Idli Platter ~ Proso Millet Idli

Idli is a popular breakfast dish from the southern parts of India, that is prepared by steaming a fermented batter of rice and black gram. They are steamed in special moulds called an idli stand which holds about two dozen idlis, the ones typically used in a household setting. Whereas the moulds used in restaurants are naturally bigger in size to hold more idlis, to cater their customers. The fact that they are steamed and use no fat in the preparation makes them an healthy breakfast choice for everyone including toddlers, the ailing or convalescing. The idlis are bland by themselves are usually served with a chutney and/or a soupy lentil gravy called sambhar.

The standard version idlis use rice and black gram that need soaking, grinding and fermenting before steaming which means that they need advance planning. There are versions with other grains substituted for rice which basically follow the same method. There are a second set of idlis where the ingredients are mixed and soaked for a short amount of time and steamed which make them instant versions. I have a few varieties of idlis in my platter today which fall under these two categories. I chose to go with about ten varieties though there are plenty of other variations. Most of the idlis in my idli platter are from Karnataka and the accompaniments I have are those side dishes popularly served in Bangalore restaurants - chutney, sambhar and saagu. Check my breakfasts page for more idli ideas.

I have the following in my idli platter.

Idli - Standard version prepared using idli rice and black gram.

Semolina idli / Rave idli (Recipe here)

Cucumber idli / Southekayi idli

Field beans Idli / Avarekayi Idli

Pumpkin idli / Kumbalakayi idli (Recipe here.)

Horse gram idli / Kulitha idli 

Flattened rice idli / Avalakki idli

Pearl millet idli / Bajra idli / Sajje idli

Proso millet idli / Baragina idli

Finger Millet idli / Ragi idli

I am posting the the proso millet idli recipe for today. I replace a portion of idli rice with either millets or millet flours in my regular idli recipe to make them healthier and nutritious. I haven't liked those idlis that much which are made adding no rice. We enjoy the version I am posting today and as far as I have noticed, the millets do not change the taste of idli at these proportions. They make a healthy and delicious breakfast or lunch along with some chutney and/or sambhar. My husband loves idli and so, I usually make a big batch of idlis and freeze them so that I don't need to make them every other day. The idlis can be refrigerated or frozen given that there are no power cuts in the area you live. If freezing, cool the idli immediately after they are demolded and put them in the freezer.  When ready to eat, heat them in the microwave, covered and you will have fresh, piping hot idlis.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup proso millet

1/2 cup idli rice

1/2 cup black gram / urad dal

Salt to taste

Directions:

* Rinse and soak the ingredients in water for about 3 to 4 hours.

* Grind them together to a thick batter adding as much as water needed. Add salt as well if living in a cold climate. 

* Transfer the batter to a container big enough (to allow the batter rise), cover and leave it aside to ferment. The fermentation may take anywhere between 8 to 14 hours depending upon the local climate. Make sure to place the batter in a warm place if living in cold climate.

* The fermented batter should look like the one below, light and frothy slightly smelling sour. Add salt if it was not added while grinding and gently mix to combine.

* Add water up to 2 inches in a steamer / idli cooker / pressure cooker base and heat it.

* Grease the idli plates and spoon the batter into moulds. Place the filled idli stand into the cooker and close the lid. Do not use the pressure valve on the lid if using a pressure cooker,.

* Steam the idlis on low heat until done, about 20 minutes or until the surface of the idli doesn't stick if touched with wet fingers. Turn off the stove.

* Let it sit for about 10 minutes and then remove the lid. Run a sharp spoon along the edges to demould the idlis.

* Serve them warm with chutney / sambhar. 

* These can be refrigerated or frozen as well.

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A - Z Karnataka Recipe Series ~ N for Nuchinunde

So far in my 'A - Z' Karnataka recipe series,
A - Akki Halbai
B - Biscuit Roti
C - Congress Kadalekayi
D - Davanagere Benne Dose
E - Ellu Pajji
F - Field Beans / Avarekalu Payasa
G - Girmit
H - Hitakida Avarekalu Huli
I - Iyengar Bakery Style Masala Toast
J - Jolada Vade
K - Kumbalakayi Idli
L - Limbe Hannina Gojju
M - Mysore Pak

Today's dish nuchinunde or nuchina unde is a traditional, protein rich recipe from Karnataka. Basically these are steamed lentil dumplings which are nutritious, healthy and filling. They can be made under 30 minutes if lentils are soaked ahead. Any coarsely ground grain / lentil is called 'nuchu' in Kannada whereas 'unde' refers to the round shape. The word 'nuchu' is pronounced with a stress on the 'ch' sound. 

Nuchinunde can be prepared with either yellow lentils / toor dal  or split chickpeas / chana dal or combining the both. The lentils are soaked and coarsely ground with other ingredients, shaped as dumplings and steamed. They can be either served as a breakfast with chutney or as a lunch item with majjige huli , the Karnataka version of kadhi.
 
