Instant Millet Premix - a ready-to-use mixture primarily prepared with millet and urad dal and the same premix can be used to make nutritious crispy dosa, fluffy uttapam and soft paddu/paniyaram instantly without soaking or grinding. It is a gluten-free, nut-free and dairy-free recipe.
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This versatile premix is ideal for a busy lifestyle. It offers a quick and easy solution for preparing wholesome, nutritious meals. It's ideal for busy weekdays or when you need to whip up something delicious for unexpected guests.
Ingredients
- Millet: Foxtail millets
- Lentils and Spices: Urad Dal and fenugreek seeds (missing in the image above)
- Pantry Ingredients: Sago, salt and poha (flattened rice flakes).
See the recipe card for quantities.
Step by Step Instructions
To Make Premix
Step 1: Place the millets in a large bowl or pot and rinse them thoroughly under cold running water 3 to 4 times, or until the water runs clear.
Step 2: Next, add the fenugreek seeds, fill with enough water, and allow them to soak for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Step 3: Put the urad dal in a bowl and rinse it 2-3 times until the water is clear.
Step 4: Then, soak the dal in enough water for an hour.
Step 5: After 6 hours, drain the water from the millets by transferring them to a strainer. Let them rest for a few minutes to remove any remaining water.
Step 6: Meanwhile, place a muslin cloth on a large tray or plate.
Step 7: Transfer the drained millets onto the prepared tray/plate.
Step 8: Use a spoon to spread the millets evenly over the cloth.
Step 9: Leave them for an hour to let the cloth absorb the moisture from the millets.
Step 10: Drain the water from the urad dal and let it sit in a strainer for a few minutes to remove any excess water.
Step 11: In the meantime, line a large tray or plate with a muslin cloth.
Step 12: Transfer the urad dal from the strainer onto the prepared tray/plate.
Step 13: Rinse the tapioca pearls and add them to the tray.
Step 14: Use a spoon to spread the dal and tapioca pearls evenly.
Step 15: Let the tray sit for an hour to allow the cloth to absorb as much moisture as possible.
Step 16: After an hour, lift the cloth to move the millet onto the tray, then remove the cloth from the tray.
Step 17: Evenly spread the millets across the tray.
Step 18: Carefully lift the cloth to transfer the urad dal onto the tray, then remove the cloth.
Step 19: Spread the dal evenly across the tray.
Step 20: Place both trays outside to sun-dry for one or two days until fully dried.
Step 21: Place the dried millet and urad dal into a grinder jar.
Step 22: Add the flattened rice and grind everything into a fine powder in batches.
Step 23: Transfer the ground millet powder to a clean tray, spread it with a spoon, and allow it to cool completely.
Once the millet powder has cooled completely, transfer it to a ziplock bag, seal it tightly, and store it in the fridge.
To Make Dosa
Step 1: Mix the millet premix with water and salt to make dosa, then whisk well to form a smooth dosa batter.
Step 2: Heat the dosa pan and grease it with oil.
Step 3: Once the pan is hot, pour a ladleful of batter and spread it in a circular motion with the back of the ladle.
Step 4: Drizzle a little oil around the dosa and cook until the base is crispy and light brown.
Step 5: Loosen the dosa from the edges, gently fold and place it on the plate.
Serve dosa with accompaniments such as coconut peanut chutney, allam pachadi, karivepaku podi, kobbai karam or sambar.
Ingredients
For Onion Masala: Oil, mustard seeds, chana dal, urad dal, green chillies, coriander leaves and onion.
For Uttapam: Instant millet premix, water and salt
For Appe: Instant millet premix, water, salt and eno fruit salt.
To Make Onion Mixture
Step 1: Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.
Step 2: Once the oil is hot, add mustard, chana dal and urad dal.
Step 3: Stir and cook until dal turns golden colour.
Step 4: Now add green chillies, coriander leaves and stir well.
Step 5: Add onion and cook until it turns translucent.
Step 6: Switch the heat off and set the pan aside.
To Make Uttapam
Step 1: Place millet premix in a container. Add water gradually and whisk until you get lump-free smooth batter.
Step 2: Now add the cooked onion mixture, salt and mix well.
Step 3: Heat the dosa pan and grease it with oil.
Step 4: Pour a ladleful of batter and spread a little in a circular motion. Spread oil over uttapam.
Step 5: Cover the uttapam with a lid and cook over medium heat for a minute until the base turns golden.
Step 6: Take the lid off the pan and gently loosen the edges of the uttapam.
Step 7: Flip it and cook the other side for half a minute.
Remove the uttapam from the pan and place it on a plate.
Serve it with kandi pachadi, idli podi or munagaku karam podi with oil.
