RAG Demo

Tag: Steamed

  • Idli Sambar

    Idli sambar is the quintessential Tamil breakfast. Idlis are soft, spongy steamed cakes made from a fermented batter of parboiled rice and urad dal, while sambar is a tangy lentil stew made with toor dal, tamarind, vegetables and sambar powder. Together with coconut chutney, they make a light, wholesome and filling meal.

    A good idli is white, soft and fluffy, with a slightly tangy flavour from fermentation. The sambar is sour, slightly sweet and spiced, with vegetables such as drumstick, shallots, brinjal and tomatoes. Tamil homes often make sambar with small onions, called vengaya sambar. It is tangy and comforting. Each spoonful is satisfying and warm.

    Idli sambar is eaten for breakfast across South India and in Udupi restaurants everywhere. Idlis are easy to digest, making them a favourite for children and people recovering from illness. Leftover idlis can be fried with spices to make idli upma or fried idli. Fresh batter keeps in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, ready for quick breakfasts.

    At a glance

    RegionTamil Nadu
    CuisineTamil
    DietVegan
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time40 minutes
    Total time70 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsidli rice / urad dal / toor dal / tamarind

    Ingredients

    For the idli

    • 2 cups idli rice (parboiled)
    • 1/2 cup whole urad dal
    • 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
    • 1 1/2 tsp salt
    • Water as needed

    For the sambar

    • 1/2 cup toor dal
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tbsp tamarind pulp soaked in 1 cup water
    • 10 shallots, peeled
    • 1 drumstick, cut into pieces
    • 1 tomato, chopped
    • 2 tbsp sambar powder
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1 tsp jaggery
    • 2 tbsp oil
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
    • 1 dried red chilli
    • A pinch of asafoetida
    • 10 curry leaves
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Soak the rice in water for 5-6 hours. Separately soak the urad dal and fenugreek seeds for 5-6 hours.
    2. Grind the urad dal with cold water to a smooth, fluffy batter. Grind the rice to a slightly coarse batter. Mix both with salt, cover and ferment for 8-12 hours until doubled.
    3. For the sambar, pressure cook the toor dal with turmeric and 2 cups water for 4 whistles. Mash.
    4. Heat 1 tbsp oil, saute the shallots for 3 minutes, then add drumstick and tomato. Add tamarind water, sambar powder, salt and jaggery and simmer for 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
    5. Add the mashed dal and simmer for 5 minutes. Temper with mustard seeds, fenugreek, red chilli, asafoetida and curry leaves in the remaining oil and pour over. Garnish with coriander.
    6. Grease idli plates, pour batter into each mould and steam for 10-12 minutes on medium-high until a toothpick comes out clean.
    7. Rest for 2 minutes, then scoop out the idlis with a wet spoon.

    Tips

    • Use parboiled idli rice for the softest idlis.
    • Do not overmix the fermented batter; it releases air and makes idlis dense.
    • Sambar thickens on standing; adjust with hot water.

    Serve with

    Coconut chutney, sambar and a dollop of ghee.

  • Khatta Dhokla

    Khatta dhokla is the original dhokla of Gujarat, older and plainer than the yellow besan khaman that outsiders usually picture. It is made from rice and a little urad or chana dal, ground coarse with sour curd and left to ferment overnight. The name means sour dhokla, and that gentle tang from fermentation is the whole point.

    The texture is soft, slightly grainy and moist, closer to a thick idli than to a sponge cake. The pieces are pale white, dusted with crushed black pepper or red chilli on top before steaming, and finished with oil tempered with mustard and sesame seeds. There is no sugar syrup poured over, which keeps the flavour savoury and clean.

    Gujarati homes make it for breakfast, as a tea-time snack, or as part of a Sunday farsan spread. It is often eaten with a drizzle of raw groundnut oil and a spoon of garlic chutney, a combination common in Kathiawad. Leftover pieces are tossed in a pan with tadka the next day.

