Millets the natural food from the arid areas of southern India found their way into my cuisine over a period of time. This particular one has been used and tried and tested many times. If you are looking for a great way to substitute the rice out of your routine , little millets or Samai or Vrat ka chawal is a great alternative. With a lower GI than rice, this is a welcome indulgence on breakfast mornings..
Soft fluffy Idlis served with piping hot mixed vegetable sambar ( recipe will be updated for this later ) , coconut mint chutney and Idli chili powder ( also known as Molagai podi or chutney powder). True weekend indulgence without alarming calories .
Ingredients:
- Samai arisi / little millet / Kutki : 2 Cups
- Urad dal / whole or split without skin : 1/2 cup
- Red poha : 1/4 cup
- Methi seeds : 1 tsp
- Toor dal : 1 tsp.
- Salt : 1.5 tsp + as required
- Water as required to grind
Pre-Prep:
- Soaking the millets and pre prep : Soak for 6 hrs – overnight:
- Wash the millets very well and soak in copius amount of water. Enough for it to be absorbed.
- Wash the urad dal as well and soak along with fenugreek or methi seeds and toor dal.
- Soak the Poha about 20 minutes before you grind the batter. Infact you can soak it just as you start grinding the urad dal.
Grinding the batter & fermentation: 1 hr + fermentation time
- Grind the urad dal and methi seeds and toordal in your mixer grinder or wet grinder until pale and fluffy. Add water in small quantities while you grind.
- Scoop out the fluffy dal mix in a wide and deep mixing bowl.
- Next add the soaked poha and samai millet and grind to a fine grain mix. There is no need to to grind it to a super fine paste. A little grainy structure would yield a preferable texture for the Idlis. So add water as and when required while grinding.
- Mix this along with the urad dal batter and add salt . Ensure salt is homogeneously mixed.
- The consistency of batter is neither too thick or watery.
- Cover and keep in a warm place .
- Fermented batter will swell in volume so make sure your mixing bowl can handle the volume.
- Hot humid weather will speed up the fermentation process. So it might take anywhere from 7 hrs to overnight for your batter to reach the desired stage of fermentation.
Steaming the Idlis:
- Grease Idli moulds and keep aside.
- Using the steamer/ cooker of your choice add the water and heat it well.
- Stir the batter well scoop ladlefuls on to the prepped idli moulds.
- Steam for about 7-10 minutes.
- Turn of the flame, rest it for a minute or two. You should be able to demould it now.
Serve hot accompanied with chutney, sambar and chutney/ Molagai podi.
Notes:
- This batter makes awesome dosas well. I tried it out and it was really good.
- Makes about 32-40 Idlis depending on the size of the idli mould.
- Fermentation of the batter is essential to maximize the nutritional value of the millet.