A few recipes that prove idlis can be had in more than one way.
Idli cocktail kebab
Ingredients
Mini Idlis - 36
Green chutney - 3 tbsp
Green chilli sauce - 1 tbsp Imli-khajur (tamarind date) chutney - 3 tbsp
Sweet chilli sauce - 1 tbsp
Tomato - 1, deseeded, cubed
Capsicum - 1, deseeded , cubed
Bombay Onion - 1 , cubed
Refined oil – One-fourth cup
Method
Deep fry one half of the mini idlis till golden brown and crisp. Set aside. In one tbsp remaining oil sauté one quarter of the mini idlis (plain) with mint-coriander chutney and green chillies sauce until a well-roasted aroma emanates.
In a clean pan, sauté in 1 tbsp hot oil, the remaining idlis in date tamarind sauce and sweet chilli sauce until a roasted fragrance issues forth. Place the three types of idlis in separate bowls. Take a skewer.
String a fried idly, followed by the veggie squares, and pierce a green idly into the skewer along with veggies and the sweet date tamarind idlis.
Finish with a fried mini idli. Prepare the skewers this way.
Grill the idli skewers for five minutes. Lay all the idly kebabs decoratively on a serving plate. Sprinkle a pinch of chaat masala or roasted cumin ( jeera) and red chilli powders and chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with a bowl of ketchup.
Idli manchurian
Ingredients
Idli cubes - 3 cups
Bombay onions - 2 cups, chopped
Capsicum (deseeded, cubed) - 1 cupTomato chilli sauce – Half cup, diluted in one-fourth cup hot water
Green chilli sauce – One-fourth cup
Soya Sauce - 3 tbsp
Ginger slivers - 2 tbsp
Garlic slivers - 2 tbsp
Cornflour - 2 tbsp
Salt - To taste
Gingelly oil - 1 tbsp
Refined oil - 1 cup, to deep-fry
Method
Deep fry the idli cubes until golden brown and crisp. Reserve. In a heavy-bottomed wok, add 4-5 tablespoons refined oil and the gingelly oil. Fry the ginger, garlic slivers along with green chilli sauce for 2-3 minutes over high flame, stirring.
Once a roasted aroma rises, sauté the onion and capsicum squares until roasted. Add the tomato red chilli sauce, the soya sauce and the cornflour. Stir well.
Tip in the idli cubes and toss well. Stir well until the mixture coats into a glazed dry mixture. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves, stir in chopped green chillies and spring onions.
Serve hot in a serving platter with tomato sauce.
