Idli Milagai Podi

One of the must haves for the kitchen, esp., if you are making idlis or dosas quite often. Each of us make our own version of the podis. All the recipes are very tasty to have with idlis. And more to that they are always handy when you run out of stock to prepare your chutneys. Some times, I rather eat my idlis just for the sake of the podis.

I prepare the podis rich in dhal content, and so they are good to have. Along with the dry chillies, they still arent too spicy when dhals are added to give a nutty spice flavor. When I was in my childhood days, I just have podis even for my curd rice. Grind this and store in air tight containers for about 6 months. But I tell you, you are not going to let them stay there so long. They get exhausted as early in a month.

Idli Upma

Have left over idlis, well then go for these simplest idli upma. The most chosen in any South Indian home for the left over idlis and the very reason being is simple to prepare. But sometimes, since I love to have them, I prepare more idlis and let them stay to be prepared for the next day.

This upma is one of those which does not require to be posted separately. Simply to give an addition to the upma varieties, I'm adding these to the list. A very simple recipe of the idli upma is seen here. You can add as many as vegetables as you like to. Or you can simply have the basic version.

Masala Idlis

Tingle your taste buds with our Traditional and Mouth watering South Indian Masala Idli Recipe.
A very tasty snack of left-over idlis. Masala Idli is quite easy to prepare.When the idli batter in the end gets hard to prepare idli, this should do wonders! Most of us in our house are dosa fans. So, only these kind of variations in the idli would attract everyone, and all ages!

Vegetable Idli

What a long day, today in kitchen! Quite different recipes for each one of us for each time to eat. Each of us enjoyed our own meal today with spices to our taste level. It is the almost the last set of idli batter, so thought will prepare veggie idli. And this is our brunch today.

Some colorful plates with idli came out of the idli pan. It made all of us drool esp., the nice aroma of the tomato. I do not mind eating as many idlis as I can but just stopped with four. Sometimes, for a veggie idli four is really heavy. Hasini hardly has one! Still I take all chance to make specifically for her as I add 3-4 veggies.

You need

2 cups idli batter

1/4 cup onion (finely chopped & sauted)

4-8 pieces of tomato

1/2 cup grated carrot & peas

green chillies (I avoid if I prepare of Haini)

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/4 tsp red chilli powder

coriander leaves to garnish

For Tampering

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1/2 tsp Urad dhal

Mix the onion and the tampered mustasrd and Urad. To the grated carrot & peas add the dry powders and the salt and keep aside.

In the idli pan, oil the idli plates well and then add little of sauted onion mix, 1 tsp of carrot mix and add half laddle of the idli batter. Place a slice of tomato and spread 1/2 tsp of carrot mix and a very small pinch of salt. Do this for all the idlis. Steam cook for 10-12 mins. Once done remove idlis and serve hot with your favorite chutney.

The idli has great colors on all the sides.

Enjoy this colorful yummy and ofcourse healthy idlis!

Iam sending this to entry for Kids Delight,

Soft Idlis with Tomato gravy & Mini ghee idlis

When you say SouthIndian, (esp., Tamilnadu) breakfast, all of us think the soft idlis first! And where ever we go away from home, it is the first thing we miss. More than the rice varieties, we miss the idlis. And they can be had at any time of the day!

In my house, the idlis will be thin and soft to core! And Idlis will go with any kind of chutneys! I always prefer to have idlis with this onion-tomato combination. It is as simple like other chutneys although no grinding is required.

Many different varieties of idlis can be prepared, but still  the basic idli is the most preferred. I grind them only in grinder. But they come out well in the normal mixer also. When I prepare in the grinder, idlis come out soft till the last laddle. Where as in the mixer, the last laddles of batter I use for preparing Dosa.

I love my grandma's idlis. They will be so soft and she always tries to make different side dish each time. And with all these side dishes there will surely be the tasty paruppu sambar that goes heavenly with the idlis. My grandma is now 74yrs old. Even now, if she knows that I'll be there home, I can expect her idli and sambar. She eats only idlis for her lunch cum dinner. And so idli is part of our everyday food.

Idli Batter You need

4 cups Idli rice

1.5 to 2 cups of skinned Urad dhal (I prefer 2 cups)

Salt to taste

Soak the rice and dhal separately for 2-3 hours. Then grind the rice in grinder or mixer untill the dough is soft. Remove the dough to the storing bowl. Then grind the Urad dhal for same time as the rice. Although, the Urad grinds faster, still take the same time or until nice bubbles come in the batter. Then, Mix the batter well by adding the salt. Close in airtight container and keep outside for 18-24 hours in summer and 1.5 days in winter.

Prepare the idli plates by applying oil on the plates. Now, take the prepared batter and add 1 laddle of batter to the idli plates. Steam the idlis for 10 mins or until cooked well. Serve the idlis with onion-tomato gravy (recipe follows). 

You need:

1/2 cup finely chopped Onions

1 cup finely chopped tomatoes

2 green chillies

Salt to taste

1/2 inch chopped ginger

For Tampering

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1 tsp Urad dhal

1 tsp Channa dhal

Curry leaves to garnish

Oil for tampering

Tamper the Mustard seeds. Then Urad dhal and channa dhal. Now add the chopped onions, ginger and green chillies. Once Onion are sauted, add the chopped tomatoes. Add little water to cook. You can add more water if you want it gravy. Garnish with Curry leaves and serve hot for idli.

Sent this entry for the event One Me Two Ways with the ingredient Tomato hosted my Hima.

Mini ghee idlis and sambar

You need

Mini idlis

2 cups Sambar

1/2 cup chopped white onion

a handful chopped coriander leaves

2 tsp ghee

Take Idli batter in spoons and fill the idli plates. Steam cook the idlis and keep aside.Now add the sambar(recipe follows) over the idlis. Add 1 cup of sambar to 14 mini idlis. Then to this, add the finely chopped onion and coriander leaves. Add ghee nicely and serve hot.

Restaurant-Style Sambar

you need

1 cup cooked Toor dhal

1 cup roughly chopped Onion

1/4 capsicum chopped into squares

1 drumstick cut into 2" lengths

1 Tomato roughly chopped

1/4 tsp Fenugreek Seeds

1/2 tsp Asafoetida

1/2 lemon size tamarind

2 1/2 cups of water

1 Big tsp Sambar powder

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Curry leaves to garnish

For Tampering

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1 tsp Urad dhal

oil for tampering

In a heavy bottom sauce pan add a tsp oil. Add fenugreek seeds and wait till it pops. Then add the chopped veggies and the asafoetida. Saute for about a min or two. Then add the tamarind paste and add the water. Now add the sambar powder and turmeric powder. Let this cook until the blankness of the sambar powder goes away. Then add the cooked and mashed toor dhal. Now cook again for 5-10 mins.

Tamper the mustard seeds and Urad dhal in a tsp of oil. Add it to the sambar. Finally, garnish with the curry leaves and coriander leaves(optional).