Soft Barnyard Millet Idli Recipe for Insulin Resistance
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Daisy shows how to make soft, spongy idlis with no rice or poha, using barnyard millet, whole urad dal, methi seeds and a little sabudana.
Key takeaways
- Daisy's idlis use barnyard millet, but foxtail or little millet also work.
- Sabudana is her trick for a soft, velvety texture despite the high-fibre millet.
- She grinds the millet with the foamy dal soaking water, which helps the batter ferment.
- The batter ferments for 9 to 10 hours, up to 12 in cold weather.
- Daisy says these idlis release sugar slowly and fill you up, so you eat fewer than rice idlis.
- Fold the salt in gently so the batter stays airy.
Soft barnyard millet idli
You need
- 1 cup barnyard millet
- 1/4 cup whole white urad dal
- 1/2 teaspoon methi (fenugreek) seeds
- 3 tablespoons sabudana (sago or tapioca pearls)
- Salt, to taste
- A little oil, to grease the idli moulds
Method
- Wash the barnyard millet very well and soak it in plenty of water. Millets can be dirty, so rinse until clean.
- Wash the whole urad dal and soak it with the methi seeds in plenty of water, in a separate bowl.
- Wash the sabudana and soak it in plenty of water in a third bowl. Soak everything for 7 to 8 hours.
- Drain the millet. Grind it with some of the dal soaking water, which will have small bubbles. Expect a slightly coarse batter.
- Grind the soaked dal, methi and sabudana together, adding more dal water as needed, until smooth and silky. Keep a little dal water aside.
- Mix the dal batter into the millet batter. It should pour easily.
- Cover and ferment in a warm place for 9 to 10 hours, or up to 12 in cold weather. It should look bubbly and smell sour.
- Add salt and fold the batter lightly with a flipping motion. Do not over-mix.
- Grease the idli moulds, pour in the batter a little short of full so it can rise, and steam for about 20 minutes.
On this page (8 sections)
Most idli batter is rice and urad dal, and it is easy to eat too many of them. Millet idlis are a common swap, but they often turn out dense and hard. Daisy’s version has no rice and no poha (flattened rice). She says it still comes out soft and spongy, and it is her pick for a breakfast that keeps blood sugar steady.
Why Daisy makes idlis from millet
Daisy uses barnyard millet here. She says foxtail or little millet also work. These belong to the five positive millets, also called siridhanya.
She says millet idlis suit insulin resistance and other sugar problems, and are good if you want to lose weight. In her words, even three or four idlis keep her full for most of the day. That matters if you sit at a desk and do not move much.
She also points out that millet is heavier than rice because of its fibre. You will usually eat less than you would with rice idlis. Daisy eats hers with peanut chutney, though sambar works too.
Soak each ingredient separately
Start the day before. Daisy soaks around 1 pm and grinds around 9 pm, so everything gets at least 7 to 8 hours.
Wash the millet thoroughly, because millets can be very dirty. The dal and sabudana also need a good wash. Each goes in its own bowl with plenty of water, and the methi seeds soak with the dal.
The quantities in the recipe card make about 20 idlis. Daisy cooked for three people, so this is a small batch. Double the amounts for a bigger family.
Why sabudana makes the idlis soft
Sabudana is sago, which is made from tapioca. Its name changes by state: javarisi in Tamil Nadu, sabbakki in Karnataka and chavari in Kerala. Daisy calls it the key ingredient because it gives the idlis a soft, velvety sponginess.
How to grind the batter
Drain the millet and grind it with some of the dal soaking water. Daisy uses this water, not fresh water, because the tiny bubbles in it help the batter ferment later. A grinder or a mixer both work.
The millet batter will stay a little coarse no matter how long you grind it. That is normal for such a fibre-dense grain.
Next, grind the dal, methi and sabudana together. Add dal water as needed until the batter feels silky and light. Mix it into the millet batter. It should fall from the spoon in a smooth pour.
Ferment, then steam
Leave the batter in a warm place for 9 to 10 hours. It can take up to 12 hours in a cold city or season. When it is ready, the batter is bubbly and smells sour.
Add salt and fold gently, flipping the batter over rather than stirring hard. This protects the airy texture. Grease the idli moulds and fill them a little less than full so the batter can rise. Steam for about 20 minutes, and adjust for your cooker and flame.
Daisy says the idlis slip off the plate easily and look soft and puffy. Serve them hot with sambar or any chutney you like. She enjoys hers with peanut chutney.
Plan the timing around your day
Work backwards from breakfast. Daisy soaks the grains in the afternoon and grinds the batter at night. The batter then ferments overnight, so it is ready the next morning.
How long it takes depends on your city and the weather. Cold weather means a longer wait. Look at the batter rather than the clock. It should have risen, look full of bubbles and smell very sour. If it has not, give it more time in a warm spot.
Daisy notes that the millet stays a little coarse however long you grind it. So judge the batter by its rise and its smell, not by how smooth it feels.
What research says
A 2021 review in Frontiers in Nutrition pooled studies on millets and blood sugar. It found the average glycaemic index of millets was about 36% lower than milled rice and refined wheat. Barnyard and foxtail millet were among those with a low glycaemic index. The glycaemic index shows how fast a food raises blood sugar.
In people with diabetes, long-term millet eating lowered fasting and after-meal blood sugar by 12% and 15%. The authors work at a millet research institute, and the studies varied in design, so treat the numbers as a good sign rather than a promise. The review looked at millets in general, not this idli recipe. If you take medicine for diabetes, keep your doctor in the loop.
Daisy’s tips
- Wash millets very well. They can carry a lot of dirt.
- Use the foamy dal soaking water for grinding the millet, not fresh water.
- Expect a slightly coarse millet batter. That is fine.
- Ferment 9 to 10 hours, and up to 12 in cold weather.
- Mix in the salt lightly so the batter stays airy.
- Fill the moulds only part way to give the idlis room to rise.
- Eat a smaller portion than you would with rice idlis.
Daisy shows every step in the video above. It takes about 6 minutes.
Questions people ask
Which millet is best for idli?
Daisy uses barnyard millet in this recipe. She says foxtail or little millet also work. All three belong to the five positive millets, or siridhanya.
Why does Daisy add sabudana to millet idli batter?
Sabudana is sago, made from tapioca. Daisy says it is her trick for a soft, velvety sponginess, even though millet is a high-fibre grain.
How long should millet idli batter ferment?
Daisy ferments it for 9 to 10 hours overnight. In cold weather it can take up to 12 hours, so keep the batter in a warm spot in the kitchen.
Are millet idlis good for diabetes and PCOS?
Daisy calls them a good breakfast for insulin resistance, PCOS and sugar problems because the sugar releases slowly. If you take medicine for diabetes or PCOS, keep your doctor in the loop.
How many idlis should I eat?
Daisy says millet idlis are heavier because of the fibre, so you will naturally eat fewer than rice idlis. She says three or four can keep her full for most of the day.
Further reading
This article shares Daisy's personal experience and traditional Ayurvedic knowledge for general information. It is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before changing medicines or treating a health condition, and patch-test anything new on your skin. Read the full disclaimer.
Watch Daisy explain it
The full video shows every step, in about 6 minutes.