    At a glance

    RegionGujarat
    CuisineGujarati
    DietVegetarian
    CourseSnack
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time45 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice / urad dal / curd / ginger

    Ingredients

    For the batter

    • 1 cup rice (regular or idli rice)
    • 1/4 cup urad dal
    • 2 tbsp chana dal
    • 1/2 cup sour curd
    • About 1/2 cup water
    • 1 tbsp ginger-green chilli paste
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1 tbsp oil
    • 1/2 tsp Eno fruit salt or 1/4 tsp baking soda

    For topping and tadka

    • 1/2 tsp crushed black pepper
    • 2 tbsp oil
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1 tsp white sesame seeds
    • A pinch of asafoetida
    • 8-10 curry leaves
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Wash the rice and dals together and soak in plenty of water for 5-6 hours.
    2. Drain and grind with the sour curd and just enough water to a slightly coarse, thick batter, like fine semolina. Transfer to a large bowl, cover and ferment in a warm place for 8-10 hours, until bubbly and pleasantly sour.
    3. Set up a steamer with 2 inches of water on high heat. Grease a 7-8 inch thali or cake tin with oil.
    4. Stir the ginger-chilli paste, salt and 1 tbsp oil into the batter. Just before steaming, add Eno with a splash of water on top of it and fold gently in one direction until the batter turns frothy.
    5. Pour into the greased thali to about 1/2 inch deep. Sprinkle crushed pepper over the surface.
    6. Steam on high for 12-15 minutes until a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. Rest for 5 minutes, then cut into squares or diamonds.
    7. Heat 2 tbsp oil, add mustard seeds and let them pop, then add sesame, asafoetida and curry leaves. Pour evenly over the dhokla and garnish with coriander.

    Tips

    • In winter, ferment in an oven with just the light on, or add the salt before fermenting to speed it up.
    • Do not add Eno until the steamer is boiling; it loses its lift within a couple of minutes.
    • The batter should be thicker than idli batter; thin batter gives flat, dense dhokla.

    Serve with

    Garlic-red chilli chutney or green chutney, with raw groundnut oil drizzled on top.

  • Khaman

    Khaman is the bright yellow, sponge-soft gram flour cake that most people outside Gujarat call dhokla. In Ahmedabad and Surat the distinction is clear: dhokla is fermented rice batter, khaman is besan raised with citric acid and soda. Farsan shops sell it by weight every morning, along with nylon khaman, an even lighter version.

    Good khaman is airy and moist, with an open crumb that drinks up the tempering. That final pour of water, sugar, lemon and tempered mustard seeds is what makes it sweet, sour and juicy rather than dry. It should spring back when pressed and leave the plate slightly wet. Lemon and sugar should both be clearly present.

    It is eaten at breakfast, packed in tiffins and served to guests at any hour, usually with a sweet-hot green chutney and fried green chillies. Because it takes so little time, it is a common answer when visitors arrive unannounced in a Gujarati home. Leftover pieces stay soft for a day if kept covered at room temperature, and they are often packed for school lunch boxes.

    At a glance

    RegionGujarat
    CuisineGujarati
    DietVegan
    CourseSnack
    Prep time10 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time35 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsbesan / lemon / sugar / mustard seeds

    Ingredients

    For the batter

    • 1 1/2 cups (150 g) fine besan
    • 1 tbsp semolina (optional, for structure)
    • 1 tbsp sugar
    • 1 tsp citric acid or 2 tbsp lemon juice
    • 1 tsp ginger-green chilli paste
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tbsp oil
    • About 3/4 cup water
    • 1 1/2 tsp Eno fruit salt

