Idli with Coconut Chutney

Ingredients

• 400g idli rice or parboiled short-grain rice
• 100g whole skinless urad dal (white lentil)
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1.5 tsp fine salt
• Neutral oil, for greasing the moulds
• 150g freshly grated coconut, for the chutney
• 2 tbsp roasted chana dal (pottukadalai), for the chutney
• 2 green chillies, for the chutney
• 1 tsp tamarind paste, for the chutney
• 1/2 tsp salt, for the chutney
• 1 tbsp coconut oil, for the tempering
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds, for the tempering
• 1 dried red chilli, for the tempering
• 10 fresh curry leaves, for the tempering

Before you cook

• Rinse the rice in several changes of cold water until the water runs almost clear, then cover with fresh water and leave to soak for 5 hours.
• Rinse the urad dal and fenugreek seeds together, cover with water in a separate bowl, and soak for 5 hours.
• Grate the coconut and set it aside for the chutney.
• Grease the idli moulds lightly with oil.

Steps

1. Drain the urad dal and fenugreek, keeping the soaking water in a jug.
2. Grind the dal in a wet grinder or high-powered blender, adding the reserved water a splash at a time, until you have a very smooth batter that feels light and airy between your fingers. This should take about 15 minutes and use roughly 200ml of water.
3. Scrape the dal batter into a large bowl or stockpot, leaving at least double the batter's volume as headroom.
4. Drain the rice and grind it with about 250ml of fresh water to a batter that is smooth but keeps the faintest grit, like fine semolina.
5. Tip the rice batter into the bowl with the dal batter, add the salt, and mix with your clean hand for a full minute. The warmth of your hand helps the fermentation start.
6. Cover the bowl loosely and leave it in the warmest spot in your kitchen for 8 to 12 hours, until the batter has risen to at least double, smells faintly sour, and is full of bubbles.
7. Stir the risen batter gently once, just enough to combine, taking care not to knock all the air out.
8. Pour water into the base of the idli steamer and bring it to a rolling boil.
9. Spoon the batter into the greased moulds, filling each about three-quarters full.
10. Lower the stand into the steamer, cover, and steam over a medium-high heat for 10 to 12 minutes, until a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean.
11. Lift the stand out and rest it for 3 minutes before unmoulding, or the idlis will tear.
12. Run a wet spoon around each idli and lift it out onto a plate, then repeat with the remaining batter.
13. For the chutney, blend the grated coconut, roasted chana dal, green chillies, tamarind paste and salt with 100ml of cold water to a thick, spoonable paste.
14. Heat the coconut oil in a small pan over a medium heat and add the mustard seeds.
15. Wait until the seeds crackle and jump, about 30 seconds, then add the dried chilli and curry leaves and stand back as they spit.
16. Pour the sizzling tempering over the chutney and serve alongside the hot idlis.