Idlis with a simple green chutney

While I have been unable to spend time in visiting all the blogs on my reader list as well as posting recipes, I have diligently been clicking pictures of my dishes in the hope that I will be able to get back to regular blogging sooner than later. This post, being framed in the midst of sudden plans for another vacation to Coorg, features a breakfast menu after a long time.

Idli is our favorite breakfast dish, and we usually prefer it with sambar or tomato chutney, or plain coconut chutney. Many times though, we also enjoy the lovely light green coriander and curd chutney along with idlis.

Idli

To make Idlis as seen in the picture, you will need:
Rice - raw - 2 cups
Urad Dal (Black lentil, de-husked) - 1 cup
Chana Dal - a fistful (optional, Amma does this, to make it more healthier)
Moong Dal - a fistful (optional, same as above)
Salt - to taste

Method:

• Soak the rice and the 3 different dals in 4-5 cups of water for about 5-6 hours
• Grind into a fine paste, and leave the batter to ferment overnight and rise
• Grease the idli pans with oil/ ghee and steam cook for 10-20 minutes depending on the size of the idlis

Note: You may also add about 2 fistfuls of rice flakes (atukul/poha/aval) while grinding the batter, in order to make the idlis more fluffy. My sister-in-law told me about this, and though I do normally add rice flakes, these Idlis (seen in the picture) are made from batter to which rice flakes were not added.

The simple white Idlis go to FIC - WHITE hosted by Kitchen Flavours this month.

Food in colors is a unique event started by Sunshinemom of TongueTicklers.

Coriander and Curd Chutney

To make the coriander and curd chutney seen in the picture, you will need:

Coriander leaves - chopped - 2 cups
Curd - fresh, not sour - 1/2 cup
Ginger - peeled and pounded - 2 tbsp
Green chilly - 1 large
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp (optional, I did not add)
Salt - to taste

Method:

• Grind all the ingredients to a fine paste
• Allow to simmer in a pan over low heat, while stirring continuously, for 2-3 minutes

Note: You may temper the chutney with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and asafeotida (hing), in 2 tsps of oil. I did not do this, as I made this in the morning rush, and wanted to save time. Also, more importantly, A hates mustard seeds in her curries:-( and starts picking them out!

Serve with hot idlis

I too make/ have breakfast!

I was quite amused because, while browsing through my posts, I found that I have posted only two breakfast dishes, both being upma and the remaining being side dishes to go with a breakfast item.

I checked my photo archives, and discovered a few pictures, not great, but post-able. So, here is one of them.


I am not very good at making Puttu, and after my daughter managed to break my Chiratta-Puttu mould, I mostly make puttu in my steamer, without the traditional Puttu Kutti, or a pressure cooker. I always get fresh homemade Puttu Podi (Puttu powder/ coarse rice powder used to make Puttu) from my mother.

To make Puttu, you will need:

Puttu powder/ Coarse rice flour - 2-3 cups
Grated Coconut - 1/2 - 1 cup, according to taste
Salt - 1/1 - 1 tsp, to taste
Water - about 1/2 - 3/4 cup - warm, for the correct consistency

Method (in a steamer):

• Take the rice flour in a pan, mix salt, and slowly add the warm water while mixing well without forming any lumps
• Ensure that the flour thickens and the water is mixed well but not to form a paste, the mixture should still be loose and kind of similar to slightly wet bread crumbs

Note: If lumps are formed, you can whisk in a mixer/blender and break the lumps

• Keep water in a the steamer for boiling, and on the steaming plate, add a thin layer of grated coconut first

Note: If you have a muslin cloth or a plantain leaf, you can use this as the base in the steaming plate

• Add a thin layer of puttu podi mix on top of the grated coconut
• Repeat the layers of coconut and puttu podi mix alternately until the prepared mix is over, ensuring that the top layer is that of grated coconut

Note: If you find that mixing in alternate layers is time-consuming, just mix the grated coconut into the puttu podi while mixing with water and salt. I prefer it the 'layer' way.

• Now cover the steamer, and if the steamer has a whistle, keep upto two whistles, else steam for about 10 minutes on medium flame until you can smell the flavour of steamed coconut and rice in the vapours from your steamer:-)

Remove the steaming plate, and serve portions along with Cherupayar/ Green Gram Curry

Godambu Rava Upma

I have already posted the recipe for Rava Upma with grated carrot. The picture shows the same dish made with Godambu Rava (Semolina).

Allam Pacchadi (Ginger Pickle)

As promised, the ginger pickle recipe follows the puli inji recipe. I love this pickle with Idli, Dosa, and steamed rice. You can make it as hot as you wish by increasing the amount of red chilly powder that you add. I prefer medium spicy, and so my dish turned out to be less pickl-ish than normal Andhra pickles. The recipe is also a much simpler version than the original, as I did not want to spend too much time making this.

(Forgive the curry leaf standing out in the picture, but it was not deliberate, if you can believe me!!)

