Millet idli - dosa Batter

Millet idli dosa batter - Idli and Dosa are the staple tiffin items of any south Indian household.It is usually prepared with fermented batter of rice and urad Dal. This  recipe of idli - dosa batter uses a combination of millets namely kodo millet, proso millet, little millet ,barnyard millet and foxtail millet in equal proportion, urad dal, fenugreek seeds and tapioca. Fenugreek seeds and tapioca ensures softer idlis for a longer period as idlis made out of millets tends to become harder and dry upon cooling.

Key ingredients:

I'm using a combination of millets namely varagu,samai,kuthiraivali,thinai and panivaragu.

Lentils - whole white urad Dal is used

Seeds - Fenugreek seeds

Rice - Idly rice is used ,either IR-20 or any idly rice.

Tapioca - Big pearls or maavu javvarisi is used

Salt - Sea crystal salt or pink crystal salt can be used. Fine salt can also be used.

Method:

Soak the ingredients, grind and ferment.

Substitutions:

• Tapioca can be replaced by poha

Recipe:

Preparation time :

Soaking time + grinding time: 61/2 hours

Fermentation time: 7/8 hours

Ingredients:

Millets - 3 cups

Idly rice -1 cup

Urad dal - 1 cup

Tapioca pearls(javvarisi) - 1 handful

Fenugreek seeds - 1 tbsp

Directions:

1.Wash the millets and the rice together for many times, preferably for 4-5 times in the water. Wash till you see a clear water. Soak along with tapioca for 5 hours in a vessel. Soak urad dal with fenugreek in 3 cups of water for 5 hours in another vessel.

                        

2.Wash the grinder stone and the the drum in running water. 

3.Now add the urad dal along with fenugreek to the grinder. 

4.Add water( in which the dal has been soaked)  in little quantities stage by stage and grind till fluffy.

    

    

                              

5.Remove the urad dal batter in a container. 6.Add the millet - rice mixture and grind. Don't make it a very fine paste. It has to be a little coarse like that of fine rava.

7. Remove the millet batter and collect it in the container that contains the urad dal batter. Add salt and mix well (preferably with hands). Allow to ferment for 7- 8 hours.

8. Mix the batter thoroughly from the bottom to top till the batter becomes a homogeneous mixture. 

                                

Notes:

• Use can use a combination of millets or a single one.
• Dosa can be prepared using the same batter.
• Millets consumed by fermentation doesn't cause any side effects.
• Crystal salt to be added at the final stage of grinding the batter.
• Add enough water while mixing the batter, do not add water after fermentation as you will get softer idlis.