A twist on the popular South Indian breakfast dish, this recipe elevates the flavor and nutrition of the traditional rawa idli recipe. These Soft Kefir-Quinoa-Rawa Idlis are delicious and kid friendly.
Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Main Course, Side Dish, Snack
On medium heat, dry roast quinoa until it lightly browns. Set aside to cool.
Pour quinoa into a dry grinder and pulse to a coarse texture.
In the same pan, heat oil. Splutter mustard seeds, curry leaves, chana dal and dry red chilis. Add rawa (semolina) and roast until it turns light brown. Make sure you are stirring frequently, to prevent it from burning. Mix the quinoa to this. This dry mixture can be stored in the fridge (use an airtight bottle) for several months.
Idli Batter Preparation
Soak chana dal in water for 30 minutes and drain. Set aside.
In a large dish, pour in the roasted quinoa-raw mix. Combine grated carrots (not pictured), salt, grated ginger, finely chopped green chili and chopped cilantro leaves. Add 1 cup of kefir, mix well and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Mix again and add the remaining kefir. Mix well.
Allow this batter to rest for an additional 15 minutes. The grains will absorb the kefir. Add more kefir, buttermilk or water, if necessary. The consistency, at this point, should be neither runny nor congealed, but should be like the texture of a pancake batter.
Steaming Idlis
Add about 2 inches water to your pressure cooker and turn on the stove to medium flame. Grease your idli trays with a little bit of butter, olive oil or ghee.
Pour the idli batter into the trays. The idlis will expand after being steamed, so don't overfill the trays.
Stack the Idli trays.
Place the idli rack in the pressure cooker, and steam for 12 minutes (allow the steam to vent out without the pressure cooker weight on). I have placed a stainless-steel glass over the vent to prevent the steam from splattering all over.
Turn off the stove and immediately open the lid of the pressure cooker. Tilt the idli trays to allow excess water to run off. Allow the idlis to cool for 5 minutes in the trays.
Use a thin butter knife to remove the idlis from the trays. Serve hot with your favorite chutney.
Notes
These steamed idlis freeze well too. Pack them in an airtight container before freezing them. To thaw, wrap them in a clean, moistened cloth napkin and microwave them on medium heat. Or simply steam them in your pressure cooker for 3 minutes. *Use organic ingredients wherever possible