This recipe for Idli, comes from Susan Cheryan. She is a mother to 2 beautiful daughters. As most young mothers, Susan enjoys cooking for her husband and children and creates delicious meals & treats for them.

At a recent Potluck Susan's contribution of Idli Sambar was delicious and very popular amongst the guests. Although the combination of Idli and Sambar is well known, Susan's version is the type made in Kerala, India, her hometown.

Idli is a savory, lentil cake that is steamed. It can also be made in a sweet form with the addition of sugar and dessicated coconut. Both forms are delicious. Sambar is similar to dhal, but it has a slight sour tang & includes a variety of vegetables.

Urad dhal is a lentil that is available in three forms. Its original form, a whole black lentil: a split form, where the lentils are split, exposing the creamy white interior but retaining the black skin & Urad dhal, in this recipe, light cream color lentils, with the black skins removed.

As all lentils, Urad dhal is also an excellent source of protein. It is used in many Indian recipes. Apart from Idli, it is also used to make a lentil savory cake, Vadde and Dosa. These ingredients are available at Indian grocers. Use idli steaming pans to steam the idlis, see image below.

Here is Susan's recipe.

For Susan's Kerala Sambar Recipe, check, Kerala Sambar

If you have any questions or would like to add a recipe of your own, email me, Nirmala, at
I will be happy to help with inquiries. The site will be regularly updated with tasty recipes, hints and tips. You will find my contact information at Contact