Breakfast time

 Breakfast is always special in each and every house in India. I usually have Idly/dosa batter in my fridge as its my family favourite.We always have elaborate breakfast in weekends and weekdays....:)

                                          

Idly receipe
(Adapted from http://cookerybits.blogspot.com/2010/03/extra-soft-idly.html)
                                       
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup urad dal
• 1 1/2 cup cooked rice
• 2 cups of raw rice /Sona massori /Long grain rice

Directions:

• Soak urad dal and raw rice separately overnight .
• Grind urad dal and cooked rice in a wet grinder/blender/mixie to fine paste and pour the batter to a big vessel or container
• Grind raw rice to fine paste.
• Add the rice batter to the urad dal batter and mix it very well with hands.
• Keep this batter to ferment for 6- 8 hrs in a warm place.
• Its is better to keep the batter inside the oven with lights on or in a preheated oven for 5 min max.
• The fermented batter can be kept in fridge and used as needed.
• I usually take some batter in a bowl and add salt as needed and make sufficient idlis needed.the batter stays for a week in fridge.

Idly receipe:
(Inherited from my amma and vellyamma)
Ingredients:

• 1 cup urad dal
• 3 cups raw rice
• 1 cup cooked rice 

Directions:

• Soak urad dal and rice separately.
• Grind urad dal in a wet grinder /blender/mixie  to fine paste and pour the batter to a big container/vessel.
• Grind raw rice in the same wet grinder /blender/mixie to fine paste along with cooked rice.
• Add the rice batter to the urad dal batter and mix it very well with hands.
• Keep this batter to ferment for 6- 8 hrs in a warm place.
• Its is better to keep the batter inside the oven with lights on or in a preheated oven for 5 min max.
• The fermented batter can be kept in fridge and used as needed.
• I usually take some batter in a bowl and add salt as needed and make sufficient idlis needed.the batter stays for a week in fridge.

Dosa receipe:
For the batter use the same directions as Idly receipe.
Make the batter little loose adding small amount of water and make crispy dosa.
Pour a teaspoon of ghee /butter to make the dosa really yummy.

Note:
You can have Idly and dosa with Green coconut chutney  too, if you don't have sambar.

Sambar:
Ingredients:

• Lentil/Toor dal/parippu - randu pidi (twice taken handful)
• carrots - cut lengthwise (not too thin little thick)
• potatoes - cut into cubes
• okra/ladys finger - cut into pieces
• drumsticks - 4- 5counts
• onions - 2 medium cut into cubes,just like a square
• tomatoes - 2, cut into four
• mustard seeds- 1 tsp
• tamarind - a small goosberry size
• onions - 1 medium chopped into small pieces
• chilly powder- 1/2 tsp
• turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
• sambar powder - 21/2 tsp
• corriander powder/mallipodi - 11/2tsp
• curry leaves - 8- 10 leaves
• asetofidia/hing/kayam - 1tsp
• fenugreek powder / uluva podichathu - 1/4 tsp
• salt to taste

Directions:

• Wash parippu thoroughly in water. Pressure cook parippu,carrots and potatoes along with some water  to 1- 2 whistle( depends on your cooker,I usually do it for 1 whitsle).Donot make everything mushy.Keep aside.
• Microwave a bowl of water and add the tamarind in and leave it on the kitchen counter10 minutes before you start the cooking.
• Heat  oil in a heavy bottom pan /Cheenchatti, and splutter mustard seeds,add in curry leaves too. Saute the onion till translucent, add uluva podi and kayam(if using blocksof kayam instead of powder.Microwave the whole block  for 10 - 15 min ,the kayam will blow out from one end ,take it out and cut the popped end with knife and add to the pan) and cook for a min.Add the chopped tomatoes and stir well and keep the pan covered for some time so that the tomatoes are fully cooked and become little mushy .
• Add the tamarind juice at this point and allow to boil . Add okra, drumstick and salt to taste to the pan and cook covered for 10 - 15 min on medium low flame.
• When the okra and drumstick become soft, add the cooked parippu and  mix well so the parippu and vegetables blend well with everything . Add salt and do a  quick "taste test".Allow the curry to boil.
• In the meantime, take a cup of water in a bowl and add turmeric powder, chilly powder,corriander powder and Eastern Sambar powder( You can use a brand of your choice)
• Add this to the parippu on stove ,bring sambar to boil and remove from heat .
• Heat oil in a small pan and add the chopped onion and fry till  brown and add this to the sambar.

Note:
You can make sambar with veggies of your choice. Sometimes I make sambar with just carrots and beans if I am running out with other veggies. This is a podi sambar receipe,usually in Kerala Varathu aracha sambar is made.Sambar made with a gravy of roasted coconut which has a very enriched taste,which goes very well with matta rice/the brown rice/Kuthari choor

Luv
Rooster