Idli sandwich

There are days that I am bored with my cooking. Repeating the same dishes often gets mundane and I look to give them a twist just to make something appetizing. This was one such experiment I made for my breakfast. This morning as I was planning the day's breakfast and lunch, I decided that I would make just enough idlis for packing my husband's snack box and plan my breakfast later.
I steamed my idlis in small individual cups and made myself the sandwich idlis with some raw and some steamed vegetables filled in it.
You can use your own innovative ideas for the filling. I have used regular coconut chutney for spreading and the vegetables. Had I planned ahead, I could have added some sprouts and crumbled paneer to the vegetables and some interesting chutney. Nonetheless, this sandwich was delicious enough that I chose to share.
Ideally the idli batter that is a day old in the fridge works well. The fresh batter usually gives super soft idlis that may crumble when you cut in the cross section. Hence I use the batter on the third day after grinding for such experiments.

Ingredients: (makes two medium sandwiches/ serves one person)
3 big ladles full idli batter
Few drops of oil to grease the cups

For the filling:
1 tablespoon chutney of your choice (I have used coconut chutney)
2 tablespoons of freshly grated carrots
1 tablespoon steamed green peas coarsely mashed
1 tablespoon thinly sliced green bell pepper strips steamed
5 slices of tomato
salt to taste
2 teaspoons ghee for grilling

Method:
Grease two small bowls with oil.
Pour the idli batter into these until half filled.
Steam these in a steamer for about 7 minutes.
As the idlis are being steamed, prepare the filling. Mix slat to the vegetables and keep them ready.
Remove the cups from the steamer and allow to cool. Remove the steamed idlis from the cups.
Allow the idlis to cool completely. Using a sharp knife, slice the idlis in two sections.


Heat the ghee for grilling in a pan. place the idli sections and allow to be grilled or toasted for a few minutes. This step is entirely optional. You can avoid the ghee/oil and just enjoy plain sandwich idlis too.
If you are grilling, just do thus for one side of each section.
Spread a little quantity of chutney on one side of each slice.
Layer two of the sections with the vegetable filling.
Place the other two sections on top of the above.
Garnish with sliced tomato and coriander leaves and serve.




You may choose to make the colourful idlis and sandwich them as prepared above to just make it more interesting for kids.

Srivalli is hosting a Sandwich Mela where these idli sandwiches are being sent to her to be shared.