VERMICELLI IDLIS

VERMICELLI IDLIS

Today, January 26, being our Republic Day, I have presented a dish in tricolour. These are Vermicelli Idlis in which we use vermicelli and curds. There is no need for fermentation of the batter. Today's idlis are served with chutney powder and coriander chutney.

I must thank my friend, Sandhya Puranik for pointing out this recipe to me.

 Ingredients:

• Vermicelli, 2 cups
• Curds, 1 cup
• Salt, 1 and 1/2 tsp, or to taste
• Green Chillies, finely chopped, 3
• Fresh Ginger, 1" piece
• Fresh Coriander, chopped, 1 tbsp
• Carrot Gratings, 1/2 cup
• Mustard seeds, 1 tsp
• Chana Dal, 1 tbsp 
• Oil, 2 tbsp

 Method:

To the curds, add grated carrot, salt, finely chopped green chillies and mix well. Keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When it splutters, add chana dal and when it changes colour, add the vermicelli and roast till it is golden
Add the roasted vermicelli to the prepared curds while it is still hot
Mix well and leave it to soak for 10 minutes
Grease the idli moulds with a drop of oil and spoon the curd vermicelli mixture into each mould
Steam the idlis in the pressure cooker without the weight for 12 minutes
Switch off the gas and allow the pressure cooker to cool
Remove the idlis
Serve hot with chutney of your choice.

SAGO & RICE IDLI

SAGO & RICE IDLI

As you know, idlis the popular South Indian breakfast item comes in many varieties. Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for, amongst others, Rava Idlis, Vermicelli Idlis and Mallige Idlis. In this context, I was interested to find that my friend, Aparna G. Prabhu had a recipe for Sago Idlis in her blog Apskitchen: Good Food Good Health.

I wanted to try this out and so have adapted this from her recipe. I chose not to add the coconut gratings.

We enjoyed the sago (Sabudana) and rice idlis which came out to be soft and fluffy.

Ingredients:

• Idli Rice, 1 cup
• Sago, (Sabudana) 1/2 cup
• Curds, 3/4 cup
• Baking Soda, 1/4 tsp
• Coconut gratings, 1/4 cup * I did not use this
• Salt, to taste
• Coriander leaves, finely chopped, 1 tbsp
• Oil, for seasoning 1 tsp + some to grease the idli moulds

For seasoning:

• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Green Chillies, finely chopped, 2
• Curry leaves, 6-8, made into pieces

Method:

Wash and soak the rice and sago separately for at least 2-3 hours

Drain out the water

Grind sago into a coarse paste using just the required amount of water

Now add the drained rice and grind again until you get a rava consistency

Take care that the ground paste does not become smooth or fine as we want a coarse finish

Transfer this batter into a vessel

Add the curds and salt and mix well

Keep this aside for fermenting for 8-10 hours or overnight 

Season the batter once it is ready, with mustard seeds, green chillies, and curry leaves 

Add the baking soda, coconut gratings and chopped coriander leaves to the batter

Mix well and ensure the batter is of the right consistency for making idlis
For this you may add water only if the batter is too thick

Grease the idli moulds and pour in the batter

Steam them for about 15 minutes or till done
* If using a pressure cooker, steam the idlis without putting the weight

Wait for the idlis to cool before you demould them

Serve hot with sambar or chutney of your choice

KANCHIPURAM IDLIS

KANCHIPURAM IDLIS

As you know, Idlis are a commonly made breakfast item in South India. There are several types of idlis you will find in this blog such as Rava Idlis and Vermicelli Idlis.  Today's dish is another variety called Kanchipuram Idlis which is supposed to have originated from the ancient temple town of Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu.

While many blogs have the recipe for Kanchipuram Idlis, I have adapted this recipe from Mrs. Subbalakshmi's blog Subbu's Kitchen. As mentioned by her, this goes best with kara chutney which you can see in the picture. I shall write about this in my next post

I have also used regular cooking oil instead of the suggested Gingelly Oil.

We loved this and I am sure you will, too! 

