Cucumber idli - a no soak, grind or ferment sort of idli

We are almost done with a whole entire month of the new year :-). India celebrated 69th Republic day recently and we are ready to move into month 2 of the year. Where does time go??? BTW, how is everyone's resolutions going? I wish you all the strength to stay on top of your list. I didn't have any to start with, made some in the last 28 days and have already broken many of them :-). I totally suck at this resolution thing!!

Let us jump right into food today, shall we? I grew up on mosaranna (yogurt rice with left over rice from the night before) early in the morning to be followed by a hot breakfast later in the morning :-). Now that I have to make it all myself, and also because BH & I like oats, it is pretty much oats cooked the previous evening for the two of us. I do make variations with the base oats just for variety. Our proper breakfasts are reserved for weekends or holidays at home.

If you ask any true blue South Indian to list 5 of their top breakfast choices, idli (these are the light, fluffy, pearly white steamed savory cakes made with rice and lentils) would most definitely make the list atleast 99 times out of a 100 people surveyed, do you agree? This humble breakfast is popular as it is wholesome, has the right mix of carbs and proteins and is oil free to start your day on a perfect note. Though idlis are by themselves pretty close to tasteless, there is a universe of difference between a good idli and a bad one and they can go bad for any number of silly reasons - your grinding of the batter was not correct, temperature was not right for the fermentation, you didn't mix it well, proportion of urad dal and rice was not right, and so on. On the bright side, if you got the batter right and made some fluffy idlis you can serve them with a range of side dishes and take the idli from a simple homely breakfast to something worthy of a spot on a royal buffet. There is so much creative freedom the Idlis provide to mix and match the side dishes ranging from a piping hot sambar to chutneys to pudis to exotic dishes like kadappa or vada curry.

Why this passionate rant about idlis today, you ask? Because I have a recipe for a different kind of idli for you so you can give a break to the normal idli and still appease those die hard 'only idli for breakfast' fans at home :-). Long before MTR and Maiyas made Rave idli (semolina idli) as the no soak, no grind, no ferment alternative to the staple South Indian urad dal idlis, there was a well kept secret in the cozy malnad and coastal Karnataka homes. An idli so soft and delicious, that was a deviation from the regular (and almost boring due to the frequent appearance) urad dal idli, one that was much lighter compared to the traditional fermented idli and one that used up a commonly found vegetable from the backyard. This secret recipe was for the quick akki tari (or broken rice/rice rave) idli, flavored with either the mild and innocuous cucumber or the slightly sweetish pumpkin depending on the season.

The cucumber idli or sautekayi kadubu as it was known in local languages had the dual distinction of being either a savory or a sweet version depending on the eaters' choice. If the household had a sweet tooth or was made of younger kids, the sweet version with a generous amount of jaggery (bella or brown sugar) made its hot appearance for the chilly morning breakfast and if the folks at home preferred a mildly savory/salty version, it was spiced with a few green chilies and cumin. Sometimes I add a small carrot to mix up the colors a little bit.

I am told that cucumber idli is an acquired taste and you should first like cucumber to like this idli. I love cucumbers and so does the family. We like to mostly eat it raw in kosambri or raita but also cook it as part of a majjige huli or regular huli/sambar. So, if you belong in the category of people that turn their nose up at cucumber, this may not be for you. However if you are like me and like the subtle taste of cucumbers, this is a recipe you don't want to miss.

I made this recently for the new year day as we were home and wanted to start the new year off with a healthy start. We usually like to eat it with a side of some spicy chutney like the cilantro+coconut or red chili+coconut or a tangy mint chutney. You can eat it with a good chutney pudi and some home made yogurt too.

So, here is one of those old world recipes that you won't find on any restaurant menu. I like this better than the rave idli because there is no frying, you don't have to add any baking soda or eno to fluff this idli up. And it is obviously a gluten free, vegan recipe if that is a criteria.

