Idli with coconut chutney is a classic South Indian dish that is light on the stomach and delicious on the palate, making it an ideal choice for dinner. It is easy to prepare as well and can be served along with sambar for a more filling meal. Idlis made from fermented rice and urad dal are soft and fluffy, and when paired with tangy, tempered coconut chutney, they make for the ultimate comfort food without feeling heavy.
Idli and coconut chutney are the ultimate Jai-Veeru duo; one simply doesn’t feel complete without the other. When you are looking for something light, healthy and comforting, soft idlis with coconut chutney can be an easy choice. In fact, Idli is one of South India’s most iconic breakfast dishes, and its light, steamed nature makes it just as fitting for dinner as well.
Basically, idli is a simple fermented batter of rice and black gram, which is further steamed into soft discs. The coconut chutney is quick to make and adds a fresh, mildly spicy flavour to the idlis. Made by grinding fresh coconut with ginger, roasted chana dal, green chillies and a dash of yoghurt or tamarind for the tang, the chutney is finished with some tempering of curry leaves, dried red chillies and mustard seeds. This tempering is poured over the chutney before serving, adding aroma and a subtle crackle of texture that brings the dish together.
Even though making the batter from scratch requires quite
Read MoreWash and soak the idli rice and urad dal (along with saunf) separately for 4-5 hours.
Drain the urad dal and mix it with some water; grind to a smooth, fluffy batter. In a similar way, drain the idli rice and grind, but this one’s consistency should be kept a bit coarser. Then mix the two batters, add salt and stir gently
Cover the bowl and let it ferment overnight for 8-10 hours until the batter rises and becomes a bit airy. Its volume should roughly double.
After the batter has fermented, gently fold without overmixing. Then grease the idli mould and pour the batter in each cavity up to three-quarters full to give place for the idli to rise.
Put in an idli steamer or cook in a pressure cooker without a whistle for 10-12 minutes. Cook until a knife or toothpick inserted in the idli comes out clean.
While the idlis steam, grind roasted chana dal, green chilli, tamarind, grated coconut, ginger and salt with some water until it gets a chutney consistency.
Heat some oil in a pan and let the mustard seeds sizzle in it. Then add dried red chillies, curry leaves, and sauté for a few seconds until fragrant.
Then pour the tempering over the prepared chutney and mix lightly.
Remove the idlis from the mould and serve them warm with the coconut chutney.
Yes, instead you can use baking soda or Eno, but the flavour and texture will vary from the fermented version.
Yes. You can prepare it without it, but you must note that the roasted chana dal is what gives it its nutty flavour.
Avoid overcooking and cover the steamed idlis with a lightly damp cloth. Don’t remove them immediately after steaming, and wait for a few minutes, as this helps retain softness.
Idli batter needs around 8 hours to ferment, but the exact time depends on the temperature of the kitchen.
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