Before delving deeper into the innovative features of Bread Idli, we might as well get into the minutiae of the regular idli (Rice Idli) which is made from rice flour mixed with urad dal, salt, fenugreek seeds and water. The mixture, however, is allowed to ferment prior to being steamed in specially built cooking vessel known as idli steamer.
While some people believe that idli originated in Indian soil, K.T. Acharya, the famed food historian, speculates that the modern-day idli might have originated in the region that is known as Indonesia, which has had a long tradition of fermented food items. According to him, cooks employed by the Hindu kings of the local kingdom may have invented the steamed idli there, and brought the recipe to India during the period 800-1200 CE. However, this concept is being questioned by modern food historians such as Lizzie Collingham, Kristen Gremillion, Raymond Grew, Makhdoom Al-Salaqi (Syria), Zahiruddin Afiyaab (Lebanon). References available at the Al-Azhar University Library in Cairo suggest that Arab traders in the southern belt brought in the idli when they married and settled down in those parts.
Regardless of who, when and how idli was made into a breakfast staple in many parts of India, everybody agrees that making idli is a long drawn out process, involving sorting, grinding, checking consistency, etc, apart from overnight fermenting and steaming. Bread idli, however, has now changed the scenario utterly and wholly.
According to Reshu Drolia, authentic Indian food writer-cum-chef who also owns cutting edge culinary website MINTRECIPES, Bread Idli is among some of the innovative recipes that is now replacing conventional Idli in Southern India primarily because the recipe itself is simpler and lesser time consuming. She has further simplified the process into following steps that are easy to understand and perform.
>> Get hold of a few bread slices and keep these aside after cutting these into round shape.
>> Boil potatoes; mash them, while adding onions, salt and red chilli powder together.
>> Heat oil in a small pan, add mustard seeds and as they crackle, add curry leaves and then pour the tempering into the curd kept ready earlier. Don’t forget to add garam masala at this stage.
>> Now, spread the potato mixture on one side of the bread pieces, while spreading the curd mixture on the other.
>> At this final stage, heat a non-stick tawa, spray some oil into it and then put the bread pieces on it with the curd side facing upward.
>> Cover and cook on slow flame till the potatoes turn red and the curd mixture gets absorbed within the bread.
Blow the whistle now and serve hot with your favourite chutney.
- 4 slices of white bread
- 2 big size boiled potatoes
- ¾ tsp Red chilly powder
- ¼ tsp Mango powder
- 1/2 tsp grated ginger
- 2 pieces of green chilly
- ¼ tsp Garam masala
- ¼ tsp Cumin powder
- Freshly chopped Coriander leaves
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp Oil
- 1 cup yogurt
- ½ tsp oil
- ½ tsp mustard seed
- Few sprig of curry leaves
- Chopped coriander leaves
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Put boiled potatoes in a bowl and mashed it properly. You can also grate the potatoes.
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Add all the spice powders-, Mango powder, Red chilly powder, Chopped green chilly, chopped ginger, Salt, Garam masala, cumin powder, Coriander leaves and mix until well combined. Potato mixture is ready.
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Keep a bowl under the strainer and strain the yogurt to make it smooth. If yogurt is very thick then add water to make medium thick. Yogurt should not be very thick or thin in consistency. Add salt to taste and red chilly powder. Mix it well. Yogurt mixture is ready.
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Cut bread slices into round shape with the help of katori.
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Take the potato mixture and apply it evenly on one side of roundel bread.
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Heat non- stick pan on medium heat and spread little oil in the pan.
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Once the pan gets little hot place the potato side of the bread on tawa and spread the yogurt mixture on other side of the bread.
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Cover with the lid and cook on low flame till the potatoes turn red and yogurt get absorbed with bread and become fluffy. It takes around 7-8 minutes to get cooked.
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Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seed, when mustard begins to crackle add curry leaves and coriander leaves, stir for a min.
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Uncovered the lid and take out the bread Idli in a serving plate.
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Pour the tempering on top of the bread Idli and serve hot.
You can also Garnish bread idli with tomato ketchup, tamarind chutney or Serve.
Other breakfast and snacks recipes you may like:
How to make Bread Idli:
Preparation of potato Mixture:
- Put boiled potatoes in a bowl and mashed it properly. You can also grate the potatoes.
- Add all the spice powders-, Mango powder, Red chilly powder, Chopped green chilly, chopped ginger, Salt, Garam masala, cumin powder, Coriander leaves and mix until well combined. Potato mixture is ready.
Preparation of yogurt mixture:
- Keep a bowl under the strainer and strain the yogurt to make it smooth.
- If yogurt is very thick then add water to make medium thick. Yogurt should not be very thick or thin in consistency. Add salt to taste and red chilly powder. Mix it well. Yogurt mixture is ready.
- Cut bread slices into round shape with the help of katori.
- Take the potato mixture and apply it evenly on one side of roundel bread.
- Heat non- stick pan on medium heat and spread little oil in the pan.
- Once the pan gets little hot place the potato side of the bread on tawa and spread the yogurt mixture on other side of the bread.
- Cover with the lid and cook on low flame till the potatoes turn red and yogurt get absorbed with bread and become fluffy. It takes around 7-8 minutes to get cooked.
Meanwhile let’s prepare the tempering.
- Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seed, when mustard begins to crackle add curry leaves and coriander leaves, stir for a min.
- Uncovered the lid and take out the bread Idli in a serving plate.
- Pour the tempering on top of the bread Idli and serve hot.
Note:
- You can also Garnish bread idli with tomato ketchup, tamarind chutney or Serve.
Reshu D says
Nice