February 11, 2009

South Indian Thali: Idli, Madras Erulli Sambhar, Uddina Vade, Hurikadale Chutney and Tuppa!

Phew!! That was one busy week! Weather suddenly improved and is almost like Spring now. That means Allergy season for me too. Not looking forward to itchy eyes, red skin etc but got to deal with it! Hey btw, Anoop Desai aka "Noop dawg" has survived Simon (American Idol) so far, he sings well, outfit is not that geeky anymore! :D

Well..I didn't have anything in particular to post this week. I thought why not post a south Indian favorite; Idli, Sambhar, Vada, chutney, ghee thali instead. What's so special about these, you might ask but take a look at the Urad dal vadas! Reminds you of something? Yeah, don't they look like sweet Doughnuts?
Oh, my 2L wet grinder "Ultra Grind" is coming home today, I will post the photo next week. YAY! Softest idlis, come to momma! HeHe!

I always have hard time making these Urad dal vadas into a thick batter and shaping them like thick doughnuts. You can see my old posts of vadas here and here. I did get lot of advice from other bloggers like chilling the soaked Urad dal, adding chilled water to grind, and chilling the blender bowl before you grind the batter etc. to make the traditional shape of vadas. So, I followed them all and they do work to make batter thick! Any more tips are welcome from you.

These vadas are like savory Doughnuts of India, usually shaped on your wet palm or on a banana leaf, make hole in the middle and deep fried. When I saw the Doughnut maker at the store (also available in Amazon) last month (about $15), something clicked in my head and thought of using this to make Urad dal vadas! I couldn't stop laughing at the sight of these perfectly round thinner rings of Urad dal vadas. They may not be traditional looking vadas as we make in India but they do look cute, don't they? :D

My south Indian thali:
Katori Idli, Udupi or restaurant style Pearl Onion Sambhar, Urad dal vadas shaped by Doughnut maker, Roasted yellow gram dal chutney and homemade ghee.


My whole Idli, sambhar thali goes Rathna of "Asvadha" blog to her "Made for each other" event! These are not the traditional Valentine's day grub but definitely a very well loved, "any time", heart healthy (if you skip the ghee!) south Indian platter. Thanks R, enjoy hosting! :)

Photo of Doughnut/Donut maker and a close up of the spout where all magic happens! :D
Click on the collage to make larger, you can see where the batter comes out forming the shape of a doughnut. Urad dal batter should be a bit thinner than usual thick batter we use for making the regular vadas which helps the batter slide out of doughnut maker easily.
This is how it works; You spray the inside with no-stick oil, pour the thick batter in, hold this straight up on the top of the hot oil, press the red thing down you see on top to drop the batter directly into the oil and release it quickly and deep fry. If the spout were little smaller than it is here, we Indians would have a perfect thicker round Urad dal vadas with smaller holes in the middle!

Plain Urad dal vadas/Uddina vade:
Beautiful Urad dal savory doughnuts are south India's favorite snacks to have. With some of these around, we make a snack called Mosaru Vade/Dahi baras as they call in North India, basically these round dal vadas are soaked in spicy yogurt, served chilled in Summer. I will post that recipe and dish this Summer.

1. Soak 1 cup Urad dal, 1 tbsp rice grains in water overnight in the fridge. Keep the blender jar in the fridge too if you can. This keeps the dal and the jar cooler when grinding it and helps to make the batter thick.
2. Next day, drain the water and grind dal with enough salt, 1-2 pinches of baking soda, 2-3 tbsp water until thick, airy and fluffy. Do not add too much water, batter should be very thick to keep the shape of the vadas.
3. Heat oil to deep fry or at 360F in electric fryer. Spray the inside of the Doughnut maker to make the batter slide easy.
4. Pour the batter 3/4 full, hold it straight on top of the oil, and press the lever and quickly stop the the flow.

You will get a round batter rings and deep fry these until golden and drain on the paper towel. It does take some practice to get the knack of dropping the batter but you will get it eventually like I did!
It costs about $15 in the store or online to buy. If you use it to make sweet Doughnuts as well, it's worth buying. I will make sweet Doughnuts some other time to post here! :)

My doughnut shaped Urad dal vadas go to Ashwini of "Spicy cuisine" blog, who is hosting a new event called "Lentils Mela" this month. What better snack could there be than these Urad dal vadas for lentil mela, right? Thanks Ashwini, enjoy hosting! :))


Katori Idlis:
Katori means cup in Hindi. I poured the ildli batter in cups rather than using the usual Idli stand we use in India to make traditional smaller round Idlis. I use 2 cups any rice, 1/2 cup Urad dal,
1 tsp Methi seeds and salt. You can the Idli and Dhokla stand here.

