South Indian Recipes:

South Indian Cooking is very popular throughout India:
The most popular are:
Dosas
Idlis
Uttapam
Vadas
 
Dosa: Different types of dosas:
Plain Dosa, Masala dosa, Red chili dosa,
Plain Dosa:
Ingredients: 1C rice; 1C urad dal; 1tsp salt, ½tsp red pepper; ¼tsp garam masala; 1tsp thick curd; enough water to form batter of dosa consistency;
Method:
1. Soak the rice and dal for 4-5 hours. Grind the rice and dal separately and mix. Grind to a smooth batter. Whip in curds with salt, red chili and garam masala.   
2. Heat a non-stick pan on medium heat, to make the dosa. Whip the hot pan with a wet cloth.
3. Pour one full ladder of batter on the hot pan, and spread it thinly into the required dosa size.
4. Let it cook for 5mts. or until the dosa on the pan is cooked to light brown. Gently turn the dosa to the other side. Let it cook for 2mts.   
When the dosa is cooked wrap it and serve hot with sambar and coconut chutney.  
 
Masala Dosa:
Make the dosa as above. When it is done fill it in the center with the filling and then fold it and serve hot.
Masala: Ingredients;
Boil 250gm potatoes, peel and cut in small pieces;
¼C sliced onions; 1 small tomato; 1 green chili, chopped; 1tsp coriander leaves chopped; 1tsp level salt; ½tsp red chili powder; ¼tsp turmeric powder; 2-3 curry patta;  ½ tsp black mustard seeds; Few pieces of roasted channa dal and urad dal; 1tbsp oil
Method:
1. Heat oil add mustard seeds, when they start cracking add the sliced onions, green chili. Stir fry till the onion are light brown.
2. Add the chopped tomato and the seasoning with roasted dal and curry patta. Mix and cook for a minute.
3. Add the boiled potatoes, mix add some water, cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes or until the filling is formed. 
Use this mixture as dosa filling.
 
Sambar:
Ingredients: 1C Harhar dal (toor dal) clean and wash with 5-6 waters. Place it in a cooker with water, salt, haldi and red pepper. Cook in the cooker for 4-5 whistles. Keep it aside.
1marble size Imli pulp, boil it in 1C water. Drain and extract all the tamarind pulp discard the seeds and fiber. Keep aside for later use.
½ cup mixed vegetables (potatoes, cauliflower, eggplant, beans), ¼ small onion sliced thickly, 2 green chilies – (one chopped), ½ small tomato cut in big pieces;
1tbsp sambar powder (¼C urad dal and ¼C Chana dal, roasted and powdered),         
½tsp salt, 1tsp black mustard seeds, ½tsp red chili powder, ½tsp Haldi powder, oil for cooking, green coriander chopped leaves for garnishing,  
Method:
1. In a pan heat 1tbsp oil. Add mustard seeds.
2. When the seeds crackle add sliced onion. Stir fry to light brown now add tomatoes and the rest of the vegetables. Add the seasoning and stir to mix.
3. Pour the tamarind reserved water to the cooking pan.
4. Cover the pan and cook on low heat until the vegetables are cooked. 
5. Now add the dal to the pan with sufficient water to make sambar.
Garnish with coriander leaves before serving.
 
Coconut Chutney:
Ingredients:
200gm, coconut fresh, grated, 1tsp black mustard seeds, ½tsp red chili powder, 1tsp salt, 1 dry red chili, 2-3 fresh curry patta, 2-3 green chilies or according to taste, 1tsp cooking oil, ¼ C thick curds,
Method:
1. Boil grated coconut in a little water to soften it. Put the coconut in a blender with all the rest of the ingredients except mustard seeds, curds and oil.
2. Grind to a rough smooth past.
3. Transfer the chutney in a bowl.
4. Heat oil in a small pan add the mustard seeds. When they crackle pour the hot oil on the chutney and mix.
5. Add the curds  1tsp at a time and mix in the chutney, until a smooth chutney is formed.
Serve it with dosas or vadas

Mahdu Vadas:
Ingredients:
2 C Urad dal, soaked overnight, drained and grinded with a little water in a food processor to a smooth thick paste.
1/2tsp black cumin seeds
½tsp salt
½tsp red chili powder
0il for frying
Method:
1. Take the grinded dal in a big bowl and hand beat it until it is light and fluffy.
2. Heat oil in a big skillet, to smoking hot, lower heat. Take 1tbsp full of dal mixture flatten it to a 2” diameter and ½ “ thick round, with soft pressure make a whole in the center. Drop it in the hot oil. Put 8-10 such rounds to fry in batches, they should not overcrowd the skillet and each vada should have sufficient place to spread and cook without overlapping.
Cook them thoroughly from within. In the same way make the rest of the vadas with the remaining grinded dal.
4. When done drain them on paper towel and let them cool, or serve hot with Sambal and coconut chutney.
 
Uttapam topped with Tomato carrot onion:
For Batter
½C Urad dal powder
½C rice powder 
1tbsp thick curd
½tsp each salt, red chili powder and garam masala
Water sufficient to make batter
Toppings:
½ carrot, chopped finely
1onion finely chopped
1medium onion finely chopped
1-2 green chilies chopped finely or to taste
Salt and red chili powder to sprinkle on the topping
Oil for frying
Method:  
1. Mix the Batter ingredients together and form thick dosa-like batter with sufficient water. Keep it in a warm place for 15mts. Then whip thoroughly to form a smooth mixture.
2. In the mean- time prepare all the topping vegetables separately. Keep aside.
3. Heat a non-stick tawa, grease it with 1tsp oil. Pour 1dessert spoon batter on it, let it spread to a round by itself.(about 6”). Cook on medium low heat.
4. Put the toppings on the Uttapam while still moist. Press the topping lightly.
5. Continue to cook until the Uttapam is light brown.
6. Sprinkle some oil on the sides and flip it to the other side and cook until the vegetables are cooked. 
7. Turn the Uttapam and transfer to the serving plate. Cut it into half or quarters. 
Serve with coconut chutney and mint curd chutney. Also you can serve with sambar.

Quick recipe for Uttapam.
Ingredients:
10 slices bread cut the edges and soak in 1C water. Drain extra water and mix with the following mixture.
1C sugi 
1C maida 
1tsp salt or to taste 
1C curds 
Blend the mixture to a smooth batter in a blender. 
Topping:
1 onion finely chopped
¼C grated coconut (optional)
2 tomatoes chopped 
2tbsp chopped coriander leaves
2-3 green chilies finely chopped  Method:
1. Grease a non-stick pan and heat on medium heat. Pour 1tbsp batter on the pan to form a small round Uttapam top it with a little topping mixture. (tomato, onion, green chilies, few coriander chopped leaves and coconut). Press it with a flat spatula to stick in the batter. Cook 3-4 small uttapams at a time.
2. Cook till the lower side is brown flip to the other side very carefully and continue to cook until this side is also brown.
3. Transfer to a serving plate. 
4. Make all the small uttapams in the same way. 
Serve hot with Sambar and coconut chutney.