Choice of raw vegetables are finely chopped and cooked in oil and added to the Idli batter. Fried vegetable dlis are steamed till soft and fluffy and can be served with any chutney of your choice.

Makes: around 8 Fried Vegetable Idli. Ingredients: 1/2 Cup Idli Rawa 1 Cup Onion 1/2 Small Tomato 1 Small Green 2 Tbsps Red 1 Tbsp Yellow 1 Tbsp few Sprigs Green Chiles 1 Peas 2 Tbsps a big Pinch Salt to taste Oil 1 Tbsp Ghee a Dollop Method of preparation: Peel the onion.

Wash the bell pepper, tomato and cilantro. Remove stems, wash and finely chop the green chiles.

Finely chop the tomato, onion, bell peppers and cilantro. Soak urad dal in water for 3 ? 4 hours.

Soak idli rawa in water for around half an hour. Grind the urad dal into smooth paste and remove onto a mixing bowl.

Squeeze out most of the water from the idli rawa and add the idli rawa to the urad dal paste. Mix thoroughly and add few tbsps of water if the mixture is too thick.

Leave the batter aside and let the batter ferment for atleast 2 ? 3 hours. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and fry for few seconds.

Then add the chopped onion, green chiles, bell peppers, peas and tomato in to the pan. Cook for around 2 – 4 minutes until all the vegetables are cooked.

Remove from heat and cool the mixture to room temperature. In a mixing bowl, mix together idli batter, cooked mixture and salt if necessary.

Grease the idly moulds with little ghee. Pour around 3 – 4 tablespoons of the prepared vegetable idli batter into each mould.

Steam the idly for 8 ? 10 minutes and remove from heat. Let the idlis stand outside for couple of minutes before removing the idlis from idli moulds.

Apply a drop of ghee to each idli to avoid drying before serving. Serve fried vegetable idli with coconut chutney or any spicy chutney of your choice.

Notes: Refrigerate any remaining batter for next time. Suggestions: If the idli is still wet inside, steam them for couple more minutes and let them stand for few minutes outside.

Variations: Add your choice of vegetables to the oil if desired. Other Names: Fried Vegetable Idli (less)

Add spinach and cook open only for 3 minutes.Turn off the heat.

Add all other veggies, coriander powder and rice,mix it well. Add salt and parsley.

Tastes great and very healthy.You can add some other raw veggies like tomato pieces,grated cucumber,grated radish,lettuce and green peas.

RELATED RECIPES Tur dal rice Chinese chicken and prawns combo curry Kuska biryani Flax masala rice Carrot rice Ingredients: rice-1 cup grated carrots-1 cup sprouts-1 cup spinach-1cup coriander powder-half tea spoon ginger garlic paste-1tsp green chilli-1big chinese salt-half tsp(optional) salt-half tsp parsley-half cup oil-3tsp (less)

Reduce heat and add chicken with soy sauce and broth. Simmer, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes or until rice is tender.

Remove cover for last few minutes. Stir in onion, green pepper and celery.

Cook, uncovered, over medium heat until liquid is absorbed. Push rice mixture to side of skillet and add eggs.

Cook until almost set, and then blend into rice. Stir in lettuce and serve at once.

Image: Flickr/creativecommons patrickwoodward RELATED RECIPES Steamed rice balls Tur dal rice Chinese chicken and prawns combo curry Kuska biryani Flax masala rice Ingredients: 1 cup chicken, diced and cooked 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 cup long grain rice, uncooked 1/3 cup salad oil 2 1/2 cup chicken broth 2 1/2 cup onion, coarsely chopped 1/4 cup green pepper, finely chopped 1/4 cup celery, thinly sliced 2 eggs, slightly beaten 1 cup lettuce, finely shredded (less)

Now heat a pan with oil and add sliced onion, and saute for a minute then add, cabbage, carrots to it. Increase the flame and cook for about 2 minutes.

Add capsicum, cooked noodles to it and give a quick stir. Then add soy sauce, pepper powder, vinegar, chilli sauce, and saute well so that the sauces and powder coat the noodles well.

Finally, add the spring onions. Serve hot.

Recipe courtesy: Pachanti RELATED RECIPES Muli paneer paratha Carrot halwa Elaneer payasam Mango chamandi Inji tengai thair pachadi Ingredients: 125g - noodles 4 tbsp - oil 1 - onion (sliced) 2 tbsp - cabbage (cut in to very thin strips/julienne) 2 tbsp - carrot, julienned 2 tbsp - capsicum, julienned 3/4 tbsp - soy sauce 1/4 tsp - white pepper powder 1 tsp - vinegar 1 tsp - chili sauce 1/2 stalk - spring onion (finely cut) (less)

is added to the fried garlic as a finishing step. Serve tindora fry with garlic powder over plain steamed rice and dollop of ghee.

Makes: around 4 Servings of Fry with Garlic Powder. Ingredients: 20 – 25 app 1 Tbsp 1 2 inch Piece Salt to Taste Oil 1 Tbsp Method of preparation: Wash, remove ends and slice the tindora.

Heat oil in a pan, add sliced tindora. Fry for a minute, cook covered on medium flame along with tamarind for around 5 minutes.

Uncover and fry till tindora is cooked and turns brown around edges. Once tindora is fried, remove from heat and stir in garlic powder and salt.

Serve tindora fry with garlic powder over plain steamed rice and dollop of ghee. Notes: Make sure to fry the tindora well.

Suggestions: Adjust spice with garlic powder. Variations: You can also chop the tindora into circles.

Other Names: Fry with Garlic Powder (less)

Now add green chillies, ginger, garlic and capsicum. Fry for 1-2 minutes.

Add, the soy sauce, chilli sauce, tomato sauce, chilli powder, food colour and saute for a few seconds. Now add the fried paneer and mix it well with Chinese salt, normal salt and pepper.

Serve hot with fried rice or noodles. RELATED RECIPES Sun Dried Curd Chillies Hyderbadi Mirchi Ka Salan Paneer masala khichdi Shahi Paneer Garlic paneer starters Ingredients: 10 to 15 cubes paneer (fried) 1 - capsicum (big), cut lengthwise 1 - onion (big), chop lengthwise 3 - green chillies 1 tbsp - chilli sauce 2-3 tbsp - tomato Ketchup 1 tbsp - soy sauce 1/2 chopped - ginger 1-2 pods garlic, chopped 1 tsp - chilli powder Salt to taste Oil, enough to fry the paneer 1/2 tsp - Chinese salt 1/2 tsp - pepper Salt to taste 1/2 tsp - food colour (less)

Add coconut milk. Stir and simmer for few minutes.

Switch off the flame and allow mixture to cool Mix in the elaneer water and pulp mixture, and chill. Serve chilled, garnished with fried raisins and cashews.

Note: The dish tastes great even without the optional flavours, as you simply get yummy Elaneer flavour. Recipe courtesy: Chitra Amma's Kitchen RELATED RECIPES Microwave aval payasam Pasi paruppu payasam Semiya payasam Mambazha payasam (Mango kheer) Microwave Vermicelli Payasam Ingredients: 2 cups - full cream milk 1/2 cup - thick coconut milk 1.

5 tbsp - condensed milk Elaneer (tender coconut) with flesh puree in a mixer Optional flavourings and garnish 1/2 tsp - cardamom powder Saffron, a few strands A few raisins and cashews fried in ghee (less)

Add coconut milk. Stir and simmer for few minutes.

Switch off the flame and allow mixture to cool Mix in the elaneer water and pulp mixture, and chill. Serve chilled, garnished with fried raisins and cashews.

Note: The dish tastes great even without the optional flavours, as you simply get yummy Elaneer flavour. Recipe courtesy: Chitra Amma's Kitchen RELATED RECIPES Microwave aval payasam Pasi paruppu payasam Semiya payasam Mambazha payasam (Mango kheer) Microwave Vermicelli Payasam Ingredients: 2 cups - full cream milk 1/2 cup - thick coconut milk 1.

5 tbsp - condensed milk Elaneer (tender coconut) with flesh puree in a mixer Optional flavourings and garnish 1/2 tsp - cardamom powder Saffron, a few strands A few raisins and cashews fried in ghee (less)