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    Home » Thali & Spreads » Idli, Meddu Vada, Hotel Sambar ~ South Indian Breakfast

    Idli, Meddu Vada, Hotel Sambar ~ South Indian Breakfast

    Published: May 28, 2012 · Modified: May 6, 2017 by Srivalli · 17 Comments

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    I have a typical South Indian Breakfast for today, Idli, Medu Vada with Hotel Style Sambar! I am going to take full advantage of my own rules and relax with just pictures of what we had for breakfast.

    It was Idlis with Meddu Vada, Hotel Sambar and chutney, though it was made as well, it's missing in the picture. For a long time, hubby dear has been after me to replace the blog picture with new ones. I have even included that theme in the next BM.

    I was surprised that though we make idlis every week, I never thought I should replace them. I am still yet to do it. The basic Idli post has a lot of details, tips, and discussions with readers. I have been planning to do a step by step post as well, which will be up soon.

    So then I might come out with the new pictures. This post, however, is not about the recipe, rather the memories associated with this wonderful staple to all South Indian families.

    South Indian Breakfast

    Growing up, I have always professed dislike to this dish, simply to spite my brother. As an eight-year-old kid, I was bored to death for want of somebody to fight up. I came up with this brilliant idea to pick up a fight with my older brother, who is too sweet and calm for my own good.

    He was and still is a person, who never raises his voice, unless and until trust me, is really really provoked to the core. And that happens very rarely too. All my growing up years, I tried my best to do it at every opportunity. If he likes a dish, I made it a point to dislike it, and made things tough for Amma. Plus somehow pick up a fight. To my dismay, it never used to happen.

    So it was like this, he never touches Idlis, I love it. He likes Ven Pongal and I won't touch it. The list was quite long. For a long time, I never tasted Okra stir fry because he loved it. You are reading a person, who had such a dull as a dishwasher childhood, always with imagined fights with siblings. I envied my friends who fought with their siblings and lapped on their stories and wished I had the same.

    Of course, I grew out of my childhood antics and accepted that I had to live with a brother who was too kind to believe. We miss him whenever we make his favourite dishes, which happens to be almost on an everyday basis. He still doesn't like Idlis much, though my SIL says he eats because his kids like it.

    And my Chinnu has many of his food habits and Amma gushes each time she talks about Chinnu's likes and dislikes and how much he resembles his uncle. The scene is quite comical most times. While Konda, Peddu loves to eat Idlis, Chinnu will not even come close.

    The same goes for anything to do with bread. He has not even tasted a bit of bread. While the first two loves pizzas, burgers, Chinnu will not even touch a barge! And on top demands that I make something special for him alone as others are having their favorite! That something special always happens to be Maggi.


    I always love to eat it mashed and mixed with Amma's Podi this way all crumbled as Upma or completely mashed and mixed with Sambar! You know the quote right, 2 idlis with a bucket Sambar, we keep that true.

    I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. It's been a while since I rambled and never thought a simple dish like an Idli can get me on so much!

    This day next week, Konda will be starting school. So it's only another week for us to be laid back and enjoying our summer holidays. We will be rushing out to begin a whole new year at school!

    That reminds me of my own Summer vacations, how I used to begin each year with loads of Enid Blyton, Famous Five, Nancy Drew books, later to be replaced by Frederick Forsyth, Robin Cook, M&Bs, and more serious literary works. I tried my best to get Konda interested in the huge collection I have accumulated over years, she is unable to cross past Tinkle. Of course, I can read Tinkle even now, but just saying!

    It's been a great fantastic two weeks of Blogging Marathon. And I am left with nostalgic thoughts of ending this session today. We will be beginning a new season of Blogging Marathon next week, which is set to be more exciting than before, if not more!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jayanthi says

      May 28, 2012 at 9:44 pm

      Oh my god Valli, my older brother was like you ...always tried to fight with me for every single occasion. I used to not like fighting...got bored of fighting...its the same ....he used to not like what I used to like...you reminded me of my childhood fights...don't worry about missing it ...your kids are reading this post right...they can make it more tough than what you made for your mom. Enjoyed reading your write-up and Idli-vada combo is superb...nice!!!

