Idlis and Dosas are traditional south indian dishes. It requires some patience and time to make them. When we make them at home, we all want them to come out great. But sometimes we don’t manage to get fluffy, soft idlis or crisp dosas.
I did some research for this post and collated the info i found on the web here along with some of my experience with making idlis and dosas at home.
This post shall explain you the basics of the method for making idlis and dosas including the fermentation do’s and don’ts. You will also get to know how you can make the best idlis or dosas at home.
Basic method for making the idli-dosa batter:
For making the idlis in the traditional method, urad lentils and rice are soaked for a period of 4-5 hours. The ratio of urad dal to rice is 1:2. This is not the thumb rule. You can try this ratio and if things do not turn well, you could use 1:1 ratio or 1:3 ratio of urad dal and rice respectively.
After the rice and urad lentils are soaked well, they are ground separately and mixed together and left to ferment overnight for a period of 8-10 hours. This makes up the basic batter for south indian dishes like idlis, dosas, uthappams.
We all like the idlis to be soft. In fact, much softness of the idlis dependson the quality of the rice and urad dal/black lentils and the fermentation process:
Rice:
For the idli batter, traditionally parboiled rice is used. Parboiled rice is pre-processed rice. Hence it reduces the time required to pre-soak before grinding by an average of 3-4 hours. Parboiled rice also has gelatinized starch which gives an added texture.
The softness of the idlis depend on a certain starch-Amylopectin found in it. To make softer idlis, you will need over 80% Amylopectin.
How can you find out about the percentage amylopectin content in rice? There is one rule, you can follow, though and that is to use short to medium grain rice:
- Generally, there are two types of starch in rice:- Amylose and Amylopectin
- Long grain rice has 22 % Amylose and 78 % Amylopectin,
- Medium to short grain rice has 18 % Amylose and 82 % Amylopectin.
- So its better to use short to medium grain sized rice. If you don’t have access to parboiled rice, you may use a good quality rice.
- Basmati or Sona Masoori rice also work well. I have made idlis and dosas both with Basmati rice & Sona Masoori rice.
- You could also use a combination of parboiled rice and regular rice.
- Adding some poha or cooked rice makes the idlis amazingly soft.
- To get a crispier and brown dosa, add some chana dal.
- Please do not use rice flour as it gives a poor texture.
- You can use cream of rice also known as rice rava or rice sooji. Cream of rice is coarsely ground rice. But when using rice rava you may have to experiment from brand to brand.
Urad Dal or Black Lentils:
I have seen people using skinned, spilt urad dal. I myself use these. But you can use whole urad with the black skin. The only problem will be that the black fragments of the skin will be seen in the batter once the dal is ground. You also won’t get white colour in the idlis.
Skinned whole urad lentil is better to use. If you are using spilt and skinned urad dal, then add fenugreek seeds.
In the spilt urad dal much of the wild yeast is destroyed in the splitting process. So you have to add fenugreek seeds to help in the fermentation process.
You can use Urad Dal flour. The only problem you have is that some of the wild yeast is destroyed by heat during the milling process. So you will need to add fenugreek seeds.
Fenugreek Seeds
Fenugreek seeds catch the same type of wild yeast as the Urad Dal. So, using fenugreek seeds just adds more yeast to the batter.
How and What causes the fermentation of the Idli- Dosa Batter
The fermentation in the idli-dosa batter is caused due to the presence of an air-borne wild yeast, which is drawn by the Urad dal and Fenugreek seeds from air. The batter has to be kept for 8 -10 hours for fermentation. To know exactly what is fermentation, read this link: What is Fermentation
Some Do’s and Dont’s to aid in the fermentation process:
- Do not over-wash urad dal or the fenugreek seeds, as it washes away the collected wild yeast.
- Chlorinated water and iodized table salt are not friends of this wild yeast.
- The Chlorine in the water can destroy the wild yeast. Use spring water, boiled or filtered tap water to avoid Chlorine.
- In our homes we use common table salt which is iodized. The iodine can destroy the wild yeast. So, you can use non-iodized salt.
