takes some time to start boiling.
6. Next keep it on a medium flame for another 5-10 minutes
7. Let the cooker cool down.
8. After 15 minutes, extract the idlis using a knifeand trasfer to a casserrole to keep them warm.

Serve the Idlis with Chutney and Sambhar

Notes:
1. I prepare idlis using the rice cooker as I do not have a idli maker. Rice cooker can be ofcoarse substituted by the Idli maker.
2. If some batter is left over, you can add little more and salt and prepare some dosas.
3. Idli batter needs to be little thicker than the dosa batter.
4. I usually use dosa rice to prepare idlis. You can substitute it with idli rice.
5. The quantities mentioned in the ingriedients needs to be strictly followed to prepare soft idlis.
6. Sambhar recipe is available at link to Sambhar Recipe
7. Corainder chutney recipe is available at link to Corainder Chutney Recipe