A - Z Idli Series ~ V for Vendhaya Idli

It's time for the idli series again. For those uninitiated, here is a detailed post about idlis and tips for the preparation. So far in this series, I have posted -

A for Avarekayi Idli

B for Bajra Flour idli

C for Cornmeal Idli

D for Dal Idli

E for Elaneer Idli

F for Foxtail Millet Idli

G for Green Gram Idli

H for Halasina Hannina Idli

I for Idli (using idli rice)

J for Jowar Idli

K for Kumbalakaayi Idli

L for Lauki Idli

M for Mallige Idli

N for Navadhanya idli

O for Oats Idli

P for Poha Idli

Q for Quinoa Idli

R for Ragi Rave Idli

S for Sabbakki Idli

T for Thatte Idli

U for Uddina Idli

The standard version idlis are prepared with skinned black gram and idli rice, that usually go in a ratio of 1:2 or 1:3. However there are a few exceptions like my previous post in this series, uddina idli which was made using skinned black gram / urad dal alone. Here is one more which is prepared using idli rice alone, called vendhaya idli from Tamil Nadu. I accidentally came across these idlis on a YouTube video and the recipe intrigued me enough to try them later. These idlis are made with just two ingredients, namely idli rice and fenugreek seeds. Fenugreek seeds are called 'vendhayam' in Tamil and hence the name of the idlis. The traditional version also contains castor seeds and prepared during summer to combat heat.

Idli rice and fenugreek seeds are soaked, ground and the batter is fermented. Fenugreek seeds which are bitter by taste do not lend any bitterness to idlis and are a healthy addition to idlis here. The fenugreek seeds when soaked turn soft and yields fluffiness to the ground batter. Eno's fruit salt or baking soda is added to the fermented batter just before making the idlis. In fact, adding Eno's fruit salt is a crucial step in the preparation. It helps in yielding a soft, fluffy texture to idlis, even without the addition of black gram / urad dal. Omitting Eno's fruit salt would yield rock hard idlis that are fit to trash. I prefer Eno's fruit salt over baking soda, whenever a idli recipe requires it but if using baking soda, make sure that it is still within expiry date. Otherwise baking soda yields a weird smell to idlis, ruining the taste.

Ingredients:

2 cups idli rice
1.5 to 2 tbsp. fenugreek seeds

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp. Eno's fruit salt *

* Baking soda can be added instead of Eno's fruit salt but make sure that it is not beyond expiry date.

Directions:

1. Rinse idli rice, and fenugreek seeds together with water and drain. Repeat the step one more time. Soak them together in water in a bowl for about 4 hours and drain the water used to soak completely.

2. Grind them together adding salt and water as needed to grind them into a smooth and thick batter. (The salt can be added just before making idlis if living in a warm climate. I add it while grinding since I live in a cold climate and the batter takes longer to ferment.)

3. Transfer the batter to a container that is big enough to allow the batter to raise during fermentation. Cover the container and allow it to ferment overnight (if the batter was ground in the evening) or for about 10 - 12 hours in a warm place. If living in a cold climate, leaving the batter in an oven with the lights on (without turning on the oven) helps. Or use yogurt setting in an instant pot.

4. The fermented batter should rise well and be fluffy but not turn sour.  . 

5. Heat about 2 cups of water in a idli cooker base or a idli cooker or a steamer on medium heat. 

6. Grease the idli moulds with ghee / oil. 

7. Gently stir the batter a couple of times with a ladle. Add Eno's fruit salt to the batter and sprinkle a tbsp. of water over it. Immediately stir the batter well until it starts to turn frothy. 

8. Ladle the batter into the idli plates carefully without spilling.

9. Place the idli stand in the prepared cooker / steamer and close the lid. Don't use the valve for the lid if using a pressure cooker.

10. Steam the idlis on medium heat setting for about 15 - 20 minutes or until done. (The idlis should not stick when touched with moist fingers.) Check the water level in the steamer base and add extra if needed.