- Homes which are centrally air-conditioned reduce the supply of this wild yeast.
- Avoid adding retarding agents before you keep the batter overnight for fermentation. The fermentation can be retarded by ingredients like curd-yoghurt, baking yeast, baking soda or baking powder. Only after fermentation is complete , you can add curd or the baking powder or soda as required or needed.
Temperature for fermentation:
The best temperature for fermentation is 30º C to 32º C. If the temperature is below 30º C , it will take longer to achieve an acceptable level of fermentation. If the temperature is higher than 32º C, the batter becomes sour. Acceptable level of fermentation is when the batter has become two and a half times the original volume.
In cold countries or in cold season, its difficult for the batter to ferment. You can do the following methods:
- Preheat the oven for a few minutes. Then close it and keep the batter inside the oven
- You could also keep the oven light on. Keep the batter inside the oven. The heat and warmth of the light emitted from the oven will help in the fermentation process of the batter.
- If you don’t have an oven, you could keep the batter in a warm place or warm corner in your kitchen.
Type of bowl or utensil to ferment the batter:
You will need to use a good large bowl as the batter doubles up and rises after fermentation.
In the olden days, earthen wares were used.
We do not have such bowls or pans now. One can use stainless steel bowl, glass bowl or plastic bowl having a large diameter. A 12″ diameter bowl works good. If you don’t have large diameter bowl, then divide the mixture in to two separate bowls. The depth of the bowl should be such that it can hold 4 times the original amount of Rice & Urad Dal.
Making Idlis and Dosas of the fermented batter:
After the batter is kept overnight for 8-10 hours and if everything goes well, the batter doubles up and now you can make the idlis or dosas. There is no need to stir the batter as air bubbles are trapped in the batter. Mixing them will release the air bubbles. Just gently mix the batter if you have to mix it. These air bubbles while cooking help in making the idlis fluffy and soft.
Some people add some curd or baking soda or baking powder to the batter before making the idlis. But this not really required. If your batter has fermented really well, you don’t need to add any baking ingredients.
Now for making the idlis, you can steam the idlis in the idli moulds. You get these aluminium idli containers which are used to make idlis. To know about making idlis in the microwave oven, read this post: How to make Idlis in the microwave oven
You can also use this batter for making dosas. If you like thick and soft dosas, you could use this batter as it is. To make thin dosas, you could add a little water to the batter. You can even use this batter for making uthappam. To know the difference between idli batter and dosa batter, you can read this link: Difference between Idli Batter and Dosa Batter
If there is left over batter, then you can refrigerate it. Don’t keep it outside as the fermenation process continues and over fermantation makes the batter sour and may even spoil it. Use the refrigerated batter the next day.
I hope you this post really helps you and you manage to cook really soft idlis and crisp dosas at home 
credit: web source – www.indiacurry.com
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{ 82 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi,
I would like to know what blender you use? My blender always gets overloaded and stops unless I add a load of water in the beginning. It’s a Preethi btw.
Thanks.
I just found your blog and have been bookmarking some recipes for the past half an hour, love your photos!
hi hiba. for making any idli, dosa or vada batter, i have been using the uk brand black and decker. its a powerful blender. though i would not advise you to buy it. i would suggest you to buy table top wet grinders which are specifically meant for wet grinding. i don’t have any place in my kitchen, so not buying it.
the black & dlecker blender is not meant for wet grinding. still i use it. it gets heated up and then i have to wait for 5-7 minutes till the motor becomes cool. the only best part is that it grinds quickly than the other mixer-grinders.
Ohh thankyou!.. Even I didn’t get a wet grinder for the same reason and also I feel its unnecessary to just cook for two now.
I’ve been thinking of getting a vitamix, do you think it’ll be good with that?
i have not used vitamix, so not sure. you can query or ask the sales people and they will be able to tell you.
Explained in fine English and with all details and invaluable tips. May god bless you !
thanks
Thanks very much. I remember my Mom adding a pinch of fenugreek seeds to the batter.
amazing post…I have never seen such a detailed description of Idli and dosa batter making… love the information
thanks.
Hi Dassana
Iv beeen followibg your blog for past sometime and i have to thank u for all such qonderful recipea. very well laid out picturised and step by step approaxh is very eaay to understand.i lately triedmaking idli batter cauz i wanted to give my $1 yr old some nutritious foood. but twice i tried and it became a flop. i live in UP and ge temerature is very low here due to winters . in ur pos i read th temperature shud be around 32° winters and that v shudd place the batter after grinding in some warm place i id it but stil my idlis didn come out ok at alll. i tried makin dosas inatwd but the battter was stickin to d pan. i hav become very demotivated. cud u plz try helping me. thanks.
thanks lalita. don’t get demotivated. mishaps & flops happen in cooking at times. even now when i bake, the cake does not turn out well or the cookie crumbles. one learns through trying, experimentation and patience.
a warm temperature is a must for the batter to ferment to correctly. i would suggest you to add the batter in a casserole, cover it loosely with its lid and then keep it in a warm place like a oven or microwave oven or a warm place in your kitchen. another tip which readers have suggested is too add some baking powder or yeast to the batter. this helps in activation the fermentation process.
how to make idli & dosa flour? for i store long duration of use it. what i will mix with them
hi ilyasraj, i have never made idli and dosa flour so won’t be able to guide you on this. one of mine blogger friend sharmi has posts both on making rice flour and urad dal flour at home. you can have a look.
rice flour – http://www.sharmispassions.com/2011/09/how-to-make-rice-flour-at-home-homemade.html
urad dal flour – http://www.sharmispassions.com/2011/09/how-to-make-urad-dal-flour-at-home.html
Dear dassana
How to avoid quick fermentation . Beccause within 3 to 4 hours the Dosai mavu is unfit for preparation for idli and Dosa due to rapid fermentation. In case storing Mavu in poly bags the bag get burst what type is advisable other than utensil or plastic buckets
dear dr bakiyalakshmi, i think the quick fermentation is due to higher temperatures. i would suggest just to keep the batter outside for 1 or may be 2 hours and then keep in the fridge.
i always ferment the batter in steel pan. it works for me. i would not suggest to ferment in plastic bags. if the bag size is small, the bag will burst when the batter/mavu doubles up. even a big plastic bowl will do. you can also ferment in glass bowls. i think melamine also works fine.
Hello,
I have had success with idlis but not doses. They always turn out thick and rough and heavy, and burn on the outside but stay raw on the inside. Is it just cuz I’m using whole grain brown rice? Or any other thoughts? Thanks!
actually this should not happen with the dosas if the you are using the same batter to make idlis too. if the idlis come out well, than the doss should also turn out well.
the quality of rice does contribute to the texture of the dosa. i suggest you to use parboiled brown or red rice along with regular brown or red rice. try this combination and see if it works for you or not.
I am in North India here nobody understands what parboiled rice means we get just the boiled rice of some variety or other my desire to make a good idly is tested cud u pls help me …………and I don’t get any salt other than the iodised one ……..except for one called the senhda namak……….
ask me geetha. i could not get parboiled rice easily there and when told they would not understand it.
what you could do is you can use the boiled rice. but don’t use all of it. use i cup of boiled rice with 1 cup of regular rice like basmati or sona masoori or kolam. add 1/4 cup poha or cooked rice. these make the idlis soft. sendha namak is fine. i also use sendha namak in all my food. it is much good and healthy than the regular salt. you can check my post on idli on the link below where i have made idlis with goan red parboiled rice and basmati rice.
http://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/idli-recipe-how-to-make-soft-idlis/
i was facing problems in making this…………..
bt now i hve mde perfect one by reading this:p
.
.
.
thanxxxx
welcome annie
Hi,
Iam facing the problem of salty idlis whenever I prepare them.How do I reduce the amount of salt once I prepare the batter.Iam not knowing what to do with the batter once it is fermented and if I put more salt before cooking idlis,all the batter and the idlis are turning to be salty.Pls suggest me if I can do anything with salty idli batter…………………
dear deepthi, just reduce the amount of salt. i suggest you to add salt once the batter is fermented and not before. i think you are adding more salt thats why the batter is become salty. reduce by half or one fourth.
