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Idli upma
Crumbled idli stir-fry
இட்லி உப்புமா: yesterday's idlis crumbled into a mustard, curry leaf and onion tempering, a Tamil breakfast that wastes nothing
Tamil households steam more idlis than anyone can eat, and next morning the cold leftovers become idli upma, sometimes called idli podi upma or uthiri idli. They are crumbled by hand and tossed in sesame or coconut oil with mustard seeds, two dals, curry leaves, onion and green chilli, so they turn fluffy and savoury, with crunchy bits of dal. It is ready in fifteen minutes and goes into school boxes in Chennai and Coimbatore with a spoon of coconut chutney or a sprinkle of idli podi. The common mistake is crumbling warm, freshly steamed idlis, which mash into a paste; they must be cold, ideally straight from the fridge. Chef's tip: go easy on salt, as the idlis are already seasoned.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
For the upma
- 8 leftover idliscold, crumbled by hand
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds
- 1 tsp urad dal
- 1 tsp chana dal
- 10 curry leaves
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 2 green chilliesfinely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh gingerfinely chopped
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp salttaste first
To finish
- ⅓ oz fresh corianderchopped
- 2 tsp lemon juice (optional)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Crumble 8 leftover idlis between your fingers into coarse crumbs.
3 minStep 2: Heat 2 tbsp gingelly (sesame) oil or coconut oil in a kadai over medium heat. Add 1 tsp black mustard seeds and, when it splutters, 1 tsp urad dal and 1 tsp chana dal. Fry for 1 minute until golden.
2 minStep 3: Add 10 curry leaves and ¼ tsp gluten-free asafoetida (hing), then 1 onion, 2 green chillies and 1 tsp fresh ginger. Cook for 3 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
3 minStep 4: Add ¼ tsp ground turmeric and the crumbled idlis and toss on low heat for 2–3 minutes until hot and evenly yellow. Taste and add ¼ tsp salt only if needed.
3 minStep 5: Stir in ⅓ oz fresh coriander and 2 tsp lemon juice and serve warm.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 250 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does idli upma take?
- About 15 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of black mustard seeds?
- Cumin seeds, same amount (different flavour, same crackle).
- What can I use instead of curry leaves?
- Leave them out, or add a strip of lime zest (there's no true substitute).
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