Food blogging has introduced me to many new grains/flours which are not part of my native Palakkad Iyer cuisine. During my grocery shopping, I tend to pick up new grain/flour to try in my kitchen. Most of the time, I will not have recipe in my mind. I had a big packet of jowar grains which I had picked during one of the shopping trips. I relied on Google to throw some recipe links on jowar grains. Most of the recipes used jowar flour. I decided to try idli starting with my usual idli recipe as the base recipe. I was very apprehensive of the outcome. Jowar is an new grain to me and its gluten free. I thought if the idli attempt do not meet success, there is always dosa to look forward. After 10 minutes of steaming, I was surprised seeing very soft, off white idlis.
You need
Jowar grains - 1 cup
Idli rice/parboiled rice - 1 cup
Urad dal - 1/2 cup
Methi seeds - 1/2 tspn
Method
Wash jowar, rice and urad dal separately. Soak jowar, rice and methi seeds together. Soak urad dal separately. I soaked it overnight. Jowar requires more soaking time than rice. Soak two hours more than what you do for the regular rice for idli.
Grind dal first till fluffy. Remove and grind jowar, rice and methi till it is ground fine. Mix the grain and dal batter with salt. Leave it to ferment for 5-7 hours, based on the weather in your place.
Take the idli plates. Smear the depression with sesame oil. Spoon the batter and steam cook in a pressure cooker or idli steamer for 10 minutes.
Remove the cooked idlis and serve with podi/sambhar or chutney.
I love to eat idlis dunked in a bowl of sambhar.
Check out what my blogging marathon friends have cooked for the day.