I made the rice and Urad dal Idli batter in the same way ie chilled before grinding, you do a get soft batter which we need to ferment overnight.

Rest of the method to make idlis are the same as you see here but pour the fermented rice and Urad dal batter halfway upto in Katoris and steam as usual, one layer at a time.

Unmold the Idlis, cool and keep them covered or serve immediately for the best taste. You can reheat the cooled Idlis in the Microwave to serve.


Pearl onion (Madras Erulli) Sambhar:
This is my favorite Sambhar which tastes so good with Idlis and Vadas, almost like restaurant. Sanna Erulli or Madras onions are Pearl onions. I get frozen ones which are so easy to use without the hassle of peeling etc. I just thaw them overnight and saute lightly in oil until almost cooked and golden to use in the Sambhar.

Roast these without oil and pd these first:
1 1/2 tbsp Coriander seeds,
1/2 tsp cumin seeds,
1 tsp mustard seeds,
1/2 tsp Methi seeds,
3 tbsp dry coconut,
1/2" cinnamon(Dalchini),
Grind with 1/2 tsp turmeric pd,
1/2 tsp chilli pd.

To make Sambhar:
1. Pressure cook 1/2 cup Tuar dal, 1/4 cup Green gram dal (Moong dal), 1/4 tsp turmeric with 3 cups of water until soft, mash.
2. Add thawed and sauteed 1 cup Pearl onions to the dal, set aside.
3. Heat 1 tsp oil, 2 tsp butter or ghee, add 1/2 tsp mustard seeds,1 tsp cumin seeds, 2 dry red chillies, few curry leaves and 1/8 tsp Hing. When they splutter, add 1/ 2 cup of water, 1/2 tsp thick Tamarind paste, powdered masala pd, salt, 1/4 cup Tomato sauce, (optional),1 tsp sugar or Jaggary, simmer for 5 mins.
4. Now, add the dal mixture, and 4 tbsp chopped Cilantro, simmer not more than 2 mins and serve hot. Sambhar must not be too thick or too thin. Adjust the water and salt.

Hurikadale Chutney/roasted yellow chana dal chutney:
This is a simple but most delicious low fat chutney because we use lot less coconut and more of the roasted dal (Dalia or chutney dal). I have posted a similar chutney before with different proportions. This chutney is even better tasting and last longer in the fridge than coconut chutney.

1. Lightly toast 3/4 cup roasted yellow chana, 2 tsp Urad dal, 3-4 green chillies, few curry leaves and grind these with 2" chopped fresh ginger, 1/4 cup fresh grated coconut, 1/4 cup or more water, 1/4 tsp thick tamarind paste, few Cilantro stems and salt.
2. Take it out into a bowl, adjust the salt.
3. Season with 2 tsp oil and 2 tsp mustard seeds. Let it splutter. Take off the heat, cool it a bit and add to chutney and mix.
I make this chutney a bit thinner than usual thick chutney. Thinner chutney is great for scooping with vadas.

Home made Tuppa or ghee is here.



To serve, get a traditional stainless steel south Indian style thali or platter, arrange one or two Idlis, vadas, sambhar, chutney and homemade ghee! Slurp!! :D

****************************************************************************************************************************
My tried and tasted list:

Thanks to all of you:

Potato Onion Rasa Palya, from Rupa Mohan.
Channa masala South Indian style, from Adlak.
Neer Dosa, from Ranji.
Khara bhath, from Nirupama.
Carrots chutney/stir fry, from sra
. (I used Broccoli, carrots,red cabbage)
Chettinadu Tomato Rasam, from Dibs.

Book:
"Revolutionary road", made into a movie with Leo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. Got bored after few pages because of same old "going thru' middle age crisis" and how they "find themselves" in the end kind of "soppy" stuff. Well...on to the next one! :D

My big thanks to my blogger friends who sent me all those beautiful awards last week. I have listed you on my sidebar and as always, I appreciate each one of those awards and you too. Hugs to all of you! :))

Have a wonderful weekend and happy Valentine's day. See you all next week with Haryanvi cuisine!

138 comments:

Meeta K. Wolff said...

I want one of those donut makers! you are such a genius! the entire thali looks great! yum!

Deepthi Shankar said...

yum yum .. South Indian oota @ its best .. I love the shape of those vadas .. what a lovely idea to make it with a doughnut maker .. what a pleasure to dunk them in eerulli sambar & eat them ..

I love thatte idli too but I've never made them at home ..

Meera said...

You are torturing me!!:-D It's a splendid spread!! I have Indian medu vada maker - i think by Anjali. but I have never used it. But you are inspiring me. I am hungry now!!

Anonymous said...

A truly delicious spread Asha!! Sambhar of course being my fav :):) I should try with the frozen onions. I'd like that donut machine too, then maybe I wouldn't be scared of vadas! Also for apple donuts in fall, oh the kids would go crazy. Enjoy the warming weather -- supposed to be 50 here today. Maybe will see the ground for the first time since December! :)

notyet100 said...

those wadai look so cute,..;-) perfetc thali,..i am cravin here,.;-(

Finla said...

I loved that donut maker, if i see one here i am going to buy one.
I knew when i read the title that i will be drooling here.
Love the whole plate.
I am going to make one day that sambar it is totally different than i make ( did i say one day, that means not soon).
Here Shyama is sick so she has to stay home for two days.

indosungod said...

Asha, the thali makes me long for home. Those vadais do look cute, indeed a spendid idea to use the doughtnut maker. I love the texture of the coconut chutney too.

Anonymous said...

wowww...I am drooling here...how creative is that to make vadas that way! oh my gosh..this is the most prettyyy vada i have ever seen in my life :)

Trupti said...

Thali looks simply delicious Asha. I am hungry give me that thali. Love the idea of using Douhnut maker and dhokla maker. Everything looks very delicious

Lakshmi said...

Vade super shapenalli bandide nodi! I-V-S andre namgella bahala istha Ashakka. Thali bahla tasty agi kantha ide :)

Trupti said...

Hey if you want you can send this entry for Made For Each Other event

Ashwini said...

wow tempting thali. I have idlis only when there is sambar and vada with it..not a big fan of idlis..vada looks tempting with big hole..yum yum..Sambar is best with those onions..flavourful..very nice spread..Tempting..

FH said...

Thanks to all of you girls, glad you all liked my humble platter! :)

Trupti, thanks for letting me know, I will check and send it to that event! :)

Divya Kudua said...

Hmm..I would do anything to lay my hands on that yummy platter.Its too good and so mouthwatering Ashakka..I love katori idlis and make them often.Onion sambhar is a favorite too.The only thing I havent tried yet is the vada..doughnut shaped vadas do look very cute.Sometime,I should try making the vada with idli-sambhar.Yummy yummy platter!!

Priya said...

Chana dhal chutney is soemthing never tried. I make idlis here everyday and feels like home.

Usha said...

Wow everything looks wonderful and very tempting:-) Loved the shape of the medhu vada, splendid idea using a donut maker for it...thanks for the tips for grinding medhu vada will give it a try the next time I make it !

UjjU said...

OMG! I love those vadas! Pls parcel maadi. Its so tempting to see all good stuff on your blogs! Wish we stayed near by! U bet I would be at the breakfast table with you today ;) without invitation.

Pavani said...

Thats an interesting contraption you got there Asha.. Vadas look a lot like donuts for sure. but great idea. All the dishes look yum.. will try the katori idli soon. just to reconfirm--- same idli batter but made in katoris.. right?? thanks a bunch..

Raks said...

Nic eidea to make use of that doughnut maker,we get similar one for making vadas too..same concept..:)
Erulli sambar is new to me:) Love the whole spread!

Dershana said...

Hi dear, those vadas look fantastic! what a unique way of making vadas :-) Never tried adding cinnamon to sambhar powder, though I always throw in a stick while making bisi bele bhath. On the whole, the platter looks lovely and enticing!

Suganya said...

Nice to see a Madras Thali.... Takes me back to my house. Nice recipes... Those vada looks so cute. That was wise idea to make vada out of doughnut maker. Great!!!!...

FH said...

Pavani, yes. Same good old Idli batter which differs (proportions I mean)from home to home. I just pour it halfway in any small or medium size Katoris/cups and stem sometimes! :)

Dershana, dalchini is a traditional addition to most K'taka saaru or Sambhar. Do try! :)

Poonam said...

Really yummy..I do prepare that low fat chutney too..Nice spread. I dont have all that patience to make the entire set at a time...Hats off to u!!

ranji said...

WAH!!Simply Delicious...Its been months since i made idli and vada...it takes a very long time for the dough to ferment during winter. ..but ur thali is making me drool so much that am going to make idli and vada this weekend itself...:)

Am glad u liked neer dosa..thank u so much for trying it out !!

Meera said...

Asha,
I was going to get a picture of my meduvada maker so you can see it, but it is kept way up high on the shelves:-D So thought of googling it and saw it on Manasi's blog. This is exactly what i am talking about. I think it may be similar to donut maker

http://acookatheart.blogspot.com/2008/05/honour-snack-friends-easy-recipe-break.html

AnuSriram said...

Looks very traditional... Vadas are of gr8 shape... Nice idea of making them with donut maker... U make me feel hungry rite now..

Recipeswap said...

Love to eat those vadas with eerulli sambar.I want to go to shanti sagar and eat one plate idli vada sambar and drink some hot filter coffee........
idli and vada totally made for each other good one for the event!

Anjali Koli said...

Good one for V day! Now on lets bless people may you be together like Idli, Vada, chutney and sambhar! perfect for a 4 cornered family and the ghee is the primer that they may use once in a while :). How cool is that!

FH said...

Hahaha!! Thanks Anjali, bless all the "Thali" marriages indeed! ;D

Meera, I need a little ladder now to reach the new top shelf too! :D
I will check out that Indian Medhu vada maker.

Ashwini said...

Ur a genius...very innovative idea

Kannada Cuisine said...

Super agide Ashakka!
Innovative idea doughnut maker-vada. Interestingly we call doughnuts as sweet-vade!
Looks like your family had a feast.. Mine would have had i served them all that is on the plate...
Weather has suddenly improved here as well.. yes stay clear from those pollens :)

Sia said...

OMG, i too want ultra wet grinder and also those donut makers :) he he he... those wads do look more like donut than wadas ;) and do i need to say anything abt that thali u have laid out?

Anonymous said...

Delicious spread you've got there. I have never seen a doughnut maker before. Thanks for posting a pic.

Deepa Hari said...

wow...awesome spread Asha....love the doughnut shaped vadas...nice thought...u can post doughnuts too sometime...I am drooling now looking at your thali....they r my favourite combo.

Namrata Kini said...

Vadas look too cute. I would love to have a bite of it.

Mishmash ! said...

Ashaaaaaa!!!!! I just had a lousy sandwich for breakfast and here i am seeing ur post with idli, vada, chutney!!!! kill meeee

Vani said...

Loved the shape of the vadas! Thought they looked like thick onion rings :D) Doughnut maker - never knew there was such a thing! Eeruli sambar looks great! The idlies I make never turn out soft & fluffy. SHould try the chilling & then grinding method.

EC said...

Aah..these leave me craving for the vadas..they are an all time favourite...reminds me of a dharsini hotel in bangalore where we used to have vadas dipped in sambar...

veggie belly said...

how cool that you used the donut maker! the vadas look like onion rings to me :) I bet they turned out more crispy this way compared to the denser, hand shaped ones. Great looking thali!

Cham said...

Making vadas is an art like rolling parata or making bread! The batter and hole come to perfection only after few pratice! Don't throw those rings (doughnut) towards me :) Reminds the toddler toy, stacking ring! But not bad ur idea they look gorgeous! One idli would be great enough. Who wouldn't love such a platter on Valentine's day! Excellent spread!

FH said...

LOL!! That's true girls, I agree that they are stackable like cute onion rings! HeHe!

They are no way resemble the traditional Urad vadas, lot thinner and crispier too. But it's fun, they are so good to look at. About time I made some real sweet donuts with that gadget! :D

sra said...

Whee, you tried and tasted from my blog! It looks beautiful and exotic! And your doughnut vadas look so, what is it, smooth and handsome!

Anonymous said...

Wow !! what a splendid Thali..not surprised as always Asha..The Idli looks real soft even in this,so having the 'ultra' doesnt matter i think..Now your Vadas looka professional..ha ha
And enjoy the season..let desai go and celebrate..(I love your writings toooo much)

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha,

We do get a vada maker in pune from "anjali". Its similar to the donut maker except the spout is smaller so the wadas do come out looking real vadas.

I too want to buy an electric wet grinder. Could you pl give us more details on it as and when your wet grinder arrives.

Thaali looks wonderful. I always feel your family is lucky to have such good food all the time.

Vinita

starry said...

The thali mad me want to come to your house for breakfast.I am from Bangalore so really got me thinking of home.I never thought of using a doughnut maker before,you are a genius.thanks for sharing this info.I am an idol fan. and was happy Anoop made it thru the next round.

Manasi said...

I love those donut wadas!! I have a Medu wada maker ( got if from India, Anjali brand!)
Must try the sambar!!!

J said...

:) You Americanised the look of our traditional vada!! Haha!

Laavanya said...

You always come up with such yummy thalis :) The vadas do look unique & perfect.. great idea. Yay for you on the ultragrind... i find it indispensable.. and i have the smallest one. Infact make your urad dhal batter in it next time.. it doesn't need a lot of water to grind and you'll have no trouble getting a fluffy, thick batter that's easy to shape :)

Thanks for trying the zucchini chutney and letting me know.

FH said...

sra, thanks for recipe. It simple and yummy, even kids ate it! :)

Vinita, I will post surely the details in my next post, will grind something once I get it! :)

Laavanya, thanks for the info about the grinder, feel lot happier now. I wasn't sure I should buy it before! :)

Priya Suresh said...

Wow am drooling over the thali, loved the urad dal vada, love the idea of using doughnuts presser...u always come up with droolworthy dishes Asha..wish i live near to u:)

Anonymous said...

hi asha,
the platter looks delicious.the donut shaped vada looks crisp and delicious.will look out for the donut maker.

shalini

Sandhya said...

Those vadas look just sooo perfect, I am such a big south India food fan and you got me salivating. Whenever you get a chance Asha, can you tel me more on how to make idlis in katoris, how would they steam with no holes in katori.
Thanks again!

Unknown said...

My mouth watered just reading the title.Thali looks very tempting. Vadas looks like onion rings :) very different way of making them, came out perfect.

Vanamala Hebbar said...

Awesome..yummy recipe..i love the doughnut maker asha....vada looks so crispy ah!! i guess it is so easy na to make vadas. eruli sambar mmmmm slurp:)

Anonymous said...

I call this a MOUTH WATERING BLOG.....

My computer table is all wet....

You must be a good "cooker" :D

FH said...

Sandhya, I will surely let you know in your blog, may be tomorrow, bit busy today! :))

Deepak, yeah! I guess I am a good "cooker" with the help of all those gadgets. I better be one, spend lot of money on those! :D

Mojo said...

Oh I can see this is gonna be a regular stop for me. At least as long as I don't have to turn sideways to fit through the door anyway!

This sounds divine!

Varsha Vipins said...

Oh Asha dear..u made me drool all over here..am missing my ammaa..:(
Your idlis look so fluffy n shapely n the vadas r more than cute..everything looks so soo yummy..hats off!!!:)

Yasmeen said...

lucky gal with convenient kitchen gadgets.I'm so craving for that delectable South Indian Thali now. Yeah it does feel like spring here,but just for today ,weekend forecast is back to winter.

Archy said...

wow, hotte tala hakta untu !! Vada looks so gud with chutney sambar an idli.. yummy !! with a dollop of ghee on top of idli !!

Revathi said...

Hi hi hi Asha,
Glad to see you back ! Congrats on your daughters' admission to Chapel Hill !

your new kitchen looks great...

I am not sure when I will get back to blog world again with the new added member to the family..

Keep posting will keep commenting !

Wish you and your family a great new year !

Sujatha said...

South Indian Thali! what else can be a better treat for valentines day! Your platter looks gorgeous, Asha! I like your fluffy white idli and also the vada, and the onion sambar.. oh and the chutney too! actually I like everything.. he he.. :)

amna said...

That's a lovely spread. I never get the donut shape right for the vada, so its so cute to see it in donut shapes :)

Namratha said...

The title itself had me drooooling! Nice thali Asha, and I want that Doughnut maker toooooo...where did u get it? Its an absolute blessing for people like me -- my uddin vadas always land up becoming uddin bondas!

Raaga said...

everything looks delish... it is breakfast time and I was thinking "Oats" and you place this in front of me.

I've been using my Ultra Grind for a while now... am I glad I brought it with me :)

SMN said...

Ashakka..lovely my all time fav this is

Anonymous said...

Hey ,Vada looks so perfect! Never thought about this before., :)
Thali looks adipoli..!! :)(learn some malayalam..that means wonderful..:)) )

Savi-Ruchi said...

wow!!, idli-wada plate tumba tempting agi ide., shape of wadas are too good.
nangoo madikondu thinnabeku annistha ide :)

jayasree said...

Cute looking wadas. Unless told, it could be easily mistaken ofr doughnuts or something else. But it looks crisp and nice color.

Thats one mouthwatering thali.

Keshi said...

slurrrrrrp slurrrrrrrrrp slurrrrrrrrrrrp!

Keshi.

Anonymous said...

I am craving Idli sambar vadai now after seeing that thali!

Chutneytales said...

The vadai looks soo cute.I have the doughnut maker.But i never tried to make vadai using it.Now i badly wanted to try this out after seeing your post.The idli looks perfect..thanks for this wonderful post,Asha

Anonymous said...

everything looks yummy as always..wht a great idea to use the doughnut maker to make vada:)

Anonymous said...

OMG Asha! I am drooling here just looking at the pics! Thats a very smart idea of using the doughnut maker for those perfect circles :) Its the first time I have seen those.

Srikitchen said...

wow! south indian thali is looking so great!
i havent seen doughnut maker earlier!
nice vadas out of it!

Anonymous said...

Lovely, I couldn't take my eyes off the doughnut vadas Asha!
I chill the dal or batter too, but when am in a hurry I add some fresh bread crumbs to the vada batter.Vadas hold shape and come out
crispier too;D

FH said...

Thanks to all of you girls, glad you liked my thali! :)

Sahiti, thanks for the Bread tip for Urad vada, will try next time, very interesting idea! :)

Mona said...

O dear Asha! I came here to wish you a belated Happy Birthday ( I got too busy last week with parties & all , & I do not even know which date your birthday is, but I know it is in the first week of February ) , So I cam to wish you happy birthday & got stuck to watching your DELICIOUS thali for full ten minutes!!

O what I would not give for such a mouthwatering thali right now!!!

Thanks for posting these recipes here and also providing the link for the neer dosa recipe.

& yes...WISH YOU A BELATED HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Unknown said...

Lovely Thali Asha, I was amazed to see your Vada especially :) What a perfect 'O' :)

FH said...

Thanks Mona. I did get a Ultra Grind for a "present"! Hahaha!!!
Birthdays are not that enjoyable as you get older! ;D

Daily Meals said...

Nice entry Asha! Love the colour of the vadas...everything looks yummy...

Srivalli said...

Asha thats one lovely thali..yum!..vada looks so cute I too want it now!...:)

Nithya Praveen said...

Ahh,as usual u r the best.Wat a feast!!!! Yummy!.I've always been wanting to see a donut maker thanks for that.Idli's reminded me of Bangalore...ahhh delicious.This is a great spread and you are torturing all ur fellow bloggers:P.

Manju said...

OMG!! why do you tempt us soo much with these thalis of yours and the mouthwatering pictures!! :(

FH said...

HeHe! Wait until the next post on Wednesday!! Haryanvi thali is coming!

Margie said...

It all looks so good!
Thank you, Asha!

Margie

Mahimaa's kitchen said...

oh those vadas look soooo cute. yummy thali. u make such delicious dishes that i am gonna stop by some day!

Shivapriya said...

Knock, Knock, one more serve plz......

Manasi said...

Asha!! Missed ur B'day.. BELATED WARM BIRTHDAY WISHES!!!
in re my wada maker, it is a simple and not too big stinless steel thing, b'coz of the pic it looks larger than it is and sturdier too! but useful if n when u make wadas!

Pavithra Kodical said...

Wow..I like everything in this thali..Nice idea of making Uddina vade..Delicious and well spread :)

Uj said...

Aaagh.. those look so beautiful. I might make the vadas tomo. Looks perfect and cripsy. I too posted idli and sambar today. But I used ready made sambar powder :D

A_and_N said...

I am waiting for the Haryanvi thali and can you tell me where you got the doughnut cutter, Asha? :)

and those idlis :( how do u get them like that?

Aparna Balasubramanian said...

Perfect comfort food, Asha.
I had one of those "wada makers" which I gave away as I was always making them by hand! But yes, you get perfect rings everytime.

Saw the less gekky "Noop Dawg" survive.:D
Hope your allergies don't get too bad. It's still cool here though I can see the faint beginnings of the summer.

Dibs said...

Asha - Thanks a lot! This chap could be any one of us! :-( I am really happy we foodie bloggers could contribute something!

Just about to make dinner.No mood after a slogging all week. Your delicious post as usual has got the digestive juices flowing! Will have to see what to make now!

