Barnyard Millet Idli / Diabetic Friendly Recipe

Barnyard Millet idli is a healthy and delicious variation to the regular rice idli. Here, as the name suggests, Barnyard millet (also known as Kuthiraivali in Tamil, Vari che Tandul in Marathi, Sama Chawal in Hindi, Moraiyo in Gujarati) is used instead of rice to make idli. Fermented Idlis made using barnyard millet and skinned black gram ( urad dal) are soft and fluffy with added nutritional benefits of millet. These gluten-free and vegan idlis are low in calories and rich in fiber hence diabetic friendly and perfect for weight watchers. Serve Barnyard millet idli with Sambar and Coconut chutney as breakfast or brunch. You can also make crisp dosa using the same batter.

What is Barnyard Millet ?

Barnyard Millet (Echinochloa frumantacea) is a wholesome grain that is is a gluten-free, low glycemic food, low in calories, rich in fiber, and a good source of iron, phosphorous and calcium. It has 6 times more fiber than wheat, making it an ideal weight loss millet. Barnyard millet tastes almost similar to broken rice when cooked. It is economical and easily available in India and makes tasty food for all age groups. It is called Shyama in Bengali, Vari che Tandul/ bhagar in Marathi, Moraiyo in Gujarati, Sama ke chawal in Hindi, Oodalu in Kannada, Udalu in Telugu and Kuthiraivally in Tamil. Cereal grains are not consumed during fasts in India, so barnyard millet is a popular ingredient during fasting. many food preparations can be made with it and one should not restrict it to just fasting food.
                         

What all goes into my Barnyard Millet Idli?

Barnyard Millet Idli is just like the regular rice idli and requires just 4 ingredients. The only difference is that in this case, Barnyard millet replaces rice. This is not an instant recipe, which means this idli requires soaking, grinding, and fermentation process before the idlis are being steamed. The second ingredient of this idli is split and skinned black gram (urad dal). The ratio of barnyard millet to black gram is 2:1. I also soaked a few fenugreek seeds along with the black gram. Both millet and black gram are soaked in water separately for 4-5 hours after which they are ground to a smooth batter. Salt is added to the batter and allowed to ferment overnight. The fermented batter is then added to greased idli molds and steamed for 20 minutes. Soft, fluffy idlis are ready to serve. I even tried making dosa from the same fermented batter and as you can see in the pic below, the dosa is crisp and has come out perfectly.

Barnyard Millet Video Recipe

Barnyard Millet idli is 

• Diabetic-friendly
• Figure friendly
• Kids-friendly
• Vegan
• Gluten-free
• Saatvik (onion-garlic free)
• Serves as a healthy baby food

Serving Suggestions:

Barnyard millet idli tastes best when served hot with Coconut chutney, Sambar, or Sesame Seeds podi. Though it makes for a healthy and filling breakfast, these idlis can also be served at lunch, dinner, or in the lunch box.

Related Event:

It is month-end and time to post for my Facebook gourmet group, Shhhhhh Cooking secretly challenge. This group was started by Priya's versatile recipes and taken further to date by Mayuri di. Mayur di's Farali dhokra is on my to-do list which uses barnyard millet and sago to make a delectable snack. The theme for this month was suggested by Aruna as Millet Magic. She has many healthy millet dishes on her blog. Her Ragi Puttu and Multigrain banana bread that uses finger millet recipes are worth trying. In this group, each member takes turns to propose the theme for the month. All participating members are divided into pairs and both partners exchange a set of secret ingredients using which both have to prepare a dish as per the theme. The other members of the group then take turns to guess the two secret ingredients just by looking at the pic of the dish. Doesn't all this sound interesting! If you are a food blogger and wish to join this group, do let us know in the comment section below. My partner for this month was Preethi di. She gave me barnyard millet and fenugreek seeds as my two secret ingredients and i made this healthy idli using them. In return, I gave her Foxtail millet flour and curd and she made Foxtail millet mini rotti using those ingredients. Docheck our her healthy Mixed millet porridge mix as well.

                              

Preparation Time: 12 hours
Cooking Time: 20 minutes per batch
Serves: 2  dozen idlis

Ingredients: Measurements used 1 cup = 240 ml

• 2 cups barnyard millet
• 1 cup split and skinned black gram/urad dal
• 1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds/methi dana
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Rinse the barnyard millet and soak it in enough water for 4 hours. In another bowl, take rinsed black gram and add fenugreek seeds to it. Soak it also in enough water for 3-4 hours.

2. After the soaking time, transfer the black gram and fenugreek seeds to a mixer grinder jar with little water and grind to a smooth paste. remove the paste in a large vessel.

3. Now drain the barnyard millet and add it to the same grinder jar. Grind it also to a coarse paste without adding any water. Soaked barnyard millet does not require any additional water while grinding. If you add additional water, you won't be able to grind it properly and thus not get the desired consistency and texture of the batter. add this ground barnyard to the black gram paste and blend the batter well. Add salt to taste and give a good mix. The idli batter before fermentation should not be too thick or too runny. It should be smooth and of dropping consistency.

4. Cover the vessel and place it in a dark and warm place undisturbed for 6-8 hours or overnight. The batter will ferment and rise in volume. You can see small air bubbles in the fermented batter as shown in the pic below.

5. Grease the idli molds with little oil. add water to the steamer or pressure cooker and allow it to boil. Add the idli batter to the greased molds of the idli pan. Assemble the idli stand and place it in the steamer or pressure cooker. If using a cooker, remove the whistle and cover the cooker with the lid. Steam the idlis on medium heat for around 20 minutes.

6. Serve the hot idlis with Sambar and Coconut chutney and enjoy it with your loved ones!

Recipe Notes:

• The ratio of barnyard millet to black gram is 2:1. I also soaked a few fenugreek seeds along with the black gram. 
• The same batter can be used to make barnyard millet dosa.
• Do not add water to the soaked barnyard millet while grinding. The idli batter before fermentation should not be too thick or too runny. It should be smooth and of dropping consistency.
• The remaining idli batter can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
• The time taken for fermentation of idli batter will vary from place to place depending upon the temperature of that place and season.

I hope a few of you would love to try out this recipe. If you do so, feel free to share your feedback with us in the form of likes and comments in the comment section below this post. All your suggestions are also more than welcome. If you like my work and feel it is worth following, do hit the follow button at the top right corner of this blog. Your appreciation means a lot to me. For more recipes and new updates follow us on social media.

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