Recipe for Quinoa Idli

Name: Recipe for Quinoa Idli
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2½ Cups Quinoa; 1½ Cups Raw Rice; 1 Cup Urad Dal ( Black Gram without Skin); Water, for making the batter and steaming the idlis; 2 tsp Salt

I have recently started experimenting with Quinoa in my kitchen and have found it absolutely delicious. Recently I tried making Quinoa with Yoghurt, which is similar to a popular South Indian food-Curd Rice, in which rice and curd are combined and tempered. In that recipe, I replaced rice with quinoa. Of course, it tasted different from curd rice, but it was surely a ‘good’ different. I also tried replacing rice with quinoa in Pongal, which is again a South Indian recipe in which rice and moong dal lentils are combined and cooked. That too tasted great. You can check out my Quinoa Pongal recipe.

In my meals, I try including varieties of grains, vegetables, fruits and fats so that I can get the best of everything. Bringing variety into our meals is great for our gut health and has a positive impact on our health.

Quinoa belongs to the amaranth family, and these are actually seeds of a flowering plant. Quinoa is rich in proteins and fibre, and hence a great addition to any kitchen.

Today’s recipes is Quinoa Idli. Idli is a popular South Indian breakfast. Traditionally, it is made by combining rice and lentils, grinding them, fermenting them overnight and then steaming them the next day. Idli is served with sambar and/or chutney. In my recipe, I have added quinoa and given a little twist to the traditional idli recipe. After trying out various ratios of quinoa: rice: lentils, I have finally been able to come up with the combination that gives the perfect idlis. Idlis made this way, have a slight sweetness to them and were light and fluffy. So, here is my tried and tested Quinoa Idli Recipe

Ingredients needed to make Quinoa Idli:

2½ Cups Quinoa
1½ Cups Raw Rice (You can also take Idli/Dosa Rice)
1 Cup Urad Dal ( Black Gram without Skin)
Water, for making the batter and steaming the idlis
2 tsp Salt

Method to make Quinoa Idli:

Wash rice and quinoa thoroughly and combine them. Add 4 cups of water and soak them for at least 6 hours.
Wash Urad Dal and soak it in 2 cups of water for at least 4 hours.
Grind the soaked grains and lentils till you get a smooth batter. Add water, if needed to get a flowing batter ( not too thin though).
Whisk the batter for a few minutes. Then cover and let it ferment overnight in a warm place.
The next day, add salt and mix the batter. Add a little bit of water, if the batter looks too thick. For perfect idlis, the batter should neither be too thick nor too thin.
Heat water in the idli steamer. Grease the idli plates and pour the batter into each section. When the water in the steamer starts bubbling, place the idli plates in the steamer. Steam for 15 minutes. Then remove from heat. Let it stay covered for 5 minutes before you open it.
Remove the trays and let them rest on the kitchen counter for 2 minutes.
Sprinkle some water on each plate. It will ease removing idlis.
Remove the idlis and serve them hot with your favourite chutney. You can add some ghee to the idlis to further enhance the taste. I served my quinoa idlis with Coconut Chutney. However, you can serve these idlis with any chutney of your choice. Check out these 10 Chutney recipes from my kitchen.

Some Additional Notes:

I have used white quinoa in my recipe. However, you can use any quinoa that is readily available to you.
After making the idlis, you can cover and keep the batter in the refrigerator for one more day and use it for making idlis for the next day’s breakfast. If you keep it for one more day, the batter gets overly fermented, and the idlis would taste sour.
On the third day, if you still have some batter left, add besan (gram flour) or chickpea flour, add water, adjust the consistency, and make dosas. For the detailed recipe for Quinoa Dosa, click here.

About Ingredient sourcing in Germany:
Quinoa is readily available in German Supermarkets. However, if you want to buy Urad dal, you will have to visit any Indian shop near you. You can even check the online store of Spicelands. They are a big store in Frankfurt, delivering all across Germany.

Alternatively, you can even buy these ingredients from amazon.de. Links are given below:
Quinoa: https://amzn.to/45uHRAs
Idli/Dosa Rice: https://amzn.to/3osvG6y
Urad Dal: https://amzn.to/3MQHPLV
Salt: https://amzn.to/3ACstDM

Equipment needed for the recipe:
Please note that I use all these in my kitchen. I am happy and satisfied with these products, and hence, I recommend these to my readers.

Mixing Bowl: https://amzn.to/3V8ZPU
Mixer:
Option 1 Bosch: https://amzn.to/3LzMbGF (Perfect for Indian cooking, with great reviews)
Option 2: Preethi: https://amzn.to/3n9XCLH ( I use this. It is perfect for Indian cooking, but priced higher than Bosch)
Idli Steamer: I bought mine from India, however, if you don’t have one, check at Spicelands.

Here is the recipe in printable format: