Kuthiraivali Sorakkai Idli, Barnyard Millet Lauki ( Bottle Gourd ) Idli

          Millets, no longer we need to go into, how healthy they are, it's a known fact now. Now, in India we not only get whole millets and millet flour, we also get them now in rava ( semolina ) form and also as instant idiyappams ( noodles ). For today's idli I have used Kuthiraivali ( Barnyard Millet ) rava and sorakkai/bottle gourd. The idlis came out soft and delicious, the texture was like that of regular rava/semolina idlis. Try out this super healthy idlis, you can use varagu/kodo millet or saamai/little millet too, they go very well with peanut or coconut chutney..

Need To Have

• Kuthiraivali/Barnyard Millet Rava - 1 cup
• Grated Sorakkai/Lauki/Bottle Gourd - 2 cups
• Yogurt/Curd - 1/2 cup
• Broken Cashews - 11/2 tablespoon
• Chana Dal/Bengal Gram - 1 tablespoon
• Urad Dal/Husked Black Gram - 1 teaspoon
• Mustard Seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Green Chilly - 1, chopped
• Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon
• Eno/Fruit Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
• Chopped Coriander - 1/4 cup
• Curry Leaves - 10, torn into pieces
• Salt to taste

Method

          Take the millet rava in a bowl, grate the bottle gourd in a fine grater.

          Add the grated bottle gourd to the kuthiraivali rava, add the 1/2 cup curd, mix it well with hand and leave it for 30 minutes.

          Heat about 3 teaspoons of oil, add the cashews, chana dal, urad dal followed by the mustard seeds. When the cashews turn golden and the mustards start spluttering, add the asafoetida followed by the green chilly and curry leaves, saute for a minute and remove.

           Add the sauteed cashew mixture to the soaked kuthiraivali rava, also add the chopped coriander, salt and 1/2 cup water and mix everything together.

          Heat the water in the steamer ( idli maker ), grease the idli moulds, now add the eno/fruit salt to the batter, mix it and spoon it into the idli moulds and steam them immediately for about 15 to 20 minutes. Let it cool for a couple of minutes, then remove them carefully using a spoon dipped in water.

Note
The batter will not be like regular idli batter, you have to spoon the batter and set it in the mould with the spoon.