Sweet Corn & Bulgur Wheat Mini Steamed Cakes| Idli

Sweet Corn and Bulgur Wheat Mini Steamed Cakes or idli is one nutritious breakfast recipe. It’s a healthier fusion of Gujarati and South Indian cuisine. Dhokla batter made with daliya, sweet corn and semolina is used to make these delicious steamed idlis that can be served for breakfast or as a light snack.

If there is one dish that I enjoy creating variations of, then it has to be “Idli”. This South Indian delight is a family weakness. We cannot do without a weekly dose of Idli in any variation. And it’s just not me, ask any South Indian settled anywhere in the world and you will get the same response. We love our Idli for various reasons. Mostly made using rice and lentils, they have many reasons to be liked. 1) They are a great source of carbohydrates and proteins. 2) The fermentation process to prepare the batter increases the bio-availability of proteins and enhances the vitamin B content of the food. 3) As it is steamed, the fat content is low and its easily digestible. Hence a preferred choice of breakfast for children and old people. 4) It’s low in calories as well. Now you know why we love it the way we do!

This recipe was a pleasant discovery. This glass jar filled with bulgur wheat/lapsi/daliya in my pantry was staring at me because I had not used it since the time I got it. The thing is, I was desperately looking for that perfect recipe to use it in. Now we all know that whole wheat, like bulgur, are richer in nutrients and vitamins than the refined and processed ones. Low in fat, high in fiber and rich in minerals, bulgur wheat is a healthy dietary choice. While talking to my bestie, I asked her how they used bulgur in their cooking and that is when she told me that they make dhokla with it. I had used them once to make idli before and they had turned out great. Since dhokla and idli are similar to some extent, I wanted to give this bulgur idli some twist. She suggested, “why not add sweet corn in the batter as well?” 

That lit a bulb in me and this recipe was created. Sometime, your friends come up with mind-blowing ideas and this was one such moment! She went on to tell me that they even make sweet corn dhokla. That is when I decided that I will mix these two recipes to create a fusion recipe. It’s an oil-free, vegetarian recipe. You can give them any shape by using either a dhokla stand/regular Idli mold. Here are the steps to prepare Sweet Corn & Bulgur Wheat Mini Steamed Cakes/Idli. Roast bulgur wheat in a pan for 2 minutes. Take it off in a bowl. Add whisked yogurt, semolina/rawa and besan/chickpea flour to it. 

Make a smooth paste of sweet corn, yogurt, green chillies and ginger. Add this to the batter. Mix them all together, cover with a lid and let it rest for 30 minutes. Heat oil in a pan and fry turmeric powder and asafoetida. Add this to the batter and mix. Then add chopped cilantro and mint, baking soda, lime juice and salt. Stir it and add water if required to achieve a thick batter consistency. Grease mini idli mold using an oil spray. Using a small spoon, fill the molds with batter. Steam them for 12-15 minutes in an Idli cooker. 

Allow it to cool down completely and then open the lid. This could take another 15 minutes. De-mold them. Heat oil in the same pan that you used before. Temper mustard seeds and sesame seeds. Once they crackle, add and fry curry leaves. Pour this tempering onto the mini idli before serving. Serve them warm along with dry peanut chutney (the recipe for which will be shared soon as and when I prepare the next batch) They really tasted well together. You can also serve them with Idli Mulagapudi/Coriander Mint Chutney/Carrots and Peanuts Chutney or Coconut chutney (This one too). These Sweet Corn & Bulgur Wheat Mini Steamed Cakes/Idli can be enjoyed as a light snack and/or for breakfast. You can pack them in lunch box as well. This is one power packed nutritious recipe!

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If you too enjoy steamed dishes, then check out Steamed Bajra Muthiya/Dumplings Snack, Kobichi Vadi | Steamed Cabbage Cakes, Steamed Quinoa Chana Dal Idli, Oil Free Bulgur Wheat Spinach Idli, Mini Masala Idli, Vermicelli Oats Idli, Oats and Flax Seed Idli and Healthy Vegetable Idlis in Pink recipes. Some sweet corn recipes that you try are Green Peas and Sweet Corn Soup, Jhajhariya/Sweetcorn Pudding, Cheesy Corn Rawa Pancakes and Cheese Corn Toast.