Idly

INGREDIENTS (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)

1 cup basmati rice or sona masoori rice or regular rice

1 cup parboiled rice
cup urad dal/black gram, skinned whole or skinned spilt
cup poha/flattened rice
tsp methi seeds/fenugreek seeds
water as required
salt
oil to apply to the idli moulds

INSTRUCTIONS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

pick and wash both the rice and urad dal.

soak the rice and poha in water for 4-5 hours.
soak the urad dal with methi seeds separately for 4-5 hours.
drain the soaked urad dal. reserve the water.
grind the urad dal, methi seed with some of the reserved water till you get a smooth
and fluffy batter.
6.
grind the rice to make a smooth batter.
7.
mix both the batters together in a large bowl or pan. add salt and mix well.
8.
cover and let the batter ferment for 8-9 hours.
9.
after the fermentation process is over, the batter will become double in size and rise.
10.
gently mix the batter.
11.
grease the idli moulds.
12.
pour the batter in the moulds steam the idlis in a pressure cooker or steamer.
13.
if using pressure cooker remove the vent weight.whistle.
14.
steam for 10-12 mins or until the idlis are done.
15.
remaining batter can be stored in the refrigerator.
16.
serve the steaming hot idlis with coconut chutney and sambar.

Masala dosa
INGREDIENTS (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)

Ingredients for the Dosa Batter:

1 cup regular rice
1 cup parboiled rice/ukda chawal
cup spilt black lentils or urad dal
cup poha/flattened rice
tsp fenugreek seeds (methi)
salt to taste
water as required
Ingredients for the Masala - Potato filling:
4-5 potatoes/aloo
10-12 cashewnuts/kaju (optional)
10-12 curry leaves/kadi patta
1 tbsp chana dal/bengal gram
3 onions sliced or chopped
tsp mustard seeds/rai
1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera
1 or 2 chopped green chillies/hari mirch
1 or 1.5 tsp chopped ginger or grated ginger
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves/dhania
tsp turmeric powder/haldi
a pinch of asafoetida/hing
3 tsp oil or ghee
salt

INSTRUCTIONS
Preparing the Dosa Batter:
1.
Rinse the rice and urad dal separately first.
2.
Soak the parboiled rice, regular rice and poha in a bowl or pan.
3.
In another bowl soak the urad dal-methi in enough water
4.
Grind the urad dal with methi to a fine and fluffy batter.
5.
Grind the rice and poha to a smooth batter.
6.
Mix both the rice and urad dal batter with salt.
7.
Cover and let the batter ferment for 8-9 hours.
Preparing the potato filling-sabzi:
1.
Soak the chana dal in hot water for 30 minutes.
2.
Later drain the chana dal and keep aside.
3.
Heat oil or ghee. Fry cashew nuts and keep aside.
4.
Splutter the mustard seeds. add cumin seeds and drained chana dal.
5.
Fry the chana dal well. Now add the onions and curry leaves.
6.
Fry the onions till they become soft. Add the green chilies and ginger.
7.
Add the turmeric powder and asafoetida. Mix well.
8.
Now add the boiled chopped potatoes. Add the fried cashew nuts and salt
9.
Cook for 2-3 minutes stirring well. Add chopped coriander leaves. Stir and keep
aside.
Preparing the Masala Dosa:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Heat a flat pan or a flat non-stick pan. Smear some oil if using an iron pan or griddle.
don't smear oil on a non stick pan, as then you won't be able to spread the dosa batter.
Spread the dosa batter in a circular way on the pan. Add some oil on top
Flip and cook the other side. Flip again.
Spread the potato sabzi filling on one side of the dosa.
Cover with the other half and let the dosa cook for 15-30 seconds.
Serve masala dosa hot with coconut chutney and sambar

NOTES
- If you are unable to spread the batter on the pan, then add some water to the dosa batter.
this will help you in spreading the batter evenly on the pan.
- To get golden brown dosa, the pan should be hot. But the flip side is that if the pan is very
hot, then you cannot spread the dosa batter nicely. Either sprinkle water on the pan and
then wipe it. This brings down the temperature of the pan. Do this method on an iron pan.
Don't do this on a non stick pan. It might affect the non stick coating.
- If using a non stick pan than as soon as one dosa is done, reduce the flame. Spread the
dosa batter on the pan. now increase the flame and let the dosa cook.

Poori curry
INGREDIENTS (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)

400 grams potatoes or 2 large potatoes or 2 cups tightly packed crumbled boiled
potatoes
150 grams onions or 1 large onion or 1 cup tightly packed thinly sliced onions
40 to 50 grams tomatoes, 1 small to medium tomato or cup chopped tomatoes
(optional)
1 inch ginger, finely chopped or 2 tsp finely chopped ginger
2 to 3 green chilies, chopped or 2 to 3 tsp chopped green chilies (reduce the amount
of green chilies if you want)
1 sprig curry leaf or 10 to 12 curry leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds/rai
1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera
2 tsp chana dal/husked split bengal gram
1 tsp urad dal/husked split black gram (optional)
a pinch of asafoetida/hing
to tsp turmeric powder/haldi
8 to 10 cashews/kaju, chopped
2 tsp besan/gram flour
1.25 to 1.5 cups water or add as required
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
2 tbsp oil
tsp sugar or add as required (optional)

salt as required

INSTRUCTIONS
prepping:
1.
boil or steam 2 large potatoes in a pressure cooker or steamer. if pressure cooking,
then pressure cook for 5 to 6 whistles.
2.
when the potatoes are still warm, peel and crumble them. you can also chop them
and keep aside.
3.
peel, rinse and thinly slice the onions. also chop the tomatoes, ginger, green chilies
and coriander leaves. rinse and dry the curry leaves in a kitchen towel. chop the
cashews.
preparing the potato masala:
1.
heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan or kadai/wok. lower the flame and add 1 tsp mustard seeds.
crackle them.
2.
then add the 2 tsp chana dal, 1 tsp cumin seeds and 1 tsp urad dal (optional).
3.
stir and saute till the dals become golden.
4.
add 2 tsp finely chopped ginger, 2 to 3 tsp chopped green chilies and 10 to 12 curry
leaves.
5.
then add 8 to 10 cashews, which have been chopped.
6.
stir and then add 1 cup tightly packed thinly sliced onions.
7.
add a pinch of asafoetida and to tsp turmeric powder.
8.
stir very well and saute the onions till they become translucent.
9.
now add 2 tsp besan or gram flour.
10.
mix the besan very well.
11.
add cup chopped tomatoes. adding tomatoes are optional and you can skip it. stir
and saute the tomatoes for 2 minutes.
12.
then add 1.25 to 1.5 cups water.
13.
stir very well.
14.
bring this mixture to a simmer. about 4 to 5 minutes on a low to medium flame.
15.
now add the crumbled or chopped potatoes and stir very well.
16.
cover and simmer the potato masala for 4 to 5 minutes on a low to medium flame.
the potato masala should thicken and have a right consistency which is not too thick
nor thin.
17.
season with salt as per taste. mix the salt with the rest of the potato masala. you
can also add a bit of sugar if you want.
18.
lastly add 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves. stir very well and switch off the flame.
19.
serve potato masala with pooris or chapatis or dosa.
NOTES
for a gluten free version, skip asafoetida