Thinai Idli | Foxtail Millet Idli | Easy Millet Recipes

After Thinai Dosa (Foxtail Millet Crepes),Thinai Khara Pongal and Thinai Veg Uttapams, I wanted to experiment with rice-free recipe for Idli. I had bookmarked Paddu's recipe for this and with minor variations, it was quite a success. The colour of the Idly might be a little off for those who are used to bright white Idlis, but the texture was great and it was soft too.

I had made these Idlis prior to making the Thinai Uttapams, so the batter was pretty much the same. The versatile Thinai (Foxtail Millet) can replace rice in many dishes giving diabetics an advantage of eating low carb versions of everyday breakfast / snack dishes. 

So, do try these and let me know how you liked them. 

Other Idli varieties on this blog - 

• Kanjivaram Idli
• Pepper Idli steamed in Banana leaf 
• Lapsi Idli 
• Samba Wheat Idli
• Toor Dal Idli
• Sprouts Rava Idli
• Sevai-Rava Idli
• Moong Dal Spicy Idli
• Instant Masala Beans Idli 
• Mini Carrot Idli
• Poha Idli.

Prep time : 6-7 hours soaking + 20 mins grinding time + 8-12 hours fermentation time (or overnight)
Makes: approx 25 idlis

Ingredients:

• Foxtail Millet / ನವಣೆ / தினை - 3 cups (1 cup = 120 ml)
• Idli Rice - 1/2 cup (or replace with foxtail millet completely)
• Urad Dal (Split / Whole) - 1 cup
• Methi / Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp 
• Salt - to taste

Method:

Soak Urad Dal with methi seeds in one bowl. In another bowl, wash the millet several times in running water to rid of stones / dirt. Soak along with Idli rice for 6-8 hours.

 

Grind the Urad dal + methi seeds to a nice fluffy paste . Remove to a large bowl. Similarly grind the millet + idli rice to a smooth but semi coarse paste. Add both the mixtures, salt and mix it thoroughly with your hands for a good 5 mins. 

Transfer to a large bowl (leaving ample space for rising).  Cover and keep overnight or for 8-10 hours (depending on the climate, the fermentation might take longer). 

The next day, mix it well, take a ladle of the batter, steam in greased idli plates for 8-9 mins or till fully done and a skewer comes clean

Serve with Tiffin Sambhar and / or any  Chutney / Molagapudi 

This goes to BM # 85 under "Breakfast series"

Batatyachi Poha | Vegan and GF Quick breakfast recipes | Maharashtrian Recipes

Poha and its variants are welcome anytime at home. For the elder one, she prefers Poha over Idli / Dosa for breakfast. Try as much as we did, somehow we prefer hot breakfasts over cold cereal + milk at home.I guess its a personal preference, but we have been accustomed to warm / hot / cooked breakfast over the years. Once a week, there is poha in some form at the breakfast table, accompanied with cut fruits or a vegan smoothie for a complete meal.

Today, lets look at Batatyachi Poha or Potato based Poha for a quick filling Vegan and GF breakfast (it tastes great even for lunch so its an option for kids' lunchbox too!). We are doing breakfast ideas this week and this is the first one from Aamchi Mumbai :-)

 If you are a poha lover like us, do check out the following varieties on the blog !

• Vangi Poha
•  Gojjavalakki
•  Curry leaf poha 
• Curd Poha 
•  Indori Poha
• Dadpe Pohe

Prep time: 15 mins, Cook time : 10 mins, Serves : 4

Ingredients:
Thick Poha - 1.25 cups (1 cup = 200 ml)
Oil - 2 TBSP
Potato - 1 very large or 2 medium
Onion - 1 large - minced fine - Optional
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Tempering : Jeera (Cumin seeds), mustard seeds (opt.), Hing (skip for GF version), curry leaves, peanuts (skip for nut allergy), Curry leaves
Chopped green chillies (4 nos) - or to taste
Chopped coriander leaves - 1 TBSP
chopped onions + Lemon juice + grated coconut - for garnish (recommended)

Method:
Wash the poha of all dirt and drain. Sprinkle little water and cover and keep. 
While the poha is soaking, roast the peanuts (dry or with 1/2 tsp of oil till crispy and golden brown and keep aside). Also, cube the potato (with or without skin), boil it in salted water till al dente. Drain.
In a non stick pan or thick iron pan, heat the oil. Splutter the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, hing, curry leaves and chopped green chillies. Add the turmeric, onions and saute till onions turn translucent. 
Now add the boiled potato cubes and saute for further 2-3 mins. Now add the soaked poha and gently toss till the poha is coated well. Cover and cook for 1 min.
Finish with coriander leaves, lemon juice and roasted peanuts + fresh coriander. 
Serve hot.
If packing for lunch box, you may keep the roasted peanuts and lemon wedge separately so they can be added before eating. 

This goes to BM # 85 under "Breakfast series"

Let's eat Chocolate - Kids Delight , and a Giveaway !