To Make Appe (Paniyaram)
Step 1: First, prepare batter by combining premix with water in a container. Whisk until you get a smooth batter.
Step 2: Now add the cooked onion mixture used for utappam, salt and mix well.
Step 3: Place a pinch of eno fruit salt in a ladle, add a little water, swirl to combine and
Step 4: Grease the cavities of appe pan (paniyaram pan) with oil.
Step 5: Pour the batter into every cavity and drop 2-3 drops of oil in each cavity.
Step 6: Cover the on with a lid and cook over medium heat for a minute or until the base turns golden brown.
Step 7: Take the lid off the pan, using a skewer gently flip appe and cook the other side for a minute or two.
Step 8: Take the appe out of the pan and place them in a plate or bowl.
Serve appe/paniyaram with coconut coriander chutney or tomato pachadi.
Substitutions and Variations
Millet: Try different millets such as kodo, barnyard or little millets.
Vegetables: Add grated carrot, cabbage, spinach or finely chopped capsicum (bell peppers) to the onion mixture to make uttapam or paniyaram extra nutritious.
Storage
After grinding millet and dal into powder, if it is warm from the grinding process, let it cool completely to room temperature.
Transfer the flour into an airtight container or ziplock bags to keep moisture, air, and pests out.
Store the container/zip lock bag in a cool, dry place, such as a pantry or cupboard for up to a month. Keep it away from direct sunlight, heat, and humidity.
For long-term storage (especially if you have a large batch), you can refrigerate or freeze millet premix. Storing it in the fridgr helps prevent spoilage, and freezing can extend its shelf life to up to 6-12 months.
Tips and Tricks
Eno Fruit Salt: Eno is essential as it serves as a leavening agent, helping the non-fermented batter rise and puff up while cooking appe/paniyaram.
Dry Millets and Dal: Ensure millets and dal are thoroughly sun-dried or air-dried, as any remaining moisture can lead to fungal contamination and shorten the premix's shelf life.
Grind in Batches: Avoid overloading the mixer jar; instead, grind the dried millet and dal in small batches based on the jar's capacity.
Cool Millet Powder: Spread the freshly ground powder on a clean, dry tray and let it cool to room temperature before transferring it to a ziplock bag for storage. This helps prevent condensation inside the ziplock bag which could lead to moisture buildup and spoilage.
Large Quantities: If you're making a large quantity, consider having the prepared millet and dal mixture milled at a local grain mill, if accessible.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with dosa, uttapam and paddu:
KEEP IN TOUCH
Do let me know if you try this instant millet premix recipe. If you like this recipe kindly consider rating it using stars in the comment section or on the recipe card to help more people find this recipe online. You can stay up to date by following me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram or subscribing to my Youtube channel. Or why not subscribe to my blog and get simple recipes straight to your inbox?
📖 Recipe Card
Instant Millet Premix for 3 South Indian Dishes
Equipment
- 1 Mixer Grinder
- 2 Baking Trays/Big Plates
- Ziplock Bags
- 1 Dosa Tava
- 1 Mixing Bowl/Steel Pot
- 1 Ladle
- 1 Turner Spatula/Dosa Turner
- 1 Paniyaram pan
- 1 Wooden Skewer
Ingredients
1 Cup = 250ml ; 1 Tablespoon = 15ml ; 1 Teaspoon = 5ml
For Instant Millet Premix
- 3 Cups Foxtail Millet
- 1 Cups Urad Dal
- 1 Teaspoon Fenugreek Seeds
- ¼ Cup Poha/ Flattened Rice
- ¼ Cup Sabudana/Tapioca Pearls/Sago
To Prepare Dosa
- 1 Cup Instant Millet Premix
- ¾-1 Cup Water adjust to get right consistency
- Salt as required
- Oil
To Prepare Onion Masala
- 1.5 Teaspoons Oil
- ¼ Teaspoon Mustard
- ½ Teaspoon Chana Dal
- ½ Teaspoon Urad Dal
- 1 medium Onion peel and chop finely
- 2-3 Green Chillies wash and chop finely
- handful Coriander Leaves wash and chop finely
For Uttapam
- 1 Cup Instant Millet Premix
- Water adjust to get right consistency
- Salt as required
- 1 Teaspoon Oil
For Appe/Paniyaram
- 1 Cup Instant Millet Premix
- ¾-1 Cup Water adjust to get right consistency
- Salt as required
- ½ teaspoon Eno Fruit Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Oil
Instructions
To Prepare Instant Millet Premix
- Place the millets in a large bowl or pot and rinse them thoroughly under cold running water 3 to 4 times, or until the water runs clear.3 Cups Foxtail Millet
- Next, add the fenugreek seeds, fill with enough water, and allow them to soak for at least 6 hours or overnight.1 Teaspoon Fenugreek Seeds
- Put the urad dal in a bowl and rinse it 2-3 times until the water is clear.1 Cups Urad Dal
- Then, soak the dal in enough water for an hour.
