Idli is a popular South Indian breakfast recipe made from fermented rice and urad dal (black gram) batter. It's soft, fluffy steam cooked food and usually served with sambar (a lentil-based vegetable stew) and coconut chutney.

As steam cooked fermented food, it is a good source of probiotic with no oil. With a sambar, a thick dal – veg stew, idli is surely a wholesome breakfast.Â

Because of its high carb, we end up reducing the numbers in our weekly meals. But those who are fans of steam cooked idlis, it becomes very tough to avoid or reduce.Â

So, we tend to try healthier versions of idlis to help diet conscious and health-conscious persons.  Instead of rice, we replace with millets like finger millets, Sorghum, foxtail millets etc. This is how we find various millet idlis.Â

Ragi Idli Recipe

This ragi idli is an alternate to our usual idli made with white rice. No need to compromise its softness or sponginess.Â

This ragi idli is made from ragi flour and urad dal. So, it is easier than soaking whole ragi grain. Dal soaks in just 1 hour and we make this batter in next 10 minutes. Ferment and steam this delicious and healthy ragi idlis.

We could make idlis out of any millet flour with this same recipe.Â

Ingredients and Substitutions

Ragi flour – I use ragi flour to make this idli batter because it is too healthy. But we may replace it with any other millet flour like bajra, sorghum etc.

Urad Dal – I use urad dal to give softness and to help ferment.Â

Fenugreek - Fenugreek improves the softness of the idlis. It is completely optional. Fenugreek helps in making dosas crispy.

Water – I used water to combine the flour. But we may also use coconut milk to give extra taste to the recipe.

Salt – Salt is added for seasoning.

How to make Ragi idli Batter?

Soak urad dal and fenugreek seeds after washing thoroughly.

Take 2 teaspoons of ragi flour in a small sauce pan and add quarter cup of water into it. Mix well without any lumps. Put this on stove. Cook till a sticky thick paste in low flame.

After the urad dal and fenugreek seed gets soaked, grind them to a nice smooth butter like batter by sprinkle water little by little. Keep it aside.

Once the ragi flour paste cooled down, mix it with the remaining ragi flour. Add this batter with urad dal batter and give it a good mix. Add water to get right consistency (thick idli batter). Add salt to taste and mix well. Leave it for 8 hours or overnight to ferment.

In the morning, mix the batter gently. Heat an idli pot and make idlis as usual. Close it with a lid and let it cook in slow flame for 10 minutes. Our soft sponge ragi idlis are ready now.

Enjoy this healthy ragi idlis  with coconut chutney and sambar combo. Or with coconut chutney and tomato chutney combo. Or with any one. Or simply with idli podi.