My attempt at mini-idlis (with Sambaar)

Inscribed by Hariharan

I just came out of a long weekend (4 days) ... I had decided not to go anywhere this weekend ... Strange but true ... I decided that I'd atleast eat well while at home ... My father had sent 3 mini-idli tattu (plate) so I decided that I would try to use existing resources to make idlis in Johannesburg on my own ... Ofcourse, with inputs from India :)
Its actually very simple ... we need some whole urad(Muzhu Ulundhu) and Rice (Par Boiled Rice) for making the idli dough. Surprisingly, I found whole urad(Muzhu Ulundhu) in Shaiyonna in Mayfair St and Tastic already has its Par Boiled Rice - so with the main ingredients available I decided to make idlis ... All the mamis are now wondering "how did he grind it" ... Well, I tried to use the blender at home, and to my surprise it did pretty well ... :) So here’s the recipe for you all ...

So with a ratio of 2:1 of Tastic Par Boiled Rice: Whole Urad(Muzhu Ulundhu), I soaked it water for about 6 hours. Then I ground them (Rice first and Urad next) into a fine paste and mixed it together, added the required salt and allowed it to ferment in a warm environment for about 12 hours.

At this time it’s pretty cold out here in Johannesburg so - Tip: Warm your Baking oven for 30-45 seconds at some high temperature and there you have a warm place even during winters … :) … Also place the container on some thick cloth so as to insulate it from the metal below.

Hopefully, after 12 hours of fermenting your dough is ready for use. So grease your idli tattu (plate) with some oil and pour the dough in it. Take some water in a cooker and put the idli tattu with the dough into the cooker and close the cooker. Important: Never keep the whistle when making idlis. If you do - you wont get idlis .. and what you get you would have to name it yourself or probably it may not be worth naming. Anyways, after 10 mins of steaming your idlis are read to be served with Sambaar … that is, if you have made sambaar - I did :). I will share the recipe for that some other day.
One more Tip: Take a spoon with a sharp edge, dip it in water and then use that to take out idlis, they would come out well – without sticking to the plate.

Last tip (Comes from my father): Soak and add a little Avil (Beaten rice otherwise called Poha) along with the rice while grinding it. This makes the idlis better and more softer.