What do you need to make cucumber idli? 
Makes 12-13 standard size idlis
1 big tender green cucumber (I use slender English cucumbers with skin on)
1.5 cups of idli rave/rice rave
1 Tsp salt
1/2 cup shredded coconut
4-5 green chilies (adjust to taste)
2 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro
1/2 Tsp cumin

How do you make cucumber idli? 

• Wash and cut the ends off cucumber. 
• I do not peel cucumbers for this recipe as I like the slight green tinge it gives to the idli. If you are using regular cucumbers and the skin is thick, go ahead and peel it before grating. 
• Grate the cucumber in the bowl you are going to mix the batter so no liquid is wasted. 
• Coarsely grind shredded coconut and green chilies without adding any water and add it to the bowl. 
• Add salt, chopped cilantro and idli rave to the bowl and mix well. 
• Cover and set aside for 20 minutes. 
• Prepare your idli plates by brushing them with a couple drops of cooking oil. 
• After the resting period, pick up a large lemon size portion from the batter and press it into a ball in the palm of your hand. It should hold the shape without breaking apart. If it feels too dry, add a spoonful of water. 
• Put the ball into the dip of the idli plate and repeat for remaining batter. 
• Steam the idlis in medium heat for 18-20 minutes. 
• Switch off and let cool for 10minutes before removing them. 
• Enjoy with any spicy chutney or sambar of choice.
• Sweet idli version: If you have a sweet tooth, skip the green chilies and coarse grind coconut with 2 Tbsp of jaggery (indian brown sugar) and add it. Reduce the amount of salt in this version. Rest of the process is same as above. 

Notes:

• Depending on the water content in your cucumbers, you may need to adjust the idli rave quantity slightly. Remember you are looking for a batter(after the resting period) that comes together into a ball and is not dry. Hold a portion of the batter in your hand and if you can set it into the idli mould without it breaking all over you, you are good to go. 
• Resting the batter and steaming idlis on medium heat is important, it gives the time to the raw rave to cook completely and not stay grainy or dry. 
• Use medium sized (not too fine but a little grainy) idli rave for this recipe. If it is too coarse, the idlis turn dry and a fine rave will make your idlis go flat. 

Sabudana idli(no dal) & Onion chutney - super fluffy, masala idlis and some Goldilocks adventure

We are back to atleast two at home now since last Saturday, BH came back from his business trip and Saturday was the normal, lazy weekend with no breakfast, but a heavy brunch day. BH was still jet lagged and we didn't feel up to going out so idea of brunch was a perfect fit. Since the temperatures are still hovering in the 90s here and by mid day my kitchen and the entire top floor starts to resemble a furnace, we are finishing off any cooking before then and take shelter downstairs until it starts to cool off in the night. We do not have air condition at home and had never felt the need for it in all these years and are still not serious about it. Hopefully the heat wave passes on. So Saturday being no exception, I wanted to cook something wholesome, tasty and also quick that we could may be do repeat dose of for dinner and not have to switch on the stove again.

These Sabudana idlis came to the rescue, they need a little planning and make ahead prep but there is no grinding involved. With an overnight fermentation, you get the fluffiest and white idlis you won't even notice didn't have any urad dal at all. Yep, these idlis do not have urad dal but still turn out deliciously soft and yummy and they are light on the stomach, custom made for the hot summers. Best of all, I also finished my stock of sabudana I had brought for making the sandige and one more item taken care of in the pantry now :-), now what do they say about 'hitting 2 birds with a single stone'?

Ah, before we go into the recipe, here is a little something I wanted to share with you all if you ever wondered about my diminished frequency of blog posts. Taking advantage of the weather, we just get out of the house every weekend and go in search of walking trails. Where we live, there is no dearth of walking trails - big, small, winding, straight, ups, downs, there is something for every taste, interest and ability. This is our current obsession and to me personally equivalent of meditation. Away from the buzzing electronics, enjoying the bounty of nature all around us and walking along side the little birds and animals that inhabit the woods has indeed been very rejuvenating. Last week, we drove up to our favorite Mt. Rainier and found a water fall called Narada falls. If you have an Indian background, I do not have to explain 'Narada' to you but if you have not heard the name, he is the sage in Indian vedic texts that constantly travels between the worlds and is ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu. Not sure if the name had anything to do with how the water falls in 2 distinct tiers at different heights. It was simply beautiful and the rainbow at the bottom of the falls just added the perfect garnish.

