Idli Sambar

Method

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1. Soak the rice with the fenugreek in one bowl and the urad dal in another, both covered generously with water, for 5 hours.

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2. Grind the urad dal first with as little cold water as possible to a very smooth, light, fluffy paste. Then grind the rice to a slightly grainy paste, like fine semolina.

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3. Combine the two with the salt, mixing with your hand for 3 minutes — the warmth and wild yeasts on your skin genuinely help the ferment start.

   Mark done Start 3 min timer

4. Cover loosely and leave in a warm place for 8 to 14 hours until the batter has risen visibly, smells pleasantly sour and is full of bubbles.

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5. For the sambar, cook the toor dal with the turmeric in 700 ml water until completely soft, about 30 minutes, then whisk smooth.

   Mark done Start 30 min timer

6. Boil the vegetables in 400 ml water for 12 minutes, add the tamarind, sambar powder and salt, and simmer 8 minutes.

   Mark done Start 12 min timer

7. Stir in the cooked dal and simmer 10 minutes more, loosening with hot water to a pourable consistency.

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8. Heat the tempering oil, add the mustard seeds and wait for them to pop, then the cumin, chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida for 15 seconds. Pour the whole lot over the sambar.

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9. Grease idli moulds, fill each three-quarters with batter, and steam over boiling water for 10 to 12 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Rest 3 minutes before unmoulding, and serve hot with sambar and coconut chutney.

   Mark done Start 10 min timer

Chef’s Tips

• Ferment somewhere warm — an oven with only the light on works well in a cold kitchen.
• Do not stir the fermented batter aggressively. Fold gently to keep the air in.
• Leftover batter makes dosas after a day or two, when it has gone more sour.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• A pinch of dried chilli flakes works in place of fresh chilli — start with about a third of the quantity the red chillies in the list implies, since dried chilli is more concentrated, and add more to taste.

Pairing Suggestions

• Coconut chutney and tomato chutney
• Filter coffee
• Podi (gunpowder) with sesame oil

Storage & Reheating

Batter keeps 4 days refrigerated, becoming more sour. Steamed idlis keep 2 days and re-steam for 4 minutes. Sambar keeps 4 days.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.