Idli with Coconut Chutney

Ingredients

For 6 portions

• 🍚 300g white rice (dry)
• 🫘 100g urad dal (dry)
• 🌿 2g fenugreek
• 🧂 7g salt
• 🥤 350ml tap water
• 🏺 12ml sunflower oil
• 🥥 60g desiccated coconut
• 🌶️ 10g green chilli peppers
• 🪴 8g ginger
• 🌿 3g mustard seeds
• 🌿 2g curry leaves

Method

1. Rinse the rice and the urad dal and fenugreek separately. Soak each in plenty of water for 5 to 6 hours.
2. Drain. Blend the urad dal and fenugreek with cold water, a little at a time, for 5 minutes, until very smooth and fluffy. Keep the mixture cool, as heat from the blender stops it rising well.
3. Blend the rice with a little water until it feels like fine semolina between your fingers.
4. Mix both batters with the salt in a large bowl, using your clean hand for 1 minute. Cover and leave somewhere warm for 8 to 12 hours, until it has about doubled in size and smells slightly sour.
5. Stir gently, without knocking out the air. It should drop thickly from a spoon.
6. Lightly oil the idli moulds and fill each about three-quarters full. Add a few centimetres of water to a large pan or steamer and bring to the boil.
7. Put the moulds in the pan, cover and steam for 10 to 12 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.
8. Leave to rest for 5 minutes, then ease the idlis out with a wet spoon.
9. For the chutney, blend the desiccated coconut with the chilli, ginger, a pinch of salt and enough warm water to make a thick sauce. Fry the mustard seeds and curry leaves in the remaining oil until they pop, and pour over the chutney.
10. Serve the idlis hot with the chutney and sambar.