Soft, mildly tangy idli made from fermented rice and urad dal batter are delicious with fresh coconut chutney and spiced sambar. Start the batter a day ahead; the hands-on preparation is straightforward, and you steam the idli just before serving.
Idli are steamed cakes made from rice and urad dal, a split black lentil with its black skin removed. In South India, they’re often eaten for breakfast, but with sambar and chutney they also make a complete lunch. The idli themselves have a mild flavour: a little nutty and, after fermentation, subtly sour. That’s exactly why they pair so well with the spiced, savoury lentil stew and fresh coconut dip.
Their light texture comes not from baking powder, but from a combination of grinding and fermentation. After soaking, urad dal grinds into a smooth, foamy batter; the rice is kept a little coarser. During fermentation, bubbles develop in the batter, making the steamed idli porous and soft. Keep the batter covered in a warm place during this time, but not next to a direct heat source. How long fermentation takes depends on the temperature: look for batter that has visibly risen and become airy, and smells slightly sour.
Idli rice gives the idli a firm, distinctive base; you can find it in Indian shops. Otherwise, use regular short-grain rice, such as pudding rice, although the texture may be a little different. A small amount of poha, or flattened rice, helps keep the batter soft. If you don’t have an idli mould, a metal steamer insert with small heatproof bowls can work well. Don’t fill the moulds all the way: the batter expands as it steams. Leave the idli to stand briefly after steaming so they release more easily.
Toor dal, vegetables, tamarind and sambar powder give sambar its full flavour. Carrot and green beans hold their shape well; pumpkin can replace some of them and makes the stew softer and sweeter. Sambar powder is a spice blend, not a single spice, and its flavour varies from brand to brand. So start with the amount given and add a little more at the end if you like. Tamarind paste is convenient and has a consistent flavour. If using a block of tamarind, dissolve a small piece in warm water and strain the pulp.
Serve the idli warm with sambar for dipping or spooning over the top, plus coconut chutney for a cool, creamy contrast. The chutney is best fresh. After fermentation, the batter can be kept covered in the fridge and used within two days; let it come to temperature again before steaming. Quickly cover and refrigerate any leftover idli and sambar, and reheat them until piping hot.
Rinse the rice, urad dal, poha and fenugreek separately. Soak the rice in plenty of water and the dal with the poha and fenugreek in a second bowl, 4–6 hours. Drain both and reserve some of the soaking water.
Grind the urad dal with the poha and fenugreek in a blender until smooth and airy, adding the soaking water a little at a time. Then grind the rice until coarsely smooth. Combine both in a large bowl with the salt. The batter should be thick but pourable.
Cover the bowl loosely and leave the batter to ferment for 8–12 hours in a warm place, until visibly risen and airy. This may take longer in a cool kitchen. Gently stir the batter afterwards.
Rinse the toor dal and cook it with 700 ml water and the turmeric in a pan until soft, about 25 minutes. Stir or mash the dal roughly. Add the carrot, green beans and onion and cook for 8 minutes. Add the tomato, sambar powder, tamarind paste and salt; simmer gently for another 10–12 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add a little water if needed for a stew with a soupy consistency.
For the sambar tempering, heat the oil in a small pan. Add the mustard seeds; as soon as they start to pop, add the dried chilli, curry leaves and asafoetida, if using. Fry briefly, then stir the spiced oil into the sambar. Finish with the coriander.
For the chutney, blend the coconut, chana dal, ginger, green chilli, salt and 75 ml water until smooth. If needed, add a tablespoon of water to reach a spoonable consistency.
Heat the oil for the chutney tempering. Add the mustard seeds and let them pop. Add the curry leaves, fry for a few seconds and pour the tempering over the chutney.
Lightly grease the idli moulds and spoon in the batter, filling them about three-quarters full. Place the mould in a steamer over gently boiling water. Steam covered for 10–12 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to stand for 2 minutes, then carefully remove the idli from the mould. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Serve the idli warm with sambar and coconut chutney.
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