Ragi Idli with Whole Ragi | Finger Millet Idli | Healthy Breakfast | Millet Mania

I have been experimenting with millets for a while now and have a penchant for South Indian cuisine as is evident from the list of recipes on my blog. As a result, I end up making Idlis or Dosas almost every other day! Steamed food like Idlis and Dhoklas are one of my favorite meal options. The reason being they are healthy because of the fermentation process that takes place in their preparation and quick to make once you have the batter ready. But what I love the most about South Indian cuisine is it’s humble and honest taste.
Quick, wholesome, and flavorful — what more can you ask for! Right?
While Dosa is love, I prefer Idli on weekdays because of its simple process. Just pour the batter in the Idli steamer and check after fifteen minutes if it’s ready. Meanwhile, you can attend to other chores on the side.
Quick to make and super easy to serve, dunk a fluffy piece of Idli in fresh chutney and piping hot Sambar, and you are set to the savor the most humble yet ambrosial meal on the Earth! 

Adding millets in lieu of Rice in the Idli batter makes a lot of difference in terms of fullness and satiating levels. There is absolutely no compromise in taste, softness, and texture of the idlis, whatsoever.
Ragi is nothing short of a sensation now in the world of health and nutrition. The superfood is gluten-free, rich in iron, calcium and protein, and down South, is an intrinsic part of the Indian diet. Much before wheat and maida started ruling our lives, Indians consumed a variety of grains, pulses and legumes. Ragi seeds are tiny dark brown like small seeds that resemble mustard seeds. They are also known as Finger Millet or Nachni and are still very popular in some parts of the country as their versatility has fancied food lovers from time immemorial.
From dhokla to upma, dosa to chakli, I love swapping the traditional ingredient by Ragi in many of my recipes.

Today I bring to you a healthier version of Idli — Ragi Idli. The recipe uses whole ragi seeds against ragi flour.
A simple combination of Whole Ragi Seeds, Gota Urad Dal, Idli Rice, and Fenugreek seeds, this will be a sure shot hit at your breakfast table. Are you drooling at that description? Because I am! 

I use Idli rice, which is a short grain type of rice. One can use parboiled rice or any thick variety of rice too for idli, if not available. At times I even use Brown or Red rice instead of idli rice. 
I've seen most people prefer to add white rice or white poha, or white urad while using whole grain millets.  When will we ever get over the obsession with whiteness??  Brown and red rice, deep red finger millet, black gram (urad), green gram (mung) all lend such rich earthy colors to the batter and with those colors come a variety of nutrients.  More importantly, the husks are a source of fiber and those prebiotics that you may be hearing about these days.
Fenugreek seeds are optional but it helps in digestion and hence I always add it to my idli-dosa batter. 
I soak all the ingredients together but one can soak them separately too. It works fine both ways. Soaking together helps in grinding all the ingredients to a smooth paste. 

I grind in a normal Mixer and Grinder. If you have the traditional mixer for grinding, I think ragi would grind better. Do not add too much water while grinding. We need a thick batter so that the batter ferments well and we get perfect idlis.

CAN WE PREPARE DOSA USING THE SAME BATTER?
Yes, of course, you can make dosa using the same batter. Just add a little water and adjust the consistency to make a Dosa out of it. Also the more the batter is fermented the more good dosa is. So prepare idli on day one and make dosa the following day. Dosa from this Ragi batter comes out very crispy and I like to use ghee instead of oil for shallow frying this. 

I have tried to explain and clear as many doubts as I can have but if you all still have some more let me know in the comments below and I would try to answer to my best.

So without further ado, let's get the ingredients ready and get on with our Ragi Idli to be savored with chutney, sambhar, and homemade podi powder.

Podi Powder is also called Gunpowder which makes it obvious just how fiery it tastes! The spiciness of red chillies combined with the aroma and rich taste of roasted dals & sesame seeds along with asafoetida makes this South Indian spice powder a really tongue-tickling-treat.

Ingredients:
1 Cup Whole Ragi
½ Cup Gota Urad Dal or Split Urad Dal
½ Cup Idli Rice/ Red Rice/ Brown Rice
1 teaspoon Fenugreek Seeds
Oil for greasing the idli molds.

Instructions —
Preparing the Batter:
In a bowl add Ragi seeds, Idli Rice, Urad dal, and Fenugreek Seeds.
Clean and rinse thoroughly under running water 3-4 times.
Let it soak for a minimum of 3-4 hours.
Once soaked, drain the water and give it a quick rinse again.
Now grind the batter into a smooth consistency.
Add salt and let the batter ferment overnight or for a minimum of 8-12 hours depending on the climate.

Preparing The Idlis:
Check the consistency of the batter. For Idli, the batter should not be runny and should be dropping thick.
In a large pot or your idli steamer add 2-3 glasses of water.
Just enough that it would be able to boil for 10-15 minutes without completely evaporating or burning the vessel from the bottom.
Bring the water to boil.
Meanwhile grease the idli mold with a bit of oil. A drop of oil per mold is sufficient.
Pour the batter into the molds. Around 2-3 tablespoons per mold. Do not overfill the mold.
Once the water starts to boil we are ready to steam our idlis.
Put the Idli stand in the steamer and let the idlis steam for a minimum of 15 minutes or until a knife or a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
After some while remove the idlis from the steamer.
Let the idlis cool for a minute or two before taking them out. You would be able to remove the idlis nice and clean if you allow it to rest for 1-2 minutes. Use a spoon to remove the idlis.
Serve them with fresh coconut chutney, sambar and warm ghee in a puddle of your special podi powder!

It goes without saying that the consumption of Ragi aids in weight loss, regulates the sugar level of blood, combats anemia, acts as a relaxant, and reduces the chances for stroke.

Ideal to be served with Sambar and fresh Coconut chutney, prepare Ragi Idli this week, and enjoy a salubrious yet delicious meal!