Italian Idli

A couple of months back when I started writing recipes on Pasta and Paratha, Shivangi, a friend and also a follower on this blog asked me what to do with leftover Italian breadcrumbs. Now, I feel extremely flattered when someone asks me for a recipe or an opinion. And so this query by Shivangi set me thinking. I was toying with the idea of making Idli or Uttapam with bread crumbs but didn’t actually get to cooking it. It is when one of my favorite blogs (NOW SERVING) posted a recipe of an unusual kind of Idli that I remembered I had to live up to a friend’s expectation.

So here it goes, but before that, Thank you Shivangi for having enough faith in my recipes and Thank you Priya for reminding me of my promise (via your blog!).

Ingredients

Italian bread crumbs – 1 cup

Rava/semolina – ¾ cup

Yogurt – 1 cup

Baking soda – ½ tsp

Baking powder – a pinch

Dried parsley – 4 tsp

Salt and pepper

Oil – 4 tsp

Water – as needed

Combine bread crumbs, semolina and yogurt to make a paste. Use water as needed. Keep aside covered for 30 minutes.  Heat 2 tsp oil and 2 tsp water in a small skillet. Bring to a boil, turn the heat off and add baking soda and powder. Stir and empty the liquid in the paste made earlier with bread crumbs and semolina. Add dried parsley, salt and pepper and some water to form a batter.

Boil 4 cups of water in the Idli vessel or a large pot. Grease the Idli trays with remaining oil and fill with the batter. Sprinkle pepper on top of each Idli. Steam for about 15 minutes or so. Insert a knife and check; if it comes out clean, the Idlis are done.

Italian Idli tried and tasted by Shivangi

A note here about the final outcome. Shivangi sent me pictures of this recipe tried by her. Looks like her Italian Idlis turned out even better than mine, and I couldn’t be happier for it spells success for Pasta and Paratha.


Serving suggestions

·         With Ketchup/Olive oil

Tips

·         The ratio of breadcrumbs to Semolina can be half and half or 2:1 either ways. The texture of the Idli will come out different depending on that ratio, feel free to experiment!

 Interesting fact

·   The process of steaming originated in Indonesia and subsequently the cooking method inspired other regions giving rise to the modern day Idli.