Sajjige idli/ Urad and Rava idli:

It is a no rice, fermented idli using ground urad dal and steamed rava. The outcome is pillowy soft idlies. We avoid rice before the main pooja, which is taboo in our customs. Hence, it is a default breakfast option in our family, especially in our community, on festival days or any auspicious day.

Here is the recipe, which we follow

Urad dal – 1 cup

Upma Rava / Bombay rava – 2 cups

Salt

Method:

-Wash urad dal and soak it for 3 to 4 hours.

-Grind soaked urad dal into fine paste by adding sufficient water.

-Now, take one cotton cloth, pour rava, and tie it like a potli/ packet.

-Take one idli steamer with water at the bottom. When water starts boiling, place the tied towel with rava and steam cook for 10 to 20 min in low heat.  

-After 20 min, remove the towel, loosen the knot, spread the rava and cool it.

-Add cooled rava and required salt to urad dal paste and make a batter by mixing and adding sufficient water.

-Batter needs to be like regular idli batter and allow it to ferment acc to your climate.

-next day, prepare idli like regular idli or by using banana leaf or steel tumblers etc.

-If you are following the procedure like me, use wilted banana leaf, pour the batter and steam for 30 minutes or more, according to the thickness.

-Serve with chutney, thovve,  sambar or menthe kodilu (methi sambar).

Sprouted Ragi Idli:

We all know, Ragi is extremely healthy plant-based grain, which is fibre rich, calcium rich and what not? It is a new age “Super food” which was earlier considered as a staple, poor man’s food, or farmer’s diet.

Ragi also known as finger millet or Nachni. Interesting part is, when we sprout the ragi, its nutritional benefits increases 10 folds.

Soaking and sprouting ragi is easy to digest, high in calcium, protein, low in glycaemic index as well as high in vitamin B12, which is a boon to vegetarians. Ragi has the natural property to balance sugar levels in our body, hence it is an extremely  good option for all the age groups, including diabetics.

 Some people do not like ragi for varied reasons, it may be due to its bland taste or something else. If that is the case, one can try to sneak in Ragi in various forms, combining with the other grains in cooking or while baking.

Here, I have tried to make sprouted Ragi idli with mixing rice. When it is combined with sambar or chutney it tastes delicious and my family likes it a lot.

Preparation goes like this-

Ingredients:

Whole Ragi -1 cup

Idli rice – 2 cups ( you can use normal rice as well)

Urad dal – 1 cup

Poha – 1 cup (loosely packed)

Salt

Method:

-Wash Ragi, soak overnight, drain and keep aside to sprout, In Bangalore weather it takes almost a day or day and a half. After sprouting it swells and becomes 1 ½ cup.

-Next day, wash , soak  Idli rice in one vessel. In another vessel, Urad dal and poha. Soak for 3 to 4 hrs.

-According to your weather, opt the timing to grind. Ragi batter ferments little quick, compared to normal idli batter. SO, keep that in mind as well.

-I normally opt for a wet grinder to make idli or dosa batter.

-While grinding, first grind urad dal into fine batter, then add sprouted ragi, it takes little longer to grind. While halfway through add soaked idli rice, salt and grind the batter into small rava consistency.

-Remove from the wet grinder, adjust the consistency of the batter, mix nicely, and keep aside to ferment.

-Next day morning, steam idlies like a Regular idli and enjoy with little hot coconut chutney or any vegetable sambar.