Upvas Idli
Ingredients:
- 1 cup sama rice (barnyard millet)
- ½ cup yogurt (curd)
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
- 1-2 green chillies, finely chopped (adjust to your spice preference)
- A small piece of ginger, grated
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp black pepper powder
- ½ tsp fruit salt or Eno (optional, for fermentation)
- Salt, to taste
For Tempering (Optional):
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- A few curry leaves
- A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
Instructions:
- Rinse the sama rice thoroughly under cold water.
- Soak the rice in enough water for 4-5 hours or overnight.
Grinding the Batter:
- After soaking, drain the water from the sama rice.
- Grind the soaked and drained sama rice into a smooth batter using a blender or a wet grinder.
- Add very little water, as needed, to make a thick, smooth batter. The batter should have a consistency similar to that of traditional idli batter.
- Ferment the batter by leaving it in a warm place for 8 hours or overnight. This step is optional but will result in softer idlis.
Preparing the Idli Batter:
- In a mixing bowl, combine the batter, yogurt, finely chopped coriander leaves, green chillies, grated ginger, cumin seeds, black pepper powder, and salt. Mix everything well.
- Grease the idli moulds with a little oil or ghee.
- Use fruit salt for fermentation, add it to the batter and mix well. The batter will become frothy.
- Pour the batter into the idli moulds, filling them about 3/4 full.
Cooking the Idlis:
- Steam the idlis in a steamer for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick or knife inserted into an idli comes out clean.
- Remove the idli plates from the steamer and let them cool for a few minutes. Carefully remove the idlis from the moulds using a spoon.
- In a small pan, heat oil. Add mustard seeds, curry leaves, and asafoetida (hing). Let them splutter.
- Pour this tempering over the prepared idlis for added flavour.
- Serve the Sama Rice Idlis hot with coconut chutney, peanut chutney, or any chutney of your choice.
leave a comment