Hi Dassana,
How i will know that batter is ready to make iddlies because when i tried for last time my batter was not ready then one of my friend told me to keep for 24 hours. same producer i fallowed and after 24 hours when i checked the batter it was sour. is this a normal do i need to keep for short time for fermetation.
Thanks,
Joyti
after you ground the rice and the urad dal, you will mix both the batters together in a deep container. cover and keep for 8-9 hours.
the batter will ferment, rise and there will be a mild sour odour. this is a natural odour. the batter will double in volume. this is how you will come to know that the batter has fermented well.
one of the factors that affect the fermentation process is temperature. if it is a warm temperature 8-9 hours is fine. if its a hot climate than you have to reduce the time.
the friend gave you an incorrect advice. you cannot keep the batter for 24 hours. this spoil the batter.
if the temperature is cold then keep the batter in a warm place and if it is still not risen than than keep for 1-2 hours more.
Thank you so much Dassana, this will really help me….
Regards,
Joyti
Hi,
I would like to know how long we can keep the iddli batter in the fridge. We can make iddli or dossa immediately from fridge or we need to keep out for some time. kindly adivse.
Thanks,
Joyoti Sharma
dear joyti, as per a dear reader neela, the batter can be kept for a fortnight. i have come to the conclusion that don’t add salt to the batter if you want to keep it for a week or more. i usually add salt to the batter before it ferments and hence the batter does not stay for more than 2-3 days.
after removing from the fridge, let the batter come to room temperature, add salt and then start making the idlis or dosa.
Thanks Dassana…
Jyoti the idli batter stays in the fridge even for a month and salt can be added before fermentation also. The batter need not come to room temperature after removing out frm the fridge you can steam idlis or make dosas also if you wish to from the same batter, we south indians always have batter for unexpected guests so dont worry.
thanks neela for your inputs. i usually thaw the batter before making the idlis and dosas.
Very well written comment. Good to know the science behind our top south Indian breakfast. .Keeping the light inside the oven is a great great tip.Great job. Keep it up.
idli batter stays in the fridge for a fortnight dasanna not to worry, we south indians always have batter in the fridge for any unexpected guests to be served, so be rest assured.
how you manage to keep the idli batter for a fortnight. mine gets so overly fermented by 3 days in the fridge. so i use all the batter one time and do not keep any leftover. please share the secret neela
there is no secret behind this but somehow it stays even one of my friend also is of the same viewpoint as mine.
else you put in the freezer whenever you want remove the desired qty and keep at room temperature, may be that will work, but i have not done this.
thanks neela.
Hi, I used parboiled rice and the batter was very sticky. idlis were also sticky even after steaming. Is there particular variety of parboiled rice to be used for idli / dosa. The proportion i used was 3: 1 (rice : split urad dal)
i am not sure what went wrong. may be something wrong with the fermentation process.
there are some varieties of parboiled rice, but this should not make a difference, as the process and method of parboiling rice is the same.
i suggest buying rice mentioned as idli rice from the market.
Hi Dassana,
Thank youm your recipe is very well described!
I loved the food science part, this will help us experiment with some knowledge.
Please help me with one question- what quantity of fenugreek seeds should I add?
for a proportion of 2 cups rice and 1/4 cup of urad dal, you can add around 1/4 tsp of methi seeds.
Excellent instructions and very well explained.. Thank you.
I am making my dosa with red lentils and use himalayan fine grind pink sea salt. It has been cold and they have not doubled in size, but after using a warming blanket, I did achieve doubling. However, after refrigeration I get a thin layer of pink water on the top of the batter? Is this normal? My neighbor is not using a warming blanket and they are not doubleing. She is not using pink sea salt (nor red lentils) and is getting the red watery thin top? Any idea?
i do not know the exact reason for this strange happening…. my guess is that its got to do something with the water…. may be i am wrong… but its difficult to determine the exact cause…
once i faced the same problem dut to cold weather i put the entire batter in my microwave but befor doing that always pre-heat your oven for 5 mins and then after 2-3 mins put the batter covered inside the whole night so in this way mine got fermented. Hope this helips!
thanks sunita for the quick help and also thanks for all your positive comments.
what if more water is added into batter ,,,whta shuld b done if it happened
if the batter becomes watery, than the idlis won’t turn out well. you could though make dosas with the batter.
to thicken the batter, you can add some rice flour to the batter. you can also add semolina to the batter. even ragi flour, maida can be added.
excellent instructions. Very patiently explained each step
thanks lall
I followed your instructions to the “t”, and THANK YOU… never made better idlies before. Wanted to know if there will be a difference if boiled rice is used along with par boiled rice ? thanks again,
by boiled rice, i think, you mean cooked rice. cooked rice makes the idli very soft and fluffy. if adding cooked rice to the idlis, then add 1/4 or 1/2 cup of cooked rice.
yes you can use both parboiled rice and cooked rice together.
grind the cooked rice with the soaked parboiled rice.
i have had idlis made with parboiled rice, urad dal and cooked rice… and they were so good…. very soft and fluffy.
Dassana, By “boiled rice” , I mean, the thick rice that people of the coastal region eat normally on an every day diet. In Mangalore and Kerala its red boiled rice. I am talking about the white variety. Much appreciate that you are particular in solving each and every one’s query. Quite unlike today’s world !
ok…. is boiled rice different from parboiled rice. if you know the difference technically, can you shed some light as it will help the readers.
i have always seen and heard of parboiled rice, never boiled rice. i have seen the red rice and white rice in kerala and karnataka, but for me they were always parboiled rice. may be i am wrong, but i think they are different names for the same type of rice. you can help me and the rest of the readers in solving this riddle.
i have made idlis from parboiled rice. and i think you can make them from boiled rice too. you can try and let me know how the idlis turn out.
dassana, there is a distinct look between the boiled rice and the par boiled rice which they call idli rice. But can’t seem to get the name for it. Any way I am happy using the par boiled rice, as it turned out super.
thanks dear…
next time when i go to buy parboiled rice
i will look carefully
I asked another friend and she said its called vellai kar arisi. But I am not sure what thhis is.
thanks for this info dear…
can i add egg and yeast to the dosa idili battery??? will there be any health issues there after?? pl answer asap
i have never tried making idlis with yeast and eggs… so i don’t know how they will turn out and taste. i don’t think there should be any health issues as there are some breads which are leavened/fermented and eggs and yeast are also added in the dough.
your query reminds me of sannas. these are made with rice batter in which palm toddy or yeast is added. may be should try making sannas instead of idlis.
here’s the link: http://indianfood.about.com/od/ricerecipes/r/sannas.htm
Hello,
I used Idli Rava for making Dosa. The dosa has come out very bad. It is rough and thick. Then I put
some water in it, the Dosa became to hard. What is the problem?
Please let me know.
Thanks
Sushama
i am wondering why you used idli rava for making dosa. i have never made dosa with idli rava and also never seen anyone making it. may be i am wrong.
better to make dosa with rice, urad dal combo or mixed dals, moong dal, or just even plain rice.
you could also make dosa with regular rava.
idli rava is for making rava idlis. the idli rava is slightly thicker than the regular rava and thus this must have contributed to the thickness and hardness of the dosa.
its very tasty and made with quality ingardients & still cheap.
Hi,
I am have instant idli & dosa mix for sale.Any one interested?
Nitin
Whats the tip of getting white idles. Mine are usually pale yellow.
i dont know why the idlis you make are pale yellow….may be its got to do with the type of rice that you use for the idlis…
I have been making idlis dosas for the last 33 yrs, tried the homemade proportions 1:3 or 1:2 also the packet dry varieties ,now use the ready preground wet mixtures. They have been coming out well. The past 2 tmes the idlis have not risen and have come out flat and sticky, why?? How long does one steam the idli? Can one open the cover to check if idli is done? Can one leave the cover on after steaming the Idlis?
i think something going wrong with the fermentation process…… thats why the idlis are flat and sticky.
u can steam the idlis for 10-12 minutes…. it depends on the steamer used and the size of the container. u can also open and check if the idlis are done or not. its better to remove the idlis once they are steamed and not keep the cover on as the water droplets coming from the condensed steam fall on the idlis and make them soggy…
Hi
This is pinky.In addition to your recipes which I love, I appreciate ur answers to everyone questions..Hope i too vl get a solution.I get only long grain white basmati rice here in saudi and split urad dal. i prepare dosa batter in proportion 2:1 in mixie not grinder.everytime my dosa turns out to be white not golden and taste is ok but not great..is this because i am using mixie?.what shd i do to get golden crispy n tasty dosas..could you plzz tell me the ratio of long grain white basmati rice to split urad dal if i have to blend in mixie…
to get a brown color….. you can add some poha – flattened rice… soak the poha in buttermilk and then grind the soaked poha with rice and urad dal. generally if you use only basmati rice and urad dal then you will get creamish or white colored dosas and not brown. This has been with me too. To get the best dosas its always better to use parboiled rice or dosa rice, but nevertheless the dosas do turn out good with basmati rice too.
to get crispy dosas use rice to urad dal in the proportion of 3:1. I have made dosas using this proportion with basmati rice and they were crisp, but white and creamish in color. Its also the frying pan thats helps in browning the dosa…. the thick and heavy iron pan that we get in india is excellent for making dosas. the same result would not be achieved with the non stick pan.
also grind the batter really well. better to use the grinder for making the batter.
i suggest you to add some soaked poha or even soaked sago and grind it with the dosa batter. the dosas will turn out to be crisp from outside and soft and spongy from inside.
Hi,
This is Shubha.I saw the set dosa recipe yesterday and want to prepare it 2morrow.
The recipe called for idli rice/parboiled rice.At present I don’t have both the items.I have idli rava.Can I use idli rava instead of idli rice/parboiled rice?
thanx in advance,
Shubha
Hi Shubha
You could use regular rice instead of parboiled rice. While preparing set dosa we use poha/flattened rice and this gives the dosa its spongy texture. Please avoid using idli rava as you won’t get the same texture as you want for the set dosa.
In fact, I have made regular dosa with basmati rice too and they turned out well. I have used sona masoori rice too. I too do not get parboiled rice easily, so I use the basmati rice or sona masoori rice that I have at home to make dosas.
I will just give you a snapshot of the ingredients that you require for the set dosa recipe. This will make about 15-20 dosas.
2 cups rice
1/4 cup urad dal
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/2 cup poha
1/2 cup curd
salt
water
I hope this is helpful to you.
Hi Dassana,
Nice to see your replies for everyones’ queries..Hoping that you will reply to this question of mine, which unfortunately has made me give up making any dosa/idly. Each time I try to make the dosa, all goes fine until its fermented and then the batter starts stinking so bad that the entire kitchen has bad odour..I have tried this 7-8 times & now at the verge of giving up !! wasnt very lucky to find anyone whose had this kinda problem. I live in the UK & im not sure where im going wrong or if its coz of the water in the UK that the odour is developed ! Iv tried with different types of rice like sona masoori, basmathi, boiled rice etc but same odour each time !! Do you have any ideas why this might be happening ?
Thanks in advance for your time & reply.
Hi Divya
The problem you have with the idlis is unique to me. I have never experienced such a problem when I make idlis at home or when my mother used to make them on weekends. Logically deducing, i think the batter must be getting over fermented. Is the sourness in the batter a little too much or more. If the answer is yes, than the batter is over fermented.
I think, you could use these following tips which I found online, i.e
1: Add salt just before you prepare the dosa or idlis. This means that after grinding the batter, do not add salt. Let the batter ferment without the salt.
2: Place a betel leaf over the batter.
One more tip:
I also feel its got something to do with the water. I suggest a slightly long method. You could boil the water and cool it. Then grind the batter with the boiled water.
Something more:
I do not know in what type of container you ferment the batter. This also could be a possible cause of the problem. So for fermenting the batter, you could use a large pyrex bowl or a plastic bowl.