8. Wait for about 10 minutes and then remove the idlis from idli stand. Remove the idlis by running a spoon around the edges.

How to serve idlis:

Drizzle some melted ghee over the idlis and serve them with a chutney, and sambhar if preferred. Mine were served with Kumbakonam Kadappa and sambhar.

What to do with leftover idlis:

1. Refrigerate the left over idlis and use in a day or two. 

2. Or they can be cooled down immediately after preparation and frozen to use later. Nuke them in a microwave, covered and enjoy hot, piping idlis when needed. 

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A South Indian Breakfast Platter

For most of the Indians, especially to those well versed with the south Indian food, the above platter is self explanatory. It contains the most popular breakfast dishes the region boasts of, though there are plenty of other regional recipes that don't enjoy the same fame but nonetheless savored with same enthusiasm across millions of homes in that part of the country.

Idlis and dosas are probably the well known breakfast dishes through out India. The first one is a steamed rice cake which is healthier and the latter is a pancake which uses no eggs, sugar or any raising agents. The standard versions are made with a naturally fermented batter of rice and skinned black gram / urad dal though they are used in different proportions, especially in the southern states of Karnataka and Andhra. However idlis / dosas are made in Tamil Nadu with the same batter. Apart from the standard versions which involve some prep work, there are plenty of variations among the two dishes. There are idlis made with fermented batters and instant versions. Dosas vary depending upon whether they are made with ground or instant batters, fermented or unfermented batters and the various grains / lentil and / or vegetable combinations used. Check my recipe index for breakfasts here, I have over 60 recipes for doasa and idlis combined. That's just like just scratching the surface. 

I made idlis along with mini vadas and pongal which form a delicious combo and served them with chutney and sambhar which are the standard side dishes served in restaurants across Bangalore. Honestly, the first time I ever saw the red tomato chutney being served with breakfast recipes was in local restaurants in US though I know now through blogging community that it is a commonly served side dish in Tamil Nadu. I made potato curry for the mini masala dosas. I added another popular combo from Bangalore, khara bhath and kesari bhath collectively known as chow chow bhath meaning a mixture of bhaths. No rice is used in the preparation though they are called bhaths, bhath being rice in Hindi. Kharabhtath is spicy version of upma while kesari bhath is the semolina halwa cooked adding orange food color. The word kesar here refers to the color orange and no saffron is added. I could have added some pooris as well but I refrained since I had made three different versions of poori by that time. End the yummy breakfast with a piping hot glass of filter coffee.

And for those wondering, why I have a pink colored halwa instead of orange colored one in the platter, the credit goes to my food color. I usually don't use any food color in the preparation or use the orange color in powder form that I buy in Indian store while making kesari bhath if needed. I had run out of that and used the liquid food color which needed a combo of food color drops to get that orange color. I am pretty sure that I followed the directions but still ended up with a pink hued halwa. My family wanted to know whether I made halwa with roses or something and my mother who saw the image wanted the recipe for that pink halwa. 😀

My South Indian breakfast menu 
Mini masala dosas - South Indian pancakes served with a spicy potato filling
Idlis - steamed rice cakes 
Pongal - A spicy rice and lentil khichdi 
Vadas - Skinned black gram / urad dal fritters
Khara bhath - A spicy semolina pudding
Kesari bhath - A sweet semolina pudding
Sambhar - A lentil gravy, side dish for dosa, idli, pongal and upma dishes
Chutney - A coconut / fried gram chutney, side dish for dosa, idli, pongal and upma dishes 
Filter Coffee

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Horse Gram Dosas / Ulava Dosalu

South Indian breakfast dishes are preferred over bread / cereal any given day in our home and I therefore keep rotating them. However idlis and dosas, which everyone seem to like mostly contain rice and I am trying to make them a tad healthier. Over the recent years, I have started to substitute a healthy ingredient for a portion of the rice in those recipes. Today's recipe is such one though a traditional one to make idlis and I make dosas with it as well. 

