Blogging Marathon# 41: Week 3/ Day 1
Theme: E-N Breakfast Items
Dish: I for Idli — Masala Idli
I don’t make idlis often since the batter doesn’t ferment well in winters and I’m too lazy and forgetful to soak the lentil and rice for the rest of the year. Well anyway I made sure I remembered to soak, grind and ferment the batter. Thanks to the lovely warm weather we have been having lately, my batter fermented nicely in about 12 hours and the idlis turned out soft and fluffy.
Plain idlis are quite common, but today’s masala idlis are a really nice variation. I saved an article on Idlis from a Telugu newspaper in 2006. One of the recipe in that article is this ‘Masala Idli’. The addition of vegetables and the masala gives these idlis a nice spicy kick.
Masala Vegetable Idli (Idli with a twist)
Ingredients
For the Idli Batter:
- 1 cup Lentils Black (Urad dal)
- 2½ cups Rawa Idli
- 1 tsp Fenugreek seeds
- to taste Salt
To make Masala Idlis:
- 1 Potato - small, peeled & finely diced
- 1 Carrot - small, peeled and finely diced
- 1 Onion - small, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp Green Peas
- 1 Tomato - small, finely chopped
- 2 tbsps Cashews - finely chopped
- 3 chilies (adjust as per taste) Green
- 2 tbsps Coconut Grated (fresh or dry)
- 3 tbsp Cilantro
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds
- 1 tsp Urad dal
- 8 ~ 10 Curry leaves
- to taste Salt
Instructions
- Make the Idli Batter: Soak urad dal & fenugreek seeds in a bowl and idli rawa in another bowl for at least 4 hours. Grind dal into a smooth paste. Drain and squeeze the water from the rawa and add it to the dal along with salt. Mix well and set the batter aside to ferment in a warm place for 8~12 hours.
- Make the Veggie Mixture: Microwave potato and carrot until tender. Alternately they can be boiled or steamed also.
- Grind the coconut, roasted gram, green chilies and cilantro into a smooth paste.
- Heat 2tsp oil in a saute pan; add mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves; once the seeds start to splutter add onions and cashews. Cook till the onions turn translucent.
- Next add tomatoes and the other cooked veggies. Cook until tomatoes turn mushy.
- Add the masala paste and salt. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let cool for a few minutes.
- Then add this mixture to the idli batter. Mix well and distribute the batter evenly in the idli molds, steam for 12~15 minutes. Serve hot with chutney of choice.
Notes
vaishali sabnani
I like the idea of using tomatoes in idli..While reading this I have been thinking of adding some pav bhaji masala to the tomato mix….love the use of veggies.
Vanamala Hebbar
great idea..looks yum
Kalyani
Bookmarked from 2006 ! Wow … That’s quite a collection u have pavani ! Idlis look delish..
Priya Suresh
I do rarely this vegetable idlies, wat a wonderful to add veggies in our breakfast dish na, well done..
Global Tastes & Travels Inc.
I like that placemat – it actually looks like a bed of almonds
Global Tastes & Travels Inc.
I like that placemat – it actually looks like a bed of almonds
Nupur UK-Rasoi
OK, I have to try this one !! .. So healthy and combines two of my fav things together – Idli and Vegetables 🙂
Harini-Jaya Rupanagudi
These idles look awesome. Nice variation .