Idli
Idli no longer just a south Indian favorite they are loved by all and can be found not just about anywhere in India but also all over the world. They are soft, fluffy white, round discs that are normally eaten as breakfast or a snack along with Coconut chutney or sambhar.
Idlis are made by steaming batter especially made from rice and lentils. The lentils and rice are soaked first then grinded to the paste, then the paste is allowed to ferment overnight or until it expands to double to its original volume. In the morning the idli batter is put into greased molds of an Idli tray then they are steamed.
Since idlis are steamed food with no oil and no spices, it is an ideal dish for everybody. The batter for idlis needs to be fermented, so need to be planed ahead of time.
Idlis are made by steaming batter especially made from rice and lentils. The lentils and rice are soaked first then grinded to the paste, then the paste is allowed to ferment overnight or until it expands to double to its original volume. In the morning the idli batter is put into greased molds of an Idli tray then they are steamed.
Since idlis are steamed food with no oil and no spices, it is an ideal dish for everybody. The batter for idlis needs to be fermented, so need to be planed ahead of time.
Ingredients:
1 Cup of rice
½ Cup of Urad dal (white skinless urad dal)
1 Teaspoon fenugreek seeds
½ Teaspoon yeast
1 Teaspoon salt or to your taste
2 Teaspoons of ENO fruit salt
Vegetable oil
Makes about 16 Idlies
Cooking measurement conversion
Measurement converter
1 Cup of rice
½ Cup of Urad dal (white skinless urad dal)
1 Teaspoon fenugreek seeds
½ Teaspoon yeast
1 Teaspoon salt or to your taste
2 Teaspoons of ENO fruit salt
Vegetable oil
Makes about 16 Idlies
Cooking measurement conversion
Measurement converter
Rice
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Urad Dal
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Chana Dal
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Fenugreek seeds (Methi seeds)
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Yogurt
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Salt
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Utensils for Steaming Idlis:
1. Idli stand - Stand has 4 plates stacked over each other.
2. Idli cooker or a pot with a lid that is large enough to hold idly stand.
(Idli cooker comes with idly stand)
1. Idli stand - Stand has 4 plates stacked over each other.
2. Idli cooker or a pot with a lid that is large enough to hold idly stand.
(Idli cooker comes with idly stand)
Idli cooker
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Idli stand
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Direction to prepare Idli batter:
1. Mix Rice, Dal and Fenugreek seeds together.
2. Wash and soak rice and Dal mix and soak for 6 to 8 hours or until fully
soaked.
1. Mix Rice, Dal and Fenugreek seeds together.
2. Wash and soak rice and Dal mix and soak for 6 to 8 hours or until fully
soaked.
In Rice, add Dal's & Fenugreek seeds
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Mix Rice, Dal & Fenugreek seeds
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Wash and rinse-soaked rice mix
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Soak Rice, Dal mix in water
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3. Once the rice and dal are fully soaked, drain all the water out from the rice and
dal and wash. After washing drain all the excess water out.
dal and wash. After washing drain all the excess water out.
Wash and rinse-soaked rice mix
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Soaked Rice and Dal
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4. In a blender add soaked rice mix and grind to a smooth paste.
5 While grinding drop about 1 to 1½ cups of water or as needed little at a time
to lubricate the paste for grinding.
6. Grind with switch on and off so that rice mix keep mixing.
7. While grinding in between stop the blender and open the cover and with spatula
mix so that all Rice and Dal and fenugreek seeds grinds evenly into a smooth
a paste. (Rice does not grind to a fine paste they stay coarse)
5 While grinding drop about 1 to 1½ cups of water or as needed little at a time
to lubricate the paste for grinding.
6. Grind with switch on and off so that rice mix keep mixing.
7. While grinding in between stop the blender and open the cover and with spatula
mix so that all Rice and Dal and fenugreek seeds grinds evenly into a smooth
a paste. (Rice does not grind to a fine paste they stay coarse)
Add Rice & Dal mix in the Blender
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Grind Rice and Dal mix
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8. Transfer the paste in a bowl.