For the third time in a row, I am hosting Kids' Delight - Chocolate theme for Valli's Kids Delight series. Its an absolute pleasure doing this, for chocolate never ceases to delight :-) 

So, put on your thinking caps, and participate in this theme with eggless choco-based delights - from Cupcakes to Hot Chocolate to Chocolate cake to Chocolate Sandwich, go wild with ideas that will delight your kids and the kid inside all of us :-)

What's more - one entry will be randomly chosen on March 20th for a surprise gift on account of this Blog's 7th Blogoversary ! 

Thank you, readers and dear blogger friends for your support, love and encouragement. 

Thank you, Valli for this opportunity ! 

Go choco-crazy and send in your delightful entries. Use the linky tool at the end of this post to link all your entries . Few rules before you send in your entries.

• New posts (posted between 16th Feb and 15h March) with link back to this event announcement as well as Valli's Kids Delight AND this LOGO is mandatory. entries with any one detail missing will miss qualifying. 
•  If sending old posts, the posts need to be edited with link backs , but those entries will not qualify for the giveway
• All entries need to be eggless and halal / alcohol free. 
•  Although not mandatory, I would love if you join me on Instagram and like my Facebook page
•  Special mention will be given to blogger sending in highest number of entries and will receive a very special prize.
•  The entry chosen by random selection will be announced with best blogger by March 20th on this blog. If the winner doesn't respond within 4 days, another winner will be notified.

Instant Multigrain Dosa for #Breadbakers

When Wendy Klik announced Pancakes for Feb edition of Bread Bakers, I was quite kicked for it allowed yeast free breads as well as the Indian pancakes / crepes a.k.a Dosa. I had bookmarked a couple of Pancakes that my kids would have loved, but didn't get to make this.

And then this Instant, no-ferment Multigrain Dosa fell into place. We are quite fond of savory stuff for breakfasts and so this got made for a rushed morning (pardon the pics, though). It goes well with any dip / chutney but delicious on its own as well. We had this with some lemon-fresh peppercorn-bittergourd pickle 

Some more Dosa varieties (mostly Vegan and GF) on this blog :

• Onion Podi Dosa
• Mini Foxtail Millet Uttapams
• Foxtail Millet Dosa
• Ragi Rava Dosa (Fingermillet - Semolina crepes)
• Set Dosa (Spongy. airy Dosa)
• Instant Wholwheat Dosa
• Ulundu Dosa (Ulundhu Dosa) | Urad Dal Dosa | Split black gram crepes
• Sprouts Adai | Sprouts and lentil crepes
• Brown Rice Dosa | Brown rice & lentil crepes
• Masala Dosa with Spicy Tomato chutney
• Healthy Oats Dosa / Savoury Oats Crepes
• Adai Dosa (Lentil Savoury Pancakes)
• Tomato Onion Utappam
• Set Dosa
• Pesarattu
• Cornmeal Dosa
• Poha Dosa
• Instant Bread Dosa

Let's see how to make this. Hope you enjoy the pancake series dished out on #Breadbakers this month. 

Instant Multigrain Dosa - Vegan and GF too ! 

Prep time : 15 mins, standing time : 20 mins, Makes : 6 Dosas

Ingredients:

• Buckwheat flour - 1/4 cup
• Wholewheat flour - 1/2 cup (skip for GF and increase the buckwheat by 3 TBSP)
• Rice Flour - 1/2 cup
• Roasted Semolina - 1/4 cup (skip for GF or replace with 1/2 cup more rice flour OR replace with Rice Rava)
• Besan / Gramflour - 1 TBSP
• Jowar flour (Sorghum flour) - 3 TBSP
• Salt - to taste
• Turmeric - 1/8 tsp
• Water - approx 2 cups
• Oil - 2 tsp + as needed to fry the dosas
• Tempering : Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp, asafeotida (skip for GF), Chopped green chillies 1 tsp, Chopped cilantro / coriander leaves 2 tsp

Tempering is optional, but does enhance the flavour of the dosas

Method:

1. Sift all flours, salt, turmeric thrice over in a large bowl. Add requisite water to make a flowing thinnish batter (not too thick nor too thin).
2. Cover and keep for 20 mins. After 20 mins, prepare the tempering - heat 2 tsp oil, splutter mustard seeds, add chillies, cilantro and asafoetida and add to the batter. Mix well. 
3. Heat a skillet, Pour a ladle of the batter into a thinnish dosa/ crepe.
4. Drizzle 1 tsp oil - let it cook till crispy on one side (medium heat only - this should take about 2 mins)
5. Flip over, let it cook for 30 seconds and serve hot with any chutney or pickle or sauce

Notes:

1. If you are not tempering the batter, then serve with some spicy sauce. With the tempering, its good to be eaten on its own or with a mild pickle / sauce.
2.  You wont be able to make the normal dosas by the smearing method - you need to drizzle the batter into a thinnish dosa leaving some pockets in between. Almost like a lacy crepe
3. This batter cannot be stored overnight. You may simply make it 30 mins prior to eating as its an instant version

