Chilli Idli

Chinese influence on Indian food is indeed immense. Chinese cuisine in India is believed to have been developed by a small Kolkata Chinese community who are living there for over a century and are gradually widespread in major cities of India.  
However, the original Chinese cuisine witnessed a number of changes to gain its Indianized version. The Chinese influence on Indian food gave birth to a whole new facet in Indian cuisine popular as the Indian Chinese Cuisine.The Indian Chinese cuisine therefore stands as the adaptation of Chinese seasoning and cooking techniques to Indian tastes

The most traditional Idli, parotta and other dishes take a new avatar as chilli idli or chilli parotta. In most south Indian restaurants it is common to find Indian Chinese names to the most common south Indian Dishes.

Today`s recipe is the ever famous chilli Idli with a contemporary touch of hot & tangy taste of Indian Chinese cuisine.

  

Ingredients:

1. 4 idlis cut into small cubes
2. 1/4 cup finely chopped onions
3. 1/2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
4. 4 green chillies slit
5. 2 tomatoes pureed or 2 tablespoon tomato sauce
6. 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
7. 2 tablespoon soy sauce
8. few curry leaves
9. few finely chopped spring onions ( green part )
10. 4 tablespoon oil

Procedure:

1. Heat oil in a kadai/pan. Sauté the onions until light brown in color. To this add the ginger garlic paste, green chillies and curry leaves. Sauté this for a few seconds.
2. Now add the pureed tomatoes and chilli powder( make a paste of the tomatoes without adding water in a blender ). Stir occasionally until the sauce thickens and the oil separates.
3. To this add the soy sauce and the cut  idlis.
4. Mix well until the masala coats the idlis. Stir carefully so as not to break them.
5. Garnish with cilantro and spring onions.

Serve hot as an appetizer or main course. The above measurements serves two.