Masala Idlis and Chutney - The 100 recipe K-hallenge!

This is a steamed rice cake that would have made Marie Antoinette scream! This is savory however and in this version given to me by my second mom Pam Vasandani it is bursting with spice and sour. I’m a regular at Pam’s house as she is an amazing cook! For someone that has never done this before, it is difficult, only because there are many steps and you need a special contraption that is ideal for making these white beauties. In South India this is eaten typically for breakfast, however it is also eaten as a snack and a lunch or dinner. These special idli stands have little perforations that allow the steam to pass through.. You could try to make this in a shallow dish on top of an inverted colander in a large vessel with a little boiling water at the bottom. Idlis are relished typically with Sambhar and/or chutney but really could easily sop up any gravy dish.

Idli paste
2 cups of regular ice soaked overnight separately

1.25 cups of urid dhal soaked overnight separately (reserve 1 tsp aside after it’s soaked and boil it in some water.)

!/4 cup chopped coriander, green chilies, baking soda, salt and oil.

Once the rice and urid dhal is soaked, grind them separately and mix them together with a pinch of baking soda and 2 tsps of salt. Cover and keep aside to rise in a warm area.

After a few hours, check to make sure it has risen. Beat mixture well with a wooden spoon to make consistency smooth. Add the chopped chilies and coriander to the batter.

Put the steamer on with half cup water. Smear oil in the hollows of the idli plates and pour a spoonful of batter into each.  

When the water is boiling in the steamer, set the plates in for 10-12 minutes. Remove and scoop out fluffy idlis!

Chutney
1 bunch of Coriander (remove and discard stalks)

1 cup of grated fresh coconut

6 green chillies,

1” ginger

1 green mango (peeled and chopped)

1 inch ball of tamarind paste(no seeds)

1 small onion chopped,

Juice of ½ lemon

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

For the Oil garnish:

6 Curry leaves

½ tsp mustard seeds,

1 tsp urid dhal(previously soaked and boiled).

Grind all the ingredients to a very fine paste adding oil as required. Heat some oil and quickly sauté the curry leave, mustard seeds and urid dhal. Garnish the chutney.