Stir-Fried Idlis (Stir-Fried Steamed Rice Cakes)

This is an excellent way to utilize leftover Idlis (Steamed Rice Cakes). Stir fry bite-sized pieces of idlis with curry leaves, spices; and serve with coconut chutney as a tea time snack.

Ingredients:

• 5-6 left over Idlis cut into bite sized cubes
• 2-3 tbsp cooking oil
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• Pinch of asafetida
• 5-6 curry leaves
• 1 dry red chili broken in 3-4 pieces
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 green chili chopped fine
• 1 tbsp lemon juice or 1 tsp amchur powder (dry mango powder)
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• 2-3 tbsp warm water
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan; temper with asafetida, mustard seeds and red chili pieces. When mustard seeds stop spluttering, add chopped green chilies and curry leaves; fry until they crackle.
• Add turmeric and red chili powder; immediately add 2-3 tbsp of warm water and diced Idlis. Shake over little salt (remember Idlis already have some salt). Stir-fry for two to three minutes on medium flame.
• Take out in a dish, drizzle lemon juice.
• Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve hot with coconut chutney as a teatime snack.

Do You Know?
The idli , also romanized "idly" or "iddly", is a savory cake most often eaten at breakfast or as a snack, popular throughout South India. The cakes are usually two to three inches in diameter and are made by steaming a batter consisting of fermented split and skinned black gram and rice. The fermentation process breaks down the starches so that it is more readily metabolized by the body, and is considered a health food.