You will notice that there is less oil, and that is because I do not like the taste of gingelly oil that is normall used to preserve the pickle. If you use less oil, you can refrigerate the pickle to make it last longer. Things you will need:

Ginger - peeled and cut into small cubes - 4 cups ( I used 1 kilo)

Curry leaves - 3 strands (optional)

Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp (optional)

Red chilly powder - 1/2 cup

Turmeric powder - 1/4 cup

Methi (fenugreek seeds) powder - 1/2 cup

Jeera (cumin) powder - 1/4 cup (optional)

Coriander powder - 1/4 cup (optional)

Jaggery - grated - 1/2 cup

Tamarind paste - 1 cup

Gingelly oil - 1 cup

Salt - to taste

Method:

• Soak the grated jaggery in tamarind paste for 1-2 hours
• Heat the tamarind-jaggery mixture in a pan and keep aside when thick
• Roast the ginger along with the turmeric, red chilly, and methi powders
• Once cool, grind the ginger and powder mixture with the tamarind-jaggery paste
• Add salt to taste while grinding into thick paste
• Heat gingelly oil in a pan, temper mustard seeds and curry leaves
• Add the ground mixture into the oil and keep stirring, do not boil
• Keep aside to cool and store in air-tight glass container

Serve with Idli, Dosa, and rice

Rava Upma with Grated Carrot

Upma is a very common South Indian breakfast dish. My mother usually makes upma with a variety of items, such as Rava (Sooji), Godambu (Wheat) Rava / Semolina, Semia (Vermicelli), Bread, and Rice flakes. These can be made with vegetables - usually carrot, beans, cauliflower, potato, and tomato - or without, or with any one vegetable as a main ingredient.

The picture below shows rava upma with grated carrot.


Things you need:

Rava - 2 cups serves 4
Carrots - grated - 2
Chopped onions - 2
Ginger - peeled and pounded - 1 tsp
Green chilly - 1
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 strand
Oil - 2 tsp
Water - 2 1/2 cups
Grated coconut - 1/4 cup (optional)
Salt - to taste

Method:

• Roast the rava in a pan until light brown
• Boil 2 cups of water and keep ready
• Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds
• Add curry leaves, ginger, green chilly, and onions
• Stir well until onions are cooked
• Add the grated carrot and 1/2 a cup of water
• Cover with lid and leave on low flame until grated carrots are cooked
• Add the roasted rava, add salt, and stir well
• Pour the boiling water in and cover with lid
• Stir well in between to ensure that lumps are not formed and mix well
• Garnish with grated coconut

Serve with ketchup or coconut chutney or as it is.

Cherupayar (Green Gram) Curry

Cherupayar or Green Gram curry is usually served with Puttu/ Dosa/ Bread for breakfast, with rice gruel for lunch, and with chapathis for dinner by my mother (not 3 times a day, though!). I love it with Puttu and Bread the most.

The ingredients for the curry seen in the picture are:

Cherupayar or Green Gram - 1 cup

Grated coconut - 1/4 cup

Curry leaves - one strand

Chopped onion - 1

Ginger paste - 1 tsp (optional)

Garlic - 2-3 cloves (optional)

Turmeric and Red Chilly powder

Jeera or Cummin powder

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Oil - 2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Method:

• Pressure cook the green gram along with ginger and garlic and onion
• Heat pan, add oil and splutter mustard seeds
• Add the curry leaves, turmeric, chilly and jeera powder
• Immediately add the contents from the pressure pan
• Mix the grated coconut, stir well, and bring to boil

Serve hot with bread, dosa, chapathi, or rice gruel

Breakfast side dish

Dosa is the Indian pancake, mostly made in South India. It is usually had with chutney and sambhar. I will surely dedicate another post to the different varieties of Dosa as soon as possible, but this post will feature the dry coconut chutney that Amma makes to accompany the Dosa.

Coconut chutney can be made in many different ways, with different ingredients. To make the simple dry coconut chutney (chammanthi), you will need:

Grated coconut - 1 cups - serves 4
Ginger - peeled and chopped - 2 tbsp
Garlic - 2/3 cloves Chopped Onion - 1/2 cup
Green Chillies - 1
Dried Red chillies - 2
Salt - to taste

Method:

• Grind the ingredients to a smooth consistency in the mixer/grinder

You may also use shallots, which may be tastier and healthier

Serve with Dosa/ Idli/ Rice/ Kanji (Gruel)

Amma also has a lot of podis (powders) that she prepares and keeps. Groundnuts can be used to make chutney powder that can be served with Idli, Dosa, Chapathi, Rice and even bread.

To make the Groundnut Podi seen in the picture you will need: Groundnut - deskinned - 2 cups

Dried Curry leaves - 1/2 cup

Dried red chillies - 15 (or to taste)

Jeera (Cummin) seeds - 2 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Method:

• Roast the groundnuts, curry leaves, red chillies, and cummin seeds until groundnuts turn light golden brown
• Grind coarsely along with salt
• Store in air-tight glass container

This powder will last for a few weeks. You may also add fresh coriander leaves while grinding, if you intend to use the chutney powder instantly.