We both love South Indian food so much that we can not have enough of it. Whenever I make idli sambar, I always make it extra. One day, we eat idli sambar chutney for lunch. The next day, I give a little twist to the idli and make tawa idli either for breakfast or a snack. And then sambar rice for lunch. It has become like a culture in our home.
Idli is light and quite healthy and nutritious. It is a regular breakfast in our home. And there are so many variations that you can do to make it. You can make it the traditional way – with urad dal and rice. You can make it with oats, millets, or sooji too. I mostly make it with sooji or oats. It is quite quick and easy. Just whip up the batter and steam in an idli stand. If your mornings are busy, make the batter a night before.
If you don’t have much time, watch the video instead.
TIPS TO MAKE IT RIGHT
- I would suggest that for this recipe, use idli made of urad dal and rice or sooji/rava idli. I personally don’t use oats idli or any millets idli to make tawa masala idli since they are quite delicate to work with.
- If you feel that the sauteed spice mixture is a little dry and won’t coat well to the idlis, just add a little bit of water to the mixture before adding idlis. DO NOT add a lot of water else the idlis will become soggy and you won’t like that at all. 1 or 2 spoons would be fine.
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Now let’s quickly check out the written recipe and make it soon. If you try it out, don’t forget to share the photos and tag us on Instagram @marriedfriends. We love to see your recreation of our recipes.
Tawa Idli – A Delicious Idli Makeover
Healthy. Nutritious. Delicious.
Servings
Prep Time
Cook Time
Rest Time
Ingredients
- 12 nos. Idli cut in 4 pieces
- 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 tsp Sesame Seeds
- A Few Curry Leaves
- 2 Dry Red Chilli whole
- 2 Green Chilli chopped
- 1 Onion large, chopped
- 1 Tomato large, chopped
- 1/4 cup Capsicum chopped
- 1 tbsp Pav Bhaji Masala
- 1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp Coconut Oil or any cooking oil
- Coriander Leaves chopped, to garnish
- 2 tsp Lemon Juice
- Water if needed
Steps
- Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds & sesame seeds. Let them sizzle for a few seconds.
Instead of oil, you can use butter too.
- Add curry leaves & dry red chilies. Saute for a few seconds.
- Add chopped onion & green chilies. Saute till onions turn translucent. Do not brown them.
It will take around 1 minute on medium flame.
- Add chopped tomatoes and salt. Saute till tomatoes become soft.
Salt releases the moisture of tomatoes and makes them cook fast. It will take around a minute on medium flame.
- Add red chili powder, turmeric powder & pav bhaji masala. Mix everything well.
- Add chopped capsicum and mix it well. You don't need to cook it completely.
- If the masala is a little dry, add a little bit of water and mix it well.
- Add idlis and gently toss them well. Coat the mixture well all over the idlis. Cover and let it cook on low flame for 5 minutes.
In this time, capsicum will also get cooked.
- Switch off the flame. Add lemon juice and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
- Serve hot with a warm cup of tea or filter coffee. Bon Appetit!
FAQs
Idli is a traditional South Indian cuisine. Traditionally, it is made with urad dal and rice. They are soaked and then ground to make a batter which is then fermented for a few hours. But if you want to make it instantly, you can make idlis with sooji (or suji), Rava, oats, or any millets Rava/flour. It is a quick, healthy, nutritious and delicious breakfast.
It could be because of the following reasons:
a) Batter consistency is not right – The batter should neither be runny nor thick. It should be of medium consistency and easily pourable.
b) Baking Soda – Check if the baking soda is not expired. Add lemon juice and if it forms bubbles, it is good to use. Add baking soda when you are ready to make idlis. Letting it sit will kill the effect of baking soda and your idlis won’t rise and become dense.
c) Ingredients – If any of the ingredients (suji, curd, baking soda) are old, chances are that idlis won’t come out nice and soft.
Yes. To make idli, you can either use baking powder or baking soda instead of Eno.
You can easily store idlis for up to 2-3 days in the refrigerator. Make sure to cover them well else they will dry out.