Quinoa Idli

Delicate, fluffy, one of the healthiest and protein-packed breakfast recipe – these Quinoa Idli are not just fun to eat, they taste delicious and are really great for you!

If you love South Indian foods and understand the great benefits fermented food bring to your health, then this recipe is just for you. Plus, this recipe is naturally gluten-free and Vegan.

Quinoa is one of the healthy and versatile ingredients. You can make Pulao, dosa, salad, khichdi, and so many other things. It happens to be one of my family’s favorite ingredients too.

Like Ven Pongal, and Kerala stew, Idli sambar is one of my favorite comfort food. I can have them any time of the day.

While regular idli made with rice and dal is my most favorite dish, I also love to make Idli with sooji, lentils, oats, and Quinoa.

So today, I am sharing a idli recipe made with quinoa with you all.

I have been making this Quinoa Idli for quite some time. Actually, this recipe is inspired by my most tried and tested Quinoa Dosa recipe by readers.

In my quinoa dosa, I used a combination of different lentils, oats, quinoa, and NO rice. And that recipe doesn’t require fermentation.

But this recipe requires fermentation for a soft and spongy texture.

For the Quinoa Idli recipe, I replace about a ¾ ratio of rice with quinoa making the idlis more nutritious and wholesome!

You can try this as an alternate for the usual white idlis at least once in a while. It tastes really great with sambar or tomato rasam.

Why you should try this Quinoa Idli recipe?

• Kids friendly and perfect for lunch-box
• wholesome and protein-packed than regular idlis
• Perfect and filling for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
• Naturally vegan and gluten-free.
• Requires only 4 ingredients and very easy to make

Ingredients required

• Quinoa – I have used white quinoa. Make sure you wash them at least 3 times before soaking them to get rid of bitter taste and smell.
• Idli Rice – I like to use Idli rice in this recipe as it helps in fermentation and gives a nice texture. You can use parboiled rice, Idli rawa, or Sona masoori rice.
• Urad dal – You can use urad dal gota or split skinless urad dal here. Both work fine.
• Fenugreek seeds – It helps in fermentation.
• Salt – Add salt after grinding and mixing with salt if you live in a cold place or if it’s winter. And add salt later in warmer days/summer. Also, remember to use a non-iodized salt like sendha namak.

How to make Quinoa Idli? Step by step process

Wash, soak, and make the batter

Rinse the quinoa and rice 3 to 4 times with water or until the water turns clear. Add 3 cups of water, cover it and let it soak for 6 hours or overnight. (Image 1 to 4)

Similarly, rinse urad dal and fenugreek seeds until the water turns clear and then soak in 2 cups of water for 6 hours or overnight. (image 5 to 8)

Once soaked, drain water in which quinoa, rice, dal, and fenugreek seeds were soaked using a strainer. Then first transfer the drained quinoa and rice to a high-speed blender or in a wet grinder. (image 9)

Add around 1 cup cold water and grind to a smooth paste. (image 10)

Transfer the ground ingredients to the steel pot. (or to the inner pot of the instant pot if using the Instant Pot). (image 11)

Same way, drain the dal and methi seeds using a strainer and then transfer them to a blender. (image 12)

Grind them to a smooth paste using ½ cup cold water. (image 13)

Transfer it to the same pot as the ground quinoa and rice. (image 14)

Mix both the batter with your clean hands for about 2 minutes. (image 15)

Check the consistency. The consistency of the batter should be free-flowing. It should not be runny but it should not be super thick either. At this point, add 1 to 2 tablespoon water if it doesn’t have a flowing consistency. (refer video given in recipe cards down below)

Fermentation –

Without oven

If the temperature is warm enough, just keep the batter on the countertop, covered, and it will ferment in 10 hours. Sometimes less than 10 hours. (image 16)

In the oven

Place the batter in the oven with the lights on. The batter ferments in 8 to 12 hours. Remember DONT turn on the oven. Just turn on the oven lights. Turn the oven light on for the first 6 hours and turn it off. The warmth is enough for the batter to ferment.

In instant pot

Place the inner pot (with batter) in the instant pot.

Cover the Instant pot with a glass lid. (image 17)

Press the yogurt button and set it for 10 hours. (image 18)

After the fermentation process, the batter should look frothy.

Steaming Quinoa Idli:

Now add salt and gently mix the batter. (image 19)

Grease your idli rack lightly with ghee or oil. (image 20)

Now take a ladle full of the quinoa idli batter and pour it into the mold. DO NOT overfill because the batter rises as it steams. (image 21)

In regular idli cooker/steamer

Add about 2 cups of water to the idli cooker and let it come to a boil. (image 23)

Place the idli stand in the steamer, cover the lid and steam it for 8 minutes over medium heat and turn off the heat. (image 24)

Let it cool a bit for a couple of minutes before you spoon out. To take out the idli easily, deep spoon in water or oil and take out idlis. (image 25 and 26)

In instant pot

Pour two cups of water inside the inner pot and let it boil in the saute mode.

Now place the idli rack inside. Now close the lid and keep the vent OPEN.

Set the instant pot to steam cook for 15 mins. Once the instant pot beeps, switch the IP off.

Wait for 5 minutes and open the lid. Carefully, remove the idli plates.

Then run a butter knife or spoon carefully from under each idli and remove the idlis

Serve quinoa idli hot with coconut chutney and sambar or rasam.

Enjoy!

Notes, pro-tips, and FAQs

• I have shared a very detailed recipe and all the tips for making the perfect idli batter here. All those tips also apply here. So I would suggest you read that post as well. It would help you a lot.
• Use Idli rice or parboiled rice for best results.
• While grinding the ingredients, make sure you do it in batches.
• Add just a little water at a time while grinding so that batter does not become very thin.
• Always add cold water while grinding the batter.
• Make sure you mix the batter with your clean hands after grinding it. It really helps in fermentation.
• Make sure the batter is not too thick. A thick batter will not ferment. The batter should be a nice and flowing consistency. Follow the amount of water mentioned in the recipe.
• Temperature to ferment the batter.
• For good fermentation, the temperature should be warm. Cold climates do not favor the fermentation process. Keep your idli batter in a warm place.
• In winter or if you live in cold countries, turn on the oven light or use the Instant Pot yogurt function.
• I love using Instant Pots yogurt setting to fermenting the batter. It gives the same result in the same amount of time.
• But if you don’t have an instant pot, you can turn to use the oven too. Turn on the oven light and place the batter for 8 hours (10 hours in winter).
• The amount of time the batter takes to ferment will depend on the weather/climate of the place you live.

Some Chutney recipes that go well with Idli

Onion Chutney

Peanut Chutney

Ginger chutney

Warm regards,

Dhwani.