Idli and Pudina Chutney / ಇಡ್ಲಿ ಪುದಿನ ಚಟ್ನಿ

Ingredients for Idli

1 cup - Idli rava/ಇಡ್ಲಿ ರವೆ
1/2 Cup - Urad Dal /ಉದ್ದಿನ ಬೇಳೆ
Salt to taste /ಉಪ್ಪು

Method for Idli:
Soak urad dal and idli rava in water separately for 5-6 hours. Grind the Urad dal into a smooth batter adding as little water as possible. Drain the water of the soaked idli rava and mix it to this urad dal batter. Mix well,cover and allow the batter to ferment for 8 hours or overnight.Idli batter is usually thicker than dosa batter.It should not be watery/runny.

Once its fermented add salt and stir the batter.Take an idli stand with idli plates, grease it with oil. Pour idli batter into the plates. Put some water in a pressure cooker, keep the idli stand inside it. Turn on the heat to high. Once you see the steam, just leave it on high for around 6-8 minutes. Idli cooks in the steam, no need to put the weight on the pressure cooker. Then turn the heat to low medium and leave it for another 3-5 minutes. Turn off the stove. let the cooker cool for 5 minutes. Then open the pressure cooker and remove idlis from the idli stand. Now you should have soft fluffy idlis ready.Idli is served with chutney, sambhar and a dollop of butter/ghee :)

Ingredients for chutney:
1 handful of Mint leaves / Pudina / ಪುದಿನ ಸೊಪ್ಪು
1/4 cup - Split roasted gram/ Dalia/ kadale /putani / ಹುರಿಗಡಲೆ
1/4 cup - fresh grated coconut/ ಕಾಯಿ ತುರಿ
4-6 Green chillies / ಹಸಿರು ಮೆಣಸಿನಕಾಯಿ
1 tsp - Tamarind paste / ಹುಣಸೆ ಹಣ್ಣು
1/2 tsp - sugar / ಸಕ್ಕರೆ
1 tsp - salt / ಉಪ್ಪು
1/2 tsp - turmeric powder / ಅರಿಶಿನ

small piece ginger / ಶುಂಠಿ
few sprigs coriander leaves/ಕೊತ್ತಂಬರಿ ಸೊಪ್ಪು

Seasoning / ಒಗ್ಗರಣೆ
1 tbsp Oil / ಎಣ್ಣೆ; 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds /ಸಾಸಿವೆ; 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds /ಜೀರಿಗೆ; Asafoetida/ Hing / ಇಂಗು;

Method:

Wash the pudina leaves and pat them dry with a paper towel or cloth. Heat a pan on medium flame, add these leaves into it. Stir them for 1-2 minutes till they wilt. Take off the flame, keep aside. In the same pan add dalia/kadle, then green chillies and dry roast them for 2-3 minutes. Take off the stove now. let it cool a little bit. Then transfer these ingredients into a blender. Add the pudina leaves, grated coconut, salt,sugar,tamarind paste,ginger,coriander leaves and turmeric to it. Add enough water and grind them.Pour it into a bowl.

Heat a small kadai, pour oil, add hing, mustard seeds, cumin seeds. Pour this seasoning over the chutney. Pudina chutney is ready to be served now. It is eaten with idli, dosa,chapathi, rotti. As it is not a cooked dish, keep it in the refrigerator for later use.

As this does not have any onion or garlic, idli chutney is a common breakfast item on festival days.

Kadalekalu Usali / ಕಡಲೆಕಾಳು ಉಸಲಿ

Servings: I cup chana makes around 4 servings of usli.

Ingredients:

1 cup - cooked Kabul Channa/Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans /ಕಾಬುಲ್ ಕಡಲೆ
4-6 Green chillies / ಹಸಿರುಮೆಣಸಿನಕಾಯಿ (slit them)
few sprigs Coriander leaves / ಕೊತ್ತಂಬರಿಸೊಪ್ಪು
few Curry leaves / ಕರಿಬೇವು ಸೊಪ್ಪು
2 tbsp Grated Coconut /ಕಾಯಿತುರಿ
pinch of Turmeric /ಅರಿಶಿನ
lemon juice / ನಿಂಬೆ ರಸ to taste
1 tsp - salt / ಉಪ್ಪು to taste

Seasoning / ಒಗ್ಗರಣೆ
I tbsp Oil / ಎಣ್ಣೆ, 1 tsp Mustard seeds/ಸಾಸಿವೆ, pinch of Asafoetida/ Hing / ಇಂಗು

Method:

Soak 1/2 cup dry channa in adequate water overnight. It usually doubles up in volume. The next day pour the soaked channa with enough water into a big pot and cook it on stove top. Keep the heat on medium. It takes around 35-45 minutes till channa is fully cooked. Adding salt to the water is optional. Another way to cook the channa is in pressure cooker. Just cook for 1 whistle. Sometimes channa can get overcooked and become mushy. To avoid this, its best to cook on stovetop.Once chana is cooked, drain the water and keep it aside.

Heat a pan on medium flame, add a spoon of oil , then add hing,mustard seeds.When they splutter add green chillies and curry leaves.Stir it for a few seconds.Then add the cooked channa to the pan. Add salt,turmeric,grated coconut to the mixture. Stir fry it for another 3-4 minutes so the chana gets coated with all the spices. Then add chopped cilantro and fresh lime juice. Mix it well and switch off the stove. Now usali is ready to be served. It can be eaten as a side dish along with rice & rasam, can be eaten by itself as an evening snack. You can add some yogurt to usali and eat it.