    For the tempering

    • 2 tbsp oil
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1 tsp sesame seeds
    • A pinch of asafoetida
    • 3 green chillies, slit
    • 10 curry leaves
    • 1/2 cup water
    • 2 tbsp sugar
    • 1 tbsp lemon juice
    • 2 tbsp grated fresh coconut and chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Put 2 inches of water in a steamer or large pan with a stand and bring it to a rolling boil on high heat. Grease an 8-inch tin.
    2. Sift the besan into a bowl. Add semolina, sugar, citric acid, ginger-chilli paste, salt, turmeric and oil. Whisk in water gradually to a smooth batter that flows like pancake batter, then whisk for 2 minutes more.
    3. Add Eno, pour 1 tsp water over it and whisk briskly in one direction for 10 seconds. The batter will double and turn pale. Pour immediately into the tin.
    4. Steam covered on high for 15-18 minutes without opening the lid for the first 12. A skewer in the centre should come out clean.
    5. Rest the khaman for 5 minutes, then run a knife round the edge and cut into squares while still in the tin.
    6. For the tempering, heat oil, crackle mustard seeds, add sesame, asafoetida, chillies and curry leaves for 20 seconds. Carefully add the water and sugar and boil for 1 minute until the sugar dissolves. Turn off and add lemon juice.
    7. Spoon the hot tempering evenly over the warm khaman so it soaks in. Garnish with coconut and coriander.

    Tips

    • Old besan or a batter left standing after adding Eno gives dense khaman. Work quickly once the Eno goes in.
    • If the top turns reddish, there is too much soda for the acid; add a little more lemon next time.
    • Pour the tempering while the khaman is still warm so it absorbs fully.

    Serve with

    Green chutney, fried salted green chillies and a cup of tea.

  • Veg Steamed Momos

    Momos came to Sikkim, Darjeeling and the Himalayan belt with Tibetan and Newar traditions, and in Gangtok they are the default snack, sold from tiny shops and street steamers on every corner. The original filling is usually pork or beef, but vegetable momos with cabbage and onion are just as popular in the hills and across the rest of India.

    A good momo has a thin, soft wrapper that is slightly chewy, with a juicy filling seasoned simply with garlic, ginger, spring onion and a little soy sauce or salt. The real kick comes from the dipping sauce: a fiery red achar of tomatoes and dried chillies, sometimes with timur, the Himalayan Sichuan pepper.

    At a glance

    RegionSikkim
    CuisineSikkimese
    DietVegan
    CourseSnack
    Prep time45 minutes
    Cook time15 minutes
    Total time60 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientsmaida / cabbage / carrot / onion

    Ingredients

    For the dough

    • 2 cups maida (about 250 g)
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1 tsp oil
    • About 1/2 cup water

    For the filling

    • 2 cups cabbage, very finely chopped
    • 1 carrot, grated
    • 1 onion, finely chopped
    • 4 spring onions, chopped
    • 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
    • 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
    • 1 green chilli, finely chopped
    • 1 tsp soy sauce
    • 1/2 tsp black pepper
    • 2 tbsp oil
    • Salt to taste

    For the tomato achar

    • 3 tomatoes
    • 6 dry red chillies, soaked in hot water
    • 4 garlic cloves
    • 1/4 tsp timur or Sichuan pepper (optional)
    • 1 tbsp oil
    • Salt to taste

    Method

    1. Knead the maida with salt, oil and water into a firm but smooth dough. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
    2. Mix the cabbage with 1/2 tsp salt, leave for 10 minutes, then squeeze out as much water as possible. This keeps the filling from going soggy.
    3. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok on high heat. Stir-fry garlic, ginger and chilli for 30 seconds, then add the onion, cabbage, carrot and spring onions. Toss for 2 minutes only, add soy sauce, pepper and salt, and let the filling cool completely.
    4. For the achar, char the tomatoes directly over a flame until blackened, peel, and blend with the soaked chillies, garlic, timur and salt. Heat the oil, add the purée and cook for 3 minutes.
    5. Roll the dough into a log, cut into 24 pieces, and roll each into a thin 8 cm circle with thinner edges and a slightly thicker centre.
    6. Place a heaped teaspoon of filling in the centre and pleat the edges round, pinching them together at the top to form a pouch.
    7. Oil the steamer plates and arrange the momos with space between them. Steam over rapidly boiling water for 10-12 minutes until the wrappers look translucent and are no longer sticky to touch.
    8. Serve hot with the tomato achar.

