Idli Sambar

                                      Initially,my idea was to post my recipes and recollections in the same blog.Several titles linking both, occurred in my mind, only to be rejected.READ AND COOK was the title with which I started.The blog address readrelaxrejoice seemed to be long.KARS KITCHEN,the name,being a part of our community,with the intention of helping our Saiva Pillai youth replaced the first title.Finally an " enlightenment" made me honour my efforts and name. This is the history of my blog name and address, PONNI'S KITCHEN
                                     The recipe of this hotel idli sambar, a hit always with idlies and all dosais,I came to know from a neighbour and relative,Tmt.Velammal in Madurai.She is no more and I dedicate this recipe to her.The great secret of this delicious sambar is to cook the onion along with the dhal,she observed from a cook during a marriage.

Idli Sambhar

Ingredients:

Toor Dhal : 1 cup.
Sambar onions : 2 cups
Carrot : 1
Potato :1
Beans : 6
Drumstick : 1
Tomatoes : 2
Tamarind : goosebury size
Green chillies : 8
Salt : 1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric : 1/4 tsp.
Asafoetida : 1 pinch
Sambar powder : 1tsp
Cooking oil : 2 tsp.
For seasoning:
Mustard : 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal : 1/4 tsp
Red chillies : 3
Curry leaves and coriader leaves

Method
1.Cut the onions,carrot,beans ,drumstick,tomatoes and potato.Slit the chillies.Soak the tamarind in warm water.

2.Cook the dhal with the onion,chillies,tomatoes and potato in a pressure cooker.if you are very particular about sauting the onions in oil,do so and cook with dhal and the other veg.,tomatoes and chillies.Only cooking the onion with the dhal gives the good taste,something very spl. about idli sambar.

3.If the drumsticks are cooked in the pressure along with the toor dhal,they may split and get over cooked.They can be cooked separately with a little salt and a little water in a pressure cooker.Even before the hissing starts,switch off the flame.Open the cooker with in a few mins. and keep the cooked drumsticks aside.Then cook the dhal and the other things.Orelse,when the dhal is getting cooked in the cooker,the drumsticks can be cooked in a vessel with a little salt and water, in the other stove.

4.Add the water extracted from tamarind,salt ,turmeric powder,asafoetida ,cooked drumsticks and sambar powder to the pressure cooked dhal.Stir well ,adding some water to make it to the required sambar consistency and allow to boil on medium flame.Close with the lid,leaving a small gap.Stir in between and let it boil for 10 mins.

5.Season with the mustard,urad dhal,broken red chillies and curry leaves.Add coriander leaves.A little sugar or jaggery can be mixed for the unique taste.
Note:
Time: 20 mins.
To serve : 4 to 5 persons.
With such tasty idli sambar,the idlies will disappear in no time.
Big onions can also be used if small sambar onions are not available
Roasted and powdered coriander seeds,channa dhal and fenugreek can be added in the end apart from the sambar powder for enhanced flavour.The ingredients and the measurements will be posted later under " Masala Powder"