Horse gram, though chiefly is horse fodder as the name suggests is beneficial to humans as well as it is rich in iron. It is being used in Indian cuisine from a long time though not used as extensively as the other beans. Here is one way to include these in the diet if interested. One cannot miss the distinct flavor of horse gram, when tasting the dishes made with this bean. If one is bothered about it, serve these dosas with a coconut chutney / sambhar instead of dry spice powders which masks the flavor.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup horse gram / kulthi
1/2 cup skinned black gram / urad dal
1/2 cup idli rava
Salt to taste 
Any neutral flavored oil to make dosas 

Directions:
* Rinse horse gram and black gram with water thoroughly and drain. Soak them together in water for at least 3 hours, such that water level is at least two or three inches higher than the ingredients during the soaking period. 
* Similarly rinse idli rava and soak separately, covered in enough water.
* After the soaking period, drain the water completely from beans and rava containers. Add all the soaked and drained ingredients to a blender and grind into a thick, smooth batter adding salt and enough water. The batter should not be too runny. 
* Pour the batter into a container, with some extra space to allow the fermented batter to rise. Cover the container and leave it in a warm place overnight or for at least 8 hours or more depending upon the local weather to ferment. 
* Heat a tawa / flat non stick griddle when ready to make dosas. Stir the fermented batter once with a ladle. Pour a ladleful (about 1/4 cup) of batter at the center of the griddle and quickly spread it thinly with the back of the ladle. Pour 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. oil around the edges (I use very less oil.) 
* Cook until the bottom side is done and the surface no longer looks wet. Flip it with a spatula and cook the other side as well for few seconds. Transfer the cooked dosa onto a plate and repeat the dosa making process with the remaining batter. 
* Serve them warm with coconut chutney or any other spicy chutney.

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Greengram Idli / Moong Idli

The idea for this healthy breakfast option came from Kalyani's post from last blogging marathon though I overlooked the details at the time of preparation, ending up altogether with a different variety of idlis if I am not wrong. My husband loves his idlis as my daughter does her macaroni and cheese. The man wouldn't be complaining if idlis are the only thing that get served at breakfast table all his life while I am the opposite. I would eat them only as my last option though I make good quality idlis, thanks to my south Indian upbringing. The healthy infusion of moong beans in the idli captivated my attention though I wasn't sure how my husband would receive the idea. My husband considered me crazy to try to mess up with the perfected, traditional version of fluffy idlis though he wasn't that vehement about the idea after tasting them. They were a little heavy when compared to the standard version idlis and a few will fill you up good for a longer time. I used idli rice, forgot the seasoning part before filling the idli moulds and so, my idlis ended up looking different than Kalyani's. I am sure that the seasoning would make them more flavorful and there is always a next time to try them. :) These idlis make a healthier meal option and a great variation if looking out to try a different variety idli. 

Ingredients: (Yield 18 to 20 idlis)
1/2 to 3/4 cup whole green gram / sabut mung
3/4 cup split, skinned black gram / urad dal
3/4 cup idli rice
Salt to taste

Method:
* Rinse green gram, black gram and idli rice twice and soak in water (submerging them well) for 3 to 4 hours. Drain the water used to soak before grinding.
* Finely grind the soaked ingredients adding salt and enough water into thick batter. Transfer the batter into a container that can hold more than the ground batter since it is going to raise during the fermentation period.
* Cover the container and keep it in a warm place to ferment overnight. (I usually grind the batter in the evening and leave it in the oven with the light on. I do not turn on the oven. I live in a cold place and this method works for me resulting in a good fermented batter in around 12 to 14 hours.)

* Grease the idli plates and fill the moulds with the batter and steam them on low flame, about 20 minutes.
* Serve them with chutney / sambhar of your choice. 
 
This goes to Blogging marathon #69, under the theme 'Bookmarked Recipes'. Check here to find out what the other marathoners are cooking as part of the BM.

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Brown Rice Masala Dosa

Dosa, a common and popular breakfast choice from South India can be dubbed as the Indian version pancake albeit an eggless and flourless version and healthier to boot. The term 'dosa' usually refers to the ones prepared using ground and fermented batter of rice and black gram though there are a myriad variety of dosas that are prepared using fermented batters / ground but not fermented batters and instant version mixes. 

