Idly and Sambar

Weekends at my kitchen is a typical south indian breakfast or brunch. This weekend it was Idly and red pearl onion/sanna erulli sambar. This is one of my favorite combination to eat with idlies.

Recipe for Sambar

• Pearl onions- 1 cup


• Potatoes- 2 medium


• Toordal- 1/2 cup (cooked till soft)

For grining into paste

• Red onion -1 small


• Tomato - 1 small


• Sambar powder- 2 tbsp( can substitite with curry powder)


• Coconut- 2 tbsp


• Tamarind paste/ water- 2 tbsb


• Cinnamon - cloves- 2 each


• Spice powder- 1 tbsp (optional)

Making Sambar:

1. Pressure cook toordal till soft and mash and keep aside.


2. In mean time peel skin of onion, potato and cook untill soft. 10- 15 mins will be good.


3. Grind the above ingredints.


4. In a vessel add cooked and mashed dal, grind paste enough water to make it thin and cook untill the raw smell is gone. Then add onion and poatotoes. Cook for 5 more mins.


5. Do the seasoning with oil, mustard and hing.


6. Enjoy !

* Can use pressure cooker to cook veggies, have to be careful to not make it mushy.

After many trail and error from last 6 years living in Alsaka, I have figured out the recipe for idly which really works for me, its paraboiled rice(I use uncle ben's brand) wich make idlies soft and gives very nice texture like adding rava. And have changed my blender to indian mixie(Preethi chef-pro), this really worked well for me, gives me the right consistancy.

Here is my recipe for Idly.

• Par boiled rice- 2 cups


• Urad dal- 1 cup


• Poha/ Avalakki- 1/2 cup ( makes idly soft and gives bright colour)


• Fenugreek/ methi/ menthya seeds- 2 tbsp

1. Soak rice, poha and methi seeds in one bowl and urad dal in seperate bowl for atleast 8 hours.


2. First gring urad dal to smooth and fluffy consistancy adding enough water.


3. Then grind rice,poha mixture to meduim consistancy adding enough water. Using parboiled rice gives little texture like rava, so it won't be very smooth.


4. Then mix with urad mixture, add little salt mix well , cover and keep in warm place. ( I keep inside microven,this is the warment place I have for frementing :)).


5. Let it ferment for 8 more hours.


6. Add oil to idly moulds and steam cook for 10- 15 mins. Let it cool a bit and serve with sambar.

Enjoy !