“Varai Oondi/ Indian Barnyard Millet Steamed Dumplings” … A delicious breakfast item prepared with varai/ sama for a change instead of rice … can be had while fasting too … Yummilicious …
** Oondies are spiced rice dumplings prepared for breakfast in konkani (Saraswat) houses. These are prepared by soaking rice, then grinding them, cooking them to make it thick mass. Makings balls out of them and then steaming them. There are so many methods of preparing Oondies. Some of which are made of plain raw rice, ukda (Boiled) rice, red ukda (boiled) rice, poha (beaten rice), rice with lentils, Idly rawa and also using whole pulses. I will post as and when I prepare them. I have already posted oondi made of Red ukda rice. Today I will post Oondi prepared with varai ie Indian barnyard millet. This particular millet is acceptable for consumption in our community during fasting days too. So for today, I prepared the same and served with ambuli nonch (raw mango pickle) and raw mango launji and it tasted superb.
** Here is the method of preparing “Varai Oondi/ Indian Barnyard Millet Steamed Dumplings” … My style …
** Wash and soak 1 cup of varai/ sama/ Indian Barnyar millet in water for 3-4 hrs. Then wash it once again well and drain off as much water as possible. Now put it in a mixer grinder along with 1/3 cup of freshly grated coconut/ soyi/ nariyal and grind to a slightly coarse paste together. Do not grind it too fine, sort of thick rava texture is fine. Remove and keep it aside ready. 
** Heat 2 tblsp of oil in a thick bottomed kadai. When hot add 1 tsp of urad dal (black gram dal) and when the color changes a lit bit add in 1 tsp of mustard seeds (rai/ sasam), 1/4 tsp of methi (fenugreek) seeds and 12-15 small sized curry leaves. Fry for a minute on low heat and then pour the prepared batter slowly into the kadai on top of the seasoning.
** Add in about 2 cups of water to the above mixture along with salt to taste and mix well. Now keep stirring the mixture on medium heat till it thickens, do not stop stirring, lest it gets burned at the bottom. The mixture will start thickening and leaves the sides of the kadai. Keep stirring it it comes to a ball like consistency and turns into a smooth ball of mass.
** Remove from fire and allow to cool for about 5-10 minutes, now apply some water on palms and make small balls of the batter and give a dent in the center. Arrange in a steaming vessel to which water has been already added (Pedavana). You can steam immediately or in a few hours time too.
** Usually we prepare this batter by soaking and cooking and then making them into balls later in the evening almost at night and then keep it ready in the steaming vessel and the next morning just steam it and the work is done. A practice followed over generations in Konkani Sarawat families to date. Just need to steam the oondi for 20-25 minutes and it is done.
** “Varai Oondi/ Indian Barnyard Millet Steamed Dumplings” is done and ready to be served. Serve it with any accompaniment of your choice like curries, chutney, pickle, godda ravo etc. The choice of the same is actually depends on the individual taste, as we had this for breakfast we relished it with ambuli nonche (raw mango pickle) and raw mango launji and it was simply fantastic. Do try out this snack and enjoy with your family, children love these hot dumplings with sweet chutney very much so do elders.
** Note : To test if the oondi batter is done, wet your palms with water and touch the rice formed into a mass with the tip of your fingers, do be careful as it is hot, if the dough does not stick to your fingers immediately, It is done. However, if it sticks, that means you have still to stir it on low flame for some more time..
** For “Aam Ki Launji (Sweet- Spicy Raw Mango Chutney/ Pickle)” Recipe, Please follow the link given below …
** For “Ambuli Nonche (Raw Mango Pickle)” Recipe, Please follow the link given below …
** Sharing a common link below to all the “Oondi” recipes posted before, you may browse through the same and try out those that appeal to you …
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Thanks.