Among the wide range of delectable dosa choices, the supreme status undoubtedly goes to the masala dosa and is the most popular variety of dosas sold in south Indian restaurants. Dosas filled with a spicy and yummy potato masala and served with chutney and onion sambhar would make a very enjoyable combination for spicy food lovers. And a pat of butter on top, restaurant style definitely increases the flavor factor of a masala dosa. 

Substituting brown rice for white rice makes these dosas healthier and somehow we find brown rice dosas more flavorful than the traditional white rice dosas. The potato filling that is usually served in restaurants or homes is this version though I love and prepare this version more. Coconut chutney is commonly served at restaurants though peanut chutney would be a great substitution for it.

Ingredients for dosa batter:
2 cups brown rice
1/2 cup skinned black gram / urad dal
A fistful of split chickpeas / chana dal
1 tbsp. beaten rice flakes / poha
Salt to taste

Ingredients for masala dosa:
Dosa batter (Recipe below)
Oil / Ghee to make dosas (I use canola oil.)
Potato curry
Coconut chutney / Peanut chutney

 Preparing the dosa batter:
* Rinse rice, dals and poha in two exchanges of water and soak them in enough water to let the ingredients be submerged, for about 3 o 4 hours. Drain the water after the soaking period.
*  Grind the soaked ingredients into a smooth, thick batter using enough water as needed.
* Transfer the ground batter to a container, add salt and mix well. (Choose a container which can hold more than the ground batter since it is going to rise during the fermentation process.)
* Cover  the batter and allow it to ferment overnight or for at least 10-12 hours in a warm place. (I usually leave my batter in my convection oven overnight, with the light on. I don't turn my oven on. This tip really works, if you live in a cold place.)
* If the batter is fermented properly, there will be an increase in the quantity of the batter and appears frothy when stirred.

Making dosas:
* Heat a non stick shallow pan / griddle. When you sprinkle a few drops of water on the griddle, the water should sizzle and evaporate. This means the griddle is ready to use.
* Pour a ladleful of batter on the griddle and spread it into a thin circle with the help of the backside of the ladle. Spread about ½ tsp of oil around the edges of the dosa. Cook on low - medium flame until the lower side turns golden brown. Flip the dosa and cook it  for about 15 to 20 seconds  so that it is cooked on the other side too. Flip again and place about 3 to 4 tbsp. potato curry on one half side and fold the dosa. Remove the dosa with a spatula and repeat the process with the remaining batter.
* Serve dosas with chutney & onion sambhar.
 
This goes to Blogging marathon #69, under the theme 'Flatbreads'. Check here to find out what the other marathoners are cooking as part of the BM.

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Paddu

Paddu is a rice-lentil based breakfast dish from Karnataka, that goes by the names ponganalu and paniyaram in other south Indian states. The rice and lentils are soaked, ground, fermented over the night and then the batter is poured into and cooked in a special mold pan, similar to an aebleskiver pan. I prepare ponganalu / paniyaram at least once a week for our breakfast but when a friend mentioned about this particular recipe, I had to jot down the proportions since it was a different version than the one I am used to. I use a small quantity of black gram in my regular versions but this paddu had rice and medley of lentils in equal proportions. I was glad to try them as now I have one more nutritious and yummy version to rotate. And also the original version uses just the batter without the seasonings or onion. I added them anyway since they enhance the flavor of this yummy breakfast.

Links below for the other versions posted before.
Guntha Ponganalu
Kuzhi Paniyaram

Ingredients:

1 cup rice (I used extra long rice & idli rice.)

1/2 cup urad dal / skinned black gram

1/4 cup chana dal / split chickpeas

1/4 cup moong dal

Salt to taste

Oil to make paddu

2 onions - peeled and finely chopped

For seasoning / tadka:

2 tsp oil, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tbsp chana dal, 1 tbsp urad dal, few minced curry leaves and 2 minced green chillies if not serving kids

Method:

* Soak rice and dals in sufficient quantity of water for 4 - 5 hours and discard the water. Rinse the mixture with fresh batch of water.

