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 Utensils for Steaming Idlis: 1. Idli stand - Stand has 4 plates stacked over each other. 2. A pot with a lid that is large enough to hold idly stand, or idly steamer. (Idli cooker comes with idly stand) |
White Urad dal
Rice
|
Large
pot
|
Idli stand
|
Idli cooker
|
Direction to prepare idli batter:
1. Wash and soak rice in water over night or at least 6 to 8 hours
2. Wash and soak the urad dal along with fenugreek seeds, but separate from rice
over night or at least 6 to 8 hours.
1. Wash and soak rice in water over night or at least 6 to 8 hours
2. Wash and soak the urad dal along with fenugreek seeds, but separate from rice
over night or at least 6 to 8 hours.
Soak Rice in the water
|
Soak Urad dal with fenugreek seeds
|
3. The next morning drain all the water out from the rice and Dal and wash. After washing drain all the excess water out.
4. In a blender grind the soaked rice. (In the Blender the rice does not get grinded
in to a fine paste they stay coarse.)
5. Grind the soaked urad dal along with fenugreek seeds separate from the rice
into a very fine paste. While grinding use little water if necessary to lubricate
the paste.
6. In a bowl mix both grinded Rice and Urad dal Paste together.
7. Dissolve yeast in 2 tablespoons water and add to the mixture and mix it well.
(If you live in hot climate then you do not need to add yeast)
8. Add enough water to make a batter, the batter should be fairly thick, if the
batter is watery then idlis won’t come out right. Avoid adding water to the
batter after fermentation.
9. Do not add the salt to the mixture this time because salt slow down the
fermentation process.
10. Cover the bowl and keep this mixture in a warm place for 4 to 5 hours or until
it ferments.
4. In a blender grind the soaked rice. (In the Blender the rice does not get grinded
in to a fine paste they stay coarse.)
5. Grind the soaked urad dal along with fenugreek seeds separate from the rice
into a very fine paste. While grinding use little water if necessary to lubricate
the paste.
6. In a bowl mix both grinded Rice and Urad dal Paste together.
7. Dissolve yeast in 2 tablespoons water and add to the mixture and mix it well.
(If you live in hot climate then you do not need to add yeast)
8. Add enough water to make a batter, the batter should be fairly thick, if the
batter is watery then idlis won’t come out right. Avoid adding water to the
batter after fermentation.
9. Do not add the salt to the mixture this time because salt slow down the
fermentation process.
10. Cover the bowl and keep this mixture in a warm place for 4 to 5 hours or until
it ferments.
In a bowl add grinded Rice & Urad Dal paste
|
Mix Dal Rice & Dal paste together
|
Directions for making the Idlis:
1. Once batter is ready you will see small bubbles, add 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, add 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
|
Fluffy consistency of Idli batter
|
4. In a pot or idli cooker add about 1” of water and let it boil.
5. Grease the idli trays with a drop of oil and rub it around.
6. Divide the Idly batter into 2 portions. Just before steaming add 1 teaspoon of
ENO fruit salt in one portion and add 2 teaspoon of water over the fruit salt, the
bubble will start forming, with the spoon mix gently, the batter will start rising.
7. With a spoon drop some batter in the idli maker trays, do not fill it up to the
top leave some room for them to expand. Stack the idli trays in the stand.
8. 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.
5. Grease the idli trays with a drop of oil and rub it around.
6. Divide the Idly batter into 2 portions. Just before steaming add 1 teaspoon of
ENO fruit salt in one portion and add 2 teaspoon of water over the fruit salt, the
bubble will start forming, with the spoon mix gently, the batter will start rising.
7. With a spoon drop some batter in the idli maker trays, do not fill it up to the
top leave some room for them to expand. Stack the idli trays in the stand.
8. 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.
Grease the Idli trays
|
With a spoon drop batter on the idli trays
|
9. Immediately place the idli maker stand in the pot or idli cooker with boiling
water, close the lid of the idli cooker or cover the pot.
10. 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.
water, close the lid of the idli cooker or cover the pot.
10. 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.
Stack the batter filled trays
|
Place the stand in idli cooker or the Pot
|
11. Open the idli cooker and 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.
12. 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.
13. Clean the idli maker and grease it before you makes more idlis.
14 Serve the idlis with sambhar and coconut chutney.
are cooked, if the tooth pick come out clean it means idli is cooked. Take the
idli stand out.
12. 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.
13. Clean the idli maker and grease it before you makes more idlis.
14 Serve the idlis with sambhar and coconut chutney.
Cover the pot
|
Insert tooth pick to check Idli
|
Take the Idli stand out of the cooker
|
Insert the knife in Idli edge
|
Idlis
|
Idli
|
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. ENO fruit salt could be purchased from any Indian grocery store.
5. If you want to prepare Idlies 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.
6. The idli batter can be kept in the refrigerator and used for
about 10 day.
7. Idli batter can be freezed.
8. Same batter can be used to make dosa.
9. Cooked idlis can be freezed, when ready to eat heat them on the steam.
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. ENO fruit salt could be purchased from any Indian grocery store.
5. If you want to prepare Idlies 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.
6. The idli batter can be kept in the refrigerator and used for
about 10 day.
7. Idli batter can be freezed.
8. Same batter can be used to make dosa.
9. Cooked idlis can be freezed, when ready to eat heat them on the steam.
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)
Copyright © 2011 www.northindiancooking.com, All Rights Reserved