Chittem Sudheer's Leaf Millet Idlis Make His Startup a Food Sensation!

 Wrapped and steamed in Vistharaku leaves, these yummy and healthy idlis are made from the 700 kilos of millet that Chittem Sudheer purchases directly from tribal farmers every month!

In the hour that followed, close to 200 plates of freshly made idlis were served. Some customers even requested extra chutney to take back home and store it in their fridges. The 26-year-old stall owner was happy to oblige.

“That was my early morning batch of customers. I have around 40 minutes before the second one comes in,” Chittem tells me, as he hands out a plate to the only standing customer around 9.

Like a hundred other stall proprietors, Chittem, originally a native of Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur, opened his first idli stall in September 2018. With an investment of Rs 50,000, he began his venture, ‘Vasena Poli’ (meaning ‘alternative idlis’).

What makes his stall stand out are his unique millet idlis.

He serves idlis made from eight types of nutritious millets like jowar, bajra, aarika (kodo millet), korra (foxtail millet) and saama (little millet). Accompanying these idlis are chutneys from vegetables like bottle gourd, ginger and carrot, apart from the regular peanut chutney.

Chittem’s millet-based idlis are unique, considering the multiple health benefits. Elaborating, he says, “Millets are less known in India. However, they have rich mineral properties like iron, magnesium, potassium and copper. They also contain essential vitamins like folate, B6, C, E and K, and have more nutritional value than rice. In semi-rural and rural areas, they have no demand. But in urban spaces, they are increasingly becoming a fad.”

No wonder, Chittem’s customer base is increasing by the day, without any active marketing. It is through word of mouth that Vizag’s health-conscious people are learning about his idlis.