* Grind the rice-dal mixture fine adding water as needed to form a thick batter. The batter should not be runny. Add salt and mix well. Allow it to ferment overnight in a warm place or about 8 - 10 hours.

* When ready to prepare paddu, heat oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds, urad and chana dals to the oil. When dals start turning reddish, add the minced curry leaves and green chillies if using.

* Add this tadka, minced onion to the fermented batter and mix well.

 

Making paddus:

* Heat the paddu / ponganalu skillet when ready to make paddu. Add a few drops of oil in each mould. Then fill them with batter.

* Cover the ponganalu skillet with a lid and cook on medium heat. Cook until the ponganalu batter doesn't appear raw on the surface.

 

* Then flip them, add a drop or two of oil and cook till the other side lightly brown as well.

* Remove them once done and repeat the process with the remaining batter. Serve them warm with chutney.  
* They store well in refrigerator for 2- 3 days. And they freeze well too for a handy breakfast on a busy work day.

This goes to Blogging marathon #60 under the theme 'Regional Cuisine - Karnataka'. Check the link to see what other marathoners are cooking.



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Saggubiyyam Dosa / Sago Dosa

My 3 year old niece is close to me despite the distance barriers. She makes sure that the adults at home call me frequently so that she can share the so called 'fun' things happening in her life. I got a similar call from her yesterday and the tiny one was all excited to share the news that she received 4 medals  in her pre-school sports day event, including the one for hosting the event along with her teacher in front of an audience of 100 plus. It is a remarkable feat considering that no one cannot elicit a single word from her in front of strangers though she talks a dozen to dime with those who are in her 'friendly' zone. Everyone at home is usually happy to hear her pleasant chatter and it is hard for us to escape from her charming and strong persona. Even my 16 year old who acts as if he is reclusive and doesn't show an iota of enthusiasm when he wins state and national level competitions at school couldn't escape from the excitement his little cousin was spreading and was chatting away enthusiastically with her sharing her sense of pride. 
My sister was mentioning that her daughter was acting as a mini adult these days and behaving so mature for her age. Gradually the conversation veered towards the food in general and the little one's preferences in particular. It seems that her daughter was bored with the same kind of dosas she was making and asked me for some varieties to rotate. For people who are in the same boat like my sister, here is one dosa made with sago. These dosas taste good when served warm along with a spicy chutney.

Ingredients:
1 & 1/2 cups rice (I used extra long grain rice.)
1/2 cup sago / tapioca pearls (Saggubiyyam)
Buttermilk (Majjiga)
Salt to taste
Oil to make dosas ( Canola / vegetable / peanut oil)

Method:
* Soak rice and sago pearls together for about 4 - 5 hours in water such that they are immersed well in water. Wash and drain the water after the soaking period.
* Grind rice and sago together finely into a thick batter, using butter milk. In absence of butter milk, add equal quantities of yogurt and water.
* Transfer the ground batter to a big container, add salt and mix well. Cover and allow the batter to ferment overnight. (I usually soak the ingredients in the afternoon, grind the batter in the evening.)
* When ready to make dosas, heat a griddle or a shallow pan. Pour a ladleful of batter at the center of the griddle and spread thinly into a 6 inch circle using the backside of the ladle. Drizzle 1/2 tsp oil around the edges and cook until the bottom side of the dosa turns light golden. Flip the dosa using a spatula, drizzle about 1/4 tsp oil around the edges and cook for about 20 seconds and remove.
* Repeat the dosa making process using the remaining batter.
* Serve dosas warm with roasted chickpea / peanut chutney.

This goes to Blogging Marathon #50, under the theme of "One ingredient - Three different dishes". I have decided to showcase three different dishes this week using Sabudana / Sago / Tapioca pearls. Check out the link to find out what other marathoners are cooking.

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