I read about singer Chithra’s daughter’s accident in Dubai on Thursday and those words are being thrown about with alarming frequency. I do not understand how it can soothe the bewildered parents’ hearts. The news sites are full of descriptions of the scenes outside the family home whilst there are even video clips of the same. I don’t have the heart to watch the clips. I am amazed at the level of intrusion that the family is being put through at this most harrowing time of their life.

She is a public figure, yes, but where does that mean she cannot even grieve in private? My heart goes out to the family. The poor child was born in 2002, the same year as my son and my heart skipped a beat when I came upon that info. How selfish does that make me?

Piping hot idlis

Idli – soft, fragrant, melt in the mouth rice-and-lentil cakes are the perfect South Indian breakfast items. Served with chutneys and/or onion sambhar, they can set you up for a great day. Making idlies can never be a spur of the moment thing – the rice and lentils have to be soaked for 4 hours+, ground fine and then fermented till the batter ‘rises’ for perfectly, fluffy idlies.

Ingredients

Boiled rice or idli rice – 6 cups
Whole urad dal – 1 cup
Fenugreek seeds – 1 tsp
Salt – to taste

Wash and soak the rice in warm water for 6 hours.
An hour before grinding, soak the dal and methi seeds in hot water.
Grind the rice and dal separately, adding enough water till they are ground fine and you get a thick, wet batter.
Mix the two together with your hand, adding enough salt.
Cover and keep in a warm place and allow the batter to rise.

Idlies in the molds

Once the batter has risen, oil the idli molds and ladle the batter onto the molds.
Steam for around 12 minutes, till the idlies are cooked through.
Sprinkle cold water on top of the idlis and prise them out.
Serve hot with chutney / sambhar.

Serving Suggestion: Idlies with coconut chutney, tomato thokku

This is a typical Tambram recipe – though I am not a massive fan of raw plantain, I can gulp down every single morsel if it is made this way. Using the same method, you can substitute potato for plantain and make yummy urulai podimaas (????? ????????)

First, gather around these important items:

Raw plantain – 2
Toor dal, parboiled – 2 tbsp

Urad dal – 1 tsp
Channa dal – 1 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Green chillies – 1-2
Ginger – 1 inch piece
Dessicated coconut – 1 tbsp
Curry leaves – a handful
Salt, asafoetida and turmeric – a pinch
Oil – 2 tbsp

To start with, cut a plantain roughly into 3 small chunks and drop it in salted, boiling water. Do not peel the skin now. Once it is cooked, drain the hot water and keep the veg aside.
Cook the toor dal till it is half done.
In a non-stick pan, heat the oil. Drop the channa and ural dals in it and saute till golden. Next, add the slit green chillies and continue sauteing. Add grated ginger, dessicated coconut and torn curry leaves and fry for a minute or two. Finally, add some mustard seeds and allow it to splutter.
Strain the parboiled toor dal so no water remains and mix with the ingredients of the pan and let it all cook together.
Meanwhile, peel the skin off the cooked plantains and mash the chunks roughly, using the back of a fork. Season it with salt.
Add the mashed plantains to the non-stick pan and mix well. Add asafoetida and turmeric, check the salt and mix well.
Serve hot with rice.