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.