I didn't start off telling you about our hiking to acquaint you all with my weekend escapades but rather to share with you all a rare find I found along the hiking trail and it has to do with food :-). I discovered these heavenly delicious berries in the mountain trails that I hadn't seen thus far in any farmer's markets or super stores. Though I didn't know the name at the time and BH very concernedly kept telling me that they could be non-edible (ok, he said that they could be poisonous and I might just drop dead any moment by eating them, I do understand he was concerned and feared not being able to get me to medical help in time..)I kept popping them as we walked on and ultimately got him hooked onto try a few fistfuls. These were more delicate compared to the blueberries I regularly eat. When I came back to electronic civilization, I found that I had been eating the coveted huckleberries that ripen in a short timeframe, found only in mountains and loved by wild bears. I felt like Goldilocks gone into the bears house and wiped out their stock of huckleberries :-). I apologize to any bears that are looking for these berries in the mountains and wondering about the short supply but I did enjoy them as much as the bears do and next time if I make my way up the mountains in berries season, I will carry a small pail to bring some berries home.

If you get your hands on huckleberries especially fresh from the plants in some mountain range, go ahead and give yourselves a treat. They have such a deliciously sweet & fragrant taste that you feel as if you are in paradise. If the entire universe was telling me I was in paradise with a snow clad Rainier on one side, Narada falls infront of me and these delicious berries on the path, who am I to say it wasn't heaven? Life is good and I am blessed. Next time, if I get my hands on huckleberries, I will show you some delicious ways of using them in recipes.

Until then, enjoy what you have. Take a peek in your pantry and if you find some idli rava and sabudana, just read though the rest of the post and make these fluffy sabudana idlis for your next breakfast. Soaked idli rava and the pearly sabudana makes this idli a refreshing and enjoyable experience from the usual. I also packaged in a very yummy no-coconut chutney to go with the idli here. This is amma's signature onion chutney which I had never tasted until after my marriage. The first experience of this slightly sweet, tangy & spicy chutney with the typical bland idlis made me fall in love with it hook, line & sinker (more about that in another post, I just received some fishing wisdom from a colleague and the references are still fresh in memory :-)). Me & my SIL can lick clean an entire bowl of this chutney made for the whole family with or without idlis.

This is one of the rare chutneys I make without any hint of coconut and I love it, that says something if you know how much of a coco'nut' I am. So go ahead and give a try to this chutney.

What do you need to make Sabudana idli?
Makes about 25 idlis
2.5 cups rice rava/idli rava
1 cup sabudana/sago pearls
2 cups thick yogurt (a little sour is preferred)
2 cups water
1 Tsp salt (adjust to taste)
1/2 cup grated coconut
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 Tsp mustard
1/2 Tsp crushed black pepper
1-2 finely chopped green chilies
1 Tsp grated ginger
1.5 Tbsp chana dal
1/2 Tsp urad dal
4-6 curry leaves

How do you make Sabudana idli? 

• Wash idli rava under running water and pick any impurities. Put them into a big bowl. 
• Wash sabudana/sago in water a couple of times until the water runs clear and add it to the bowl with idli rava.
• Whisk yogurt well to form a uniform texture, add 2 cups of water and mix well. Pour this into the bowl.
• Add salt and mix well to make the batter, consistency of batter is a little thinner than regular idlis at this time as the idli rava and sago both absorb the liquid while soaking. 

• Cover and keep the bowl in a warm place over night or for about 8-10 hours. 
• The batter would have fluffed up, feels light when you spoon it and would have become thicker than when you started the soak time. This time also allows the batter to ferment and you can smell the sour yogurt smell. 
• Mix well and add a few spoons of water if needed to bring it to dropping consistency. 

