Idlis

     If something that just peps my mood , its a plate of steaming idlis ducked into hot sambhar and/or with spicy chutney.The day I decide to make idlis, the whole family makes sure they have a full quota for the week.I have always made them but since the last few years,we got very good batter ready made near my home in Pune, I stopped grinding it.It made life very easy as I would just decide when to eat them and the man would give you a batter as needed,one that was already fermented for instant cooking and the other unfermented if you decide to make it later.The guy from south India could not speak much except his language but did brisk business all day,doling out packets of idli/dosa batter with chutney.Once we moved here to Germany, the carving increased manifold.Then started looking for a great mixer, which could grind the perfect batter.Braun food processor entered our home and started trial and error of that perfect ,soft,white cottony idlis.Thanks to my friend Sumathi,God bless her,we have idli batter each week in our fridge.She has given me the exact proportions along with a lovely chutney which I play around with and get different tastes.So here is the recipe dedicated to her.Thanks Sumathi!!
Ingredients
Par boiled (idli) rice                       2 1/2 cup
white urad dal (whole)                   1 cup
Fenugreek seeds                            1 tsp
salt to taste.
Method
Soak parboiled rice after washing in enough water for 5-6 hours.Wash dal not too rigorously and add fenugreek seeds and keep aside too.
Grind dal  with  little water at a time and grind to a fine paste till it is very fluffy.Keep aside.Grind rice till it is very fine with little water.Do not let the batter get heated.Mix it to the dal mixture and mix well to a thick pouring consistency.Add salt.
Keep in a warm place overnight.Next morning , it would have doubled.Mix slowly and pour into greased idli molds.Steam for about 7-10 mins till the knife comes clean.Cool for about 5 mins and with a sharp knife scoop out hot soft fluffy idlis.Serve with chutney,sambhar and ghee if you like.

Tomato and onion chutney
Chopped onions                         2 nos
Chopped tomatoes                     2 nos
Garlic peeled                              5-6 cloves
red chilli                                     2 nos
oil                                              2 tbsp
salt to taste
FOR TEMPERING
oil                                              1 tsp
mustard seeds                            1 tsp
urad dal                                     1 tsp
curry leaves                               6-8 nos
Method
Heat 2 tbsp oil and add the onions and garlic and saute on slow heat.Add tomatoes and red chiili keep cooking on slow flame till the water evaporates.Add salt and cool.Grind well.
Heat oil and add mustard seeds.Put in dal when the seeds crackle.Add the curry leaves and pour over the chtney.Serve with steaming hot idlis.

Tip
Add 1 tbsp roasted bengal gram while cooking onions to get the chutney a bit thicker and differ the taste.