MINI IDLI SAMBAR (RESTAURANT STYLE) / HOTEL SAMBAR

An easy to make, healthy breakfast with mini idlies dunked in hotel sambar. Mini idli and hotel sambar? Its just a different way of presenting things. A small variation alongwith the usual things gives the unique taste like hotel sambar. Read further on making hotel sambar. It took more time for me to type this recipe than to make this. Haha..

FOR THE MINI IDLIES:

Pour idli batter (click here for the idli batter) into the mini idli mould using a spoon and steam cook for 8 minutes. Take out from the mould and keep aside.
SAMBAR RESTAURANT STYLE (HOTEL SAMBAR):

INGREDIENTS:
Toor dhal - 1/2 cup
Tamarind - half the lemon-sized ball
Pearl onions - 1/2 cup
Tomato - 2
Salt - as per taste
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp.
Sambar powder - 1 tablespoon
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Hing
Oil
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - few

To fry in oil and grind to a paste:
Coriander seeds - 2 tablespoons
Methi seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Chenna dal( to be fried) or Pottukadalai( need not be fried) - 1 tsp.
Poppy seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Dry red chillies / green chillies - 2
Pearl onions - 6(raw) (Grinding the pearl onions raw alongwith the given ingredients gives the hotel flavour).
Scraped coconut - 2 tablespoons

METHOD:

Pressure toor dhal with turmeric powder, mash well and keep aside.
Soak tamarind in lukewarm water and extract juice.
In a kadai, heat a spoon of oil and fry the items given in "To fry in oil and grind to a paste" (except pearl onions and scraped coconut) until golden brown. Add scraped coconut and raw pearl onions to it and grind to a thick paste using little water.

In the same kadai, heat oil, add mustard seeds, when they splutter, add curry leaves and pearl onions alongwith a pinch of salt and hing. Saute till translucent. Now add the chopped tomatoes, sambar powder, required amount of salt, and tamarind extract. Allow it to boil. Now, add the mashed toor dhal and ground paste. Let it boil unil the raw smell is diffused and semi - thick. Transfer it to a bowl. Hotel sambar is ready at home.

HOW TO SERVE MINI IDLI SAMBHR (RESTAURANT STYLE):
INGREDIENTS:

Mini idlis - 10
Hotel Sambar - 1 cup
Carrot grated - 1 tablespoon
Coriander leaves finely chopped - 1 tablespoon

FOR TEMPERING :
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Ghee - 1 tsp.

METHOD:

Arrange mini idlies in an oval plate, pour hot hotel restaurant style sambar over the idlies. The sambar should neither be too thick nor too watery. Add the tempering. Garnish with grated carrots and coriander leaves. Add little melted ghee on top. Serve hot.

Variation: Finely chopped onions for topping.