Sorghum Idli

Sorghum Idli..Idli made with Sorghum(cholam/chaara/jonna/)millet..Soft n fluffy idlies..Tastes great n very healthy one..Ofcourse the color may not be appealing, coz the sorghum millet gives a dull color to the idlis, but believe me it is yummy..I am making it for the 2nd time inspired by its taste..Must try one frnz..If your family members hate the color of the idlis, just close their eyes n make them eat..lol :)..But I m happy with my little one, coz she ate with her eyes open n told me, ''maa it is super''..what more do I want? :) 

Millets are nowadays getting so popular among the health-conscious people. But, a few studies recommend to eat millets in moderation and not to consume them daily. I m not sure if they r true or not. But to be on the safer side, I dont use it daily in our diet. Even though they r not as tasty as rice, they have a different taste which is good. If we get used to it, surely we will like it. Soon I will be posting more recipes with millets frnz..

RECIPE:

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Soaking Time: 5-8 hrs

Preparation Time:  25 mins

Fermentation Time: 5-12 hrs

Cooking Time: 10-12 mins

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INGREDIENTS: [1 cup=240 ml]

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Sorghum Millet - 1 cup

Urad Dal - 1/4 cup

Fenugreek Seeds - 1 tsp

Salt - as req.

Water - as req.

METHOD:

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1. Soak the urad dal and fenugreek seeds in a bowl, and sorghum millet in another bowl for atleast 5 hrs, after cleaning them. 

2. In a blender(small jar), grind the urad dal and fenugreek seeds with very little water at a time, until you get a very smooth batter with bubbles as you see. Transfer it to a vessel.

3. Now blend the sorghum millet in the big jar with very little water at a time(I added just a spoon of water each time), until it is very well ground. You wont get it soft like the urad dal batter, but a slightly coarse batter, which is perfect. Add it to the vessel.

4. Add the salt, and mix very well with your clean hands. Keep the vessel closed with a lid. Make sure the vessel has enough space for the batter to rise. Allow to ferment for 5-12 hrs.

5. See how beautifully the batter has risen after fermentation, which means you are in the right track. Now pour the batter in the greased idli moulds and steam cook for 10-12 mins. You can even make crispy dosas with the same batter. DONE!!

Your yummy n healthy sorghum idlis/dosa are ready to be served with chutney, sambar, or any gravies of your choice!!Njjoy!!

NOTE:

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1. I soaked both uraddal+fenugreek and millet for 8 hrs. Make sure not to soak more than that. Urad dal and fenugreek mix can be soaked for just 2-3 hrs too. 

2. Take extra care while grinding the millets. Even a little bit more water can spoil the texture and taste of the idlis. It took approximately 15 mins for me to grind it perfectly.

3.  If you are preparing dosas, make sure to store it in the hotpack immediately after cooking, or serve immediately. Else it may become dry.

4. The fermentation time depends on your climate. I ground the batter on a rainy day, so I allowed to ferment for exactly 12 hrs, ie overnight, without checking in between. If you are making it on summer, you can start watching the batter to rise from 5 hrs itself. Once you see it is perfectly rised, you can start using it.

5. You can store the batter in refrigerator for a maximum of 1 week.

6. Always use the soaked water for grinding. For urad dal, you can also use cold water for grinding, or else keep the mix in refrigerator for sometime until it gets cold. But it is purely optional.