9. Add yogurt in the batter and mix it well.
9. Add yogurt in the batter and mix it well.
Transfer paste in a bowl
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Add yogurt in paste
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10. Do not add the salt to the mixture at this time because salt slow down the
fermentation process.
11. Idli batter should be fairly thick, if the batter is watery then idli's won’t come
out right. Avoid adding water to the batter after fermentation.
12. Cover the bowl and keep this mixture in a warm place for 4 to 5 hours or until
it ferments. If you live in cold climate then dissolve ½ teaspoon of yeast in
2 Tablespoon of water and add it in the batter and mix and leave it covered to
ferment.
fermentation process.
11. Idli batter should be fairly thick, if the batter is watery then idli's won’t come
out right. Avoid adding water to the batter after fermentation.
12. Cover the bowl and keep this mixture in a warm place for 4 to 5 hours or until
it ferments. If you live in cold climate then dissolve ½ teaspoon of yeast in
2 Tablespoon of water and add it in the batter and mix and leave it covered to
ferment.
Cover the bowl
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Bowl is covered
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Directions for making the Idlis:
1. Once batter is ready you will see small bubbles. Fermented batter will increase
of its original volume with a distinct fermented sour smell. It will be light and
foamy and as you spoon the fermented batter and pour it into the idli mould,
it will fall like a blob.
2. The batter has to be just right, neither too flowy nor too thick. If it is flowy
batter Idlies will be sticky if the batter is too thick then idli’s will be hard.
3. Add salt and with the cooking spoon mix the batter gently to get uniform
consistency, but do not beat the batter.The batter may shrink when you mix
the batter.
1. Once batter is ready you will see small bubbles. Fermented batter will increase
of its original volume with a distinct fermented sour smell. It will be light and
foamy and as you spoon the fermented batter and pour it into the idli mould,
it will fall like a blob.
2. The batter has to be just right, neither too flowy nor too thick. If it is flowy
batter Idlies will be sticky if the batter is too thick then idli’s will be hard.
3. Add salt and with the cooking spoon mix the batter gently to get uniform
consistency, but do not beat the batter.The batter may shrink when you mix
the batter.
Fermented Idli batter
Add salt in Idli batter
Idli batter
4. Now prepare the idli cooker for steaming the idli's.
5. In an idly cooker or a large pot add about 1” of water and bring it to boil
6. Grease the idly trays with a drop of oil and rub it around.
5. In an idly cooker or a large pot add about 1” of water and bring it to boil
6. Grease the idly trays with a drop of oil and rub it around.
Add water in cooker & bring to boil
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Grease the Idli trays
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7. Just before steaming Idli's add 1 teaspoon of ENO fruit salt in the batter.
Quickly sprinkle about 2 teaspoon of water over the fruit salt, the bubble will
start forming, with the spoon mix gently, the batter will start rising.
Quickly sprinkle about 2 teaspoon of water over the fruit salt, the bubble will
start forming, with the spoon mix gently, the batter will start rising.
Add ENO powder
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Sprinkle water over ENO powder
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Idli batter start fomaing
Mix Idli batter
8. With a spoon drop some batter in the idli molds, do not fill the molds up to the
top leave some room for them to expand.
top leave some room for them to expand.
With a spoon drop batter in Idli molds
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Idli molds are filled with batter
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9. Stack the Idli trays in the stand. When stacking the idli maker trays alter the
holes of idli stand, the wholes of trays should not be right on the top of another.
10. Immediately place the idli stand in the idli cooker with boiling water.
holes of idli stand, the wholes of trays should not be right on the top of another.
10. Immediately place the idli stand in the idli cooker with boiling water.
Stack the trays
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Place Idli stand in cooker
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11. Close the lid of the idli cooker or cover the pot. Keep the stove flame on high.