You could try out these suggestions and see if it helps or not.
ur presentation and methodology r perfect esp re avoiding chlorinated water or aplit urad dhall or iodised salt.
i wonder if u will solve my one difficulty in micro wave iddly:if i keep it for 3.30 to 4.0 mins on high the top layer of the iddly is toughand if timing is further reduced the batter inside remains on cooked.
any tips?
pkb
thanks pkb. with regard to your problem, i think that you could decrease the microwave power and then microwave the idlis for the same time or may be 30 seconds or 1 min more. May be this would cook the idlis from inside as well as not make the top layer dry and tough. I usually microwave the idlis for 3:30 mins on full power and it works perfect for me.
it is also possible, that the microwave rays are not evenly being distributed. just a guess of mine. if possible, you could check the microwave oven from an authorized microwave repairer.
In your article you have mensioned about retarding agents. what are those? give me some tips to reduce fermentation. Is there any preservative to reduce fermentation?
Retarding agents are those that retard or come in way of the fermentation process. Example: yoghurt, baking yeast, baking soda or baking powder.
If you add any of these, the batter won’t ferment well.
I won’t suggest you to add any of the above ingredients to reduce fermentation. This is because firstly, these ingredients need to be added in correct amount keeping in mind the amount of ingredients used in the batter. Eg: less or more baking powder can spoil the texture, fermentation, softness and sponginess of the idlis.
Also, you won’t know how the final product may get cooked after you add these agents.
I do not know of any preservative that will retard the fermentation. I think there are preservatives, but I do not know about them.
There is one tip though that you can use. Grind the batter and then let it ferment for 3-4 hours. To avoid more fermentation, after 3-4 hours keep the batter in the refrigerator.
I think in only hot seasons the batter over ferments and becomes slightly sour. But for most of us, to get the batter to ferment well is a problem.
Love this information.. It is very useful.. Yesterday I made dosa batter with parboiled rice (proportion rice : split urad dal) 2:1 added 1 tsp methi seeds and some chana dal (abt 2 tsp) for added crispness.. But the dosas came out too soft.. not crispy.. Although the taste was awesome awesome..:)
As per ur suggestion I am going to try proportion 3:1 today.. Hope it works.. After all its all abt experimentaion till u get it right
My main problem is that the day I decide to make dosa batter, its either too cloudy or it rains.. it has happened n number of times.. I am too lazy to check the weather b4 making batter
-Geeta
Thanks Geeta.
When we make the dosa with 2:1 proportion, the dosas do turn out well and are soft but they do not become crispy.
You are right. Its all about experimentation till one come to the right technique that suits her.
Personally, my hubby is not so fond of crisp dosas, so I always use the 2:1 proportion of rice and urad dal.
Proper fermentation is essential for making good dosas. I think when it rains or is cloudy or cold weather, you could keep the batter in a oven which has been preheated. switch off the oven and then keep it inside the oven.
If you do not have an oven, there is one more technique.
If you have a huge jar containing wheat flour, then keep the bowl containing the batter inside this wheat flour jar. The bowl should be pushed inside the wheat flour keeping the rim of the bowl above, so that the wheat flour does not fall in the batter. Close the jar and let the batter ferment in this place.
Also, do let me know how the dosas turn out with the 3:1 proportion of rice and urad dal.
if we are using parboiled rice then what should be the ratio for idli and dosa respectively.
Hi Neha,
yes, you can use parboiled rice for making dosa.
for idlis you can use in the ratio of 2:1 for parboiled rice and urad dal respectively.
for making dosa you can use in the ratio of 3:1 for parboiled rice and urad dal respectively.
remember to soak fenugreek seeds also with the rice and urad dal for 5-6 hours.
grind the dal and parboiled rice separately with the fenugreek seeds. mix both the rice and dal batters. add salt and ferment the batter overnight for 7-8 hours.
you could make dosas with the proportion of 2:1 for rice and urad dal.
to make crispy dosas use the 3:1 proportion for rice and dal respectively.
I myself have used this proportion of 2:1 many times for making both idlis and dosas and they have worked well for me.
can we use parboiled rice for making dosa.