Special equipment needed – Idli steamer

Ingredients for idlis

• 1 cup Millet
• 1 1/2 cups black gram (split)
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• Salt , to taste

Ingredients for tomato onion chutney

• 3 teaspoon oil
• 1 tablespoon black gram split
• 1 tablespoon split chickpea
• 4 dried red chilli
• ½ onion, cubed
• 1 inch ginger
• 2 clove garlic
• 1 ½ cup tomato, cubed
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup water

For tempering:

• 3 teaspoons oil
• ½ tsp mustard
• ½ tsp black gram split
• 1 dried red chilli, broken
• few curry leaves

Directions for idlis:

1. Wash and soak the millets in water. Separately soak black gram with fenugreek seeds for at least 8 hours.

2. To make the batter, drain the excess water.

3. Blend the black gram with just enough water to make a thick and smooth batter.

4. Transfer to a large bowl to be set aside for fermentation.

5. Blend the millet with just enough water to make a smooth batter.

6. Add this to the lack gram batter, add 2 teaspoons of salt and stir well to combine.

7. Ferment the batter for 5 to 6 hours or overnight.

8. Once the batter is fermented, gently stir and be careful to not release the air pockets.

9. Grease the idli mould with a little oil and spoon the batter into the mould.

10. Prepare the idli steamer with a little water in the bottom.

11. Place the filled idli racks in the steamer. Place the steamer on high heat and steam the idli’s for 10 minutes.

12. After 10 minutes of steaming, turn off the heat. Open the steamer and insert a knife or a pick to test whether the idli’s are cooked. If nothing sticks then the idlis are perfectly steamed.

13. Now you can remove the millet idli from the steamer. Have a small bowl filled with water.

14. Dip a spoon in the water and then scoop the ragi idli out starting from the edges. Dipping the spoon in water helps in the easy removal of idli from the plates.

15. The wholesome homemade pillow-soft millet idli is now ready to be served

Directions for chutney:

• Heat the oil and add black gram, chickpeas and dried red chillies.
• Saute over low flame until the lentils turn golden brown.
• Now add onion, ginger and garlic. Saute until onions shrink slightly.
• Add tomato and saute until the tomatoes soften.
• Cool completely, and transfer to a blender.
• Add lime juice, salt and ½ cup water.
• Blend to a smooth paste.
• Transfer the chutney to a large bowl and add water as required adjusting the consistency.
• Heat oil for tempering.
• Add mustard, black gram, dried red chilli, curry leaves and let it splutter.
• Pour the tempering over the chutney and mix well.