We all love to live the Good Life..and why shouldn't we?
But by this utopian Good Life I don't mean a life spent running after brands or money..Good life doesn't necessarily mean eating at 5 star restaurants or traveling business class... Good Life doesn't mean owning the most luxurious car or the biggest rock, Good life doesn't mean a trip abroad every quarter or property in every top city of the world..That is a good life of a different kind.
By Good Life, I mean the life of simple good earthy pleasures..
By Good Life I mean living the life that adds value to our reason for living...
By Good Life I mean learning to be happy with what you have..
By Good Life I mean living with dignity and respect...
By Good Life I mean enjoying the simple pleasures of a good book and a hot cup of coffee...
By Good Life I mean being thankful for good friends...
By Good Life I mean learning to love oneself first
By Good Life I mean celebrating your inner creativity and spontaneity...
By Good Life I mean enjoying the Simple, the Suave and the Soulful....
Good food just like Good Life doesn't always have to be fancy. It doesn't have to be well presented , always.
Good Food doesn't mean rich gravy. It doesn't have to be meat. Good food doesn't always need expensive wine. Good food doesn't have to invlove cream and cheese..well not always atleast!!
Good Food just like Good Life can be about Simplicity..about Joy..about Love.
And just like Good Life can be in Simple Things...Good Food can be Simple, Easy and Healthy..
Like this delicious breakfast affair of steaming hot super soft Idlis, spicy Sambar and a yumm Coconut Chutney, made all the more special with a cup of coffee and a good book!!
This is how you go about adding this version of a good life to your menu!
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup Urad Dal
3 cups par-boiled rice (ukda chawal)
1/2 tsp fenugreek (methi) leaves seeds
salt to taste
coconut oil or any other refined oil for greasing
3 cups par-boiled rice (ukda chawal)
1/2 tsp fenugreek (methi) leaves seeds
salt to taste
coconut oil or any other refined oil for greasing
Method
- Soak the urad dal and fenugreek seeds together in enough water for 3 hours and drain.
- Soak the rice in enough water for 3 hours and drain.
- Blend the urad dal and fenugreek seeds together in a mixer till smooth and frothy (add water little by little as required ) remove and keep aside.
- Blend the rice in a mixer till smooth. Remove and keep aside.
- Combine the urad dal paste and rice paste together in a bowl and cover and keep aside to ferment overnight.
- Once the batter is fermented add salt to the batter and mix well.
- Put spoonfuls of the batter into greased idli moulds and steam for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Repeat with the remaining batter to make more idlis.
- Fermentation time for the batter depends upon the weather. If the climate is cold, fermentation time will increase.
- If you are using pressure cooker for steaming the idlis, remove the vent weight/whistle from the lid while steaming them.
- You may add 1/4 tsp of soda while mixing the batter before fermentation process.
- You may also use the ratio of 2 cups of idli ice + 1 cup of regular rice + 1 cup of poha : 1 cup urad dal
How to make Sambar:
INGREDIENTS:-
Tur dal
(yellow lentil) 1
cup
Drumstick 1
Pumpkin ½
cup chopped
Onion 1 medium chopped
Carrots 1
medium chopped
Tomatoes 2
medium (chopped)
Pearl Onions or Sambar Onions 6-7 ( use whole)
Sambar masala 3 tbsp (I use ready made sambar masala from Everest)
Turmeric ½
tsp
Fenugreek
seeds (methi) ½ tsp
Mustards
seeds 1
tsp
Curry leaves few
Whole red
chilies 3-4
Hing
(asafoetida) a
big pinch
Tamarind pulp
3 tbsp
(you can add more if prefered)
Coriander
leaves 2
tbsp chopped
Salt as
per taste
Oil 3
tbsp
Water 4
cups
METHOD:-
- Boil dal with 2 cups of water till done
- In a pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds, methi seeds, allow it to splutter
- Add curry leaves, hing and dried red chilies
- Add onion,pearl onion, fry for a minute, add drumsticks, carrots, pumpkin and fry for few minutes
- Add tomatoes, turmeric, sambar powder, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes
- Add boiled dal, 2 cups of water, salt and simmer till vegetables are done
- Finally add tamarind pulp and coriander leaves, simmer for another 6-8 minutes
- Tasty sambar is ready to be served with hot steamed rice, dosa, idlis, medu vadas and so on…
Coconut Chutney
INGREDIENTS:-
INGREDIENTS:-
- 2 cups, fresh coconut, grated
- 1/4 cup, roasted Chana dal
- 2 nos, green chilies (you may add more if preferred)
- a bit of chopped ginger
- 1/3 cup, yoghurt, whisked well
- Salt to taste
- Water for grinding the chutney
For Tempering:-
- 1 tsp, urad dal
- 1 tsp, chana dal
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 3-4 , red button chilies
- 1 nos, sprig of curry leaves
- 1 tbsp, oil
METHOD:-
- Blend together coconut, roasted dal, chilies ,little water and salt to a smooth paste.
- Transfer the chutney in a bowl and add whisked yoghurt. Mix it very well
- Heat oil in a small pan, add mustard seed and allow it to crackle
- Add chana dal and fry till they are slightly golden brown (do not burn it).
- Add curry leaves and red chillies fry for few more seconds.
- Pour this tempering over the chutney
