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Restaurants›Spice Delight Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurant›Idly Recipe

Idly Recipe

Name: Spice Delight Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants Idly Recipe
Cook time: 7 h
Total time: 7 h
Yield: 1 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1.5 cups raw rice (idly rice or parboiled rice); 0.5 cups urad dal (split black gram, skinless); 0.25 cups poha (flattened rice, optional); 0.5 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi); 2 cups water (for soaking and grinding); 1 tsp salt; 1 tbs cooking oil or ghee (to grease idly molds); 3 cups water (for steamer); 0.5 cups toor dal (split pigeon peas); 2 cups water (for pressure cooking dal and for sambar); 1 tsp tamarind paste; 1 tbs sambar powder; 0.25 tsp turmeric powder; 1 cups mixed vegetables (carrot, potato, drumstick, brinjal), chopped; 0.5 each onion (small), sliced; 0.5 each tomato, chopped; 1 tsp salt; 1 tbs fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped; 1 tbs oil or ghee; 0.5 tsp mustard seeds; 0.25 tsp cumin seeds; 0.125 tsp asafoetida (hing); 1 each dried red chilies; 6 leaves curry leaves; 1 cups fresh grated coconut (or frozen, thawed); 2 tbs roasted chana dal (dalia / Bengal gram); 1 each green chili (adjust to taste); 0.5 tsp ginger, chopped; 0.5 tsp salt; 0.5 cups water (for grinding)

Inspired by Spice Delight Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurant

Time7h

Serves1

1 plate of Idly (4 pieces) with 16oz Sambar and 8oz Chutney

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Ingredients

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Idly batter (makes 12 idlies; use 1/3 for 4 pieces)

1 1/2 cups raw rice (idly rice or parboiled rice)

1/2 cups urad dal (split black gram, skinless)

1/4 cups poha (flattened rice, optional)

1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi)

2 cups water (for soaking and grinding)

1 tsp Celtic sea salt

Steaming/serving

1 tbs cooking oil or ghee (to grease idly molds)

3 cups water (for steamer)

Sambar (16 oz / ~475 ml)

1/2 cups toor dal (split pigeon peas)

2 cups water (for pressure cooking dal and for sambar)

1 tsp tamarind paste

1 tbs sambar powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 cups mixed vegetables (carrot, potato, drumstick, brinjal), chopped

1/2 each onion (small), sliced

1/2 each Tomato, chopped

1 tsp Celtic sea salt

1 tbs fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped

1 tbs oil or ghee

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp cumin seeds

1/8 tsp asafoetida (hing)

1 each dried red chilies

6 leaves curry leaves

Coconut Chutney (8 oz / ~240 ml)

1 cups fresh grated coconut (or frozen, thawed)

2 tbs roasted chana dal (dalia / Bengal gram)

1 each green chili (adjust to taste)

1/2 tsp ginger, chopped

1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/2 cups water (for grinding)

1 tsp oil (for tempering)

1/4 tsp mustard seeds (for tempering)

1/2 tsp urad dal (for tempering)

6 leaves curry leaves (for tempering)

Method

Idly batter (soaking, grinding, fermenting)

Soak

Rinse the raw rice and poha together until water runs clear. In a separate bowl rinse the urad dal and fenugreek seeds. Soak rice+poha in 1.25 cups water and soak urad dal+fenugreek in 0.75 cup water for 4–6 hours at room temperature.

Grind

Drain water from urad dal and reserve. Grind urad dal and fenugreek first with about 1/4–1/3 cup of its soaking water to a smooth, fluffy paste (add water sparingly). Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Next grind rice and poha with remaining soaking water to a slightly grainy, smooth batter. Combine both batters in the bowl, mix thoroughly by hand or spatula to incorporate air.

Ferment

Add 1 tsp salt and mix. Cover the bowl and ferment in a warm place (ideally 30–35°C / 86–95°F) for 8–12 hours or until batter doubles and is slightly airy. For one plate (4 idlies) you will use roughly 1/3 of this batter; refrigerate remainder after fermentation for later use.

Steaming idlies

Prepare a steamer or idly cooker with 3 cups water and bring to a rolling boil. Lightly grease 4 idly molds with oil or ghee. Stir fermented batter gently (do not deflate too much) and scoop batter into the 4 molds, filling each about 3/4 full.

Place molds in the steamer, cover and steam on high heat for 10–12 minutes. To check doneness insert a toothpick — it should come out clean. Turn off heat and let rest 2 minutes, then unmold the idlies using a spoon. Keep warm until serving.

Sambar (makes ~16 oz)

Cook dal

Rinse toor dal. In a small pressure cooker or pot combine toor dal and 1 cup water with a pinch of turmeric. Pressure cook 3–4 whistles (or simmer until very soft) until dal is mushy. Mash lightly and set aside, adding reserved cooking liquid to reach a thin consistency.

Cook vegetables and tamarind

In a medium saucepan heat 1 tbs oil over medium. Add mustard seeds and when they pop add cumin, dried red chili, asafoetida and curry leaves. Sauté 30 seconds then add sliced onion and cook 2–3 minutes until translucent. Add mixed vegetables and tomato, turmeric, sambar powder and 1 cup water. Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 8–10 minutes. Stir in tamarind paste and salt.

Combine and finish

Add the cooked dal to the vegetable mixture and bring to a gentle boil, stirring to combine. Adjust water to get about 475 ml (16 oz) of sambar; simmer 3–5 minutes. Taste and adjust salt or tamarind/sambar powder. Garnish with chopped coriander. Keep warm for serving.

Coconut Chutney (makes ~8 oz)

Grind chutney

In a blender combine grated coconut, roasted chana dal, green chili, ginger, salt and about 1/4–1/2 cup water. Grind to a smooth to semi-smooth paste, adding water as needed to reach a spoonable chutney consistency (aim for ~240 ml finished volume). Transfer to a serving bowl.

Tempering

Heat 1 tsp oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds and when they pop add urad dal and curry leaves. Fry until urad dal turns golden brown. Pour this tempering over the chutney and mix. Serve room temperature or slightly warm.

Plating and serving

Place 4 warm idlies on a plate. Pour or ladle 16 oz (approx 475 ml) of hot sambar into a bowl or beside the idlies. Add 8 oz (~240 ml) coconut chutney in a small bowl. Serve immediately with optional podi or pickle on the side.