Idli with Sambar

Name: Idli with Sambar
Cook time: 515 min
Total time: 515 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 400g Parboiled Idli Rice; 100g Urad Dal, skinned whole black gram; 1/2 tsp Fenugreek Seeds; 1 1/4 tsp Salt; 300ml Water, for soaking and grinding; 1 tsp Sesame Oil, or neutral oil; for greasing idli plates; 150g Toor Dal, split pigeon peas; 750ml Water, to cook the dal; 500ml Water, for adjusting sambar consistency; 1/2 tsp Ground Turmeric; 25g Tamarind, soaked in warm water; extract to get ~2 tbsp pulp; 1 Drumstick, moringa pod, cut into 5–6 cm pieces; 2 small Eggplants, brinjal; cut into chunks; 1 Carrots, sliced; 2 medium Tomatoes, chopped; 10 small Onions, shallots/pearl onions or 1 medium onion; sliced; 2 tbsp Sambar Powder; 1 tsp Mustard Seeds; 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds; 2 Dried Red Chilies; 11 Curry Leaves, fresh; 1/8 tsp Asafoetida, hing; 1 tsp Jaggery, optional but traditional in many regions; 1 1/2 tsp Salt, adjust to taste; 2 tbsp Gingelly Oil, or vegetable oil; 2 tbsp Coriander, fresh, chopped (cilantro); 1 tsp Ghee, optional; for finishing

Cloud-like idlis paired with a fragrant, tangy sambar make for an irresistible South Indian meal. The fermented rice-and-urad batter steams into soft cushions while a simmered toor-dal and vegetable sambar, finished with a hot spice tempering and a knob of ghee, delivers comforting depth and brightness.

Cloud-like idlis paired with a fragrant, tangy sambar make for an irresistible South Indian meal. The fermented rice-and-urad batt... Show more

Traditional Indian Recipe

Health Grade

B+ · Healthy

Rating

4.3

Time

8 hrs30 min

Price

1,75 €

Calories

977 kcal

high protein

low fat

low sugar

kid friendly

Method

Soak the batter

Rinse Parboiled Idli Rice, Urad Dal, and Fenugreek Seeds well under cool water. Soak the rice in one bowl and the dal with the fenugreek in another, each covered with enough Water to submerge them, for 4 hours.

Prep the vegetables

While the grains soak, cut Drumstick into 5-6 cm pieces, chop Eggplant into chunks, slice Carrots, chop Tomato, and slice Onion. Pick the Curry Leaves off the stems and keep them whole. Soak Tamarind in a small bowl with warm water for 15 minutes, then press out the pulp and discard the fibers and seeds.

Blend the batter

Drain the soaked rice, dal, and fenugreek very well, then grind them in batches with just enough soaking water to make a thick, smooth batter. Stir in Salt and blend briefly again. Stop as soon as the batter is smooth but still a little grainy from the rice; if it looks too stiff, add water a spoonful at a time.

Ferment the batter

Cover the batter loosely and leave it in a warm spot for 4 hours, or until it has risen, looks airy, and smells lightly tangy.

Cook the dal

Rinse Toor Dal under cold water, then combine it with Ground Turmeric and enough water to cover by a couple of inches. Bring it to a boil, then simmer until the dal is very soft and mashable; mash it until mostly smooth, with just a little texture left if you like.

Temper the sambar

Heat Gingelly Oil in a wide saucepan over medium heat. Add Mustard Seeds and let them pop, then stir in Cumin Seeds, Dried Red Chilies, Curry Leaves, and Asafoetida for a few seconds until fragrant. Add the sliced onion and cook until it turns translucent.

Simmer the sambar

Stir in the drumstick, eggplant, carrots, and tomato, along with the squeezed tamarind pulp, Sambar Powder, Jaggery, and the mashed dal. Add enough water to make the sambar loose and pourable, season with salt, and bring it to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the flavors come together.

Steam the idlis

Lightly grease the idli plates or molds with Sesame Oil. Spoon in the fermented batter until each cavity is about three-quarters full, set the filled idli stand into a steamer over rapidly boiling water, and steam until the idlis are puffed and set, about 10 minutes.

Serve the idlis

Run a spoon around the idlis and lift them out gently. Serve them hot with the sambar, shower Coriander over the top, and finish with a little Ghee if you want extra richness.