Traditional Idli
Idlis are soft fluffy balls made of a fermented batter of rice and lentils, everyday food in South India.
Servings 3 kilos of batter
Ingredients
- 4 cups Idli rice
- 1 cup Urad dhal
- 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
- a handful poha/beaten rice
- salt as needed
- water as needed
Instructions
- Wash and soak the rice, and poha separately for 2-4 hours
- Clean the urad dhal and soak it along with fenugreek seeds in the refrigerator.
- Once it soaks, grind the urad dhal in the wet grinder for at least 30 to 40 minutes, adding water as needed in between. Halfway through add the soaked poha, and continue grinding till it's nice and fluffy.
- Transfer this to a container and grind the rice to a smooth batter. This will take a lesser time of around 20 minutes. A minute before turning off the grinder, add the required salt.
- Transfer this also to the container already containing the urad dhal batter. Mix well using hand, till it becomes a homogenous mixture.
- Ferment this overnight in a warm place. Ensure that the vessel can hold the batter as it ferments.
- The next day mix the batter again. I have found out that mixing in the anti-clockwise direction will incorporate more air in the batter, making it fluffy. Check for salt. The batter should be mildly sour.
- Heat up the idli vessel with the required water for steaming.
- Grease the idli plates with oil on the front as well as the back. Pour the batter into the moulds in the idli plates and steam it for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Check for doneness using your fingers dipped in water or a knife. I skip this step as I steam my idlis on the induction stove with the timer set for 12 minutes and the idlis are always cooked in that time.
- Let the idlis remain in the mould for a minute or two, after which you can remove them easily using a sharp spoon. If you do not give that resting time, the idli will come out in distorted shape.