For our readers who are unfamiliar with American pop culture ...the reference in the title of this post is to David Letterman introducing Uma Thurman to Oprah Winfrey at the Oscars in 1995. He was ad libbing a bit and became fixated on the unusual first names of those women, who were sitting toward the front, and so he "introduced them" to each other: "Uma ... Oprah; Oprah ... Uma." Apparently, neither woman appreciated the humor.
So, I am now fixated on Iddli and Uppma (and also some other things which I will blog about soon). What are Iddli and Uppma? Well you might ask. Iddli are a kind of steamed dumpling/cupcake make from rice and dal (how healthy!!!) and can be spiced up with other ingredients. Uppma is a sort of fluffy polenta-like mixture often made with semolina, but can be made with other grains. I had no idea what either of them were supposed to look like or even how to eat them. So the internet came to the rescue once again (you can find video on youtube of people eating various foods so you never have to be embarrassed at an unfamiliar restaurant again! Like the time, I went to a Korean BBQ restaurant and didn't know what to do with some stuff in a bowl: eat it? wash my fingers? drink it? use it to douse the flames of the barbeque?). Above, are a couple of pictures of what they are supposed to look like compared to mine. HA! it's just so pathetic. In my defense, I didn't pose my food and they tasted quite good. Also, I don't own an Idlli cooker so I had to use muffin cups in a dutch oven with a vegetable steamer. I might have to break down and get an idlli cooker. No real excuse for the Uppma, since I make polenta and risotto.
Anywho...the Idlli were not quite as light as maybe they should have been. My batter might have been a bit too thin (and also I used brown rice and split peas instead of white rice and urad dal, so ya' know...see above for more excuses). But our son liked them with a bit of butter on top. I ate them with a tamarind coconut chutney. Good microwaved for 20 seconds the next day, too. The Uppma was hearty and filling. Comfort food with a kick! I actually like to heat it up and thin it out with some yoghurt or buttermilk and eat it like a porridge or cream of wheat for breakfast.
I'll post some recipes once I get more experience with these. I am going to try to make varieties of Idlli for lunch box fillers and snacks.
OK, I have to tell you...I ordered an aebleskiver pan!! It will be here this week!!! Stay tuned for news about that!!!! Is there any reason to use all these exclamation marks????!!!!!
