Looking for veg shakshuka? Give the North African breakfast dish a desi spin with idlis

Shakshuka, a North African breakfast dish, meets Idli, a South Indian breakfast dish.

Shakshuka is a Tunisian dish with decadent poached eggs in a tangy and savoury tomato, bell pepper and onion sauce. The word Shakshuka is derived from the Maghrebi Arabic dialect word which means ‘all mixed up’ or ‘shaken up.’ This North African egg delicacy is traditionally served as a breakfast dish.

Idli Shakdhuka involves pouring idli batter rather than eggs. (Shutterstock)

Idli is a popular breakfast dish from Southern India. The soft and fluffy steamed idli prepared from a batter of rice is generally served with local condiments like coconut chutneys and sambar.

But can two popular breakfast dishes from two very different cuisines be fused together? Aishwarya Sonvane took to Instagram to share her innovative version of ‘Idli Shakshuka.’

Idli Shakshuka recipe

Ingredients

• Oil
• Onions
• Bell pepper
• Tomato
• Kashmiri red chilli powder
• Fresh coriander
• Gravy paste of tomato+paneer+garlic
• Salt
• Idli batter (rice and urad dal)
• Red chillies

Method

• Heat oil in a pan and add chopped onions. Saute them until softened.
• Next, throw in chopped tomatoes and bell peppers alongside the onions to the pan.
• Sprinkle Kashmiri chilli powder and salt for seasoning.
• Blend tomato, garlic, and paneer into a fine paste, then pour it into the pan and stir very well.
• Add hot water and let the gravy simmer until thoroughly cooked.
• Now, here’s the twist. Instead of cracking open eggs like in the traditional recipe, the chef poured in idli batter.
• Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook. Add tadka of mustard seeds, curry leaves and red chillies.

Why is this recipe great?

For foodies who love experimenting with different cuisines, this dish is a must-try as it brings the best of two very different cultures' foods onto a single plate. Replacing eggs with idli makes Shakshuka vegetarian and vegan-friendly, making sure that everyone can enjoy the savoury flavours of the dish. It makes the dish accessible to everyone.