Steaming Idlis and Tomato Onion Express Chutney!

I'm like an upset apple cart when it comes to grating a coconut. For my morning chutney this time, I had some coconut gratings stashed in a zip-pouch in my freezer, like I always do!. My idlis though are made from ready- made batter, which I procure fresh from Nilgris Supermarket that's just a hop away from my apartment. Cheating isn't it?

Tomato Onion Chutney

Ingredients:
Tomato - 2 ripe roughly chopped
Onion - 2 medium finely chopped
Coconut gratings - 3tbs to 4 tbs
Mustard - 1tsp
Fennel - 1/4tsp
Green chilly - 1 finely shopped
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves - 1tbs to sprinkle
Salt to taste

Saute the onion till transparent. While sauteing the onions add in the salt, to quicken the process of frying the onion. Add in the tomatoes and saute till nice and soft. Add the green chilly, coconut gratings, fennel and saute again for a minute. Take off from the flame and blend into a grinder. For the tempering, splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves, add the ground chutney warm it through, take care not to boil. Sprinkle coriander leaves and serve.

Idli Batter

Ingredients:
Raw rice - 1cup
Urad dal - 1/2cup
Fenugreek Seeds - 1/2tsp
Salt to taste
Soak the rice and urad dal long with the fenugreek seeds in two separate vessels for about 3-4 hours. Grind the urad dal to a smooth paste adding water little by little. Then add the rice and grind to a smooth paste again by adding water little by little. Mix them both, add salt to taste and leave it to ferment overnight. If the batter has reached a thick consistency it could be used to make idlis. Grease the idli moulds with oil and fill each mould about 2//3rds full and steam for 5 minutes on high flame and another 5minutes on low flame. Allow to cool before scooping them out of the mould.

Tip: Do not fret if there are no coconut gratings at all, the chutney is just as tasty without coconut. I have tried the version without the coconut, and you'd still end up a superb chutney.