Take care and have a great weekend!

Dibs said...

Asha - the 'link' in your post has gone off to my masterpiece event post. Guess you were reading that as well! Can you please correct it? This is the link to the Help Gaurav's site

http://www.helpgaurav.com/index.asp

FH said...

Manasi, thanks! I didn't tell anybody about my B'day, some knew the month! :D
Anjali brand vada maker looks way better than what I have, I will keep looking for that here! :)

A and N, search in Amazon for "Norpro Donut maker" and you will the same!
Idli: pour the batter halfway in any cup and steam as usual to get Katori idlies! :)

Oops! Dibs, I just came to about your event and was checking it when I linked it! :D
I will correct it.

Anonymous said...

Your thalis always looks so inviting. Like everything is PERFECT. its 7:30 in the morning here & I want to eat all of it. That donut maker!!!

Purnima said...

U r super super fast Asha! Wow..idli,sambhar,vadas n chutney,yummm..drooling for some! I shall make this yummy chutney! Thanks for sharing!

Malar Gandhi said...

Donut shaped vada sounds nice to me. Its like my plate actually, 2 vada and 1 idly! You make me nostalgic...I never make idly here...wish you lived somewhere close by to me....ha ha ha.

KonkaniBlogger said...

You say you dont have anything in particular to post this week and this is the thali ????? Its luxury food for me and my whole family. Superb, would love it..Got to try the chutney..Btw, belated happy birthday to you :)..

bee said...

ash, i've found a real fool-proof way of shaping these suckers. soak the urad dal overnight. when it soaks for eight hours or so, it absorbs a lot of water and then it can be ground in batches without adding extra water. then it's easy to make a hole.

i hate hate people who can get idli batter to ferment.

FH said...

Thanks maya. Idli, Sambhar is boring thali, nothing special but it reminds me of home, so I make them once in a while! :D

Haha!! Bee, I was just thinking of you, watching the Aaj Tak news about pink chaddiwalas!
I don't get the perfect ferment in Winter either, somebody said to add a pinch of yeast, so I did, It does work!! Cool idea to soak Urad overnight, makes sense for grinding without water. I will try next, thanks! :)

Dalicia said...

happy valentine's day to you :) the little donut looks yummy. hmmmm i think i could buy urul daal at the indian stores

Anonymous said...

Hi ,

Am regular watcher for your site , and tried so many which came out really good and today am going to try idlies for my baby .
I need an adivice from you,as we are planning our sons birthday and i am panning to cook in home myself .so can you suggest me which are good veg appetizers which can be made the day before and some nice cocktail in your list.

bee said...

Asha,
This is fabulous. One half of Jugalbandi just loooves Sambar and Idli and vadas and the ilk. Just where exactly do you live again :)

-Jai

FH said...

Dalicia, hope you try, this tales a little practice to make. Happy V day to you! :))

Anon, thanks. I can't give you the whole detail but you could go to my recipe index and find snacks section. There are many you can chooese. Spanakopita is easy and can be made day before.
Cocktails are in Cocktail section as well. please find whatever is suitable for you. Happy birthday your son! :))

Here is the link, find the title on the side bar.

http://fh-aromarecipeindex.blogspot.com/

Hello Jai, good to see you here. I know that Sambhar dragged you in here since the "other" one doesn't it! I live near where you can't get your hands on my south Indian thali!! ;D

Vikis Kitchen said...

I am much glad to see this authentic South Indian thali. Ur udina vada really looks cute.(first I thought as onion rings..hi hi). But that idea to shape it with donuts maker is incredible.
Never tried that bigger size idly.. will try soon.
Lovely post.
Happy valentines day dear.

Bong Mom said...

Slurrrp..what a thali and you have a donut maker !!!

PG said...

Iwas trying to smell the spices on looking the picture and when I read the ingredients list of spices. It looks delicious! Hope one day I will also manage to make a good smabhar. I make a lot of sambhar but until now my efforts, I feel, have given so-so results. :)

PG said...

thanks for the tip with the katori idlis! Just wanted to make sure if there is a better way to make them than the way i have been doing so far, with katoris.

Beyond Curries said...

Wow, that's really something. I first saw the vadai picture and was wondering how is it even possible to shape it like that. Then only I read about the donut maker. That's really brilliant Asha.

As for vadais, I have a tip. But that's nothing to do with the thickness of the batter or the shape. Before grinding the urad dal, oil the mixie jar lightly so that the batter falls off easily without sticking to the jar.

