A soul-satisfying South Indian breakfast comprises super-soft idlis dipped in piping hot sambar and the irresistibly crisp vadas served with a mildly spicy coconut chutney. This combination of flavours and texture is so wondrously light, tasty and filling that you can find these popular dishes served at fancy restaurants, highway food stalls and also a pushcart vendor!
A good souring agent is critical to making this chutney. For long, imli was the chosen ingredient in Karnataka’s authentic chutney recipe. But even in the olden days, the imli would sometimes be replaced with curd, with great care taken to ensure that it was nice and thick. The chutney’s taste would otherwise be ruined.
Ingredients
Fresh coconut, grated (1 cup)
Green chillies (hari mirch) (2 to 3)
Ginger (adrak), crushed (1-inch piece)
Tamarind (imli) pulp (2 tsp)
Coriander leaves (hara dhania) (2 tbsp)
Curry leaves (kadipatta) (4)
Split Bengal gram (chana dal), soaked for a couple of hours (1 tbsp)
Salt (to taste)
label (For tempering )
Oil (2 tsp)
Mustard seeds (sarson) (1 tsp)
Black gram (urad dal) (1 tsp)
Dry red chillies (sabut lal mirch) (2)
Asafoetida (hing) (a pinch)
Method
In a mixer-grinder, toss in all the ingredients (except the ones for tempering), and a little water and grind up a fine paste. Transfer the mix to a bowl.
Heat oil in a pan on a high flame and add the sarson to it. When it begins to splutter, add the urad dal, hing and lal mirch, and fry till the dal turns golden brown.
Take off the flame and immediately add to the coconut paste. Mix well and cover the bowl with a lid. Let it rest for 2 minutes to allow the flavours to seep through.
The MTR Sambar Masala is a perfect blend of all the authentic ingredients. To make sambar in a jiffy, use this masala and you can enjoy piping hot sambar in under 15 minutes.
Ingredients
Pre-cooked veggies of choice (1 cup)
Tuvar dal (split pigeon pea) (3/4 cup)
Water (600 ml)
Imli (tamarind) juice (2 tsp)
MTR Haldi/Turmeric Powder (1/2 tsp)
MTR Sambar Powder (1 tbsp)
Grated coconut (1/2 tbsp)
Gud (jaggery) (2 tsp)
Salt (To taste )
Oil (1/2 tsp)
For tempering (1 tsp)
Mustard (sarson) (4)
Curry leaves (kadipatta) (1 tbsp)
Oil ()
Method
In a deep pan, add the water, dal, MTR Haldi/Turmeric Powder and oil. Stir and bring the mixture to a boil on a high flame. Then, lower the flame to medium and cook till the dal is done.
Meanwhile, get the sambar paste ready. In a mixie, add MTR Sambar Powder, coconut, gud, a little water and blend well to form a fine paste.
Now, add this paste to the cooked dal and stir to combine on a medium flame.
Add the pre-cooked veggies of choice (onions, tomatoes, lauki, pumpkin). Then add the imli juice. Mix well.
Season with salt and let the dal cook for another 5 mins.
Make the tadka separately. In a pan, heat oil on a high flame. Add sarson and let it splutter, then add kadipatta.
Take off the flame and pour immediately on the sambar. Stir to mix well.
Garnish with hara dhania and serve hot with idli, dosa or steamed rice.
These vadas are easier to make in an appe pan as they get evenly brown and round in the pan, also using the pan ensures lesser oil consumption than deep frying.
Ingredients
Urad dal (1 cup)
Rice flour (chawal ka atta) (2 tbsp)
Green chilli (hari mirchi), cut in pieces (1)
Ginger (adrak) (1-inch piece)
Fresh coconut (nariyal), grated (2 tbsp)
Coriander leaves (hara dhania), chopped (2 tbsp)
Curry leaves (kadipatta), chopped (8-10)
Oil ( for deep frying)
Salt (to taste)
Method
Soak urad dal for not more than 2 hours in water.
Grind the dal to a thick paste along with green chillies and ginger, using little or no water.
Add rice flour, salt, coconut, coriander leaves and curry leaves to the batter, mix well.
Heat oil in a kadhai.
Shape a spoonful of batter with your hands into a small lemon-sized peda (ball).
Deep fry the vadas on medium flame until golden brown.
