Vaghaar Idli

Two weeks of travel have definitely taken their toll; I’m behind on blog posts yet again. But they were two wonderful weeks, spent traveling through Bangkok and then India, and, unsurprisingly, filled with plenty of memorable food experiences. I’ll save the Bangkok food pictures for a separate post altogether — that one deserves its own full album.

This past weekend marked our first full weekend back together at home as a family. Home in Singapore, that is. Someone recently asked me what “home” really means to me these days: India, where I grew up and spent my formative years; the US, where I lived nearly a decade and a half of my adult life; or Singapore, where I’m still very new. It’s a tough question when life involves constant movement and uncertainty about what comes next.

Truthfully, I miss the US every single day. But I remind myself that this is a short stint, and I want to make the most of the experience here in Singapore. India, of course, is just a “stone’s throw away” now, at least compared to the distance from the US. So perhaps I really do have the best of all worlds. Humor me while I call this home at least for now.

In any case, I had a generous amount of idli batter left over from yesterday’s Varalakshmi pooja (yes, that’s another post still waiting to be written), so I decided to try this quick and satisfying recipe that works beautifully with leftover cooked idlis.

This Vaghaar Idli recipe is courtesy of Sankalp restaurant in Dallas. I first tasted this dish during their opening weeks, and I still remember how much Nikhil loved it. I already know this will become a regular lunchbox staple for him once school starts.

Ingredients

• Red onion, chopped – 1
• Medium tomato, chopped – 1
• Green chilies – 3 to 5, finely chopped (adjust to taste)
• Mustard seeds – 2 tsp
• Urad dal – 1 tsp
• Jeera (cumin seeds) – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
• Curry leaves – 1 sprig
• Olive oil – 2 tsp
• Mini idlis – 15 to 20
  (Alternatively, cut 4–5 regular idlis into quarters)

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan or kadhai. Once hot, add the mustard seeds and allow them to crackle.
2. Add the urad dal and sauté briefly, followed by the cumin seeds.
3. When the urad dal and cumin are lightly browned, add the chopped onions and sauté until they turn slightly translucent. Add the curry leaves and cook for another 2 minutes, making sure the onions don’t brown too much. Stir in the green chilies and turmeric powder.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes and sauté for about 2 minutes. The tomatoes should soften slightly but not turn mushy.
5. Add the mini idlis and gently toss until they are evenly coated with the masala. The idlis should take on a uniform yellow color from the turmeric and spices.
6. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot.