Instant Sweet Potato & Quinoa Idli/Steamed Cakes

Step by step recipe to make tasty Instant Sweet Potato and Quinoa Idli/Steamed Cakes. An innovative idli recipe that’s nourishing and a hearty breakfast option!

I was participating in a food competition where I needed to give my take on the ‘Best food specialty of India!’ This was a no brainer for me. The minute I heard of this, an idli popped up in my mind. I think no other dish represents the Indian gastronomy other than Idli for me. This South Indian snack is popular all over India and is one of the most preferred or should I say the most loved breakfast option for many across all ages. And why not! Steamed Idli is nutritious, oil free, vegan and delicious. Its safe to give toddlers to older people. Basically it is easy to chew, swallow and digest. I have been eating this snack all my life and if you go to the South of India, you will find it being served as a morning and evening snack at every corner and is most houses. Somehow, moms and grandmas make the best soft idli possible. I don’t know how or why but its true! They just have a knack for it as its backed with years of experience and loads of love. 

After having tried it for so many years, I can finally admit that now I get that correct texture and taste just like my mom’s. It’s really funny that every time I crave for mom’s homemade food, I think of her Idli. I connect this dish to her very strongly and it’s maybe because that was the last meal she ever made. It always excites me to give a new to spin to the traditional recipe! My search to create new and interesting idli recipes is not just for me but also for my readers like you. While some are instant and some recipes call for overnight fermentation, they both taste just great. For today’s recipe, I have used quinoa and sweet potatoes to make it a nourishing and low calorie meal. Quinoa as well know, is a super natural grain which is gluten-free, high in protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. We usually consume this healthy grain for weight loss and to control diabetes and what better than adding it to the idli batter! Sweet potato on the other hand is not far behind. It also is rich in protein, fiber and vitamins. 

Hence, I thought it would be a good idea to combine these two power ingredients and prepare Sweet Potato & Quinoa Idli. The recipe is as follows. Heat ghee in a pan. Once its hot, temper mustard seeds and when they begin to crackle add grated ginger, chopped green chillies, urad dal, chopped curry leaves and chana dal. Fry for about 45 seconds and then add oats powder and regular semolina/rawa. Then add quinoa flour. To prepare quinoa flour, just grind it dry and coarse. Mix and roast the flours for a minute or till you get a faint aroma of the roasted semolina. Take it off the pan and transfer it to a mixing bowl. Once it cools down, add grated sweet potato, yogurt, cilantro to the bowl. Prepare batter by adding enough water and salt. Batter should be thick and spoonable. Add baking soda, mix well and keep the batter aside for 5 minutes. Grease idli plate with cooking spray and fill the molds with the batter. 

Steam for 10 minutes. Once its cooled down, check with a toothpick or back of spoon. If it comes out clean, idli is done. Instant Sweet Potato & Quinoa Idli or Steamed Cake is truly hearty and sumptuous. Since Idli is little mild to taste, a condiment is considered essential. It’s often served with sambar and this varies greatly by region and personal taste. They are also frequently served with chutney or the dry spice mixture MulagaPodi which is convenient while traveling. Yes, we also pack Idli with us when we travel long distance. It is the safest and best meal when on the road. These steamed cakes are vegetarian, vegan and gluten free. You can have them for breakfast, lunch, dinner and/or as a snack. My mom would also pack Idli in our lunch boxes smeared with mulagapudi which more than me, my friends would devour. Even today, some of my friends complain that I have not fed them enough Idlis! Need to insert an Head Shake emoji here! 😉

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!

If Idli is your weakness as well, then you must try out these recipes – 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 Healthy Vegetable Idlis in Pink. You can make Carrot Upma With Leftover Idli as well. Steaming food is a good technique in cooking. But steamed food need not be boring and tasteless. If you have a steamer, try this for a change – Steamed Bajra Muthiya/Dumplings Snack and Kobichi Vadi | Steamed Cabbage Cakes.