Idli with coconut chutney and varuthu araicha sambar

IDLI
Ingredients:
Ponni boiled rice 4 cups (use either Laxmi Brand or Raja Brand)
Urad dal 1 cup
Methi seeds 1 tbsp (adjust according to taste)
Salt
Method:
1. Soak the rice and dal in separate bowls for about 3-4 hours.
2. Add the methi seeds either to the dal or rice while soaking.
3. Grind the dal to a smooth consistency.
4. Do not grind the rice into a very smooth paste. Make it a bit coarse. The idlis and dosas will turn out better.
5. Add salt and to the above batter and let ferment overnight or until you see the batter rise up.
6. Pour into idli moulds. Steam 10-12 minutes and serve hot with chutney and sambar.
Add water and dilute the batter to make dosas.
COCONUT CHUTNEY
Ingredients:
Fresh/frozen grated coconut 1/4 cup
Chutney dal/Putana dal 1/4 cup
Green chillies a few according to taste
Asafoetida a pinch
Salt to taste
For seasoning:
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Urad dal/channa dal 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves a few
Dry red chilly 1
Method:
1. Put the ingredients in a blender and make a paste.
2. Season with mustard, urad dal, curry leaves and dry red chilli.
3. Add salt to taste.
4. For a thinner consistency add more water while grinding.
VARUTHU ARAICHA SAMBAR
Ingredients:
Thuvar dal 1/2 cup
Onion 1 (you can use a handful of pearl onions too)
Tomato 1
Tamarind extract 1/2 cup ( I use 2 tsps of Laxmi brand tamarind concentrate)
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Fresh coriander for garnish
For the paste:
Coconut 2 tbps
Channa dal 1 tsp
Dhania/Coriander seeds 2 tsp
Methi seeds 1/2 tsp
Dry red chillies 5 or 6 (adjust to taste)
Asafoetida a pinch
For seasoning:
Mustard 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves
Urad dal 14 tsp
Method:
1. Cook thuvar dal and set aside.
2. Pour oil in a pan and slightly fry the onions until they become soft. Do not burn them.
3. Add the tamarind extract, tomatoes and turmeric powder and boil until the raw smell of the tamarind
disappears. The tomatoes will get cooked in this process.
4. Fry the ingredients for the paste with very little oil. Make a paste and add to the tamarind mixture.
5. Let it come together then add the cooked and slightly mashed thuvar dal.
6. Add salt and water if required. Mix well.
7. Season with mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves.
8. Garnish with coriander.
Sambar can also be made with vegetables like bell peppers, bottle gourd, butternut squash, etc. For idlis onion
sambar is the best.
The next recipe is for sevai and kurma. A light snack would be served whenever a groom came to see a
prospective bride. And sevai was the most popular and a must-have item on the menu for this occasion. While
making sevai from scratch is a laborious process, everyone in the house would pitch in to make this light and
fluffy delicacy. Sevai is usually served with potato masala and coconut chutney. Kurma as an accompaniment
to sevai offers an interesting twist to this traditional recipe.

Instant sevai with Vegetable kurma
INSTANT SEVAI
Ingredients:
Instant rice vermicelli 1/2 packet (I buy it from the Asian store)
Mustard 1 tsp
Urad dal 1 tsp
Channa dal 1 tsp
Green chillies 1 or 2 (adjust to taste)
Cashews 2 tsp
Lemon juice 2 tsps
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
A pinch of asafoetida
Salt to taste
Oil as needed
A few curry leaves
Fresh cilantro for garnish
Method:
1. Put a big pot of water to boil. Once the water boils add the instant rice vermicelli. Keep stirring and remove
as soon as it is cooked. This takes hardly 3 to 4 minutes. Do not overcook as it will become sticky and lumpy.
Drain and spread out on a plate to cool. Add 1 to 2 tsps of oil to prevent the vermicelli from sticking.
2. Pour oil in a pan and add the mustard. Once it splutters add urad dal, channa dal, green chillies and curry
leaves.
3. Add the turmeric powder and asafoetida mix well and remove from the flame.
4. Transfer the rice vermicelli to the pan with seasonings and mix well. It is easier to handle the vermicelli with
your hands. Keep loosening the vermicelli as you mix into the seasoning.
5. Add salt, lemon juice and cilantro and mix till all are incorporated.
6. Garnish with roasted cashews.
VEGETABLE KURMA
Ingredients:
Vegetables 2 cups use a combination of carrot, cauliflower, potato, green peas and beans
Onion 1 (finely chopped)
Tomato 1 (finely chopped)
Tomato paste tsp
Green chillies 2 or 3
Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Kashmiri chilli powder tsp (for color)
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Garam masala powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder a pinch
Bay leaf 1 or 2
Salt to taste
For the paste:
Coconut cup
Cashewnuts a few
Poppy seeds 1 tsp
Fennel seeds/saunf 1 tsp
Green chillies 2 (optional)
Method
1. Cook/steam the vegetables and set aside. I use a microwave steamer. You can also use a pressure cooker.
2. Make a paste of the ingredients above.
3. Pour oil in a pan and add bay leaf and onions.
4. Saute until onions are soft and add green chillies and ginger garlic paste and mix well.
5. Next add the red chilli powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, coriander and garam masala powder and saut till
blended with the onions.
6. Add the masala paste, tomato and tomato paste and cook till the oil leaves the sides of the pan.
7. Add water to make the gravy thinner.
8. Drain the water from the steamed vegetables and add to the gravy.
9. Add salt to taste and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.
Thank you Sailaja for giving me an opportunity to write a guest post on your blog. I really appreciate your effort
in trying to bring to light the Indian traditional recipes and cooking ideas from home kitchens across the world. I
hope the readers will enjoy reading this write up on Traditional Tamil Tiffins.