- After 6 hours, drain the water from the millets by transferring them to a strainer. Let them rest for a few minutes to remove any remaining water.
- Meanwhile, place a muslin cloth on a large tray or plate.
- Transfer the drained millets onto the prepared tray/plate.
- Use a spoon to spread the millets evenly over the cloth.
- Leave them for an hour to let the cloth absorb the moisture from the millets.
- Drain the water from the urad dal and let it sit in a strainer for a few minutes to remove any excess water.
- In the meantime, line a large tray or plate with a muslin cloth.
- Transfer the urad dal from the strainer onto the prepared tray/plate.
- Rinse the tapioca pearls and add them to the tray.¼ Cup Sabudana/Tapioca Pearls/Sago
- Use a spoon to spread the dal and tapioca pearls evenly.
- Let the tray sit for an hour to allow the cloth to absorb as much moisture as possible.
- After an hour, lift the cloth to move the millet onto the tray, then remove the cloth from the tray.
- Evenly spread the millet across the tray.
- Carefully lift the cloth to transfer the urad dal onto the tray, then remove the cloth.
- Spread the dal evenly across the tray.
- Place both trays outside to sun-dry for one or two days until fully dried.
- Place the dried millet and urad dal into a grinder jar.
- Add the flattened rice and grind everything into a fine powder in batches.¼ Cup Poha/ Flattened Rice
- Transfer the ground millet powder to a clean tray, spread it with a spoon, and allow it to cool completely.
- Once the millet powder has cooled completely, transfer it to a ziplock bag, seal it tightly, and store it in the fridge.
To Prepare Dosa
- Mix the millet premix with water and salt to make dosa, then whisk well to form a smooth dosa batter.1 Cup Instant Millet Premix, ¾-1 Cup Water, Salt
- Heat the dosa pan and grease it with oil.
- Once the pan is hot, pour a ladleful of batter and spread it in a circular motion with the back of the ladle.
- Drizzle a little oil around the dosa and cook until the base is crispy and light brown.Oil
- Loosen the dosa from the edges, gently fold and place it on the plate.
- Serve dosa with any accompaniment of your choice.
To Prepare Onion Mixture
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.1.5 Teaspoons Oil
- Once the oil is hot, add mustard, chana dal and urad dal.¼ Teaspoon Mustard, ½ Teaspoon Chana Dal, ½ Teaspoon Urad Dal
- Stir and cook until dal turns golden colour.
- Now add green chillies, coriander leaves and stir well.2-3 Green Chillies, handful Coriander Leaves
- Add onion and cook until it turns translucent.1 medium Onion
- Switch the heat off and set the pan aside.
To Prepare Uttapam
- Place millet premix in a container. Add water gradually and whisk until you get lump-free smooth batter.1 Cup Instant Millet Premix, Water
- Now add the cooked onion mixture, salt and mix well.Salt
- Heat the dosa pan and grease it with oil.1 Teaspoon Oil
- Pour a ladleful of batter and spread a little in a circular motion. Spread oil over uttapam.1 Teaspoon Oil
- Cover the uttapam with a lid and cook over medium heat for a minute until the base turns golden.
- Take the lid off the pan and gently loosen the edges of the uttapam.
- Flip it and cook the other side for half a minute.
To Prepare Appe/Paniyaram
- First, prepare batter by combining premix with water in a container. Whisk until you get a smooth batter.1 Cup Instant Millet Premix, ¾-1 Cup Water
- Now add the cooked onion mixture used for utappam, salt and mix well.Salt, 1 Teaspoon Oil
- Place a pinch of eno fruit salt in a ladle, add a little water, swirl to combine and½ teaspoon Eno Fruit Salt
- Grease the cavities of appe pan (paniyaram pan) with oil.
- Pour the batter into every cavity and drop 2-3 drops of oil in each cavity.
- Cover the on with a lid and cook over medium heat for a minute or until the base turns golden brown.
- Take the lid off the pan, using a skewer gently flip appe and cook the other side for a minute or two.
- Take the appe out of the pan and place them in a plate or bowl.
- Serve appe/paniyaram with chutney or any other side dish of your choice.
Notes
Nutrition
Welcome to Flavours Treat. I share vegetarian recipes made with wholesome, mostly fresh ingredients. Every recipe has easy-to-follow instructions with process shots (detailed step-wise pictures), a short video and lots of tips to help your cooking journey. Read more
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