Things Do Not a Life Make - Idlis

Yesterday the postman delivered a package with two glasses and a seashell. My dad had carefully packed the box, and the delicate glasses had not broken. Every few weeks or so, he sends me small packages with things that used to be my Mother's.

It's hard to open these packages. To slowly cut open the box and unwrap these items carefully, only to find something that reminds me of my Mother. This time, these two glasses, I remember, were a set of four. We had lost a few over the years from all our family's use. I remember them as a kid. My mom had bought them at the local Service Merchandise or Bradley's, which were the Target of my childhood. Each had a little bit of color at the base, yellow, blue-green, pink and purple. I think she liked them because they were colorful and delicate at the same time. I remember using them often as a kid.

The seashell is big, and light beige speckled with brown spots. This seashell came from a beach in South India. My mom loved to walk on the beach and collect shells. She would carefully and methodically pick each one up and see if it met her standards. Each shell had to be perfect with no broken edges. If the shell had a little color or iridescence that would be perfect. This particular shell sat in our family room on display for years.

How do these few items come together to make someone's life? These things certainly do not make a life, but they are powerful reminders of the moments in our lives. Just as music can take us to the time, we first heard it or a wonderful memory, these things act in the same way. The glasses are a reminder of all the meals she made. The seashells remind me of the trips we took and walking on the beach together. It's hard to see them neatly packed in newspaper in a brown box, now so out of context.

So this week I made idlis and coconut chutney, one of my Mother's perennially favorite breakfasts. Idlis are soft, pillowy fermented cakes. Soak urad dal, an Indian lentil, for 5-6 hours or overnight. Urad dal is split and comes from the whole black gram. Grind the dal together with idli rava or coarsely ground boiled idli rice. Ferment the batter overnight and then gently steam them. Essential to making idlis is an idli mold. It's a several layer rack that fits into a large pot for steaming. You can find one at an Indian grocery store or Amazon.

I grew up with Idlis made from a mix. My mom always used Gits from the Indian grocery store. But, this recipe from G's mom is easy and delicious. You can also make idlis by grinding rice. In this recipe, adding idli rava makes it so much easier and quicker. Once you make your own idlis, you'll never enjoy ones from a mix again. Serve with sambhar or coconut chutney, and you have the perfect breakfast.

I wonder what Poet and Flower will remember of us when we are gone. I hope that we will not leave behind too many things for them to sort through. But, I do hope the memories that come with them are just as happy.

Idlis

Idlis are soft, savory lentil and rice dumplings. Urad dal and idli rava are fermented overnight and then steamed. They are light and delicious. You can enjoy them with coconut chutney or sambhar. They are delicious plain with just a little ghee on top.

Soak the dal in the morning and then in the evening grind everything together. Leave the batter to ferment overnight. The next morning, you are ready to steam the idlis for breakfast.

Essential to making idlis is an idli mold. It is typically made of stainless steel, in several layers and can fit into a large pot to steam the idlis. You can find one at a local Indian grocery store or Amazon.

Makes approximately 30 idlis

• 1 cup urad dal
• 1.5 cups idli rava
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 3 cups water (approximately)

1. In a medium bowl, cover the urad dal with about 3 inches of water. Soak the urad dal for 5-6 hours or overnight.
2. Strain the urad dal into a second bowl and reserve the soaking liquid.
3. In a blender, add the urad dal, idli rava, salt and 1/4 cup of the soaking liquid. Blend until smooth and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. You may need to add about 1/4 cup of more water. You want the batter to be thick and coat the back of the spoon. I like to think of it as just a little thicker than pancake batter.
4. Place in a bowl and cover. Let it ferment for 10-12 hours. The batter should be thick, almost doubled and bubbly. If it's warm out, you can leave it on the counter to ferment Unless it's the height of summer I can't ferment my batter on the counter. (Ah the climate of south India!). So I will typically use my instant pot to ferment the batter, putting it on yogurt mode for 10-12 hours. You can also heat your oven to 190 degrees, turn it off and leave the batter inside to ferment.
5. In a large pot, heat 1/2 cup of water until boiling. Spray an idli mold with oil. Gently spoon 3 tablespoons of batter into each mold. Then gently place into the pot, cover and steam for about 12-15 minutes. The idlis are done when they are firm to to the touch.
6. Gently lift the idlis from the mold. I usually use a rubber spatula and lose just a little on the bottom. Serve warm with coconut chutney or sambhar.

Coconut Chutney

A bright and not too spicy chutney made with cilantro and coconut. A bhagar, or temper, of curry leaves, split gram and mustard seeds adds another layer of flavor. Try it with savory Indian breakfasts - idli, dosa or uttapam.

Makes about a cup

• 1 cup of fresh or frozen coconut
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 3/4 to 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt

For the bhagar

• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• 2 stems of curry leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes or 1 green chili
• 1 tablespoon channa dalia (split gram dal)
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1. In a blender, combine the coconut, cilantro, salt and water. Blend for 2-3 minutes until smooth.

2. In a small frypan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds, when they begin to crackle, add the curry leaves, chili flakes, channa dalia. I've found the mustard seeds sputter everywhere so be careful. When they begin to sizzle, take it off the heat. It will be about 30 seconds, and the spices do tend to burn easily, so watch them closely.

3. Add the bhagar to the blender and blend for 1 more minute.

4. Serve with dosa, idli or uttapam. Or just eat by the spoonful.