Making Healthy Idly Sambar With Best Ingredients

Idly sambar is a popular and delicious South Indian dish that can be made healthier by using the best ingredients. Here’s a recipe for making healthy idly sambar:

Ingredients:

For Idly:
– 1 cup of idly rice
– 1/4 cup of black gramme, or urad dal
– Fenugreek seeds (methi seeds), 1/4 teaspoon)
– Water for soaking
– Salt to taste

For Sambar:

– 1 cup of toor dal (split pigeon peas)
– 2 cups of mixed vegetables (carrots, beans, pumpkin, drumstick, etc.)
– 1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
– 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
– 2-3 green chilies, slit
– 1 tablespoon of sambar powder (homemade or store-bought)
– 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder
– 1/2 teaspoon of red chili powder (optional, adjust to your spice preference)
– A small piece of tamarind (soaked in water to extract tamarind pulp)
– Salt to taste
– 2 cups of water (for cooking dal and vegetables)
– 2 cups of water (for sambar consistency)
– Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

For Tempering:

– 1 tablespoon of ghee or oil
– 1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds
– 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds
– A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
– A few curry leaves

Instructions:

1. Idly Preparation:

– Wash the idly rice and urad dal separately and soak them in water along with fenugreek seeds for about 4-6 hours.
– After soaking, drain the water and grind the rice and dal separately to a smooth batter using a wet grinder or a mixer grinder.
– Mix the rice and dal batter together, add salt, and allow it to ferment overnight or for about 8-10 hours. The batter should double in volume and have a slight tangy aroma after fermentation.
– Grease the idly plates with a little oil and pour the batter into each cavity. Steam the idlies in an idly cooker or steamer for 10-12 minutes or until they are cooked and fluffy.

2. Sambar Preparation:

– Wash the toor dal and pressure cook it with 2 cups of water until it becomes soft and mushy. Mash the cooked dal and set it aside.
– In a separate pot, add the chopped vegetables, chopped onions, slit green chilies, chopped tomatoes, sambar powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder (if using), and salt. Add 2 cups of water and cook the vegetables until they are tender.
– Extract tamarind pulp by soaking the tamarind in water and then squeezing the pulp out. Vegetables that have been cooked with tamarind pulp added.
– Now, add the cooked and mashed toor dal to the vegetables and mix well. If extra water is required, adjust the consistency by adding it. Let the sambar simmer for 5-10 minutes on low heat, allowing the flavors to blend together.

3. Tempering:

– Ghee or oil should be heated in a different small pan. Splutter the mustard seeds after adding them.
– Curry leaves, asafoetida, and cumin seeds are added. Fry for a few seconds until the spices release their aroma.
– Pour the tempering over the sambar and mix well. Turn off the heat.

4. Serving:

– Arrange the steamed idlies on a plate and serve them hot with a ladle of healthy sambar on top.
– Garnish with fresh coriander leaves for added flavor and nutrition.

Tips:

– To make the idly sambar even healthier, use organic and locally sourced ingredients whenever possible.
– You can add more vegetables to the sambar to increase its nutritional value.
– Limit the use of oil and use healthier options like ghee or coconut oil for tempering.
– Avoid adding excess salt, sugar, or unhealthy additives to maintain the healthiness of the dish.

Enjoy your healthy idly sambar with your loved ones!