Idli manchurian is a delicious way to use leftover idlis. It is spicy and lightly sweet and sour in taste. This indo Chinese snack of idli manchurian is a fusion dish.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 10 minutes
  • Total time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 2
  • Category: Snacks, Starters
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 5 medium to large idlis
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1.5 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
  • 1 medium onion (- cut in small cubes or squares or 1/3 cup onion)
  • 1 small capsicum (or green bell pepper - cut in small cubes or squares or 1/3 cup)
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce ((naturally fermented))
  • ½ tablespoon sweet red chilli sauce (or tomato ketchup)
  • ½ tablespoon red chilli sauce (or sriracha sauce)
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder (or add as required)
  • salt (as required)
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves

Method

pan-frying idli

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a shallow frying pan or a tawa. Keep the flame to medium-low and place the idlis.
  2. When one side is crisp and golden, turn over the idlis and fry the second side.
  3. Fry the second side of the idlis also till they turn crisp and golden.
  4. Remove the pan fried idlis on kitchen paper towels. Let them cool a bit.
  5. When the idlis are slightly hot, then chop them in four parts. Keep aside.

making idli manchurian

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan or wok. Add finely chopped garlic, finely chopped ginger and green chilli (finely chopped).
  2. Sauté on low flame till the garlic starts turning light golden.
  3. Then add the chopped onions and capsicum. Mix and begin to sauté onions and capsicum on a medium-low to medium flame stirring often.
  4. Sauté till to you see the edges of both the onion and capsicum lightly golden with some blisters on them.
  5. Keep the flame to a low and then add 1 tablespoon soy sauce (naturally fermented).
  6. Immediately add ½ tablespoon red chilli sauce or sriracha sauce.
  7. Then add ½ tablespoon sweet red chilli sauce or tomato ketchup. mix very well.
  8. Then add ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder.
  9. Add salt as required and mix again. Do add less salt as the sauces already have salt in them. mix very well.
  10. Then add the pan-fried idlis. Mix well so that the sauces coat the idlis. Then switch off the flame.
  11. Lastly add 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves. Mix again.
  12. Serve idli manchurian hot or warm as a snack.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.