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    Home » Indian Snacks

    Spot Idli | Tawa Idli | Recipe with Leftover Idli Batter

    Published: Nov 26, 2022 · Modified: May 24, 2023 by Kushi · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Spot idli is a crispy and unique idli recipe where the idli batter is poured over spicy onion tomato masala on a tawa or skillet and cooked.

    For the spot idli recipe, you can use fresh idli batter, leftover batter, healthy millet idly batter or store-bought idli batter. This dish is a popular Hyderabadi street food, and if you are in Hyderabad, you can see roadside vendors or food stalls serving this delicious dish.

    Street style spot idli (tawa idli) served on banana leaf

    Jump to:
    • About the recipe
    • Ingredients
    • How to make Street-style Spot Idli?
    • Pro Tips
    • Variations
    • Video
    • Some more snacks recipes
    • Recipe card
    • User Reviews

    About the recipe

    Idli is a popular comfort food for all South Indians. This recipe needs just 15 minutes of your time, simple ingredients from your kitchen if you have idli batter ready. You can even use the dosa batter too.

    No idli mold is needed. This recipe comes out perfectly on both cast-iron tawa and nonstick pans. I love eating it as it is, but you can serve it with any chutney.

    I like to serve this for morning breakfast and as an evening after-school (or office) snack. In this way, you are feeding your kids yummy food and undoubtedly healthier than the roadside version.

    Crispy and unique masala spot idli prepared using leftover idli batter

    Ingredients

    A very flexible recipe. Adjust all the ingredients to taste

    • 1 tablespoon Oil
    • 1 Onion, finely chopped
    • ⅛ teaspoon Salt
    • 1 Tomato, finely chopped
    • 1 tsp Sambar powder, adjust to taste (you can also use podi masala or garam masala powder)
    • 1 tablespoon Coriander leaves
    • 1 cup Idli batter

    Other ingredients (optional)

    • 2 Green chilies
    • 5 Curry leaves
    Holding piece of spicy and crispy spot idli (tawa idly)

    How to make Street-style Spot Idli?

    Heat a large skillet or tawa and drizzle 2 teaspoon oil.

    Add onion and salt and mix until the onion becomes light. Add tomatoes, green chilies(optional), curry leaves(optional), and sambar powder, and saute until the tomatoes become soft.

    step by step images adding onion, tomato, sambar powder

    To this, add coriander leaves and mix. Taste-check the masala now and adjust the salt or spices if needed. My sambar powder is spicy, so I skip adding green chilies when serving it to my kids, and idli batter has salt, so do not add too much salt.

    Divide the masala into four parts. You can check the image or video.

    How to add idli batter on tawa to make spot idli

    Now pour ¼ cup of idli batter on top of each portion of the masala, and drizzle oil. Cover and cook on medium flame until the batter looks lightly set on top. Now flip and cook uncovered on another side until it becomes crispy. It should take between 2 to 3 minutes to crisp up.

    Transfer it to a serving plate. Serve hot with filter coffee or masala chai, and enjoy.

    images showing flipping the spot idlis on pan

    Pro Tips

    • This is a very flexible recipe where you can use store-bought idli batter, homemade fresh idli batter or leftover batter.
    • The recipe here is just a guide to show how spot idlis are prepared on the street side food carts. Depending on how spicy your powders are, adjust them in the recipe.
    • I don't add green chilies if I serve these idlis to my kids.
    • You don't have to wait for idli batter. If you have dosa batter in your refrigerator, you can make this right away today.

    Variations

    You can prepare several variations of spot idlis. The steps for preparing these idlis remain the same. You will have to substitute sambar powder with the spice powders of your choice.

    Add Andhra-style peanut podi, karivepaku podi, Andhra's famous gun powder spice mix, or any of your favorite podi recipes to make Andhra-style spot idlis.

    Love Chinese flavors? Skip the sambar powder and drizzle some chile sauce or schezwan sauce and follow the recipe to make Chinese spot idli.

    Want garlic in everything? Then finely chop the garlic cloves and add them along with the onions to prepare garlicky spot idli. It will give you a nice aroma. Else substitute sambar powder with chili-garlic sauce.

    Peri peri spot idli - Add the peri peri powder instead of sambar powder. This is one of my favorite ways to prepare spot idlis.