Ingredients: (Yield 15)
1/2 cup pigeon peas (togari bele / toor dal)
1/2 cup split chickpeas (kadale bele / chana dal)
1 inch piece of ginger
2 green chilies
Salt to taste
1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded fresh coconut
2 sprigs of curry leaves, finely chopped
A handful of cilantro, finely chopped
A pinch of turmeric powder
A pinch of asafoetida powder
(Chopped dill leaves are added as well which I did not have on hand when I made these.)
Directions:
* Soak pigeon peas and split chickpeas in water for about 3 hours or overnight if planning for breakfast.

* Drain the soaked dals / lentils. Rinse with fresh water and drain completely. 

* Coarsely grind together the drained lentils, green chilies, ginger and salt without adding any water.

* Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add shredded fresh coconut, chopped cilantro, curry leaves, turmeric, asafoetida and dill leaves if using.

* Mix all the ingredients well.

* Shape them into oval shaped dumplings and place them in a greased container or a greased idli stand if making in a large quantity.

* Steam them for about 12 to 15 minutes. Don't overcook them. (I used a pressure pan to steam them.)

* Here are the steamed nuchinunde / nuchina unde. Serve them warm with majjige huli / chutney.

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A - Z Indian Street Foods ~ L for Locho / Surti Locho

The first time I heard about 'locho' was on a Gujarati TV cook show that I used to watch religiously until a few years ago. I had bookmarked that recipe and had tried it a couple of times. Locho is a steamed dish that is served as a snack in Gujarat and as the title indicates, it originated in Surat city. It is prepared with ground lentil batter that is steamed and served with a drizzling of oil, sev, chutney and green chillies on the side. This dish is quite filling, healthy and guilt free. It makes a great brunch / meal time dish.

Locho batter does not any fermenting. However the dals need soaking and so at least 2 hours advance planning is required. Locho has irregular shape unlike dhokla / khaman and do not come in regular cut pieces. I added water generously while grinding the batter when I made locho for the first time and even 2 hours of steaming would not let the locho to set. I learnt my lesson that day and prefer making a thick batter now. And so, I end up with a firm shaped locho that could be cut into pieces. I paired it with Vaishali's peanut chutney, where peanuts are added to the regular green chutney which makes a flavorful variation.

Ingredients for locho:

1 cup split chickpeas / Bengal gram / chana dal

A handful split & skinned black gram / urad dal

A handful beaten rice flakes / poha

2 spicy green chillies

1-inch piece ginger

Salt to taste

1/8 tsp. turmeric powder

2 – 3 pinches of asafetida

¼ cup ground nut oil

1 Eno sachet

Crushed black pepper as required

Sev* to garnish

* Sev - Deep fried, crisp chickpea flour vermicelli available in any Indian grocery store.

Preparation of locho:

* Wash the dals and poha together for about 3 hours. Drain and grind them along with ginger, chillies and salt into a fine batter with as little water as possible. (I used my food processor to grind and added about a tbsp. or two of water.) Transfer the ground batter to a bowl. Add turmeric, asafoetida and 2 tbsp. of oil to the batter and mix well.

* Heat a steamer or dhokla maker with water.

* Grease the dhokla plates or the container used to steam the locho. When ready to steam, add Eno to the batter and stir well. Fill the greased dhokla plates / container with batter. (If using plates, fill upto ¾ th.) Sprinkle crushed black pepper uniformly. (Some sprinkle red chilli powder too.)

* Place the dhokla plates / container in the steamer. Steam them on low flame until a knife inserted at the center comes out clean. It may take about 20 minutes. Turn off the stove and let it rest for about 10 minutes.

 

Ingredients for peanut chutney:

¼ cup toasted and skinned peanuts

1 cup firmly packed cilantro leaves

1 or 2 spicy green chillies

Salt to taste

Lemon juice to taste

Preparation of chutney:

Add everything in the list above to a mixer / food processor. Add as much water as needed to facilitate grinding and grind finely. Refer to the chutney in the pictures above to determine how much quantity of water should be added for chutney making. 

How to serve locho:

* Remove the steamed locho container from the steamer. Drizzle with some oil over the top.

* Next, one can try either running a sharp spoon / knife around the edges, unmould the locho and cut into shapes.

Or with a spatula remove about 3-inch sized pieces. (The shape doesn't matter actually in case of locho and so no pressure in getting it right.)

* Arrange some locho pieces on a serving plate. Top with sev generously.

Serve with peanut chutney and green chillies on the side.

