Idli Rice and Mung Bean Pancakes with Onions, Mustard Seed & Asafetida and Tamarind Yogurt Sauce12/13/2021  These pancakes are the product of a class I taught at the beloved San Franciscan community cooking school, 18 Reasons. I had just returned from 7 months of international travel, 4 of which were in India. I was particularly charmed by the southern states of India and wanted to teach people more about my favorite meal there: breakfast. When I am at home in California I have reliable and gorgeous breakfasts: avocado miso toast, fermented vegetables, an egg and usually a salad or sauteed vegetable of some sort. I never missed this breakfast when I was in India. The food was just too good.
Idlis were a particular favorite of mine and I wanted to share them with the class. The idlis required idli rice, which typically comes in a 5 pound bag. Of course it does! If you’ve made idlis in the past you are sure to want more in future. However, how many idlis was this community cooking school really going to make? That class barely made a dent and thus, the gauntlet was thrown down. How to use up that big bag of rice without reteaching the same recipe? I ended up making many recipes with the rice but this one was my favorite. So often pancakes are a nutrient poor food, composed mostly of flour and water. One of the things that I love about this recipe is that it uses whole foods to create the base. Since we are using both a grain and a legume it winds up being a complete protein to boot. The curry leaves are magical and wonderful but don’t let their absence from your larder stop you from making the recipe. Ditto asafetida.
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Coconut chutney is a ubiquitous, non-negotiable part of a proper South Indian breakfast. The rich, unctuous coconut is the perfect foil for the often heavily spiced stews and accompaniments. Consider adding in cilantro for a vibrant green color and a fresher flavor.
 Sambar is a bold and rich lentil stew that is served all over Southern Indian. Sambar masala powder is readily available in many Indian grocery stores or can be ordered online. There are many variations so buy a few to better discern which blend you most prefer.
The real standout flavor, in my opinion, is the tamarind. Tamarind is a sweet and sour fruit that has notes of raisin and apricot. It cuts through the spicy, fiery sambar masala and allows more lightness into the dish. A little goes a long way, so if you are new to tamarind start out by adding in just a teaspoon or two. You can always add more to suit your palate. Serve with idlis for a proper South Indian breakfast. 
Before I set foot in India, the word chai would conjure images of mugs of heavily spiced, milky tea with varying amounts of sweetener. However, upon my arrival in the land of the Ganges, I quickly realized that Indian chai is simply strong milk tea with a cavity inducing amount of sugar. It turns out that what I thought was chai was actually masala chai. Masala translates to spice mixture and comes in all sorts of varieties.
Some of you might read through this recipe and choose to adapt it: perhaps by adding a bit more cardamom or leaving out the black pepper. You are highly encouraged to take the proportions into your own hands and alter the amounts to suit your preferences. However, do not skip the step of bringing the milk to a boil 3 times. It might seem tedious and unnecessary (warmed milk should be sufficient, right?) but I promise you that there is a very prominent taste change that occurs during this process as the milk sugars and proteins are transformed.  Tamarind chutney is a very popular sauce used for dosas, samosas and various snacks and street foods. This recipe is more on the sour side and really highlights the tamarind flavor. Feel free to add more jaggery if you prefer it to be sweeter.
Although it’s possible to enjoy this chutney warm, it’s best to make this a little bit in advance to give it adequate time to cool. |
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