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Idli Sambhar Casserole

By On Feb 22, 2023

Idli Sambhar Casserole is a simplified spin on traditional Idli Sambar – a layered casserole! With Sambar split pea stew and savory Semolina Rava idli layered and baked! Fewer pans and fewer steps. Gluten-free option

I am back at my favorite cooking challenge: turning traditional Indian food into easier casseroles. Some Indian dishes can take a lot of preparation work and cooking time. For eg making south Indian Idli (rice lentil cakes) is a 2-day process. Soak the rice and lentils, blend, ferment and then we use the batter to make steamed cakes -idli or crepes -dosa, or other sides.

When in a hurry I often make Rava idli that uses coarse semolina (cream of wheat). The Rava idli batter takes just 10 mins to prep, then 15 mins to steam. Idlis are often served with sambar ( split pea stew).

But Instead of making the idli and sambar separately, and using up multiple pans, I converted the two recipes into a layered casserole dish! The Sambar is baked right into the casserole dish. So only 1 baking dish to wash up later!

This sambar here is quite a bit thicker than the traditional version. That is necessary so that the idli batter on top doesn’t sink in. I also add quinoa to the sambar to up the protein and to keep the sambar thick.

Once the lentils are cooked, add the idli batter on top, bake again and serve it like a shepherd’s pie!

There are of course more steps in this recipe and spices(often repeated spices for both layers). These are necessary for the traditional flavor. But you can skip some steps for a quicker and still very delicious result!