      Reply
    2. Sangeetha says

      May 28, 2012 at 11:45 pm

      I too make such common recipes like upma,idly,vermicelli often but never thought to replace my pics or may be i am bit lazy:)
      idly n vada looks inviting n perfectly done...enjoyed all your recipes of this BM edition...

      Reply
    3. Pavani says

      May 28, 2012 at 7:39 pm

      Lovely post Valli. Loved reading about your Big B. My baby sister and I have completely different food likings and my mom was always in a tough spot trying to feed us both. Some of the dishes definitely bring back those childhood memories.

      Reply
    4. vaishali sabnani says

      May 29, 2012 at 1:31 am

      I guess everyone has a similar story...as kids we siblings always fight ..but when we grow the same siblings become very dear.....lovely breakfast Valli..now i think I have to take a flt to chennai!!..or should I travel by train to enjoy the railway thali?...ehe he..

      Reply
    5. Akila says

      May 29, 2012 at 3:27 am

      Wow morning in urgency prepared vada... Urs looks awesome....

      Reply
    6. Smitha says

      May 29, 2012 at 4:02 am

      same here...i need to replace some pictures too...just dont think of it when we make that dish again!...send that plate over!...looks soo tempting!

      Reply
    7. A Kamalika Krishmy says

      May 29, 2012 at 4:47 am

      I do not have a chance to fight like this as I am the only child. It was interesting reading this post. I think we always overlook the most common recipes that we have .. like making idli, chapati dough. upma , etc, may be we shd have a seperate them in BM for it ..

      Reply
    8. Priya says

      May 29, 2012 at 6:46 am

      Am bit lazy to replace my pics of earlier days of blogging, its quite a dream for me to have this kind of super filling breakfast,wish someone prepare for me;(..

      Reply
    9. notyet100 says

      May 29, 2012 at 8:39 am

      Platter looks delicious,,.:)

      Reply
    10. The Pumpkin Farm says

      May 29, 2012 at 4:22 pm

      Valli, i did this to my younger sister as well..it is so much fun picking up fights with sibblings...miss those days...nice post to go with a delicious looking platter, had fun as always with this BM, cant wait to start the new edition

      Reply
    11. Jayashree says

      May 29, 2012 at 4:48 pm

      Liked reading about you and your brother, Valli.

      Reply
    12. DivyaGCP says

      May 30, 2012 at 2:46 am

      Loved reading the post. Even me and my brother are like that.
      Glad to be a part of this wonderful blogging marathon. Looking forward for the next season.

      Reply
    13. Nalini's Kitchen says

      May 30, 2012 at 1:25 am

      These days i am trying to replace some of the pictures,the clicks are nice...the spread looks super tempting feel like grabbing..

      Reply
    14. Chef Mireille says

      May 30, 2012 at 2:27 am

      what a yummy looking breakfast..still need to go and get idli pan. Last time I checked I was so overwhelmed by the different varieties, I wasn't sure which to get. Now I've done more research am equipped the next time I go.

      Reply
    15. Jagruti says

      May 30, 2012 at 9:26 pm

      one of my most favorite breakfasts! yummmmm..

      Reply
    16. Prabha Mani says

      May 30, 2012 at 9:31 pm

      My all time Fav recipe!!Looks just perfect 🙂

      Reply
    17. PriyaVaasu says

      May 31, 2012 at 8:26 am

      Childhood days, love it. @ my place it was my Lil sister who tortures my brother. Poor fellow he will drink/eat anything amma gives, but she used to have a taste and amma poor thing, will oblige to her. idly and a bucket of sambhar, i remember welcome hotel, pursawalkam or Ratna cafe, triplicane, yummmy!!!!

      Reply

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