    Tips

    • Roll the edges thinner than the centre so the pleated top does not end up thick and doughy.
    • Keep the dough covered with a damp cloth while you work; dry dough cracks when pleated.
    • Brush the steamer with oil or line it with cabbage leaves so the momos do not stick.

    Serve with

    Spicy tomato achar and a bowl of clear vegetable soup.

  • Puttu and Kadala Curry

    Puttu and kadala curry is the breakfast most Malayalis grew up with. Puttu is coarse rice flour, moistened and layered with grated coconut in a cylindrical steamer called a puttu kutti, then steamed until it holds its shape. It is pushed out as a log and broken up at the table. Kadala curry, made with small black chickpeas, is its most popular companion.

    The puttu is soft, crumbly and lightly salted, with sweetness from the coconut. The curry is earthy and robust, thickened with coconut roasted until dark brown, which gives it its colour and nutty depth. People mash the puttu with the curry by hand, sometimes adding a ripe banana or pappadam on the side.

    At a glance

    RegionKerala
    CuisineKerala
    DietVegan
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time45 minutes
    Total time65 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice flour / coconut / black chickpeas / shallots

    Ingredients

    For the puttu

    • 2 cups roasted puttu podi (coarse rice flour)
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • about 3/4 cup water
    • 1 cup freshly grated coconut

    For the kadala curry

    • 1 cup kala chana (black chickpeas), soaked overnight
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1 cup grated coconut
    • 1 tbsp coriander powder
    • 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1/2 tsp garam masala
    • 2 tbsp coconut oil
    • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
    • 8 shallots, sliced
    • 1 inch ginger, chopped
    • 2 green chillies, slit
    • 2 sprigs curry leaves
    • 1 small tomato, chopped

    Method

    1. Pressure cook the soaked chickpeas with salt and 2.5 cups water for 6-7 whistles on medium heat, until soft. Keep the cooking water.
    2. In a dry pan, roast the grated coconut on medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring constantly, until deep brown and fragrant. Add coriander powder, chilli powder and turmeric, roast 30 seconds more, cool and grind to a fine paste with a little water.
    3. Heat coconut oil, splutter mustard seeds, then add shallots, ginger, green chillies and one sprig of curry leaves. Saute for 5 minutes until golden. Add tomato and cook until soft.
    4. Add the chickpeas with their water and the coconut paste. Simmer for 10-12 minutes on low heat until the gravy thickens. Mash a few chickpeas against the pan to thicken it more. Stir in garam masala and the remaining curry leaves.
    5. For the puttu, mix the rice flour and salt. Sprinkle water a little at a time, rubbing with your fingers, until the flour is evenly moist and holds together when pressed but breaks apart easily. It should feel like wet sand, not dough.
    6. Fill the puttu kutti: a layer of 2 tbsp coconut at the bottom, then rice flour up to about a third, then coconut, repeating until full, ending with coconut. Do not press down.
    7. Steam on high heat over boiling water for 6-8 minutes, until steam comes out steadily from the top holes. Push the puttu out onto a plate with the rod.
    8. Serve hot with the kadala curry.

    Tips

    • If you lack a puttu kutti, steam the moistened flour in idli moulds or a pressure cooker vessel with a coconut-shell attachment.
    • Rubbing the flour with water is the whole technique; too wet and puttu turns heavy, too dry and it falls apart.
    • Roast the coconut evenly and patiently; it is what makes the curry dark and nutty.

    Serve with

    Pappadam and a ripe small banana (poovan pazham), or a cup of hot tea.