Multi Coloured Designer Idli Cake

          Idlis are a great breakfast option and one of my favorite. These healthy South Indian breakfast are anytime welcome with coconut chutney and sambar. Turn them into something interesting and appealing for your loved ones. Kids will love them for sure.

          So go ahead and create this yummy designer multi colored idli cake. They are an excellent lunch box meal too. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to make this amazing visual treat.

• 5-6 cups idli batter
• pinch of red colour
• pinch of green colour
• pinch of yellow colour
• few drops of oil to grease      

          Divide the batter into 4 bowls. Add the red colour in one bowl, green colour in the second and yellow colour in the third. Mix well. Let the last bowl remain as it is for the white colour.

          Grease a steel plate and pour a small ladle of the green batter first followed by the white, yellow and red batter or as you wish.

          With a toothpick draw lines from the middle to the edge of the idli cake or vice versa for some beautiful pattern.

          Steam for 13-15 minutes. When it cools down, run a knife around the edges to loosen it. Then gently unmold the cake. 

          Serve this delicious creation with coconut chutney and sambar.

                              Grease a steel plate & pour a small ladle of green batter first.

                                 Then add white batter, 

                                  yellow batter,

                                  and red batter or as you wish.

                     With a toothpick draw lines from middle to the edge of the idli cake
                      or vice versa for some beautiful pattern.

                     Steam for 13-15 min. When cool, run a knife around the edges & unmold.

                               Serve this delicious creation with coconut chutney & sambar.

Multi Coloured Neer Dosa (Thin Rice Crepes - Mangalorian Cuisine)

          Neer Dosa is a speciality from the Mangalore region of India. They are thin and fluffy rice crepes made out of rice paste, with or without coconut. This is an instant version where I have used rice flour as the basic ingredient.

          These multi coloured Neer Dosa has the goodness of spinach, carrots and beetroot, besides tomato paste and turmeric powder to complete the colour combination. They not only have a visual appeal but are also healthy.

          They are a wholesome and nutritious meal by itself as they are cooked without oil, except for greasing. They serve as perfect breakfast recipe and are generally relished with any non-veg gravy. They equally tastes great with sambar and coconut chutney too.

• 2 cups rice flour
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 4 & 1/2 - 5 cups water
• 1 medium carrot, grated
• 1 bunch spinach, chopped
• 1/2 medium beetroot, grated
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste (store bought) + 1/2 tsp. kashmiri red chili powder
• salt to taste
• coconut chutney to serve
• sambar to serve
• oil to grease the skillet

          In a bowl add the rice flour, coconut milk and water to make a runny batter just like buttermilk. Grind the spinach, carrot and beetroot separately to a paste by adding very little water. Keep aside.

          Divide the rice batter into six bowls. Add the carrot paste, beetroot paste, spinach paste, turmeric powder and tomato paste + red chili powder into each of the bowls, leaving one for the white colour.

          Grease a nonstick tawa / skillet with very little oil. Let it heat up and then sprinkle some water. After it evaporates, wipe it clean with a kitchen towel.

           Pour 2-3 ladleful of the batter (depending on the size of the ladle and the pan). Swirl it around for an even coating, Drain excess batter if any.

          Cover and cook on a low flame for a minute. Remove the cover and gently fold into half with  a spatula and then into a rectangle. Keep aside.

          Make similar neer dosa from the remaining coloured batter, using a different ladle for each bowl in the above mentioned method. 

          Keep them separately as it tends to stick if stacked one over the other. Serve with chutney and sambar.