FH said...

PG, try this Sambhar, you will love it! :)

M, that's a great tip. Urad dal is really sticky, isn't it? :)

sallywrites said...

Those savoury doughnuts look good!!! We have two boys from Afghanistan living with us at the moment, and they would love your food. I think I need to start taking some more detailed notes!

Anonymous said...

happy valentines day sis :)
thali is heaven btw

Paru ... said...

Lovely Thali Asha..Uddina vade looks very very crispy and perfect..Love the shape..

Amanda at Little Foodies said...

What's so special? you ask Asha. Well that sambhar looks pretty special. Great idea to use the doughnut maker. I wouldn't dare have one in the house though, we'd be eating sweet doughnuts all the time...

Sharmi said...

yummy Thali. all my favourite:)
Did you send something to http://pedatha.com/2009/01/22/cooking-for-kids-with-love/
else send this right away.
today is last date.

FH said...

Haha! Amanda. I haven't made the sweet doughnuts yet for the same reason, will see! :)

Thanks Sharmi. But it's too late now for that event! :)

Sig said...

Oh a doughnut maker, I had no idea such a thing even existed. I am not a fan of Vadas, but I still want one of those. :)

Miri said...

I just love the sambar - its so interesting and different!

Uj said...

Dear Asha. Thanks a lot for this recipe. I made them and it was loved by my hubby and his friend's. I have blogged about it too. I wish I could shape them though.

Unknown said...

Wow, the vadas look picture perfecttt! Idli-vadas are my all time favorite.
I made idlis 2day but they turned out harddd :(... wish i had gone through this post earlier. - Rekha

Siri said...

Love the idea of making the vadas with a doughnut makers Ashaji and I wish to have one of those. Yum Yum to thali too.

I started reading 'The Hero's Walk' by Anita Rau Badami this week and once I reached 136th page, I got soo bored, that I don't wanna touch it anymore. But, it has some rave reviews. Guess, it not my kind of book.

take care,
Siri

vidhas said...

Perfect south Indian Thali. Especailly i lover that vada made using doughnut maker. First time here and you have a wonderful space. Enjoy blogging.

Shivali said...

Perfect vadas.I call them Indian donuts.
The thali looks great will the chutney,sambhar and idli.

Rajitha said...

ok i think i am last one to comment here :(..but boy o boy...what a treat! the vadas are to die for...thnks for the links with the tips..i truly need them...

Purva Desai said...

I am drooling over this thali...looks delicious and mouth watering.

Aditi..............:) said...

Wow!!! I shifted to chennai one and a half year back.....i love these dishes and i kept wondering how its made....so thanks a zillion for this post....!!!
Btw peep in my kitchen stories and leave your comments...
http://peepinmykitchen.blogspot.com/

Meera said...

I made the idlis, erulli sambar and hurikadale chutney. Delicious!!! It got over in no time. Thanks.

Oh, also tried your cabbage palya. That was simple & delicious. I will blog about all the tried dishes sometime soon. Thanks so much for posting. There are so many bookmarked recipes from your blog. I think next I will try spring onion gojju.

FH said...

Meera, thanks so muchfor feedback, they are my fave dishes too. Erulli gojju is excellent as well, learnt that from my best friend's mom who passed away last year. Always remember her help when I was young, married and was not a good cook. Enjoy! :)

Rajee said...

Looks absolutely like doughnut. Pls let me know which stores, donut maker is available? U're so genious making it with a twist.

FH said...

Thanks Rajee. I bought this from Amazon. Just type in Doughnut maker and you will see the product. It's about $12. Enjoy! :)

Sweta (My Indian Dietitian) said...

Mmmmmmmmm-it looks yummy!!The idli reminds me of my childhood days-my grandmom would make them in little 'watis'(katoris).It's called "sanna's" in Mangalore.We would help to invert it and pull out the idlis ;-)

FH said...

Sweta, isn't that nice to remember your granny's food when you see something similar? It happens to me too. I can imagine you inverting the Katori idlis standing next to her! :))

ashsdelicacies.blogspot.ca said...

The thali looks yummy..Wish someone made it for me:)I am sure gonna try this out!!!

FH said...

Thanks Aysha, enjoy making them! :)

Okra Recipes said...

Perfect thali! I must say ive tried some of your dishes and i enjoyed them all. I like the idea of the donut maker! Thanks for sharing with us.

FH said...

Thanks, glad you tried some of them. Enjoy and take care :)