Thank you Wendy for hosting this theme for #breadbakers. Let's have a look at other pancakes dished out this monthAebleskivers by All That's Left Are The Crumbs

• Apam Balik by I Camp in My Kitchen
• Bánh Xèo by Palatable Pastime
• Blueberry Lemon Dutch Baby Pancake by Spill the Spices
• Brazilian Tapioca Pancakes by Herbivore Cucina
• Buckwheat Chocolate Pancakes by Ambrosia
• Eggless Chocolate Chip Pancake by Seduce Your Tastebuds
• German Pancake with Easy Fruit Compote by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Gluten Free Aebleskiver by Gayathri's Cook Spot
• Hoppers by Mayuri’s Jikoni
• Hotteok by Sara's Tasty Buds
• Instant Multigrain Dosa by Sizzling Tastebuds
• Japanese Pancakes by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Kuih Dadar - Bujang Dalam Selimut - Asian Stuffed Pandan Pancakes by The Schizo Chef
• Moo Shu Pancakes by Food Lust People Love
• Soft and Spongy Poha Dosas by Sneha's Recipe
• Swedish Pancakes by Hostess At Heart
• Syrniki by The Mad Scientist's Kitchen
• Vegan Red Velvet Pancakes by Cook’s Hideout

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

Sugarfree Gajar and Ginger Smoothie | Vegan and GF recipes

In this last of the dishes with 3 ingredients this week, we have this ultra delish vegan, GF and sugarfree Smoothie with just 2 ingredients (3,if you include ice :p). With the advent of the winter carrots (a.k.a. Gajar) past two months, we made this smoothie so many times - its so quick and delicious to accompany any warm / hot breakfast for rushed mornings

I particularly clicked it once again today to record this smoothie. Not too much of a recipe with mix-blend-serve, nevertheless do try this out and let me know how you liked it. 

Prep time - 5 mins, Cook time - none, serves - 2

Ingredients:
Gajar / Delhi carrots (red variety) - 2 cups (grated & chilled)
Ginger - 1 inch - grated
Lemon juice - 1/2 tsp (opt but recommended)
Crushed Ice - 1 cup or chilled water - 1 cup
Topping : Black salt (optional)

Method:
Blend all ingredients and serve chilled

This goes to BM # 85 under "Cook with 3 ingredients or less"

Uppu Sajjige | Satvik Breakfast idea

In Kannada, Uppu means salt, and sajjige means semolina / rava/ sooji. This quick upma-look alike was made by grandmom every thursday and saturday for her palahaaram (fasting) when she wouldnt eat rice based dishes. In fact, she relished only this kind of upma even sans onions or garlic, especially when her ultra-orthodox elder sisters came over.

Come to think of it, both me and the younger one like this quick-to-make Sajjige a lot. the little one in fact calls this "Upma without seeds!!" Lol :-)) 

It requires exactly 10 mins and 3 ingredients. Let's see how to make this.

Prep time : 5 mins, Cook time : 5-7 mins, Serves : 1 (or two toddlers)
Uppu Sajjige - Karnataka style Semolina pudding
Course : Snacks or breakfast

Ingredients:
Fine Sooji - 1/4 cup
Ghee - 2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Hot water - upto 1/2 cup + 1 tsp

optional add-ins:

Urad Dal / split black gram - 1/2 tsp (opt.)
Hing / Asafoetida - a teeny pinch (opt. but recommended)
Curry leaves - a few (opt.)

Method:
In a pan, heat half the ghee and roast the sooji on medum flame till nicely roasted. Keep aside in a plate. In the same pan, heat the remaining ghee, splutter the urad dal, curry leaves if using and hing till urad dal turns golden brown. Add the water and bring to a rolling boil, add required salt and slowly stir in the roasted sooji. Mix well to prevent any lumps. Cover and cook for 5-7 mins till soft and well done. Serve immediately.

This goes to BM # 85 under "Cook with 3 ingredients or less"

Watermelon Lemonade | Quick Party Ideas

This week we have quick recipes with 3 ingredients or less. Although savoury dishes are also possible, they are a tad difficult though not impossible to feature in this category. Today, I have a soothing cooler that was in my drafts for a while now - Watermelon Lemonade. As a family, we are fond of whole fruits / salads , so smoothies / milkshakes are rarely if at all made.
This is however a favourite with both the kids and I make it often as it doesnt take too much time and is refreshing as well. Am sure its a hit in any party. So, do check out Watermelon Lemonade.

No cook, fuss free too :)

Prep time - 5 mins, Chilling time - 15 mins, Serves -2

Ingredients: Ripe Watermelon (chopped into largish cubes and deseeded) - 2 cups (1 cup = 240 ml)
Lemon juice - 2 tsp
Sugar / honey (can sub with maple syrup for vegans) - as required
Crushed Ice + chilled glasses - to serve

Method: In a blender, puree the watermelon cubes, lemon juice and any sweetener as required. Add crushed ice and blend once more
Serve chilled

 This goes to BM #85 under "3 Ingredients or less" theme.