If there was ever a contest on the most popular South Indian breakfast, the classic idli-sambar combination is likely to win by a big margin. The dish may be traditionally consumed during breakfast, but foodies will argue that it tastes just as delectable any time of the day. With simple uncomplicated flavours, idli and sambar together make for a dish that is easy on the stomach and fills the heart. But if you are wondering how to get your hands on the perfect plate of idli and sambar, we have a recipe for you.

The recipe shared by food vlogger Parul, on the YouTube channel ‘Cook with Parul’, is for restaurant-style idli sambar. The dish is simple, easy to make and can be whipped up in just 15 minutes. 

Also Read: Batata Vada Idli: How To Make This Street Favourite Idli At Home

How To Make Idli Sambar In 15 Minutes:

Ingredients For Idli:

1. Semolina – 1 cup
2. Curd – 1 cup
3. Salt
4. Oil- 2 teaspoon
5. Eno Fruit Salt – 1 sachet or Baking Soda – ½ teaspoon

Method:

1. Take the semolina in a bowl and add salt
2. Take the same quantity of curd and add it to the semolina. Ensure that the ratio of semolina to curd is 1:1 
3. Add two teaspoons of oil to the batter to make the idli soft
4. Mix the ingredients together and allow them to rest
5. Once the batter has been allowed to rest add water as required to make the consistency similar to the regular idli batter mix.
6. Add Eno fruit salt or baking soda into the batter and add water to activate it.
7. Now, pour the batter into greased idli moulds. 
8. Boil water in a steamer and add the moulds to the preheated steamer. 
9. Allow it to steam for 14-15 minutes.
10. To check if the rava idli is ready, poke a toothpick into the idli . If it comes out clean, it is ready
11. Take it out of the steamer and allow it to cool. Demould it after a few minutes.

Ingredients For Sambar:

1. Oil – 1 tablespoon
2. Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon
3. Cumin seeds – ½ teaspoon
4. Hing – 2 pinch
5. Fenugreek seeds -¼ teaspoon
6. Curry leaves
7. Onion – 1 big
8. Green chillies – 4 
9. Tomatoes – 2 big
10. Vegetables (of your choice) – ¼ cup each
11. Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon
12. Chilli powder – 1 teaspoon
13. Sambar powder – 2 tablespoons
14. Toor dal – ¼ cup
15. Water – 3 cups
16. Tamarind water -¼ cup
17. Chopped coriander
18. Dry chilli -2

Method:

1. Add oil into a cooker and allow it to heat.
2. Next, add mustard seeds. Once they pop, add cumin seeds
3. Next, add hing, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves and allow it to cook for a while on low flame. 
4. Add onions and saute it till translucent
5. Next, add green chillies that have been slit in the middle
6. Add chopped tomatoes and salt. Saute well on a low flame
7. Once the tomatoes are soft, add vegetables of your choice. You can add pumpkin, carrot, beans and bottle gourd, in ¼th cup quantities.
8. Mix them together and add another chopped onion to the mix.
9. Once the vegetables are partially cooked, add chilli powder, turmeric powder and sambar powder. Mix well and allow to cook.
10. Add toor dal. Ensure that the toor dal has been soaked in water for 15 minutes.
11. Next, add 3 cups of water into the cooker and mix well. 
12. Add tamarind water to the mixture. You can also use lime juice or aamchor powder alternatively if you don’t have tamarind water.. 
13. Close the lid and cook until 4 whistles on medium flame.
14. Turn off the gas and let it cool
15. Mash the vegetables using the spatula.
16. Garnish with chopped coriander 
17. Heat oil in a tempering pan, add dry chilli, curry leaves and add the tempering to the sambar. 

You can either dip each bite of the idli in the sambar or soak it entirely, depending on how you like it.

Watch the step-by-step video here:

Also Read: Indian Cooking Tips: How To Make Sambar Rice – A Comforting One-Pot Delicacy From Tamil Nadu

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9ZT5IS0MJ4

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