So far, on this series,
A for Aloo Kabli
B for Bajra Vada
C for Chooda Matar
D for Dahi Batata Puri
E for Elaichi - Kesar Lassi
F for Fulwadi
G for Ghugni Chaat
H for Hare Chane Ki Chaat
I for Indori Garaadu Chaat
J for Jamun Bun
K for Khakra - Chana Bhel 

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 87

An InLinkz Link-up

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Vermicelli - Cracked Wheat Idli / Semya - Godhuma Rava Idli

Here is an idli idea using vermicelli and cracked wheat that needs no grinding and fermenting. These idli would be ready in less than an hour that includes the prep work and the steaming part. They would be great for any meal of the day and when served along with a sambhar would make a wholesome meal. Cracked wheat in the recipe can be replaced with semolina if preferred. I used the plate idli moulds here and cut the big idlis into triangles.

Ingredients:
1 cup vermicelli
1 cup fine cracked wheat
1.5 cup yogurt or 1 cup yogurt + 1/2 cup water
1 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. roasted chickpeas / chana dal
1 tsp. skinned black gram / urad dal 
1 green chillie, finely chopped (optional)
Few curry leaves, roughly chopped (optional)
1/8 tsp. turmeric powder
1/4 cup peeled and grated carrot
2 tbsp. fresh / frozen peas 
2 to 3 tbsp. fresh, shredded coconut 
1 tbsp. toasted cashew pieces (optional) 
1 to 2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp. baking soda / Eno's salt
1 tsp. ghee / oil to grease the idli plates
(I had added some toasted onions too.)

Method:
* Roast vermicelli and cracked wheat until golden brown and set aside to cool. This step can be done ahead in advance.
* Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, chana dal and urad dal. When mustard seeds start to crackle and the dals turn gold brown, add green chillies, curry leaves, turmeric, carrot and peas. Saute for a minute and turn off the stove. Let it cool a bit.
* Add the roasted vermicelli, cracked wheat, coconut, cilantro, cashews, yogurt and salt to the pan and mix well to form a thick batter of idli consistency. (The amount of yogurt mentioned in the list should be sufficient for the right consistency of the batter. However if the batter seems to thick, add a little amount of water.)
* Allow the batter to rest for about 15 minutes and add baking soda / eno's salt to the batter just before steaming the idli and mix well.
* Pour the batter into greased idli plates and place them in a prepared idli cooker / steamer or a pressure cooker without the valve on.
* Steam them on medium flame until the idlis are cooked, about 20 minutes. Turn off the stove and leave them for about five minutes before demoulding the idlis.
* Serve them warm with chutney / sambhar.
  
This goes to Blogging marathon #71, under the theme 'One Ingredient - Three Courses'. Check here to find out what the other marathoners are cooking as part of the BM.

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Mushi Pan / Double Chocolate Steamed Cake

This is one of the dishes I prepared for the marathon early on blogging marathon when I did the global cuisine and has been in my drafts folder for the past two years. This was supposed to be for J - Japan which I tried twice and these steamed cakes had turned out nice and fluffy each time. The original recipe is egg-based one and the buns had nice domes with slight cracks. I used different egg substitutes each time I made them but both times the tops cracked and I wasn't happy with the look and so another dish was picked for that event. However as I mentioned earlier, they have perfect texture and taste and my kids loved them. And so I thought why not publish it at least now? Perfect tasting dishes don't need to look perfect, right? Besides they can be prepared in a small quantity and one doesn't need to turn on the convection oven to prepare these. These are steamed and are ready on the table in a short time, the time that one needs to preheat the oven. And of course these cupcakes can be topped with frosting and none can get wiser about any cracks on the top. :)

The original recipe gave two versions, one with corn and cheese and the other one with chocolate and I went with the latter. I  prepared these in a wide pressure pan though they can be steamed in a frying pan with a lid.

 

Recipe Source: Here

Ingredients:

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1.5 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 egg substitute

3 tbsp. milk

2 tbsp. sugar

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

2 to 3 tbsp. chocolate chips

4 ramekins + 4 cupcake liners / 4 steel bowls

Method:

* Glass ramekins with paper liners can be used if using the frying pan. I used small stainless steel bowls. Cover the lid with kitchen towel. This will prevent the water formed from condensation to drop on the steamed cakes.

* Add water to a wide pressure / frying pan so that the water level would come halfway up the ramekins / bowls being used. Bring the water to a boil.

* Sift flour, cocoa powder and baking powder into a bowl. Whisk egg substitute, milk, sugar and oil together in another bowl until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Stir in the chocolate chips.

* Pour the mixture up to 2/3rd of the paper liner / cups. Place the ramekins / bowls into the pan and cook covered on medium heat, until a skewer inserted at the center comes out clean, about 8 to 10 minutes.

This is going to be a part of Blogging marathon #67 under 'Pick one appliance and Cook 3' (My choice being pressure cooker). Check here to find out what other marathoners are cooking today.
 

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