Idli is a traditional breakfast in south Indian households. It is very healthy steamed food. This savory Steamed cake of India is most popular throughout the southern part of India. We can be found easily anywhere In India like street food, small cafe and restaurant. Most often eaten at breakfast or as a snack. It is usually served in pairs with chutney, sambar or other accompaniments. And most important is the fermentation process breaks down the starches so that they are more readily metabolized by the body.
While the exact origins of idli are unknown, references to this dish date back to as early as the 10th century CE. To make the batter, rice and lentils are soaked, ground, and left to naturally ferment overnight which helps give idli its airy texture.
The process of making idli is surprisingly simple, though it does take some planning. First, rice and urad dal lentils are soaked separately for several hours, then ground together into a smooth, thick paste. This batter then gets left out overnight to ferment and rise slightly. The next day, the batter is steamed in small round molds to form the idlis. Despite the simple ingredients and preparation, there is an incredible amount of regional variation when it comes to idli across South India.
Idli makes for a satisfying yet light breakfast or snack. It is often served with sambar, a vegetable and lentil stew, and coconut chutney for dipping. The plain idli acts as a perfect neutral canvas to soak up these flavorful accompaniments. Its mild taste and spongy texture also make it incredibly versatile to pair with any number of chutneys, podis (spice powders), or vegetable curries. From street food breakfasts to elaborate thalis, idli finds its way into meals throughout the day.
Ingredients:
• 1 cups Gota Urad Dal (Black Lentils without Skin)
• 3 cups Short Grain Rice or Parboiled Idli Rice
• ½ tsp Fenugreek Seeds
• ½ Cup Leftover Rice Or Soaked Poha
• Salt
• Oil for Greasing
Method:
1. Wash 2-3 times and soak the urad dal with fenugreek seeds together in enough water and rice separately in enough water for 6-7 hours, cover and keep aside .
2. Once soaked enough. Blend the urad dal and fenugreek seeds together in a mixer till smooth and frothy (add water little by little as required). Remove into the large mixing pot and keep aside.
3. Blend the rice and leftover rice or soaked poha together in a mixer till smooth using required water, mixture should be semi thick but not runny. then add it into the prepared urad dal paste.
4. Mix well the urad dal paste and rice paste together, cover it and keep aside to ferment overnight or 7-8 hours in warm place.
5. Once the batter is fermented, add salt to the batter and mix well.
6. Boil the water in Idli cooker and grease the Idli moulds with using oil, then Put spoonfuls of the batter into greased molds and steam for 7-8 minutes.
7. After steaming remove the mould from cooker and allow cooling, then remove idlis from mould with using knife or spoon.
8. Repeat with the remaining batter to make more.
9. Serve hot with coconut chutney, tomato chutney and sambar.
Tips
• Soak The dal and rice at least 6 hrs for best fermented batter.
• Wash thoroughly before soaking the dal and rice and use that soaked water for grinding for best result in fermentation.
• If you are staying in cooler place, put the batter in oven with light on or in Instant Pot with warm/Yogurt setting on.
• You can use mix of idli rice and regular rice or only ether of.
• Do not mix fermented batter too much, mix it with circular motion using ladle.
• You can store batter in airtight container in the fridge upto 7-8 days.
- 1 cups Gota Urad Dal (Split Black Lentils)
- 3 cup Idli Rice
- ½ tsp Fenugreek Seeds
- ½ Leftover Rice or Soaked Poha
- Salt
- Oil for Greasing
- Wash 2-3 times and soak the urad dal with fenugreek seeds together in enough water and rice separately in enough water for 6-7 hours, cover and keep aside .
- Once soaked enough. Blend the urad dal and fenugreek seeds together in a mixer till smooth and frothy (add water little by little as required). Remove into the large mixing pot and keep aside.
- Blend the rice and leftover rice or soaked poha together in a mixer till smooth using required water, mixture should be semi thick but not runny. then add it into the prepared urad dal paste.
- Mix well the urad dal paste and rice paste together, cover it and keep aside to ferment overnight or 7-8 hours in warm place.
- Once the batter is fermented, add salt to the batter and mix well.
- Boil the water in Idli cooker and grease the Idli moulds with using oil, then Put spoonfuls of the batter into greased molds and steam for 7-8 minutes.
- After steaming remove the mould from cooker and allow cooling, then remove idlis from mould with using knife or spoon.
- Repeat with the remaining batter to make more.
- Serve hot with coconut chutney, tomato chutney and sambar.
Wash thoroughly before soaking the dal and rice and use that soaked water for grinding for best result in fermentation.
If you are staying in cooler place, put the batter in oven with light on or in Instant Pot with warm/Yogurt setting on.
You can use mix of idli rice and regular rice or only ether of.
Do not mix fermented batter too much, mix it with circular motion using ladle.
You can store batter in airtight container in the fridge upto 7-8 days.
