Ragi / Keppai is a wholegrain that is rich in iron, fiber and calcium. It is also a great source of good carbohydrate. It can be included in our diet in many forms. Most common forms would be idli, dosai, porridge and mudde. I made idli this time and it turned out great. The best part is, the same batter can be used to make dosai too. It is pretty easy to make and keeps good for 4 days. I have used a wet grinder here. But if you have a high power blender then you can grind the batter using it.

This is a very nutritious and a wholesome meal. It is also vegan and gluten-free. Just pair it with some coconut chutney or any chutney of your choice and enjoy! Tastes great when served right out of the steamer…like piping hot!

Lets get to the recipe. Happy cooking!

Ingredients

• Whole Ragi – 2 cups
• Whole Urad Dal – 1 cup
• Fenugreek seeds – 1.5 tbsp
• Soaked Aval / Poha / Flattened rice flakes (or) Cooked Rice – 1/4 cup
• Salt – 2 tsp

Procedure

• Wash and soak all the ingredients seperately,for 6 hours or overnight.
• Ragi might have dust particles so consider washing it multiple times.

• In a wet grinder or mixer grinder, add in the fenugreek first and grind it for 2 mins. Then add in the soaked urad dal (discard the soaked water) and grind it for about 20-25 mins, till the batter is soft and fluffy.
• Add cold water in between to ensure even grinding.
• I would have added 4 times approx. The batter should not become watery so be cautious while adding water.

• Scoop out the urad dal batter to a bowl. No need to wash the grinder.

• Next, add in the ragi and grind. Add 1/2 cup water + sprinkle water in between and grind it for 30 mins.
• Add in 1/4 cup soaked flattened rice flakes (Aval/Poha) or cooked rice along with ragi.

• First it may look like the ragi is not grinding properly. But make sure you sprinkle water now and then and scrape off the sides so that the ragi is grinded evenly.
• It is okay if the ragi batter is slightly coarse.
• Take out the grinding stone and add in the urad dal batter into the grinded ragi batter. Add in 2 tsp salt and mix it with your hands till both the batters are well incorporated.

• Transfer this batter to a bowl and close it with a lid.
• Allow it to ferment overnight in a warm spot. As I live abroad, I leave it inside my oven with lights on. In India you can just keep it on your kitchen counter.
• It would have risen till the top the next day.

• Mix the batter well with a ladle.
• Heat a idli steamer with about 2 cups water.
• Line the idli making plates with a wet cloth and fill the holes with a ladle of batter each. Some plates do not have holes so just grease with some oil and fill in the batter. Depends on the kind of idli steamer you use.
• Once the water boils, add in the plates. Close the idli steamer with a lid and steam for 10 mins on medium flame.
• Test whether the idli is done by making a hole in the middle of the idli. I just wet my finger in cold water and check. It is perfectly fine to just use the backside of a spoon.
• Transfer it to a plate and remove the cloth slowly.

• Serve hot with your choice of chutney or sambar.

Notes

• Using fine quality urad dal ensures fluffy batter.
• You can make dosai with the same batter.
• Fenugreek seeds add more softness to the batter, so do not skip.