• Dry roast the ragi flour for about 4-5 minutes until it is aromatic and heated all through. Dry roasting the ragi flour helps takes the sliminess away and helps take away the innate bitterness of the grain.
• Also roast the rice flour for couple of minutes. It just needs to get warm and it need not change color.
• Simultaneously, boil the water in a vessel. Take a little more than 4 cups as we might need more or less depending on the quality of the flour. Let the water come to a rolling boil. This stage is very important to cook the ragi and make it soft. So do not take out the water before it is boiling well.
• Add the roasted flours in a large bowl. Add the salt needed to the flour and mix well.
• Slowly add the boiling water to the flour and mix it with a wooden ladle. Add little by little and bring the flour together. Also add the oil at this stage and once the heat is a little manageable use your hands to make soft dough. Make sure the dough is on the softer side and not too hard as it will be very hard to squeeze it out of the idiyappam maker.
• Cover the dough and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
• Grease the idiyappam maker with oil and also grease the steamer plates and keep them ready.
• Add water to the steamer and heat it up so it is ready and simmering.
• Take a ball of dough that will fit inside the idiyappam maker and then start squeezing out the idiyappam on to the steamer plate. If using idli plates, make small idiyappams to fit inside the idli moulds.
• If the dough is breaking apart when squeezing it out, add a little bit more hot water and mix and then make the idiyappams.
• Steam the idiyappam for about 5 to 6 minutes. These idiyappams steam really quickly and does not need more than 6 minutes.
• Let it cool a bit in the steamer plates and then take them out on a plate. Repeat the same with the rest of the dough.

To make the Masala Sevai

• When the ragi idiyappam cools down a bit, shred them into small pieces.
• Heat oil in a pan and add the seasoning ingredients; mustard, urad dal, asafetida, curry leaves and peanuts. Fry them until the peanuts are golden brown and then add the onion and the green chilies.
• Sauté the onions until translucent and add salt just enough for the onion mixture. Remember that the idiyappam already has salt in it.
• Add the shredded idiyappam and mix gently. Add the coconut gratings and give it one last mix.
• Serve warm with chutney!