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Fried idli tossed in curry leaves and South Indian spices, served in a bowl

Fried Idli Recipe | Masala Idli Fry

Fried idli or masala idli fry turns leftover idlis into a crisp, chatpata South Indian snack tossed in curry leaves, garlic & crushed spices.
4.74 from 69 votes

Recipe Info

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 2
Category Snacks
Cuisine Indian

Nutrition

Calories: 179kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 8g

Ingredients For Fried Idli Recipe | Masala Idli Fry
 

  • 5-6 Idlis
  • 20-25 Curry Leaves
  • 4-5 Whole Dried Red Chillies
  • 3-4 Garlic Cloves
  • 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
  • 1 Teaspoon Black Peppercorn (Sabut Kali Mirch)
  • 1 Teaspoon Rai (Black Mustard Seeds)
  • 1 Teaspoon Urad Dal (Split & Skinned Black Gram Lentils)
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Sambar Masala
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Amchur (Dry Mango Powder)
  • 1 Tablespoon Cooking Oil

Step By Step Instructions for Fried Idli Recipe | Masala Idli Fry
 

  1. Gather some dried red chillies, curry leaves, cumin seeds, garlic cloves and black peppercorn.
    20-25 Curry Leaves, 4-5 Whole Dried Red Chillies, 3-4 Garlic Cloves, 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds (Jeera), 1 Teaspoon Black Peppercorn (Sabut Kali Mirch)
    Dried red chillies, curry leaves, cumin seeds, garlic cloves and black peppercorns gathered for the spice paste
  2. Add the ingredients to a blender and grind them coarsely.
    Whole spices, garlic and curry leaves ground coarsely in a blender
  3. Gather the idlis. Leftover idlis works best since they are less crumbly. If you are using fresh made idlis, then you can refrigerate them for 30 mins before using.
    5-6 Idlis
    Leftover idlis taken out of the fridge, ready to be cut
  4. Cut the idlis into bite sized pieces.
    Idlis cut into bite sized pieces on a board
  5. Heat oil in a pan and fry the idlis till they are crispy and light brown in color. Traditionally the idlis are deep fried, but I have just shallow fried for a healthier version. You can also bake the idlis instead. Set the fried idlis aside.
    Idli pieces shallow fried in a pan until crisp and light brown
  6. In the same pan, add some black mustard seeds (rai) and urad dal.
    1 Teaspoon Rai (Black Mustard Seeds), 1 Teaspoon Urad Dal (Split & Skinned Black Gram Lentils)
    Black mustard seeds and urad dal spluttering in the hot pan
  7. Add a few curry leaves. This is optional, and you can skip adding them here since they are already in the spice blend we prepared earlier.
    Fresh curry leaves added to the tempering
  8. Now add the spice mixture prepared earlier and fry for a few seconds.
    The coarse spice paste added to the pan and fried for a few seconds
  9. Then add the fried idlis to the pan.
    Crisp fried idli pieces added back into the pan with the tempering
  10. Add salt, sambar masala and amchur. Toss the idlis in the masala mixture to coat them evenly.
    1/2 Teaspoon Salt, 1/2 Teaspoon Sambar Masala, 1/2 Teaspoon Amchur (Dry Mango Powder)
    Salt, sambar masala and amchur added, and the idlis tossed to coat evenly
  11. Fried Idlis are ready. If you want you can sprinkle a pinch of chaat masala on the top before serving.
    Fried idli tossed in curry leaves and South Indian spices, served in a bowl