Multigrain Idli
Idli in itself is considered the healthiest breakfast in the world. Adding this multi-grain twist adds more health benefits from all the millets we are adding. They are not called miracle grains for no reason. It is rich in Protein, fibre, calcium, Iron & Minerals such as Magnesium, copper & phosphorous. It helps to reduce cholesterol, lowers blood pressure and constipation. BTW did i mention this is my kids favorite breakfast and the first food that my second one Saathu ate without fuzzing!!!!
Servings: 4 people
Equipment
- Idli maker / Idli panai (steamer) / instant pot with idli molds
- blender / grinder
- conventional oven optional (only during winter months in cold region)
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Urad Daal/ Skinned Black Gram Try to get the whitish urad daal and try to avoid urad daal with yellow tinge or spot.
- 3 Cup Multi-grain I used the following millets and high fiber rice too. Pearl Millet (Kambu), Little Millet (samai), Barnyard Millet (thinai), Kodo Millet (varagu), Kerala red Rice (Matta arsi) & Wild Black Rice (kavuni arsi). I mix 1 pack of each millets (1 kg) along with each rice and mix them together to create a multigrain combo.
- 1 cup Rice
- 1 tsp Fenugreek
- 3 to 4 tsp Salt I use Himalayan salt, so i usually go for 4 tsp.
Instructions
Soaking
- Soak all the ingredients in sufficient water for 8 to 12 hrs
Grinding & Fermentation
- Grind the fenugreek, once its completely mushy then add Urad Daal
- Grind the Multi-grains, rice mix
- Add Salt and Mix both together
Fermentation
- Ferment it for 8 to 12 hrs in warm place. Since I live in cold place, I keep my batter inside oven with lights on or in bread proof mode.
Cooking
- Keep water in idli maker or pressure cooker or inner pot of instant pot (saute - high setting)
- Mix the batter
- Put one scoop into the idli maker molds
- Steam them for 10 to 12 mins (Instant pot setting Steam after cancelling saute once the water is boiling)
- Check if the idli is cooked using the poking technique. I generally use fingers to check and if it comes out clean, it is cooked.
- Remove it and serve it hot and if you want to store it for later, you can store in hot pack in room temperature to keep it fluffy for longer.
Video
Notes
- Water is essential for proper soaking and also for the fermentation to kick start properly. so make sure to soak in enough water. At least triple the amount. For ex. Urad daal is 1 cup and i usually eyeball but it needs at least 3 to 4 cups of water.
- If you are using blender to grind. Then add fenugreek and Urad Daal together and grind them.
- Store batter in refrigerator right after fermentation. Batter is good for 3 days if you store in refrigerator.
- In warm summer months, it would take hardly 6 hrs. for fermentation. So don't just go with time also. You can smell if it is properly fermented. Then immediately transfer to refrigerator.
- Store the idli in room temperature in hot pack for 12 to 24 hrs.