Idli and Sambar Recipe By Chef Rakesh Raghunathan

First, wash both idli rice and urad dal in water.

Then soak rice for 4 hours and urad dal for 1 hour. Grind both using a grinding stone. Mix both batters and allow them to ferment for 7 to 8 hours.

Pour the batter into the idli pan and let it steam for 15 minutes.

Pour the batter into the idli pan and let it steam for 15 minutes.

Heat sesame oil in a pan, add 1 tsp fenugreek seeds, 1 tsp cardamom seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1/4 tsp black peppercorns, ½ tsp Bengal gram, 5 dry red chilli and curry leaves, dry roast all the ingredients.

Cool the mixture and make a fine powder.

Heat oil in a pan, add 1 tsp fenugreek seeds, 1 cup shallots, curry leaves, 3 or 4 dry red chillies, roast it well, then add chopped tomato, 1 tsp salt and tamarind water, mix it well and let it cook.

Later add 1 cup cooked green gram, a pinch of jaggery and let it boil.

Add the ground masala and let it cook again.

Heat a tsp ghee in a pan, add 1 tsp mustard seeds, curry leaves, 2 dry red chillies.

Sauté until the red chilly turn crisp and add the tempering to the sambar. Sambar is ready to serve.