The Idli Project
Idli 65
Modern & Fusion

Idli 65

Idli pieces battered, deep-fried golden and tossed in a fiery red curd-and-Kashmiri-chilli sauce - Chicken 65's vegetarian sibling.

Modern Indian-Chinese - Chennai-style starter

Image: Mad's Cookhouse - Spicy Idli 65 · Blog photo

Idli 65 is the vegetarian cousin of Chicken 65, the Chennai bar-snack classic. Idli quarters are coated in a curd-and-Kashmiri-chilli batter, deep-fried to a deep red-gold, then tossed in a sesame-oil tempering of mustard, fennel, ginger, garlic, more curd and more chilli powder.

The hallmark lurid red colour comes from the Kashmiri chilli, which is mild enough to use generously. Best as a starter or evening tea-time snack with a wedge of lemon and cool mint chutney to take the edge off.

The Recipe

Yield · 2 servings

Effort profile

Soaknone
Fermentnone
Steamnone (uses leftover idlis)
Steps6

Each axis is scaled against the longest example in the archive.

Soak—Ferment—Steam—Steps6

Ingredients

Idlis & coating batter

  • 4–5 idlis, quartered
  • 2 tbsp curd
  • 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
  • ½ tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
  • ½ tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tbsp rice flour
  • Oil for deep-frying

Tossing tempering

  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • ½ tsp fennel seeds
  • 4–5 garlic cloves, chopped fine
  • 1 inch ginger, chopped fine
  • 2–3 green chillies, slit
  • 3 tbsp curd
  • ½ tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
  • ¼ tsp turmeric
  • Salt to taste

Garnish

  • Fried curry leaves
  • 1–2 fried green chillies

Method

  1. 1.

    Whisk the coating batter (curd + paste + spices + rice flour); coat the idli quarters.

  2. 2.

    Deep-fry in batches until golden; set aside.

  3. 3.

    Heat sesame oil; splutter mustard seeds; add fennel, garlic and ginger.

  4. 4.

    After a minute, add curry leaves and green chillies.

  5. 5.

    Stir in the curd and the dry masalas - keep the heat low so the spices don't burn.

  6. 6.

    Toss the fried idlis through until well coated. Finish with the fried curry leaves and chilli.

Serve with

a wedge of lemonsliced onionscool coriander or mint chutney

Notes

The hallmark "Indian-Chinese" lurid red colour comes from the Kashmiri chilli; some versions add a few drops of red food colouring but it's optional.

Adapted from madscookhouse.com.