Varai Idli
In Mangalore or say particularly amchigele/ gowd saraswat Konkani/saraswat
community grains or dals are eaten during vrat unlike in the northern or
western Indian regions. Only things avoided during these days are onion, garlic,
rice and rice by products, store bought ready dishes.
This Varai idli is made on those fasting days when rice is
avoided.
Here is what we need for Varai Idli:
1 cup Urad dal
2 cups varai/sama chawal/barnyard millet/Mordhan/ Same akki
Salt to taste
Method:
1. Firstly wash
the urad dal at least 3 times and soak the urad dal for 4-5 hours.
2. In a separate
vessel wash and soak varai/sama for 4 hours.
3. Drain the
water from the urad dal and keep the water for later use, similarly drain water
completely from varai and throw away this water.
4. Add this urad
dal in a mixer grinder or a tilting grinder and grind into very smooth paste
adding water little by little, stirring the batter with clean hand or spatula.
5. Take ¾ th of
the batter out in a clean vessel.
6. Add in the varai
to the remaining ¼ th of the batter directly in the mixer grinder and grind it for
only a minute. This process makes sure it breaks the varai.
7. Switch of the
grinder and then add the varai mixture into the ¾ th urad dal batter and mix
well.
8. Add salt and
allow the mixture to ferment overnight or 8 hours.
9. Next day or
just before making idlis, grease the idli moulds and pour a ladle full of idli
batter into the mould, do the same for rest of the batter
10. Steam the idlis
in a pressure cooker without placing the weight or in a steamer for 10-12
minutes. Before using Pressure cooker or Pan, first add water in the pan. let
it come to a boil. Keep the idli stand and cover the pan. Now take a clean
spoon and remove the idlis from the moulds, steaming hot idlis are ready.
Serve Idlis with Hot Sambar or chutney or both.
Aps Notes:
You can add a fistful of soaked poha if you are using a
blender or mixie while grinding urad dal this will make the idli fluffier, but by
adding poha it cannot be eaten during vrat or fasting days and not edible for
people avoiding rice and rice items.
Happy Cooking,
Aps
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