warning – this post has a lot of pics and text… so take your time to read the post and enjoy the pics 
after a lot of requests, i am finally writing a detailed post on how to make soft and fluffy idlis at home…. i don’t know what took me so long to write a post on idli…. it is something i make home regularly. idlis…. one food that i grew up having…. idli was a regular breakfast at our home. come sunday, and there would be idlis & dosas for breakfast as well as lunch.
i would see the way my mom would soak the rice, dal and then grind it and then leave it to ferment. this was a regular saturday ritual in my house and i knew that on sunday we would get steaming hot idlis with chutney for breakfast. for lunch it would be dosa with sambar and a veggie.
i never knew that when i would start making idlis, i would run into problem the very first time i make these. i had seen countless times idli preparation in my home. i was least expecting, that the idlis i made for the first time for my mom-in-law would become an embarrassment for me. i was working hard to make the idlis soft
the idlis were not soft and fluffy at all. i had done everything so perfectly and yet the idlis became a little hard. i know the aroma of the batter when they are being ground and mixed… i know the slightly sour aroma of the fermented batter.
when i had seen this batter, i knew that the batter had not fermented well in the cold winters of delhi. still i made idlis from the batter… and all of us had not so soft idlis…. much to my agony and embarassment….. but now i am good in making idlis. the hubby just loves the idlis i make at home.
having a food science background i also know how fermentation is important to get the best results in certain food products like wines, cheese, yogurt, breads etc. idlis and dosas also fall in the fermented food category.
what contributes to fermentation in the optimum temperature conducive for that specific food to get fermented and to give desired results. in the case of idli batter, the temperature is very important. generally the warmer indian temperatures are the best for making idlis. the ideal temperature is between 30- 32 º C.
the wild air borne yeast causes the fermentation process and it is drawn from air by the urad dal & fenugreek seeds. at home we would never add fenugreek seeds. idlis were just made with rice and urad dal. still they would be soft and fluffy.
when i make idlis, i do add fenugreek seeds, as i add split urad dal and not whole urad dal. the wild yeast on the whole urad dal aids in the fermentation process. a point to note is that it is not only yeast, but some anaerobic bacteria also that also help in the fermentation process.
so remember temperature and wild yeast are your best friends while making idli. this is also the case with breads…. temperature and baker’s yeast are my best friends when i make breads. luckily i have not had a single disaster when making breads at home.
now we come to the type of rice that is used for idli. from my personal experience i have used basmati rice, sona masoori rice, kolam rice for making idlis and never had any problem. i also make idlis using half-half of basmati rice and parboiled rice. they have also come out well.
when i was working for a project one & a half year ago, we had a cook who would make very soft idlis. i asked her once how her idlis were so soft. she told me that she adds some poha/flattened rice or cooked rice to the idlis… just a handful and these would make the idlis soft.
my mother would never add poha or cooked rice to the idlis and her idlis also used to be soft. but my mom would put damp muslin cloth on the idli mould and then steam the idlis. as a result the softness of the idlis would be more pronounced.
the recipe posted here is what i follow now after listening to our cook’s advice. for this recipe i have used basmati rice and goan red parboiled rice…. i do not get idli rice here. so i make idlis with the goan red parboiled rice along with regular rice.
this is my standard recipe for making both idlis and dosa now….i have also added methi seeds along with urad dal and some poha. the proportion of rice and urad dal is always a matter of controversy. so i suggest experiment with different types of rice and come to your own standard measurements which will give you perfect idlis.
the day the batter was fermented i made idlis. i served the idlis with mom’s recipe of kerala sambar and coconut chutney. the next day i made masala dosa with the same idli batter. the dosas became crisp and got a nice golden color due to the addition of poha. don’t believe me. take a look at the pic below.
this is a step by step pictorial for making soft idlis at home:
1: pick and rinse the urad dal & rice. soak the urad dal with fenugreek seeds in a separate bowl or pan. soak the rice with the poha separately. soak for atleast 4-5 hours.
2: drain the urad dal, but don’t throw away the water. reserve the water.
3: in a wet grinder, add the urad dal.
4: add 1 or 2 tbsp of the reserved water and grind the urad dal. keep on adding a few tbsps of water in between grinding. the batter should be light and fluffy when completely ground.
5: pour the urad dal batter in a deep pan or bowl.
6: drain the rice & poha. this pic is before i drained the rice and poha.
7: add them in the wet grinder.
8: use the urad dal strained water to grind the rice and poha too. keep on adding a few tbsp while grinding. the rice should be completely ground. when you feel the batter with your finger tips, the batter should not feel grainy. it should be smooth and paste like. don’ t add too much water in the beginning. keep on adding little water in between. remember that batter should not be thick or thin. i hope all the pics give you an idea about the consistency of the batter.
9: now add the rice batter to the urad dal batter and mix well.
10: add salt and mix it with the rest of the batter.
11: mix the batter well. cover the bowl or container with a lid and keep the batter in a warm place. it should be left undisturbed for 8- 9 hours. don’t use an air-tight lid.
12: next morning you will see this. the batter will rise and double up and might even throw away the lid as it happened with this idli batter. you can see the fermented batter bursting from the edges. my calculations of the batter versus the pan went wrong
13: time for making idlis now take your idli steamer or pressure cooker. add some water and keep it on the stove with the fire on. grease the idli mould with oil. gently and lightly swirl the batter. don’t over do. now with a spoon pour portions of the batter in the greased idli moulds.
14: keep the idli mould in the steamer or pressure cooker. if using a pressure cooker, then cover the pressure cooker with its lid. remove the vent weight/whistle from the lid. steam the idlis for approx 10-12 minutes.
