Oats and Brown Rice Idli

Oats idli in Marathi

22 to 25 medium idlis

Ingredients:
1/2 cup urad dal
1 cup brown rice
1 cup rolled oats
salt to taste

Method:
1) Soak urad dal and brown rice separately in the water for 6 to 7 hours.
2) After 6-7 hours, drain the water and grind them separately by adding as little water as required.
3) Soak rolled oats for 10 minutes in 1/2 to 3/4 cup water. Grind it to fine paste.
4) Take a big steel or glass container. Add ground rice, ground urad dal and ground oats. Add a tsp of salt and mix well.
5) Cover and keep this container to some warm place to ferment. It will take 8 to 10 hours to ferment. (imp tip 1)
6) Once the batter is fermented well, taste a tiny bit of it. Add some salt if required.
7) Grease Idli molds with little oil. Fill them with the batter. Take the Idli cooker, add water (fill upto 2 inches) and heat it over high heat. If you are using normal pressure cooker, remove the weight before using, as we want to steam the idlis.
8) Once water starts boiling, place the Idli stand, cover with lid and steam cook for 12 to 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the cooker stand for 5 minutes. Scoop out by using knife of sharp edged spoon.
Serve idlis hot with Coconut chutney or spicy Sambar.


Tips:
1) In cold weather fermentation takes place very slowly. To pace up fermentation, heat oven on 200 F for 2 to 4 minutes, then turn off the oven. Put the batter covered in the oven. The warmth inside the oven helps the batter to ferment.
2) Make all the idlis and reheat in the microwave. So that all the family members can enjoy them together.
3) I have tried making idli using only oats. But they were very heavy and dint puff up. Hence using rice alongwith oats is important.