Idli

Idli Recipe:

Ingredients:

3 cups par boiled rice/Idli Rice/puzhungal arisi (see Tips)

1 cup Urad dal (whole skinned black lentils)**

Salt to taste

About a fistful of cooked rice 

(see Tips)

Tips:

My mother used to make with 3 cups and now she has changed it to 4 cups for 1 cup lentils. Some recipes even use up to 5 cups of rice to 1 cup of lentils. I assume that 3 cups was used by the elders when they hand ground the batter. Now with modern appliances (and may be the quality of ingredients) this proportion has been adjusted. Few other recipes use a combo of regular medium grained rice with parboiled rice with a few tsp. of fenugreek seeds. Experiment with the proportions since the weather and quality of ingredients will play a huge part in the end result.

Instead of cooked rice, you can use Rice Flakes (Poha in Hindi or Aval in Tamil) soaked in water.

Method:

Soak the boiled rice and lentils separately for at least 6-8 hours. I used wet grinder to make my dough but you can do the same with your food processor. First add the rice and grind in your property. The dough will not be easy but somewhat coarse.

Remove and set aside in a large bowl. At the same mill add the lentils with cooked rice.

Grind once again. It takes more time and more you grind, the better the idlis. You must continue to add little water from time to time. You will notice that the dough doubles in volume up when the ground. When the dough is smooth, remove and pour the batter with rice.

Add salt, mix well and set aside

The next day, after fermentation, mix the dough well. I have a non-stick baking Idli

You can use small bowls if you do not have to make these plates too.Pour the dough on each plate.

Place it in a pressure cooker with little water or below if you do not have a pressure cooker, use a steamer. Bake for 10 to high heat, then reduce to 5

They are done when a little stick/spoon pricked in the middle comes out clean.

Recipe Video: