Have leftover idli or dosa batter?
And also maybe extra keema on hand?
Ronjita Kulkarni shows you how to make the most delicious Keema-Stuffed Mini Idlis that are a favourite in the Kulkarni home. And why not? Soft, bite-sized baby idlis are layered with a spiced minced meat mixture as they steam and the result is a delightful north-South fusion teatime treat.
Her keema does not use tomatoes and she opts for tomato ketchup as a time saver and for its special tang.
Kindly note the image has been posted only for representational purposes. Photograph: Kind courtesy: Kalaiselvi Murugesan/Wikimedia Commons
Keema-Stuffed Mini Idlis
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients
- 500 gm dosa/idli batter (store-bought will do fine)
- 500 gm mutton keema
- 2 tbsp oil + extra for greasing the idli moulds
- 3-4 pods garlic, chopped
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 2-3 green chillies, cut lengthwise
- ½ tsp haldi or turmeric
- ½ tsp chilly powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- Salt to taste, about 1 tbsp
- Generous splash tomato ketchup
Method
For the keema:
- Heat the oil in a saucepan or a kadhai over medium heat.
Add in the chopped garlic and fry a few minutes until fragrant.
Then add the chopped onion and the split green chillies.
Saute until the onion changes colour.
Now add the keema and fry for a few minutes.
Next add the haldi, chilly powder, garam masala, salt.
- Cook until the keema is almost done.
Finally add the tomato ketchup and cook a few minutes more and then take off heat.
- Alternatively, you can use a chopped fresh tomato instead of ketchup, if you prefer.
Keep the keema aside.
Stuffing:
- Grease the mini idli moulds with a little oil.
Pour a small amount of dosa batter into each mould.
Add 1-2 tsp of the cooked keema.
Cover with a little more dosa batter.
- Place the filled idli mould stand in an idli steamer and steam until cooked through, about 5-8 minutes.
Carefully ease the stuffed idlis out of the moulds, transfer to a container and keep warm.
Repeat for the rest of the batter and the keema.
Serve warm with chutney or sauce or any gravy dish.
Ronjita's Note: Don't skip the step where the onions are fried with the keema. An Irani owner, who serves delicious Keema Pav in his Irani cafe, once told me that onions fried with just keema, and no other masalas, gives the dish a very good taste.