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Mini ghee idli with coconut chutney

Ghee idli

Mini ghee idli with coconut chutney
Photo: Nitin Desai, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Ingredients

For 4 servings. 1 serving = 1 adult; a 6-year-old eats about half.

  • Idli rice (boiled ponni)280 g
  • Urad dal (white, split)70 g
  • Fenugreek seeds (uluva)½ tsp
  • Salt1¾ tsp
  • Ghee3½ tsp
  • Frozen grated coconut80 g
  • Green chillies¾
  • Ginger8 g
  • Lebanese cucumbers1

You need

  • Idli steamer with plates
  • Mixer-grinder with small and large jars
  • Non-stick frying pan (24–28 cm)
  • Sharp knife and chopping board
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Lunchboxes with ice bricks

Method

  1. This assumes your idli batter is already ground and fermented and sitting in the fridge (made from 280 g idli rice, 70 g urad dal and ½ tsp fenugreek seeds, mixed with 1¾ tsp salt). Take it out and stir it gently once. Do not beat the air out.
  2. Pour about 3 cm of water into the idli steamer, put the lid on and bring it to the boil on high, about 5 minutes. Rub the idli plates with a few drops of the ghee.
  3. Spoon batter into the moulds until each is three-quarters full. Use a mini idli plate if you have one; otherwise make regular idlis.
  4. Stack the plates in the steamer, cover and steam on medium-high for 10–12 minutes (8 minutes for mini idlis), until the tops look matt and a toothpick pushed into the centre comes out clean.
  5. Turn the heat off and let the idlis sit for 2 minutes. Lift the plates out and pop the idlis out with a wet spoon. Cut regular idlis into quarters.
  6. While they steam, make the chutney: put 80 g frozen coconut (thawed), 8 g ginger, a pinch of salt and 120 ml (about ½ cup) water in the small mixer jar. Blitz 30 seconds to a thick paste. Scoop out the kids' share, then add ¾ green chilli to the rest and blitz 10 seconds more.
  7. Melt 3½ tsp ghee in the frying pan on low, about 1 minute. Tip in the idlis and toss for 1 minute until glossy all over. Serve warm for breakfast.
  8. Cut 1 cucumber into finger-length sticks.
  9. For lunchboxes, do steps 2 to 6 the night before: cool the idlis and chutney within an hour and keep them in lidded boxes in the fridge. In the morning: toss the cold idlis in the melted ghee on low for 2–3 minutes until warmed through, let them cool for 10 minutes, then pack with the chutney in a small leakproof tub, the cucumber sticks and an ice brick.

Tips

  • Leftover idlis freeze well. Thaw overnight in the fridge and toss in ghee in the morning.
  • If the batter is very thick, stir in a spoonful of water before steaming.

Make it easier

  • Weekend: Soak and grind idli/dosa batter (Saturday). Soak rice and dal separately for 5–6 h, grind, mix with salt, ferment overnight.

Keeping and freezing

  • Fridge: keeps 2 days in a lidded box. Cool it within an hour of cooking.
  • Freezer: freezes well for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat until steaming hot.

Good to know

  • Contains: milk / dairy.
  • Asthma: buy frozen grated coconut without sulphites (220–228).
  • Toddlers: take their portion out before adding chilli or pepper.