Semolina idli with coconut chutney and spiced oil

Prep

Cook

Serves

Cost 25 min 30 min 4-6

About £1 a head

For the idli

200g fine semolina 30g desiccated coconut

250g Greek-style yoghurt

3 tbsp lemon juice (ie, from 1-2 lemons) Fine sea salt

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

For the chutney

115g fresh coconut, roughly chopped 30g fresh coriander 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed 120g Greek-style yoghurt

1 green chilli (10g), roughly chopped (remove and discard the pith and seeds if you prefer less heat) 1 tbsp lime juice (ie, from 1 lime)

For the spiced oil 3 tbsp olive oil, plus 1 tbsp extra for greasing

20g pine nuts

10g white sesame seeds

10 fresh curry leaves 1 tsp black mustard seeds

1½ tsp aleppo chilli flakes, or mild chilli flakes

¼ tsp ground kashmiri chilli

Idli are soft, pillowy cakes from south India that are often made with lentils or rice flour. They’re usually made in special moulds, but I use a cake tin to make life easier. Serve as a snack, for breakfast or as part of a larger spread at any time of day.

First, make the idli batter. Put the semolina, desiccated coconut, yoghurt, lemon juice and 210ml cold water in a medium bowl, add threequarters of a teaspoon of salt, mix well, cover and leave for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the chutney. Put the fresh coconut, coriander, garlic, yoghurt, green chilli, lime juice and a third of a teaspoon of salt in the small bowl of a food processor, blitz until almost smooth and vibrant green, then scrape into a small bowl.

Grease a 22cm round cake tin and line it with baking paper. Half-fill a steamer with water and bring to a boil. Quickly stir the bicarb into the batter, then pour into the tin, put in the steamer and cover (the batter will bubble, so work quickly). Turn down the heat to medium and steam for 22-24 minutes, until the centre of the idli is set. Take off the heat, uncover and leave for five minutes. The top will still look rather wet, but it will steam dry very quickly.

To make the spiced oil, put the oil in a small frying pan on a medium heat, add the pine nuts and sesame seeds, and fry, stirring now and then, for two to three minutes, until lightly toasted. Add the curry leaves, cook for 30 seconds to a minute, until they turn translucent, then take off the heat and stir in the mustard seeds, both chillies and an eighth of a teaspoon of salt.

Run a knife around the edge of the idli and put a plate on top. Invert to release the idli from its tin, then cut into eight wedges. Spoon on half the oil and serve with the rest of the oil and the chutney for dipping.