If you enjoy eating South Indian food, you are likely to be a big fan of idlis. Idlis are a type of rice cake, which is steamed and popularly consumed for breakfast with sambar and coconut chutney. An idli lover surely has a happy day whenever they get to enjoy their favourite rice cakes. Want to retain the delicious taste and fluffy texture of idlis and take them a notch up? The next time you make idlis at home, add a dash of colour and make them more beautiful! All the colours used are natural and derived from healthy ingredients. Many cooking enthusiasts on social media are also experimenting with this viral trend of making colourful idlis. Children may also enjoy eating idlis more after seeing the dish come alive with gorgeous colours!
Three Ways to Make Colorful Idlis at Home
You can experiment with colourful idlis in multiple ways. Here are some suggestions:
1. Make all the idlis in a single colour - say blue or pink idlis.
2. Divide the idli batter into different cups and then add one natural colour to each. Then you can cook idlis in different colour batches -- like yellow, green, and orange.
3. Pour the multiple, colourful batters into each idli mould. This way, each idli will be filled with lots of colours.
Also Read: Have Leftover Idli? Give It A Yummy Makeover With 5 Snacks Recipes Under 30 Mins
Here Are 5 Natural Ingredients to Make Colorful Idlis at Home:
1. Orange Idli
Take orange carrots and grind them into a thick puree. Mix this orange puree into your white idli batter to get that nice orange colour. The recipe also adds the goodness of carrots to your idlis. If you do not want to add the puree, you can also grate the carrots and mix them into the batter. Cook the idlis and enjoy!
2. Yellow Idli
Yellow idlis are vibrant and beautiful, perfect for the summer season. These are also easy to make. Add a little turmeric to the idli batter to turn it into a yellow color. Cook and enjoy. Serve it with red tomato chutney for a contrasting colour combination.
Photo Credit: Instagram/@manohar_cook
3. Pink Idli
A popular choice is pink-coloured idlis, prepared using beetroot puree. Wash and boil the beetroots and then grind them into a paste. Add this rich-coloured beetroot puree to the idli batter, and it will easily turn into a nice pink colour. You can also make both light and dark pink coloured batter to make pink idlis in different shades.
Also Read: Spicy Idli Recipe: A Quick Snack You Can Make With Leftover Idlis In 2 Minutes
4. Green Idli
Clean and wash spinach leaves and then chop them into pieces. Next, grind the spinach leaves into a thick puree. Do not add water or the puree will get too runny. Add this puree to the fermented idli batter and mix it so that the green color is spread evenly. Steam to cook and serve with aromatic coconut chutney.
5. Blue Idli
Blue is a unique color for idlis that will have everyone wondering how you prepared these blue idlis. This is done by using butterfly pea flowers. You can buy butterfly pea flower powder from the market. Once the fermented idli batter is ready, sift in the blue butterfly pea powder and mix well. Pour the batter into greased idli moulds, let it steam and cook. You can pair blue idlis with regular white idlis for a beautiful presentation.
Which of these is your favorite color for idlis? Share with us in the comments section.