12. In about 7 to 8 minutes cooker will start steaming, let the idlis steam for
8 to 10 minutes, turn the heat off. If steaming idlis in the pot then after steam
start coming out let them cook for 10 to 12 minutes.
13. Open the Idli cooker.
12. In about 7 to 8 minutes cooker will start steaming, let the idlis steam for
8 to 10 minutes, turn the heat off. If steaming idlis in the pot then after steam
start coming out let them cook for 10 to 12 minutes.
13. Open the Idli cooker.
Cover the Idli cooker
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Open the Idli cooker
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14. Take a tooth pick and insert in an idli to see if they are cooked, if the tooth
pick come out clean it means idli is cooked. Take the idli stand out.
15. Let the idlis cool down, then take a butter knife or a plastic knife and dip it
in water and then insert in the edges of steamed idli and loose them up, then
insert the knife under the idli and take it out from the stand. Repeat until
you take all the idlies out. This way you will have smooth topped idlis. Do not
take out when the idlis are hot as it will not come out properly.
16 Serve the idlis with sambhar and coconut chutney.
pick come out clean it means idli is cooked. Take the idli stand out.
15. Let the idlis cool down, then take a butter knife or a plastic knife and dip it
in water and then insert in the edges of steamed idli and loose them up, then
insert the knife under the idli and take it out from the stand. Repeat until
you take all the idlies out. This way you will have smooth topped idlis. Do not
take out when the idlis are hot as it will not come out properly.
16 Serve the idlis with sambhar and coconut chutney.
With a toothpick check the Idli’s
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Insert knife to loosen the idli's
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Idli's
ENO Fruit salt
Tips:
1. The idli batter has to be fermented otherwise you won’t get good idlis.
2. If you live in hot climate then you do not need to add yeast. Keep the batter
aside overnight to ferment, but if you are living in cold climate you need to
add yeast to ferment the batter.
3. The Idli batter should not be too thin.
4. If you want to prepare Idli's in batches then prepare batter without
adding ENO salt and divide it into two equal portions.Add ENO salt in one
portion and mix and pour immediately into greased Idli mold trays and steam
When first batch is steamed add ENO salt in the other portion and follow the
same process
5. The idli batter can be kept in the refrigerator and used for about 10 day.
6. Idli batter can be freezed.
7. Same batter can be used to make dosa.
8 Cooked Idlis can be freezed, when ready to eat heat them on
the steam.
9. ENO fruit salt could be purchased from any Indian grocery
store.
1. The idli batter has to be fermented otherwise you won’t get good idlis.
2. If you live in hot climate then you do not need to add yeast. Keep the batter
aside overnight to ferment, but if you are living in cold climate you need to
add yeast to ferment the batter.
3. The Idli batter should not be too thin.
4. If you want to prepare Idli's in batches then prepare batter without
adding ENO salt and divide it into two equal portions.Add ENO salt in one
portion and mix and pour immediately into greased Idli mold trays and steam
When first batch is steamed add ENO salt in the other portion and follow the
same process
5. The idli batter can be kept in the refrigerator and used for about 10 day.
6. Idli batter can be freezed.
7. Same batter can be used to make dosa.
8 Cooked Idlis can be freezed, when ready to eat heat them on
the steam.
9. ENO fruit salt could be purchased from any Indian grocery
store.
Please take the time to let me know what you think about my recipe. Your comments would be helpful to me to improve the recipe.
Thank you
Geeta Seth
Thank you
Geeta Seth
Other recipes:
Sambhar Besan Dokhla
Dosa Sooji ka dokhla (Cream of wheat Dokhla)
Potato stuffing for dosa Coconut chutney
Rava idli (Cream of wheat idli) Tamarind rice (Imly rice)
Rava masala idli (Cream of wheat spicey idli)
Sambhar Besan Dokhla
Dosa Sooji ka dokhla (Cream of wheat Dokhla)
Potato stuffing for dosa Coconut chutney
Rava idli (Cream of wheat idli) Tamarind rice (Imly rice)
Rava masala idli (Cream of wheat spicey idli)
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