Chef Sanjeev Kapoor shares a tasty guide of his favourite Idli variations: How many of these have you tried

Idli is not just a South Indian dish; it's soft discs of comfort. When dipped in spicy sambar and layered with coconut chutney, it offers satiation and nutrition too. While the dish belongs to South India, it has now become an Indian dish, which is celebrated in all parts of the country. Celebrating the versatility and diversity of the dish, celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor recently shared a list of his favorite variations of this steamed delight. Scroll down to read his recipes and give them a try.

Ingredients: 1 cup foxtail millet, 1/2 cup split skinless black gram, 1 tsp fenugreek seeds, salt to taste, oil for brushing, and coconut chutney to serve
Method: Soak the millet, black gram, and fenugreek seeds overnight. Next morning blend them into a fine paste along with 3/4 cup water and grind to a fine paste. Transfer into a large bowl and set aside for 6-8 hours to ferment. Once fermented, add salt and mix well. Heat sufficient water in a steamer. Brush some oil into each cavity of the idli mould. Pour a ladleful of the batter into each cavity and place it in the steamer and steam for 10-12 minutes. Once done, serve hot with coconut chutney and sambar.

Ingredients: 8-10 cashews, 1½ cups semolina, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 2 green chillies, 2-3 tbsps coriander leaves, salt to taste, 1 tsp black pepper, 10-15 curry leaves, 1 cup yogurt, 4 tbsps ghee, and 1 tsp mustard seeds
Method: First of all, take semolina in a bowl and add cumin seeds, green chillies, coriander, salt, crushed peppercorns, curry leaves, yogurt and 2 cups water and mix well. Add cashews and mix well again. Now, heat 2 tbsps ghee in a small pan. Add mustard seeds and once they start to splutter, add chopped cashew nuts and cook till golden brown. Add this tempering to the semolina mixture and mix well. Set aside for 10-15 minutes. Heat remaining ghee in a small pan. Add halved cashews and cook till golden brown. Heat sufficient water in a steamer. Pour the prepared batter in jackfruit leaves cups and place one cashew half on each cup. Place the cups in the steamer and steam for 10-15 minute and serve hot with chutney of your choice.

Ingredients: 6-8 idlis, 1/2 cup corn starch, 1 tbsp parsley leaves, salt to taste, oil for frying, 2 tsps onion powder, 1 tbsp red chilli powder, ½ tsp crushed black peppercorns, 2 tsps garlic powder, 1 tsp mixed dried herbs, and salt to taste
Method: To make the spice mix, put onion powder in a mortar. Add chilli powder, crushed black peppercorns, garlic powder, mixed dried herbs and salt and crush well with a pestle. Cut the idlis into wedges. Add corn flour in a bowl, add parsley, salt and ½ cup water. Add the idlis and mix well. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Slide the idli wedges into the hot oil and deep fry till golden brown and crisp. Drain on an absorbent paper and transfer it in a bowl. Sprinkle the prepared spice mix on top and toss well. Serve hot.

Ingredients: 6-8 idlis, 1 cup mix boiled sprouts, 4 tablespoons oil, 2 tsp mustard seeds, ¼ tsp asafoetida, 6-8 curry leaves, 1 large onion, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 1 large tomato, 2 tbsp Kolhapuri kanda lasun masala, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, salt to taste, 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves, farsan for topping, 2 tbsp onion, 2 lemon wedges, 2 tbsp anardana, and 2 tsp coriander leaves
Method: Heat ghee in a non-stick pan. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add curry leaves and let it crackle, add asafoetida and sauté for a minute. Add chopped onion and sauté until golden brown. Add ginger garlic paste, tomato, salt green chillies and sauté on medium heat for 2 minutes. Add ¼ tsp turmeric powder,1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 ½ tbsps kolhapuri kanda lasun masala and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add water and cook till oil separates. Add 1 ½ cup boil mix sprouts and add 2 cups water and adjust salt, lemon juice and mix well. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Add coriander and mix well and take the pan off the heat. Place idli on a serving plate and pour sprouts mixture on it, top it with some farsan and pomegranate. Garnish with coriander leaves and lemon wedge and serve hot .

Ingredients: 10-12 idlis, oil for deep frying, 1 tsp red chilli powder, black salt to taste, 1 tsp chaat masala, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1/2 tsp sandwich masala, ½ tsp dried mango powder (amchur), 4 tbsps melted butter, 2 tbsps chopped fresh coriander leaves, red chilli flakes, 2 tsps lemon juice, 2 tbsp sweetened yogurt, 2 tbsp date and tamarind chutney, 2 tbsp green chutney, 2 tbsp sev, 1 tsp masala dal, 2 tbsp masala peanuts, and 2 tbsp fresh pomegranate pearls for sprinkling
Method: First of all, quarter the idlis. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Gently slide in the idli quarters and deep fry till golden and crisp. Drain on an absorbent paper. Transfer in a large bowl, add red chilli powder, black salt, chaat masala, cumin powder, sandwich masala, dried mango powder, melted butter and coriander leaves and toss well. Sprinkle red chilli flakes and drizzle lemon juice and mix till well combined. Transfer on to a serving plate. Drizzle sweetened yogurt, date and tamarind chutney, green chutney, sprinkle sev, masala dal, masala peanuts, fresh pomegranate pearls and coriander leaves. Serve fresh.

Ingredients: 1 cup finely grated pumpkin, 1 cup semolina, 1 tbsp Bengal gram, 2-3 green chillies, 1 tbsp coriander leaves, 2 tbsps scraped fresh coconut, 1½ tsps cumin seeds, 1 tsp black peppercorns, salt to taste, and 1½ tsps fruit salt
Method: Take semolina in a large bowl, add water and wash it 1-2 times. Add sufficient water and set aside to soak for 1 hour. Add Bengal gram in another bowl, add water and wash for 1-2 times. Add sufficient water and set aside to soak for 1 hour. Transfer the soaked semolina and soaked Bengal gram in another large bowl. Add the grated pumpkin, green chillies, coriander leaves, coconut, cumin seeds, coarsely crushed black peppercorns and salt and mix till well combined. Sprinkle fruit salt and mix well. Heat sufficient water in a steamer. Pour the batter into each mould and place it in the steamer. Steam for 10-15 minutes and serve hot with coconut chutney.

Ingredients: 1 cup kolum rice, 1/2 cup split skinless black gram (urad dal), ½ cup thin pressed rice, and salt to taste
Method: In a stone grinder, add rice, urad dal and soaked thin pressed rice and ½ cup water and grind to a coarse batter. Transfer the batter into a bowl and ferment for 8-10 hours. Add salt into the batter and mix well. Transfer the mixture into a greased thali. Heat sufficient water in a steamer and place the thali in it and steam for 10-12 minutes. Take the thali out and let it cool slightly. Gently pass the knife around the edges and de-mould. Serve hot with coconut chutney, sambhar and drizzle melted ghee on top of the idli and sprinkle gun powder.

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