Stuffed idli is a tasty, creative variation of the classic South Indian breakfast staple, idli. The traditional idli is prepared from a fermented batter made of rice and urad dal, steamed into soft, spongy cakes. By adding flavors to the inside of the idli, stuffed idli elevates the popular dish to another level because of the burst of taste and texture with every bite. After that, one can make several types of fillings according to his own choice. The popular fillings include spiced mashed potatoes, saut ed carrots, peas, and onions. Some people even put a mixture of paneer and herbs as fillings. The stuffing is put inside the idli batter, which steams, allowing the flavors to mingle while the dish cooks. The wide range of tastes can be appealing to the 'stuffed idli recipe'. For the people who are fond of a salty dish, the vegetable or potato fillings would go just well. And if one wants to have a sweeter version, then grating coconut and jaggery could be used as fillings. This flexibility makes stuffed idli ideal for both breakfast and snacks and even a light lunch. The stuffed idlis are mostly accompanied by coconut chutney, sambar, or spicy tomato chutney, and the combination proves to be an absolute delight for the senses. The stuffed idli not only is more delicious but also nutritious, making it ideal to be served at all wholesome meals, traditional favorites, or modern affairs.

• 11/2 cup sooji
• 4 tsp cooking oil
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chana dal
• 1 pinch hing
• Curry leaves
• 1/2 onion
• 2 chilli
• 1/2 tsp ginger paste
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 potato
• 2 tbsp coriander leaves
• ¾ cup curd
• 1/2 tsp eno

• Stuffed idli is an innovative variation of the classic South Indian dish where soft and fluffy idlis get stuffed with a flavored aloo masala filling.
• To prepare the aloo masala filling, heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a pan over medium heat.
• Once the oil is hot, add 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds.
• The mustard seeds will splutter after some time.
• Thereafter add 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds and 1 teaspoon of chana dal (split chickpeas), and fry until they turn slightly golden.
• Add a pinch of hing or asafoetida, along with some curry leaves, to the mixture and allow the spices to bloom in their aroma.
• Then, add 1/2 finely chopped onion and saut until it turns translucent.
• Stir in 2 finely chopped green chilies and 1/2 teaspoon of ginger paste and cook for another minute for its flavors to be released.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the pan, too. Mix well.
• Add 3 boiled and grated potatoes to the pan.
• Stir the mixture well, ensuring that the potatoes are well coated by the spices.
• Finally, add 2 tablespoons of finely chopped coriander leaves.
• The aloo masala filling is now ready.
• Set aside and cool slightly before using this as the stuffing for the idlis.
• To prepare the sooji batter, start heating 2 teaspoons of oil in a pan. Then add 11/2 cups of sooji to it. Dry roast on low heat, frequently stirring it, until the sooji turns light golden with a nice aroma.
• Do not burn it. After roasting the sooji, remove it from the pan and let it cool.
• In a mixing bowl, put the roasted sooji along with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, ¾ cup of curd, and 1 cup of water.
• Stir until the ingredients are well incorporated to give a smooth batter.
• Now, allow the batter to rest for about 15 minutes.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon of eno (fruit salt) to the batter.
• Mix it gently.
• Now the idli batter is ready for steaming.
• Grease the idli moulds a little with oil. Add a spoonful of the sooji idli batter to every mold to make a bed layer.
• Next, take a small portion of aloo masala and put that into the middle of every mould.
• Top it up with another spoonful of the sooji idli batter, completely covering the aloo masala.
• Put the idli stand in a steamer and steam the idlis for about 10-12 minutes or till a toothpick inserted into the idlis comes out clean.
• Once done, remove the idli stand from the steamer and let the idlis cool a bit before removing them from the moulds.
• Serve the stuffed idlis hot with coconut chutney and sambar for a complete South Indian meal.