• Heat oil in a pan, add mustard, chana dal and urad dal. Let mustard pop and dals turn light golden. 
• Add chopped crushed black pepper, green chilies, grated ginger, chopped curry leaves and roast for about 30 seconds. 

• Switch off and pour the seasoning into the batter.
• Add grated coconut, taste and adjust salt if needed. 

• Prepare idli plates by brushing each dip with oil and spoon in the batter. 
• Steam cook for 12-15 minutes. 
• Switch off, open the container and let it stand for a couple of minutes before gently removing idlis with a butter knife or a wide spoon.

• Enjoy them with the spicy onion chutney. 

What do you need to make onion chutney?

2 cups chopped onions (use red onions or Indian variety for best taste)
2-3 red chilies
small piece of tamarind
1/2 Tsp jaggery or brown sugar
1 Tbsp coriander seeds
1/8 Tsp fenugreek seeds
1 Tbsp oil
1 Tsp salt

How do you make onion chutney? 

• Heat oil in a wide pan, add coriander seeds and fenugreek seeds. 
• Roast them for 1-2 minutes on medium heat until fenugreek turn light brown and you smell the aroma. 
• Add red chilies and roast for 30 seconds. 

• Add chopped onions to the pan and mix well to bring the coriander & fenugreek to the surface (leaving them at the bottom of the pan will burn them)

• Stirring frequently, roast for 6-8 minutes until onions break down and turn translucent. 
• Once onions are soft, switch off add salt, tamarind and jaggery/brown sugar to the pan.

• Let it cool completely. 
• Take the contents to the blender and blend them into a paste without adding water. 
• Your spicy onion chutney with a hint of coriander is ready to be enjoyed with idlis and dosas. 

Notes: 

• Do not add salt while frying onions to speed up the process, this is one recipe where 'slow & steady' creates the magic. Let onion cook by itself on medium heat before adding salt. This brings out the natural sweetness in the onions. 
• Do not use yellow or white onions, they are typically more pungent than the red variety. 
• Do not blend this chutney when the ingredients are hot, if you are in a hurry and can't wait, go for other chutneys. The taste comes when it is ground cool. 
• Adding a day old yogurt imparts a nice taste to the idlis and also helps fermentation. I made my idlis without any baking soda or eno fruit salt. 
• If you do not have sour yogurt, add 1/2 Tsp baking soda to the batter just before steaming the idlis.

Pumpkin Idli - satisfy your cravings for idli with this quick, flavorful version

As is generally generalized, all South Indians are supposed to eat idli and dosa for breakfast. Although I am born in and grew up most of my early life in the South, idli & dosa were not an every day breakfast. There are so many other varieties that we South Indians eat which is only being made known to the rest of the world through cook books, shows and other media. Even when you talk about idlis, there are so many variations that you will not even think you were eating the same breakfast everyday except that the name has 'idli' in it. I love idlis for their versatility and the healthy way in which they are cooked. Traditional idli takes soaking, grinding and fermenting while there are other varieties that do not tie you down in the kitchen for long hours, check out my version of the famous Rava idli here if you are looking for another quick idli recipe.

The recipe for pumpkin idli is from my BIL who as I keep mentioning from time to time is a Nala Maharaja (Indian mythology has stories about this wonderful king who was also a gourmet chef except BIL is not a King :-)) of the modern times with equal proportions of interest to cook and flair to experiment. I am not sure if this is one of his original recipes or take on a traditional recipe. I sure did eat it at Akka's house for the first time and I know for a fact nammamma didn't make this before she learnt it from the son-in-law.

The idli itself doesn't have any dals, doesn't need to be soaked, ground or fermented. The flavor of fresh, juicy pumpkins mixed with freshly pounded black pepper and cumin is what makes it a favorite. As autumn here brings loads of pumpkins, this is the first recipe I go back to every season. I have made it with butternut squash, kaddoo(Indian sweet pumpkin) and regular grocery store pumpkin, sometimes mixing 2 or all of them just for a change. They all taste really yummy.

