Podi idli

We had idli-sambar for breakfast this morning, and as there were 8 idlis left, I decided to keep them for lunch. The trouble is, idlis can become a little dry when leftover, which is great for making idli upma but not so great for enjoying them on their own.

However, there is an excellent way to make idlis taste great and stay soft: coat them in podi mixed with ghee or sesame oil! This turns idlis into a favourite lunchbox treat. Typically, a podi with lots of chillis is used! Actually, you can use any favourite podi to coat idlis.

I decided to make a fairly nutty tasting podi that wouldn't be too hot for my Mum to enjoy, using dal and coriander seeds as the base. It was delicious!

Ingredients:
1 tsp toor dal
1 tsp channa dal
2 tsp coriander seeds
A pinch of black peppercorns
A pinch of fenugreek seeds
2-4 dried red chillies (depending on how hot you like it)
Sesame oil or ghee
8 leftover idlis

Roast the dals and spice seeds together till aromatic and golden. Then roast the chillies till they darken. Grind - I made quite a coarse powder, but you can grind it finely if you prefer.

Mix with enough ghee or sesame oil to make a paste. I used sesame oil, to make it even nuttier. Coat the idlis thoroughly with the podi mixture. Serve as a spicy snack or as part of a lunchbox meal.