The Healthiest Veg Breakfast — Butter Idli

Unless you love smoothie bowls, fruits bowls or simply fruit-based items, a good and tasty vegetarian breakfast is difficult to find or make. Yes, one always has the option of bread-based dishes but gluten and its inflammatory effect on the body is well documented these days. Lots of people are choosing to give up bread and for the right reasons. Still love smoothies the best? You can also try breakfast energy smoothie.

So what’s the alternative? Indian breakfast! Indian food is much much more than naan and butter chicken and the cuisine offers a plethora of healthy and vegetarian breakfast options, such as idli.

Made passionately in family kitchens all over India especially in the South, sold as a street snack, eaten in cheap and super expensive eateries alike, idlis are made from fermented rice batter and is completely gluten-free and is ridiculously tasty AND healthy.

The prepping time for Idlis is long because the rice needs to be fermented so its best to the batter the ready night before. The actual steaming of the idli takes less than 10 min.

You may have idlis plain or with some hummus, coconut chutney or any other side embellishment and all with taste equally good.

You Will Need:

Ready to cook? Then start making notes.

You will need:

• 1 Cup Urad Dal, also known as Split Black gram
• 4 Cups Idly Rice or just plain rice ( uncooked)
• 2 tablespoon Fenugreek seeds
• 2 tablespoon Salt

Preparing The Batter

• Wash all the ingredients carefully, especially the rice.
• Keep all the ingredients soaked in water for 4 hours before grinding.
• Grind the softened fenugreek seeds in water for 3-4 minutes until they fine and fluffy.
• Now add the dal to the grinder on top of the fenugreek seeds. Also, slowly add half a cup of water while grinding the mixture.
• Grind for 30 min. The volume of the dal should increase to 10 times the volume after grinding.
• After 30 minutes, shift the dal mixture into a bowl and set aside.
• Now, transfer the soaked rice to the grinder and grind for 30 minutes while adding enough water. Once done, transfer the batter to the dal mixture bowl and mix well.
• Add a pinch of salt before and leave it to ferment for 12 hours.

How Do You Know If The Batter Is Ready?

After 12 hours, the batter should have increased in volume. Mix it well with a latter.

Making The Idli

• You will need an idli vessel. Put some water in an idly vessel and put it on medium flame on the stove.
• Oil the idli plates and gently fill the rounds with the batter.
• Put it inside the idly vessel, cover it and let it steam for 6-7 minutes.
• Be careful to not overcook the idlis or they will turn dry and hard.

After 7 minutes, take the idli out and let it rest for 3-4 minutes.

Transfer the steaming hot idlis to a plate, add a spoonful of butter and your delicious breakfast is ready. You can also have this with your favourite chutney or sambhar but I simply love butter idli. You can also replace the butter with 2 tbsp of olive oil for a healthier twist.

Enjoy!

Did you enjoy the recipe? I would love to hear from you!