Take a spoon and scoop out 1 tsp of batter into each impression of idli stand.Repeat the process for all the colors.Use different spoons for different colored batters.
Place the stand in the steamer/cooker and steam for 10-12 mins.
Cool it for 5 mins.Run a sharp knife round the edges of idlis and remove them slowly.
Arrange them according to your wish or prick them to toothpicks as I did.
Serve them with the same tomato chutney/green coconut chutney or sambar.Check out various options for the side dishes of Idli here.
*Though the cooking soda is optional in the recipe.I recommend to add it to the batter.Sometimes Idlis turn flat and hard because of the addition of chutneys,hence to avoid that I prefer adding cooking soda to it.
**Byadige red chillies give nice bright red color chutney.Hence try using them,if you don’t get them use regular red chillies.
5. Tricolor Halva
Ingredients
1 cup Milk
2 cups Water
3 drops Orange Food Color
3 drops Green Food Color
1 cup Suji Or Semolina
⅔ cups Ghee (clarified Butter)
¼ cups Raisins Or Cashews (optional)
1-⅓ cup Sugar
Method
1. Mix the milk and water and divide the water/milk mixture into 3 parts. Color 2 of them orange and green respectively. Leave one plain. Keep the orange and green mixtures in wide pans, they will go on the stove later.
2. In a kadai (wok-shaped pan), over medium heat, dry roast the suji for about 5 minutes to bring out the flavor. Constantly stir throughout the halva process, otherwise it will burn.
3. Add the ghee, and let it brown, about 15 minutes.
4. Add in the raisins and cashews or whatever else you choose, cook for a minute.
5. Mix in the sugar and immediately divide into 3 parts. Add one each to the orange and green liquid containing pans. Add the plain water/milk mixture to the remaining part.
6. According to your desired order of layering, decide the order of semolina mixtures to be cooked. Since I intended to invert the pan later, I chose orange first.
7. Cook the orange mixture until it thickens and leaves the sides of the pan. Layer onto a prepared pan or ring mould while hot; it will be easier to handle.
8. Now cook the white mixture and then green mixture until ready, layer them both, packing well, and then invert the entire thing. The halva has enough ghee that it will come out easily, and if you pack it well enough, it won’t crumble either.
9. Serve warm.
