Varagu Arisi Idly / Kodo Millet Idly / Millet Idly

Wishing you all a wonderful New Year 2015. Wish to kick start the fabulous year with a healthy post as weight loss and nutrition always remain in my new year resolution list!!. Whether I achieve my goal completely or not, it motivates me every day and drives me to the right path. Recently I and my childhood Buddie Gai were talking a lot about millets and making south indian tiffin using them replacing the rice. She tried few tiffin varieties using this Kodo Millet and encouraged me to try making idlies with this millet.

Idlies made with Kodo Millet / Varagu Arisi tasted exactly the same as the ones made with Idly rice. With good accompaniments, its a healthy breakfast to the family. I served the millet idlies with garlic peanut chutney and tiffin sambar.

Kodo millets are gluten free and packed with minerals and vitamins. Due to its high protein, high antioxidant and high fiber content, its best suited for kids, diabetic people.

Ingredients

Varagu Arisi / Kodo Millet / Kodri - 3 Cups

Urad Dal / Ulutham Paruppu / Minna Pappu - 1 Cup

Fenugreek Seeds - 1 tsp

Salt - As Required

Gingelly Oil - Enough to spread over the Idly moulds.

Water - Enough to grind the Idly Batter

Method

• Soak the Varagu / Kodo Millet  and urad dal in separate vessels in water for 3-4 hours. Add the fenugreek seeds into the urad dal vessel.
• Grind them in a mixer grinder exactly the way you grind for making regular idly batter. First grind the millet portion and then grind the urad dal portion.This sequence helps me to scoop away the batter easily from the grinder with less efforts.
• Store the batter in an airtight container and wait for 6-7 hours for the fermentation to complete.
• While making the idlies, grease  gingelly oil over the idly moulds and keep them ready.
• Mix the idly batter using a spatula and pour them over the idly moulds. Make sure that the idly batter completely fill the moulds but not overflowing.
• Steam the idlies for around 5-6 minutes in an idly cooker or any suitable steamer you have on medium flame.
• After its done, switch off the flame. After few minutes ( 3 to 4 ), carefully take out the idlies from the moulds and serve them with chutney and sambar. 

Tips / Suggestions

Dont grind the Kodo Millet and urad dal together. Try to grind them separately to get super soft spongy idlies.