Couscous Idli with Ginger Chutney

Morning breakfast is a must in our house, may be it here or mamas or in-laws place. And breakfast is not bread butter jam or any cereal. It needs to be something that’s filling and say a kind of south Indian, now that doesn’t mean we do not eat bread and jam ;). Here in my house that I keep experimenting even with regular breakfast menu. This is one such thing which I did with Couscous. I had not tasted couscous until last year even though couscous is a kind of staple food here in Middle East. It’s just like our rawa but a little thick is what I felt. And when it is like rawa why not make Idlis was my thought (typical South Indian brain ;) ).

So here is what we need for Couscous Idli

Makes:18
Serves:4
Preparation Time:15mins
Ingredients
½ cup Couscous
½ cup Semolina
2cups curds
¾ th-1tsp fruit salt/ baking soda
2tbsp coriander finely chopped
1tbsp coconut gratings
salt to taste
For Tempering
3tsp oil
1tsp mustard seeds
1tbsp chana dal
½ tbsp urad dal
1” grated ginger piece
2 tbsp cashewnuts
3-4 green chillies finely chopped *
10-15 curry leaves finely chopped
Method

In a pan heat oil add all the ingredients under Tempering(one by one starting from cashewnuts and ending with curry leaves) and when done add in Semolina and couscous and fry them until they are light golden in colour.

Now remove it off the flame and allow it to cool for a while. *

Once the couscous mixture is cooled a little add in curds/yogurt, salt, coconut gratings, coriander leaves, fruit salt and allow it to rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile grease all the idli moulds.

After 10 minutes pour the idli batter in the greased moulds and Steam in the steamer for about 15 minutes.

Cool it and unmould the idlis.

Serve it with your favourite chutney.

I have served it with Ginger Chutney.

For the ginger chutney we need:

Ginger- 2” pc
½ cup coconut feshly grated *
2 green chillies
salt to taste

Method:

Grind all the ingredients in a mixie or food processor into a smooth paste/chutney and serve with your favourite idlis.

Note: 
I grind the green chillies in a mixie so that we do not get the spicy thing while we enjoy the idlis and just jump around asking for water. You can even crush them finely with a mortar and pestle.

I do the dry idli mixture the previous night and add in wet ingredients the next morning just before making the idlis. In this way I get to sleep half an hour more or you need not rush in the morning ;).

While making the chutney you can use frozen coconut too but make sure to add a little hot water while grinding so that the coconut gets softened and does not leave any oil and make the chutney tasteless. 

Happy Cooking,