Idli With Rasam and Peanut Chutney

This combination for Idli is my all time favourite. There was a lady right in front of my college who used have a little fast food corner in her house. She used to sell idli sambhar chutney, wada sambhar, masala dosa. During recess her house used to literally overflow with the college kids.

Her food was delicious and she was a real kind hearted lady, she would welcome us in her house anytime. Her idli sambhar chutney is my inspiration for this recipe. Her sambhar though delicious used to taste a lot like rasam to me. After I moved to US I had the craving to eat aunties idli sambhar so I made it adding some variations. I used rasam instead of sambhar and instead of coconut chutney I add Peanut Chutney to it and the final result is YUMMOOOOO

Method

Make your regular rasam. For seasoning when you add mustard seeds to the rasam add some jeera also, add this to the rasam and mix well.

For Peanut Chutney

Raw Peanuts - 1/2 cup

Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp

Garlic - 1 pod

Green Chillies - 3-4 ( add as per taste)

Small piece Tamarind

Take little oil in a pan. Add all the above ingredients and fry till raw smell has gone. Cool and grind to a fine paste. Add mustard and urad dal seasoning to this and mix well.

TO SERVE

Take idlis in a bowl. Pour rasam on top. Add some chutney and serve.

Sabudana khichdi

It is amazing how music brings back memories of the past. Whenever I listen to old hindi songs I remember my school days. There used to be a cycle repair shop right next to our school which happened to be right outside the window next to my desk. Everyday 11 to 12 they used to play old songs in the radio which used to be on in full blast. Even today whenever I listen to any old songs and just close my eyes I feel I am back in the classroom.

Just like music brings back memories of the past, sometimes food brings back memories too. Same is the case with sabudana khichdi. There is a street in Pune called Tulsi Bagh. It is a street where we can get anything and everything at a good price. Of course this place is always crowded. There is this vendor who had these huge aluminium boxes of goodies. He had Sabudana khichdi, Kanda poha, Batata wada and sabudana wada. He didn't have a proper shop, he would just be at a corner of the road and sell these goodies, of course he was bhaiya to all young and old. You have to be lucky to have these dishes because they would be over soon, it is just luck if you are there when he opens the boxes. It is also amazing how all these dishes tasted the same everytime. Even now whenever I visit india I do go there just to taste these goodies.

The key to making good sabudana Khichdi is adding the right amount of water to soak it. If you add too much water the khichdi turns sticky and if you add too little it turns hard. It will take a couple of tries but it is possible to master it.

Ingredients

Sabudana - 1 cup

Peanuts - 1/2 cup (roasted and ground coarsely)

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Curry leaves few

Cilantro

Green Chillies - 3

Sugar - 1/2 tsp

Grated coconut for garnish

salt and lemon

Method

Wash the sabudana and drain the water leaving only enough water to immerse all the sabudana and leave it overnight. The next morning all the water is soaked up and the sabudhana are soft and white. Add the peanut powder, salt and 1/2 tsp sugar to the sabudana and mix well.

Take ghee in a pan. Add Cumin seeds when it changes color add curry leaves and green chillies. Saute and then add the sabudana and mix well. Keep stirring in medium flame till the sabudana looks transperant. Add the cilantro and coconut. Squeeze Lemon juice and mix well.
Serve hot.

Kanda pohe

This is a very popular maharastrian dish served as breakfast or snack. This is also a main dish for the poha programme. It is a dish that is served when a boy of marriageable comes with his family to see a girl during arranged marriages. It is one of the dishes that is very easy to make and there is no way u can go wrong.

Ingredients

3 cups - Jad pohe (thick Aval)

1 large onion finely chopped

3-4 green chillies (adjust as per taste)

mustard seed - 1/2 tsp

peanuts - 1 tbsp

Jeera - 1/2 tsp

turmeric - 1/2 tsp

curry leaves

cilantro, grated coconut

Few slices lemon

salt, oil

Method

Wash pohe drain all the water and keep aside. Take oil in a pan. Add mustard seed and jeera. When it splutters add green chillies, curry leaves and peanuts. Cook for a couple of minutes then add onions. Fry till onions are translucent. Add turmeric and salt and reduce the flame. Now add pohe and mix well add some cilantro, mix and cover. Cook on low flame. While serving garnish with cilantro, grated coconut and serve with a slice of lemon.