Name: Lunch Box Recipes-Stuffed Idli and Uttapam
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 3 medium sized boiled potatoes; 1 medium sized onion (finely chopped); 1 tsp. crushed ginger; 1/4 tsp. Cumin seeds; 1/4 tsp. Mustard seeds; 1/4 tsp. Urad Dal; 1/4 tsp. Hing or Asafoetida; 1 dried red chilli; 5-6 broken cashew nuts; 5-6 curry leaves; 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder; Fresh lime juice (to taste); 2 tbsp. chopped coriander leaves; 2-3 chopped green chillies; Salt (to taste)

Instructions

Aloo masala stuffing

I’m using three boiled potatoes. Mash or cut the potatoes into small pieces.

Set a pan on medium heat and add approximately two to three tablespoons of oil
To that, add a quarter teaspoon of cumin seeds, a quarter teaspoon of mustard seeds, and a quarter teaspoon of urad dal or black gram
Next add one dried red chilli and add approximately a quarter teaspoon of hing or asafoetida

Add five to six cashew nuts (broken in small pieces), five to six curry leaves (that you should tear in small pieces because you don’t want a big curry leaf inside your idli when you bite into it)
Stir fry this till the cashew nuts turn a nice golden brown in color. It should take approximately 30 seconds
Next add 1 medium sized onion (finely chopped) and 1 teaspoon of crushed ginger

Stir fry this till the onions get slightly translucent. It should take approximately a minute
Next add finely chopped green chillies (2-3)
Add in all the boiled potatoes along with half a teaspoon of turmeric powder and add salt to taste

Stir fry this till the potatoes brown a little, for approximately two to three minutes
Next if you want the masala to taste nice and vibrant, drench it with fresh lime juice
Next make sure to mash the potatoes really well so it’s a nice smooth mixture

Give it a quick stir after mashing it and add salt if needed
Garnish with lots and lots of coriander leaves and we are ready to cool the mixture down completely

Stuffed Idlis

Once the aloo masala has cooled down, make little discs. Make sure that they are nice and flat and approximately an inch and a half in diameter

Grease your idli moulds and add one tablespoon idli batter in each
Place the aloo discs gently. Cover this up with approximately another tablespoon of idli batter (make sure to spread the batter nicely with the spoon so it completely covers the aloo masala.
Try not to make this very thick and high if not it’s going to stick to the next plate of idli over it)

Steam the idlis just like you normally do. It should take approximately 10 to 12 minutes

Stuffed Uttapam

Set a pan on medium heat and spread as much idli batter as you like
Wait till the pan heats and it solidifies a little bit, but while it’s still wet on top add a thin layer of aloo masala. Make sure to press it down with a spoon gently and then cover it up with a little more of idli batter