Saamai (Little Millet) Idli & Dosai (Without Rice)

Category: Breakfast / Millets
Soaking Time: 8 Hrs / Overnight  
Fermentation Time: 6- 8 Hrs    
Cooking Time: 10 mins /batch; 2 mins/dosa

Saamai Idli & Dosai

Millets are very nutrient rich grains. These super grains were forgotten for a while and now they are making a coming back. Saamai is known as little millet in English. For those who want to skip rice or need to try an alternative to the regular rice based Idli or dosai, Little millet is sure a healthy choice. This is also an excellent option to feed millets to the kids and toddlers.

Saamai (Little Millet) Idly

Before I try this Idli with Saamai and without any rice, I was bit skeptical about the texture of Idli. Because I never tried Idli without a portion of Idli rice, even with Ragi Idli or any other Idli varieties, I have used some Rice. But to my surprise, the Saamai Idli is super soft and tasty. Only the colour will be little dull but taste wise not much difference. Saamai Dosa is crispy and flavorful.

Saamai (Little Millet) Dosai

One thing to keep in mind is, the batter becomes sour faster than or regular Idli batter so I would suggest to use the the batter within 2 or 3 days.

Ingredients:

• Saamai/ Little Millet - 2 cups
• Whole white urad dhal - 1/2 cup
• Fenugreek seeds - 2 tsp
• Salt - To taste
• Sesame oil - for making dosa

Method:

• Wash the little millet thrice and soak it in fresh clean water overnight or for atleast 6 to 8 hours

• Wash and soak fenugreek seeds for 6 to 8 hrs or overnight
• Wash and soak urad dhal for 2-3 hrs

• In a wet grinder, first add the soaked fenugreek seeds, grind for 1 min and then soaked  urad dal, grind till it becomes soft and fluffy. It might take about 20 mins. 
• Once urad dhal is done, remove it in a big container and keep aside. 
• While grinding for Idly, make sure you just sprinkle required water at regular intervals rather than pouring it at once. This will make the batter very fluffy and airy which results in soft idlies
•  Add soaked millet to the grinder and grind it till it becomes smooth. We can use the millet soaked water for grinding and no need to discard it. 
• Once done, remove it into the container with urad dhal
•  Add required salt and mix well with hands
•  Allow to ferment overnight / for about 6-8 hrs and it depends on our room temperature. After fermentation, the volume of the batter would be almost doubled. (Make sure to place the batter in a big bowl to avoid spills after it gets fermented)
  
• Once fermented, make idlies as usual and steam for about 13 to 15 mins

• Serve with Sambar / Chutney

• Next day, if the batter is thick, just add little water to the batter and make it slightly thinner than the idly batter
• Heat Tawa and grease it. Pour a ladle of dosa batter and spread it to a thin circle 

• Pour a teaspoon of oil around the corners and cook covered for few seconds. 
• Flip it over and cook other side if needed

• Serve hot with Chutney and/or Sambar