Rookie Pan
← All recipes
India, Asia · Idli with Coconut Chutney

Podi Idli Fries with Coconut Yogurt Dip

Idli cut like chips, brushed with ghee, oven-baked until crisp and tossed in a punchy, nutty podi spice powder you roast and grind fresh.

ServingsServes 2
Total cooking time25 min
DifficultyEasy
About servingsUse idli made with the Basic recipe. Idli chilled overnight are firmer, so they cut into neat sticks.

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan). Cut each idli into 4 or 5 sticks about 1.5 cm thick.

    Add in this stepIdli (chilled overnight) 6

  2. Put the chana dal and urad dal in a dry 18 cm pan over medium-low heat and stir constantly for . When they are evenly golden and smell nutty, add the dried chilies, curry leaves and sesame and toast for more, until the sesame starts to pop. Spread on a plate to cool completely, then grind with the salt to coarse sand to make the podi.

    Add in this stepChana dal (for the podi) 1½ tbspUrad dal (for the podi) 1½ tbspDried red chilies 3Curry leaves 6White sesame seeds 1½ tspSalt (for the podi) ½ tsp

    medium-low heat

  3. Mix the yogurt with the coconut, green chili, coriander, lime juice and salt to make the dip, and keep it in the fridge until serving.

    Add in this stepGreek yogurt 100 gGrated coconut 2 tbspGreen chili (finely chopped) ½Coriander leaves (chopped) 2 tbspLime juice 1 tspSalt (for the dip) 1 pinch

  4. Brush the idli sticks all over with melted ghee and spread them out on a tray lined with baking paper so they don't touch. This amount needs 1 tray(s). Bake in the oven at 220°C for , turning them once halfway (with 2 trays, also swap their shelves). They are done when the edges are deep golden and crisp.

    Add in this stepGhee (melted; or butter) 2 tbsp

    oven

  5. While they are still hot, tip them into a large bowl, sprinkle with the podi and toss to coat. The ghee on the surface makes the powder stick, so do it before they cool. Serve straight away with the dip.

Cook's tip

In an air fryer, cook at 200°C for 12 minutes, shaking once after 6. Leftover podi keeps for a month in an airtight jar and is also great mixed into rice with ghee. For less heat, shake the seeds out of the chilies.

Cooking it at camp

Make the podi and the dip at home. With no oven, fry the idli sticks in a pan with ghee over medium heat on the burner for 6 to 8 minutes, turning, until crisp. Keep the dip in the cool box.