Spot Idli Recipe (Hyderabadi Street Style)
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Spot Idli is a popular Hyderabadi street-style recipe in which idli batter is poured over a spicy tomato onion masala and steamed. Try my easy recipe here.
Here are a few more Hyderabadi recipes that you may like: Hyderabadi Masoor Ki Khatti Dal, Bhindi Ka Salan, and Bagara Rice.
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We went to Hyderabad 2 years back as our son was presenting a paper at a conference there. Apart from attending the event, we also made sure to try out the local food, which is very popular worldwide.
From Hyderabadi biryanis to Sulaimani chai to baingan ka khatta, we tried many regional dishes. These spot idlis were served at the hotel breakfast, and we just loved the way they were prepared. Here is my take on this Hyderabadi-style recipe.
What Is Spot Idli?
Spot Idli is nothing but idli batter poured over a spicy onion-tomato masala and cooked.
It is a popular street food sold in Hyderabad. You will find many street vendors and roadside stalls selling this delicious snack. It is also served at many posh restaurants these days.
This spot idli recipe will help you turn plain idli batter into a smoky, spicy, and totally addictive street-style snack in just 15 minutes. No idli stand. No steamer. No long fermentation wait. Just one tawa, a spicy masala base, and a ladle of batter.
Serve it with coconut chutney, tomato-onion chutney, or any other South Indian chutney you prefer. A cup of South Indian filter coffee or masala chai pairs well with it.
Ingredients
- Idli Batter – You can use either homemade or store-bought Idli batter.
- Idli Podi – I like to make Idli Podi at home, but you can also use store-bought. You can experiment with other podi recipes, such as Karivepaku Podi or Andhra Style Peanut Chutney Powder.
- Butter & Oil – I use a mix of butter and oil for the recipe, since that’s how I saw the street vendor make it.
- Others – You will also need onions, green chilies, fresh tomatoes, curry leaves, fresh ginger, garlic, Kashmiri red chili powder, and cilantro (fresh coriander leaves). Adjust the green chilies and red chili powder to suit your taste.
Take your fermented idli batter out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. The consistency should be like thick pancake batter. If it feels too thick, add a tablespoon of water at a time until it pours smoothly off a ladle.
How To Make Spot Idli
Step 1: Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Step 2: Add the following ingredients once the butter is melted, and sauté for 2 minutes.
- ½ cup chopped onions
- 2 teaspoon finely chopped green chilies
- ½ cup finely chopped tomatoes
- 10-12 curry leaves
- 2 teaspoon finely chopped ginger,
- 2 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
Step 3: Add the following ingredients and sauté for 30-40 seconds.
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 2 tablespoon idli podi
- 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Taste the masala and add salt if needed. My idli podi already had salt, so I didn’t add any extra.
Step 4: Divide the masala into four equal parts and place the mounds in opposite corners of the pan. Leave a little gap between each mound so the idlis don’t merge.
Step 5: Pour 2-3 tablespoon of room-temperature idli batter over each masala mound. The batter will spread slightly and begin to form small bubbles.
Step 6: Reduce the heat to medium. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the batter is lightly set on top. The bottom will turn golden brown and slightly crisp.
Step 7: Remove the lid and flip the mounds using a large, flat ladle or a silicone spatula. The masala side should now be facing up. Cook uncovered for another 2 minutes to crisp up the edges.
Step 8: Remove to a serving plate. Drizzle a little ghee on top and serve immediately.
Variations
- Cheese spot idli: Sprinkle grated mozzarella before covering.
- Schezwan spot idli: Skip the podi and add 1 tablespoon schezwan sauce to the masala for an Indo-Chinese twist. Pair it with hakka noodles for a fusion thali.
- Vegetable spot idli: Add finely chopped capsicum, carrots, or grated beetroot to the masala.
- Garlic spot idli: Add 4 to 5 finely chopped garlic cloves with the onions.
- Peanut spot idli: Replace idli podi with peanut podi or karivepaku podi.
Other Indian Snack Recipes We Recommend
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Spot Idli Recipe (Hyderabadi Street Style)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter (salted or unsalted)
- 2 tablespoons oil
- ½ cup chopped onions
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped green chilies
- ½ cup finely chopped tomatoes
- 10-12 curry leaves
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 2 tablespoons idli podi (at room-temperature)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)
- 1 cup idli batter
Instructions
- Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Once the butter is melted, add onions, green chilies, tomatoes, curry leaves, ginger, and garlic, and saute for 2 minutes.
- Add chili powder, idli podi, and cilantro, and saute for 30-40 seconds.
- Divide the masala into four equal parts and place the mounds in opposite corners of the pan. Leave a little gap between each mound so the idlis don’t merge.
- Pour 2-3 tablespoon of room-temperature idli batter over each masala mound. The batter will spread slightly and begin to form small bubbles.
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the batter is lightly set on top. The bottom will turn golden brown and slightly crisp.
- Remove the lid and flip the mounds using a large, flat ladle or a silicone spatula. The masala side should now be facing up.
- Cook uncovered for another 2 minutes to crisp up the edges.
- Remove to a serving plate.
- Drizzle a little ghee on top and serve immediately.