Ingredients:

• Urad Dal, 1 cup
• Fenugreek seeds, 1 tsp
• Raw Rice, 1 cup
• Par Boiled Rice (Idli Rice), 1 cup
• Salt, to taste
• Ginger Powder, 1 tsp
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Cumin Seeds, 1 tsp
• Peppercorns, 1 tsp
• Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp 
• Ghee, 1 tbsp 
• Oil, 1 tbsp
• Channa Dal, 1 tbsp
• Curry leaves, a few
• Cashewnuts, 10

Method:

Soak the urad dal along with the fenugreek seeds for about 3-4 hours.
Soak the raw rice and par boiled rice together for 3-4 hours.

Drain the water from the dal, then grind the urad dal and fenugreek seeds in a mixer till it is light and fluffy using the required amount of water.
Transfer this to a large vessel.
Next, drain the water from the rice and in a mixer grind it to a coarse batter using the required amount of water. The batter should be fairly thick and not runny.
Transfer this to the same vessel.
Mix the two batters well and add salt. Allow it to ferment for 10-12 hours or overnight.
The next day you will find the batter has increased in volume hence the need for a large vessel
Add ginger powder and turmeric powder to the batter and mix well.

Roast the cashewnuts, break them into pieces and keep aside,

Grind the peppercorns and cumin seeds together in a small mixer jar and keep aside.

Heat oil and ghee in a kadhai and when it gets heated add the mustard seeds. When they splutter add the channa dal and fry till the dal turns golden brown
Next add the curry leaves, cumin and pepper powder and fry for 10 seconds

Add this cumin and pepper powder to the batter and mix well. 

Grease the idli moulds with oil
Place a few of the roasted cashew nut pieces in each of the moulds. This will ensure the cashew nut pieces are clearly visible on top of the idlis when they are steamed.

Now, pour the batter in the idli moulds and steam the idlis in a pressure cooker (without keeping the weight) for about 10-12  minutes.

Take it off the flame, allow it to cool and de-mould the idlis

Serve Kanchipuram idlis hot with any chutney of your choice or sambar.

RAVA IDLIS

RAVA IDLIS

Here is another popular South Indian breakfast item. Today I am sharing my recipe for rava idlis. The best part of this preparation is that it can be made fast as the batter need not be fermented overnight etc. By the way, two other types of idlis which do not require any soaking of the ingredients or fermentation of the batter are Oats Idli and Vermicelli Idlis.

While some choose to keep the ratio between curds and rava as 1: 1, I prefer to have a ratio of 1: 2, as given below.

Ingredients:

• Medium Rava, (Semolina), 2 cups
• Oil/ghee, (for roasting the rava and cashewnuts), 1 to 1 and 1/2 tbsp
• Cashewnuts, ( broken into pieces) 6-8
• Curds, 1 cup
• Water, as required to make the batter
• Green Chillies, chopped, 2
• Coriander Leaves, chopped, 2 tbsp
• Ginger, grated, 1"
• Baking Soda, a large pinch OR Eno Fruit Salt 1 tsp
• Salt, as per taste

For seasoning:

• Oil, 1-2 tsp
• Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
• Chana Dal, 2 tsp
• Curry Leaves, 6-8
• Hing (Asafoetida) , a pinch

Method:

In a thick-bottomed kadhai, heat oil and when it gets sufficiently heated add the rava.
Stirring continuously roast it on medium flame till you get a good aroma and the rava changes colour.
Keep aside.
Next, fry the cashewnuts and keep aside.
Then do the seasoning by adding mustard seeds, and when they splutter add chana dal, curry leaves and hing. Fry till the dal changes colour.
Add the seasoning to the roasted rava along with the roasted cashewnuts
Now add the curds together with the grated ginger, chopped green chillies, chopped coriander leaves, and salt
Mix well and make a batter by adding water as required, ensuring that the batter is neither too thick or too thin
Cover the batter and keep aside for 20-25 minutes
Add baking soda OR Eno Fruit Salt to the batter and mix well
Lightly grease the idli moulds and pour the batter into them
In a pressure cooker, steam the idlis for 10-12 minutes, without using the weight.
After a few minutes, remove the rava idlis from the moulds
Serve hot with sambar and chutney of your choice.