There is a story behind how this methi idli or vendhaya idli happened at my sweeet home. Because the recipe ideas doesn’t come up randomly in my mind. Some times I need to do some research on what my readers actually look for in my blog. Such insights lead to a new recipe later on. Which is what happened this week as well.
As I was analyzing my youtube channels analytics, I found that the methi dosa recipe which I posted couple of months ago is getting more views than others. So is that dosa which is attracting people or is it methi or fenugreek seeds which readers want to use? I was bit confused.
As there are enough number of dosa varieties here, I thought to use methi seeds in a breakfast recipe. So this methi idli or vendhaya idli magic took place in my kitchen. It has only two ingredients raw rice and fenugreek seeds. When soaked, the fenugreek seeds double up in size and become soft. Grinding those tiny seeds with water appropriately, makes fine, pouring consistency batter. This batter mixed with coarsely ground rice leads to perfect methi idli batter.
Two points to remember to turn the recipe perfect:
- Ferment the idli batter for good 10 hours in the warm place. The batter should raise up with volume and should be fluffy and airy.
- You need more hours of fermentation at cooler places. So rest it accordingly.
And you get a fluffy, soft, spongy vendhaya idli like this.
Watch video:
Methi Idli | Vendhaya Idli | Menthe Idli
Ingredients
- 2 cups Raw Rice
- 2 tbsp Fenugreek seeds
- 2 tsp Salt
- Water as needed
Instructions
- Take raw rice in a wide bowl and rinse well with enough water. Soak it for about 4 hours. Similarly rinse and soak the fenugreek seeds separately.
- After soaking, fenugreek seeds would have doubled in size. Add it to mixer and grind very finely. While grinding, add water in steps and ensure you obtain pouring consistency batter.
- Transfer the fenugreek batter to bowl and add soaked rice in to the same mixer. Add required water and grind it to little coarse batter. Transfer it to the same bowl.
- Mix both the batter evenly and let it ferment for 10 hours. Next add salt and pour batter to the idli mould. Steam cook for 15 minutes.
- Very healthy and soft methi idli (vendhaya idli) is ready to serve chutney and sambar.
Notes
- The fenugreek seeds and rice should be soaked for at least 3 hours.
- While grinding fenugreek seeds, add water incrementally to obtain thin pouring consistency batter.
- Rice should be ground little coarsely like sand.
- Good hours of fermentation is very important for soft and spongy idli. In warm places 10 hours of fermentation is enough where as cooler places need more hours.
- When batter is properly fermented, the idli would never taste bitter.
- Optionally you can add some jaggery to batter.
