Today another week in the weekly blogging marathon starts and I have selected a very interesting theme. Cook for one is the theme and to be frank, I have never attempted cooking for one. My hubby teases me that I have a large hand I always end up cooking for 6 persons when we are just three in the house. I know that it is definitely a challenge for me but what is life without challenges? Having the theme in mind, I was waiting for the perfect occasion to cook the dishes. One day, when Sruti was back from school, she wanted me to make her a snack and I did this just for her. It is surely an accomplishment as I have never done perfect portioning before. She just loved it and I was so happy about it.
When you prepare for a single person, you need to take their age and appetite into consideration before making the dish. As I made it for Sruti, I used two ladles of idli batter ( with my millet idli batter) but if you are making it for an adult, then go for three. If you have idlis at hand then it makes your works so much easier. I steam cooked two ladle full of idli batter in a cake tin and then sliced it up into small pieces. For tempering use gingelly oil as it enhances the taste of the idli spice powder. This is so easy to make and I made it within 15 minutes starting with the cooking of idlis.
Ingredients:
Idli Batter – 2 ladles / 3 idlis
Gingelly Oil – 2 tsp
Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Channa Dhal – 1 tbs
Curry Leaves – 3-4
Hing/ Asafoetida – a pinch
Idli Milagai Podi / Spice Powder – 2 tbs ( according to the spice level you need)
Procedure:
In a greased cake tin, add the batter and steam cook for 5-10 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean.
Remove from the tin and cut into small pieces.
Heat a pan and add oil.
Add the dhal and when it starts browning add mustard and hing.
Add curry leaves and when the spluttering stops, add the spice powder.
Add the idlis immediately and give a nice mix.
Serve it hot immediately.

Podi Idli Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Idli Batter - 2 ladles / 3 idlis
- Gingelly Oil - 2 tsp
- Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
- Channa Dhal - 1 tbs
- Curry Leaves - 3-4
- Hing/ Asafoetida - a pinch
- tbs Idli Milagai Podi / Spice Powder - 2 according to the spice level you need
Instructions
Procedure
- In a greased cake tin, add the batter and steam cook for 5-10 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean.
- Remove from the tin and cut into small pieces.
- Heat a pan and add oil.
- Add the dhal and when it starts browning add mustard and hing.
- Add curry leaves and when the spluttering stops, add the spice powder.
- Add the idlis immediately and give a nice mix.
- Serve it hot immediately.
podi idli is my favorite
I too cook in large quantities and at any given time, another family can join us for any meal without pre-planning. 🙂 With leftover idlis, this makes a great treat.
Cooking for one in the Indian context of rice and sambar is tricky. Tiffin like these are still easy to serve in single portions
Hi. Im Shanthyni from Malaysia & always follow your recipes. I would like to know if you can provide the recipe for Orappam – a Malayalee dessert. My only regret is that I didn’t learn from my late mum but now I really miss this food.
Thank you.
Hi Shanthyni, I am so glad. I will surely post the recipe in the blog.
Podi idli looks so inviting. Wish I could taste it;
Nobody touches Idli upma at home , :& this version with leftover idlis is great… I would make it with button idlis ..
That is such a perfect recipe to make for 1 Gayathri. Very flavorful and delicious.
Just finished my dinner and now you are tempting me with this podi idli, drooling here.
podi idli looks very flavorful. Bookmarked your podi idli recipe and going to make it today 🙂
This is an awesome recipe when cooking for one. In fact I do end up cooking for once in a while but always avoid it. But this is indeed an interesting theme.