    Pizza fan? Skip sambar powder and add marinara sauce along with some Italian/pizza seasoning to prepare Italian spot idlis.

    Top view of the best idli variety  using idli or dosa batter

    Video

    Check out my 1-minute video on making of spot idli (tawa idli).

    Some more snacks recipes

    • Grilled Margherita Sandwich
    • Aloo Tikki
    • Appe or Paniyaram 65
    • Churumuri
    Holding crispy spot idli in spoon made using spicy onion tomato masala

    Recipe card

    easy leftover idli batter recipe - spot idli, hyderabadi tawa idly recipe

    Spot Idli | Tawa Idly | Recipe with Leftover Idli Batter

    Kushi
    Spot idli is a crispy and unique idli recipe where the idli batter is poured over spicy onion tomato masala on a tawa or skillet and cooked.
    For the spot idli recipe, you can use fresh idli batter, leftover batter, or store-bought idli batter. This dish is a popular Hyderabadi street food, and if you are in Hyderabad, you can see roadside vendors or food stalls serving this delicious dish.
    5 from 8 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 12 minutes mins
    Total Time 17 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Breakfast, snacks
    Cuisine Hyderabad, South Indian, Telangana
    Servings 4
    Calories 107 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 Tawa or Skillet

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 tablespoon Oil
    • 1 Onion, finely chopped
    • ⅛ teaspoon Salt
    • 1 Tomato, finely chopped
    • 1 teaspoon Sambar powder, adjust to taste (you can also use podi masala or garam masala powder)
    • 1 tablespoon Coriander leaves
    • 1 cup Idli batter

    Other ingredients (optional)

    • 2 Green chilies
    • 5 Curry leaves

    Instructions
     

    • Heat a large skillet or tawa and drizzle 2 teaspoon oil.
      1 tablespoon Oil
    • Add onion and salt and mix until the onion becomes translucent. Add tomatoes, green chilies, curry leaves, and sambar powder, and saute until the tomatoes become soft.
      1 Onion, finely chopped, ⅛ teaspoon Salt, 1 Tomato, finely chopped, 2 Green chilies, 5 Curry leaves
    • To this, add coriander leaves and mix. Taste-check the masala now and adjust the salt or spices if needed. My sambar powder is spicy, so I skip adding green chilies when serving it to my kids, and idli batter has salt, so do not add too much salt.
      1 teaspoon Sambar powder, adjust to taste, 1 tablespoon Coriander leaves
    • Divide the masala into four parts. You can check the image or video.
    • Now pour ¼ cup of idli batter on top of each portion of the masala, and drizzle oil. Cover and cook on medium flame until the batter looks lightly set on top. Now flip and cook uncovered on another side until it becomes crispy. It should take between 2 to 3 minutes to crisp up.
      1 cup Idli batter
    • Transfer it to a serving plate. Serve hot with filter coffee or masala chai, and enjoy.

    Notes

    • This is a very flexible recipe where you can use store-bought idli batter, homemade fresh idli batter or leftover batter.
    • The recipe here is just a guide to show how spot idlis are prepared on the street side food carts. Depending on how spicy your powders are, adjust them in the recipe.
    • I don't add green chilies if I serve these idlis to my kids.
    • You don't have to wait for idli batter. If you have dosa batter in your refrigerator, you can make this right away today.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 107kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 1gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 0.3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.01gSodium: 152mgPotassium: 143mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 338IUVitamin C: 37mgCalcium: 23mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    3 different images of the best street style spot idli, masala tawa idli recipe

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dannii

      November 26, 2022 at 4:53 am

      5 stars
      These look incredible, and such a great way to use leftovers.

      Reply
    2. Jacqueline

      November 26, 2022 at 5:21 am

      5 stars
      These would be great to serve at Hogmanay as a snack

      Reply
    3. Tara

      November 26, 2022 at 9:25 am

      5 stars
      Oh yum! I love how you can make this without a mold. The flavors sound absolutely amazing with the spicy onion tomato masala.

      Reply
    4. Rachna

      November 26, 2022 at 9:28 am

      5 stars
      I love idlis. This is a nice recipe with leftover idli batter.

      Reply
    5. Ieva

      November 26, 2022 at 9:36 am

      5 stars
      Never had spot idli before, but this recipe definitely piqued my interest. Cannot wait to try it!

      Reply
    5 from 8 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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