Soft and Spongy Idlis
Idlis are the savory rice cake made with rice and black gram dal(lentil) along with few other ingredients. All the ingredients are washed and soaked in water for 5-6 hours or overnight and then they are ground into paste. Both the batters are poured into one large container and it is kept for fermentation for several hours. Batter is poured in the idli moulds and steamed. Idlis are served with Coconut chutney and Sambhar. You can also make appe/gundponglas with the same batter
Ingredients:
3 cups Idli rice
water for soaking
water for grinding
Preparation:
1. Wash idli rice three to four times or until water runs clear. Soak idli rice in a vessel. Wash urad dal four times and soak it in a different container. Add poha and Methi seeds to the urad dal. Soak both rice and urad dal for at least 6 hours. You may use whole black gram.
2. After 6 hours, grind urad dal into smooth paste in the mixer grinder or wet grinder. Use 2 tbsp of water at a time to grind. Do not add too much water at once. You can either use the same water in which you soaked urad dal or use fresh water for grinding. Take out the urad dal batter into a large container. I use my 6 qt instant pot to ferment my batter. You should use the container large enough for the batter to double in quantity.
3. Now, add idli rice to the grinder. Add a cup of rice at a time.Add 3 tbsp Of water at a time to grind the rice. Grind it to a coarse paste. The ground rice should feel like sooji rava if rubbed between your fingers. It shouldn’t be too watery. Once the first batch of rice is ground into coarse batter. Pour it into the large container in which you have added the urad dal paste. Grind the other two cups of rice in the similar way.
4. Once the batter is ready, if it feels too thick, add a little water to adjust its consistency. The batter should not be too thick, nor to thin. It should be in semi thick but in flowing consistency. If the batter is thick, the idlis will be hard and dense. If the batter is thin, idlis will be flat.
5. I do not add the salt immediately after grinding as it affect the fermentation of the batter. I usually add it after it rises a bit.
6. Keep the batter in a warm place. I keep the batter in instant pot with yogurt setting for 12 hours straight.
water for grinding
1 cup urad dal/Black gram dal
water for soaking
water for grinding
water for grinding
1 tbsp thick poha/ flattened rice
1/4 tsp Methi seeds/ fenugreek seeds
Salt to taste
Water for grinding
Preparation:
1. Wash idli rice three to four times or until water runs clear. Soak idli rice in a vessel. Wash urad dal four times and soak it in a different container. Add poha and Methi seeds to the urad dal. Soak both rice and urad dal for at least 6 hours. You may use whole black gram.
2. After 6 hours, grind urad dal into smooth paste in the mixer grinder or wet grinder. Use 2 tbsp of water at a time to grind. Do not add too much water at once. You can either use the same water in which you soaked urad dal or use fresh water for grinding. Take out the urad dal batter into a large container. I use my 6 qt instant pot to ferment my batter. You should use the container large enough for the batter to double in quantity.
3. Now, add idli rice to the grinder. Add a cup of rice at a time.Add 3 tbsp Of water at a time to grind the rice. Grind it to a coarse paste. The ground rice should feel like sooji rava if rubbed between your fingers. It shouldn’t be too watery. Once the first batch of rice is ground into coarse batter. Pour it into the large container in which you have added the urad dal paste. Grind the other two cups of rice in the similar way.
4. Once the batter is ready, if it feels too thick, add a little water to adjust its consistency. The batter should not be too thick, nor to thin. It should be in semi thick but in flowing consistency. If the batter is thick, the idlis will be hard and dense. If the batter is thin, idlis will be flat.
5. I do not add the salt immediately after grinding as it affect the fermentation of the batter. I usually add it after it rises a bit.
6. Keep the batter in a warm place. I keep the batter in instant pot with yogurt setting for 12 hours straight.
7. After 12 hours, add water and mix the batter until salt is dissolved. Keep the batter for rising again for 4 to 5 hours. Total fermenting time will be about 16-18 hours. Batter will take more time to ferment during winter.
8. Once the batter is risen, Heat the idli cooker with 3 cups of water in it. Then, grease the idli mould and pour a ladle full of idli batter in each mould. Stack the idli plates in the cooker.
9. Cook idlis for 10 mins on high flame. After 10 mins, turn off the heat. Let the cooker stand for another couple of mins. The use a sharp edged spoon to scoop out idlis. Dipping the spoon in water before scooping each idli, will help to loosen them.
10. Serve idli with Sambhar and coconut chutney.
Notes:
1. During winter months, I usually keep the batter for 18 to 20 hours for fermentation.
2. If you do not have the instant pot, you can keep the batter in the oven with the lights on.(DO NOT turn on the oven)
3. The batter may ferment in 8 to 10 hours if you live in the warmer regions.
4.If the idli batter doesn’t rise at all, then use the batter to make thin dosas or uttappam.
2. If you do not have the instant pot, you can keep the batter in the oven with the lights on.(DO NOT turn on the oven)
3. The batter may ferment in 8 to 10 hours if you live in the warmer regions.
4.If the idli batter doesn’t rise at all, then use the batter to make thin dosas or uttappam.
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