The most popular and healthy food these days is the south Indian staple Idli. Idlis are made after soaking parboiled rice and urad dal soaked overnight and ground to a make a batter. This batter is fermented overnight to make fluffy soft nutritious idli as breakfast or a snack. Most hospitals serve idlis to patients for breakfast. Idlis are light and easy to digest. The fermentation breaks down the proteins and minerals making them soluble and easy to digest. Even though idlis contain rice it is counter balanced with the urad dal. So there are not too many calories. Onlymyhealth editorial team spoke to Dr. Anjali Phatak, Director Nutripulse and Senior Clinical Nutritionist, Nutripulse, Jaipur, to know about the health benefits, nutritional facts and recipe of rice idli and sambhar.
Idli sambhar health benefits
There are no specific health risks in eating rice idli and sambhar. Do not overconsume to prevent any stomach issues. And, according to Dr. Anjali, here are the health benefits of one plate of rice idli and sambhar:
1. Easily digestible
Rice idli and sambhar is an easily digestible South Indian dish. Idlis are extremely simple to metabolize. This is because all food products are easily digestible. Fermented foods lead to improved minerals and vitamins break down in our bodies, assisting the digestive process
2. Aids weight loss
It is oil-free, and steamed in a such a proportion so as to serve you delicious meal and make your stomach full for longer. Due to its high nutritional value, idlis make for one of the most popular breakfast options. Steamed, puffy and easy to digest, idlis are also the favourite of health and fitness enthusiasts. Adding these puffy rice idlis to your daily diet can help you lose weight faster.
Also read: These 8 Indian Foods Are The Best Healthy Snacks To Binge On
3. Rich in fibre
Idli is one of the best foods for your diet plan. For the small-scale wonder, idli packs a good punch of protein, fibre and carbohydrates. Idli is rich in fiber and sambar has a lot of vegetables, thus this meal can prove to be a good option to keep you fuller for longer hours.
Idli sambhar nutritional value
According to Dr. Anjali, here are the nutritional facts of rice idli and sambhar:
Idli Sambar - 1 cup sambar with 3 idli
- Calories from Fat 18
- Calories 304
- 3% Total Fat 2g
- 1% Saturated Fat 0.3g
- 0% Cholesterol 0mg
- 18% Sodium 427mg
- 19% Potassium 651mg
- 20% Total Carbohydrates 61g
How to make idli and sambhar?
As per Dr. Anjali, here is the recipe of rice idli and sambhar:
Idli Ingredients:
- 1 cup rice soaked in water for 4-5 hours separately
- 1/2 cup urad dal soaked in water for same time
- to taste salt
Method:
- Grind rice and dal separately and then mix it together to form a fine paste, keep it aside for at least four hours for fermentation
- Take a pressure cooker, put on heat, add one and half glass of water and cover with lid without whistle.Meanwhile grease Idli mould with oil and put batter on it and place it inside cooker properly, close the lid when it starts steaming, put the flame low and cook it for six minutes
- Take out Idlies and serve it hot with Sambhar and green chutney or coconut chutney
Sambhar ingredients:
- Toor dal
- Mustard seeds
- Fenugreek seeds
- Curry leaves
- Hing
- Dried red chillies
- Onions
- Beans
- Drumsticks
- Tomatoes
- Turmeric powder
- Sambhar masala
- Tamarind pulp
- Coriander leaves
Method:
- Start off with cleaning and washing the toor dal. Then, add washed and strained dal in pressure cooker along with 2 cups of water and pressure cook until done. Once dal is done, mash it and set it aside
- In another pot, heat oil
- Once the heats up, add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds fry until just aromatic. Ensure not to burn the seeds
- Add curry leaves and dried red chillies and fry for few seconds. Then, add hing (asafoetida) and mix
- Add sambar onions (pearl onions/shallots) and sauté on high for a minute or 2 until soft
- Now, add the vegetables and sauté on high for a minute
- Add chopped tomatoes and sauté on high for another 2-3minutes
- Then, add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, sambar powder and mix. Sauté on medium heat for a minute. Take care not to burn the masalas
- Now, add boiled and mashed dal and salt along with a cup of water and bring it to a boil
- Add tamarind pulp, chopped coriander leaves and some more water depending upon the consistency you need
- Mix everything and simmer until vegetables are cooked through but intact. I simmer it for good 8-10 minutes to bring out the flavours to the fullest
- Dish out and serve hot sambar with steaming hot idli or vadas or steamed rice