Ragi & Kale Idli | Finger Millet & Kale Steamed Cakes

Ragi and kale idli is a healthy Indian breakfast recipe. Learn to make these steamed cakes with this nutritious finger millet flour, kale, lentils and no rice.

According to me, food is the only common thread between people from different race or religion. We all identify with good food, irrespective of which cuisine it is. It’s such a sad state if you do not like the food placed in front of you. You must enjoy the food to the fullest, get lost in its flavors and reminisce the aftertaste. One must not have to compromise on food due to dietary restrictions or due to lifestyle changes. Food should be tasty for the person consuming it and that’s my motto every time I enter the kitchen to cook. I hate putting up something on the dining table which may look very appetizing but has no flavor in it at the cost of it being healthy and diet friendly. For me, its always the final taste of the dish that matters and I never compromise on that. Being an extremely picky eater, I think its only fair that I am so particular about the flavors in the dishes I prepare. Since I only have control over food that I make, it is a fair expectation to have! 

Whether you love travelling, exploring world cuisines or prefer the comfort food made at your home, if the food you get is right and packed with flavors, then you are in a happy state of mind. That is what we all need. There are many recipes which have not made it to this food blog simply because I didn’t enjoy eating it. Some ingredients just don’t pair well, some need a different technique of cooking or sometimes its just a bad day. Reasons could be any, but if its not good, it ain’t getting up here. I may choose to come back to that particular recipe and try something different the next time with. If that clicks, then I have winning recipe, else it’s trash. Personally, I like to create recipes that taste great and are nutritious as well. I do not completely believe in making lean recipes which compromise on taste and flavor. That is so not my style. That is one of the reasons why I had put off cooking with ragi flour and kale until now. I was in search of that idea recipe which not only will I enjoy eating but also cooking. 

Thankfully I conceived this recipe which uses both these wonder ingredients. I told my MIL over the phone that I do not know what to make of this finger millet and that is when she suggested that make ragi idli and that they taste really great. She told me that I could add any veggies to it and since I had some leftover kale after having used some to make Beets & Kale Burger patty, I decided to add them in my idli. Both these ingredients are considered to be superfoods for obvious reasons. Ragi which is also known as finger millet is rich in calcium, iron and fiber while kale is low in saturated fat and very low in cholesterol. It is also a good source of dietary fiber, protein and vitamins. Let me show you how to make this Ragi and Kale Idli. First, soak urad dal, poha/flattened rice and methi/fenugreek seeds in water for 2 hours minimum. Drain the water and grind this to a smooth batter consistency. Add little water to help the grinding. In a mixing bowl, add ragi flour and then add this lentil batter. Give it a good mix, add little water if required to get that thick batter consistency. 

Mix and cover it with a lid. Leave it in a warm place like a switched off oven for 8 hours. This will ferment the batter and rise it. Then add salt and steamed kale leaves to it. Grease idli molds and fill each mold with a spoonful of batter. Steam them in an idli cooker for 10-12 minutes. Allow it to cool down completely before taking them out. Serve these idli with any chutney and/or sambhar. Idli or Indian steamed cakes make for a great breakfast or an evening snack. Since its steamed, they are oil free, and very nutritious. They are also soft, spongy and airy. I am just glad that it turned out perfect and can definitely see it being repeated in my kitchen over and over again. This same batter can be used to make ragi dosa as well. Just need to dilute the batter to make it pouring consistency. Traditionally, idli is served for breakfast but I can have them for lunch/dinner/snack. Three idli pieces along with some spicy green chutney along with a tall glass of buttermilk makes for one hearty meal. See, I didn’t have to compromise on the taste and still managed to create a super healthy breakfast recipe. 

If you do try this recipe, please do share it with your friends on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. This will keep me motivated to develop more interesting recipes. Click a pic and post it with the hashtag #cookiliciousveg — I would love to see your pictures on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! I use the hashtag #cookiliciousveg on all social media platforms (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook) so you can get access to what's cooking in my kitchen. To stay updated, you can either subscribe to our newsletter  (free gift if you do so!) or follow me on my social media  Instagram , Facebook   and Twitter! There’s even a Pinterest board called Cookilicious Recipes from where you can pin the recipes you love.

Some more idli recipes that you can try are Sweet Corn & Bulgur Wheat Mini Steamed Cakes| Idli, Steamed Quinoa Chana Dal Idli, Oil Free Bulgur Wheat Spinach Idli, Mini Masala Idli, Vermicelli Oats Idli, Oats and Flax Seed Idli and Instant Beetroot Carrot Rava Idli.