I made this yesterday for brunch and when I was talking to akka this morning, she asked if I made 'lemon gojju' with it. Just like most other people, we as a family have some favorite combinations which are so ingrained and rarely do we change those :-). Lemon gojju is one of nammamma's much adored side dishes for idlis (or in my case, just to lick spoonfuls with or without idlis)and I will post it some other time. I made regular coconut chutney yesterday but you can skip all accompaniments and eat this hot idli with a dash of tuppa (Ghee or clarified butter) as it is full of flavor already.

What do you need to make Pumpkin idlis? 
Makes about 15 idlis
4 packed cups grated pumpkin(use red pumpkins or butternut squashes)
2 cups idli rava
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 Tsp black pepper
1 Tblsp cumin
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup grated coconut
Baking soda (see notes on the usage)
1 Tsp salt (adjust to taste)
1/2 Tsp oil to smear idli plates

How do you make Pumpkin idlis? 

• Wash, pat dry and peel the pumpkin, remove the seeds and a thin layer of the inner core, discard.
• Grate (on the big hole side of the grater) the pumpkin slices.
• Pound the black pepper & cumin in a mortar & pestle taking care not to powder them.
• Finely chop onions and cilantro.
• In a wide bowl, mix together grated pumpkin, grated coconut, chopped onions, cilantro, salt, pepper & cumin and set aside for 5 minutes until the pumpkin & onion juices start to come out. 
• Add the idli rava to the mixture and mix it with hand. This is a 'just wet' mixture that will hold shape when you make a ball with it. Note that it is not a flowy batter.

• Prepare your idli plates with a few drops of oil, make Tennis ball sized rounds with the batter and pat them flat on the idli moulds.

• Steam (like regular idlis) for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when pushed into the idli, keep the stove on medium heat. It takes a tiny bit longer than the regular idli as the pumpkin cooks during steaming. 
• Switch off, let the steam stop, take out the idli plates and let it cool for a good 5 minutes before taking them off. 

Notes:

• Idli rava to grated pumpkin ration is 1:2, you can scale this recipe up or down based on the number of recipients and adjusting the spices to your taste.
• Use firm, juicy pumpkins with lot of meat in them. 
• Don't use stored black pepper powder in this recipe, the flavor and aroma of the freshly pounded pepper & cumin is unmatched.

• If you do not have a mortar & pestle, use your rolling pin to crush the pepper & cumin.
• I prefer not using baking soda as grated coconut makes these idlis light & fluffy. If you do not use coconut on a regular basis or skip it as a personal preference, then add 1/4 Tsp baking soda instead for the above mentioned quantities.
• If your pumpkin is not very juicy and the mixture seems dry, add 1-2 Tblsp of fresh yogurt or plain water to get the right consistency.

Idli making tips for Beginners:

• Use idli plates in a regular cooker or idli vessel that is made specially to steam idlis. 
• If using cooker, do not use the weight (which builds the pressure and makes idlis rock solid), use a small cup to just cover the steam from hitting the roof taking care not to cover the safety valve on the pressure cooker lid. 
• Keeping atleast an inch of water at the bottom of the vessel is important to steam idlis without burning the vessel and ultimately the idlis.
• If you do not have the idli stand and plates, you can still put this batter into a vessel/plate that fits snugly in the cooker. Keep the thickness of the uncooked batter/dough at about 1/2 inch so it cooks through well.

Tatte Idli - Special masala idli

Tatte in Kannada is plate, idlis made in small little plates that can be set up in their own stand and steamed. Why is this special? Well, for one the shape is different from regular idlis but more importantly because this idli can be eaten just by itself without much side dish fanfare. The idli batter is already decked up with fresh masala ingredients to enhance the taste.

When I was writing this post, I realized that I have not started any serious dose(dosa) or idli recipes yet on the blog. What a shame J, I will get to it some time in the very near future.

Back to Idli batter, there are number of versions each working really well for the people that make them. Some people swear by their proportion of urad dal and rice,  some by the time of grinding and fermentation methods while some go by the actual mixing. In Karnataka and Andhra, idli is made with the rice rava and not by grinding rice. Nammamma makes some of the pure white, light and airy idlis using the rice rave that resemble the fully bloomed pristine jasmine flower from my home town and hence called mallige idlis.

I alternate between the rava and rice method depending on my mood, time available for grinding the rice etc. The texture of idlis made using the rava is slightly more grainy and feels soft and crumbly when you break into them. On the other hand, idlis made with rice is more bouncy and smoother to the bite. Hallmark of a good idli in either method is a light and airy end product. 

Now if you do not have a tatte idli stand, doesn’t mean it is the end of the world. Use the pan that comes with your pressure cooker (the one you use to make rice or dal) and spread the idli batter to about ½ inch thickness in the pan. Or use your regular idli plates to make the idlis.

What do you need to make Tatte idli?
I use the same batter for normal idlis

Idli dough ingredients:

1 cup deskinned urad dal(or deskinned whole urad)

2.5 cup rice rava

1 Tsp fenugreek seeds

1 Tblsp salt

3/4 cup water to grind

Masala ingredients:

1 Tblsp black pepper corns

1 Tblsp cumin seeds

4 Tblsp chana dal

4 Tblsp thinly sliced fresh coconut (see notes)

2 Tblsp chopped cilantro

How do you make Tatte idli?

Making Idli dough:

• Wash urad dal in atleast 3-4 changes of water, scrubbing the dal as you drain the water.
• Soak urad dal and fenugreek seeds in 4 cups of water for 4-6 hours.
• Soak rice rava separately in 3 cups of water for 4-6 hours.
• Wash the urad dal one more time, drain out the water.
• Grind the dal and fenugreek seeds in a grinder/blender using not more than 1 cup of water at different intervals until you get a really smooth dough (see notes).

• In the meantime, take fistfuls of soaked rice rava, squeeze out the water and put in in a wide bowl.

• Scoop out the ground dal on to the squeezed rava, put salt and with a light hand, mix them all together into a homogeneous mixture.
• Cover and leave it in a warm place over night to ferment. 

Making the tatte idli:
Note: Each tatte idli is approximately equal to 3 regular idlis

• Pound the pepper and cumin in a mortar and pestle into a coarse crush, DO NOT POWDER THEM. (see notes)
• Soak chana dal in 2 cups of water for about 45 minutes or until they plump up, drain the water.
• Chop the coconut into thin, longish juliens – idea is to have to bite into coconut pieces when you eat the idli.
• Add the coarsely crushed pepper-cumin, soaked chana dal, chopped cilantro and chopped coconut pieces into the fermented idli batter, give it a mix.
• Prepare the tattes (or the cooker pan) by smearing a drop of oil all around it. Pour the batter to about ½ inch in the plate.

• Set the plates (or the pan) in the idli cooker or regular cooker and steam it for 20 minutes on medium heat.
• Remove the idli stand from the cooker/steamer and let it stand for 2 minutes. 

• Using a blunt knife, remove the idlis from the plate by working around the edges first. 

 Notes:

• Grinding urad dal into a really smooth, bouncy dough is half the battle won, use as little water as needed to run your mixer. Using fridge cold water helps your mixer/blender motor to survive longer. 
• Pepper and cumin seeds are crushed enough to release flavor, do not make a powder of them. Pepper powder also makes the tatte idlis spicier. 
• I have seen two varieties of rice rava in the stores here - one is slightly larger grains than the second. I prefer the smaller variety. 
• Scrubbing the urad dal helps remove any remnant black skin and result in a white idlis. 
• One of my cousins stops making idlis and dosas in winter as she does't believe you can ferment them well, what works for me is to preheat my oven to 170F (minimum my oven will go down to) and switch it off. Place your idli batter bowl inside the oven overnight.