15: check for doneness by inserting a tooth pick. if it does not come out clean, then keep again for a few more minutes. when done remove the idli mould from the cooker. remove the idlis. they come out easily. don’t overcook as then they become dry.
16: serve hot idlis with sambar and coconut chutney.
the printable version of soft idli recipe is below:
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1 cup parboiled rice
- ½ cup urad dal, skinned whole or spilt/skinned or whole black lentils
- ¼ cup poha/flattened rice
- ¼ tsp methi seeds/fenugreek seeds
- water as required
- salt
- oil to apply to the idli moulds
- pick and wash both the rice and urad dal.
- soak the rice and poha in water for 4-5 hours.
- soak the urad dal with methi seeds separately for 4-5 hours.
- drain the soaked urad dal. reserve the water.
- grind the urad dal, methi seed with some of the reserved water till you get a smooth and fluffy batter.
- grind the rice to make a smooth batter.
- mix both the batters together in a large bowl or pan. add salt and mix well.
- cover and let the batter ferment for 8-9 hours.
- after the fermentation process is over, the batter will become double in size and rise.
- gently mix the batter.
- grease the idli moulds.
- pour the batter in the moulds steam the idlis in a pressure cooker or steamer.
- if using pressure cooker remove the vent weight.whistle.
- steam for 10-12 mins or until the idlis are done.
- remaining batter can be stored in the refrigerator.
- serve the steaming hot idlis with coconut chutney and sambar.
{ 114 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Dasanna,
I’ve become a regular follower of your blog. Everything that I have tried from your recipies has turned out just the way you descibed them. I made idlis following all your instructions and they turned out more than perfect. I have never had such super soft, melt in the mouth idlis.
Thank You once again.
thanks shilpa for the positive feedback
Hi Dassana,
I have followed your recipe almost word to word; and have reached the step of fermenting the batter.
I kept away the batter to ferment last evening. Today morning, it has risen and become almost double. But I am having a problem as I do not have to make the idlis immediately. I have to make it tonight, which is atleast 9 hours away. So can I leave the fermented batter undisturbed for another 9 hours or should I store it in the fridge? Will storing it in fridge affect the softness of the idlis?
Please suggest..
have mailed you. i hope the idlis were good.
Dassana,
The Idlis were great, supre soft and super fluffy!!
Just loved them!
take a look at them here..
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151375940822551&set=a.10150419919802551.349163.543277550&type=1&theater¬if_t=photo_comment
Thanks again!!
thanks saili. i cannot see the fb pic. i guess you will have to give this pic public access.
Perfect measurements to get soft idli and we got super soft idlies today.
It’s really an adventure for us after so many attempts.
Thanks for your help in replying our queries for this recipe.
i was wondering why no reply from you. thats good to know. and welcome pranesh.
Hi I am leaving in uk and you know temperature is not warm like India so what shall I used to get fermentation in cold weather like -1 , , please let me know thanks
you can keep the batter in an oven which has been preheated before. just preheat the oven. then switch off the oven. keep the batter inside the oven. if you have lights in your oven, you can also keep them on. any warm, cozy lighted place in the kitchen will do. you can also wrap the container with warm towels or even keep the batter in a large casserole.
Namaste Dassana,
I would just like to thank you for your wonderful collection of recipes here. I came across your site when I was looking for directions on how to make homemade idli. As an American living in Bangalore, I have found learning how to cook Indian dishes very challenging, but so rewarding when I get them right. I must say that I love the way you write out your recipes, and the lovely photographs add an important touch for learning the steps that I have not found in recipe books. I will be visiting your site often.
- Rebecca
hi rebecca. thanks for the appreciation. some indian dishes are pretty complicated. but many of them are simple to make. i agree it is rewarding when one gets the dish right. do browse the blog around in your free time and do try the recipes.
I was just trying to make idli and the mix turned out to be too salty. Can you tell me what to do if the idli mix is too salty?
you can add some rice flour to balance the saltiness in the idli batter.
Thanks a ton for your well cleared reply.
Going to soak it by tomorrow.
I come again with my feedback on friday.This time
not going to leave the idly till it comes good.
Have 3 more queries.
1. 1/2 tsp methi seeds is level tsp of 2.5 ml right?
2. What is the one cup measure (in ml) for this recipe
Given by you that we can add half teaspoon of methiseeds.
We can see black cup from the picture but not able to come to
conclusion about the measures.
3.how many cups of water can be added in the pressure cooker (for the measure of
4:1:1/2 (poha), as we got water getting inside the idlys or sometimes
there is no water atall after sometime of steaming when we tried before.
Can u guide us?
These are really basic qns and bachelors like us will be able to make it without mistakes if
We come to know about this if u guide.
Thanks and waiting for the reply.
i use american cups and spoons measurement equivalents. what you see in the pics, is just a fancy spoon with the methi seeds
just for photography’s sake. however the measurements are done by actual measuring spoons and cups.
1: so 1/2 tsp is approx 2.46 ml
2: 1 cup is 240 ml
3: i usually add approx 21/2 to 3 cups water. if the water dries in the process of cooking, then i add more and keep the idlis to steam again. remember not too put the whistle/vent weight on the cooker lid. place the idli mould. cover the cooker tightly with the lid. check after 8-10 minutes. if the idlis are not done and the water dries out, then add more water and continue too cook.
do give the feedback later.
Idlys are all time favourite but unfortunately never turned out good sofar and stopped making it now.
By looking at your recipe now we got inspired and going to make again soon as the pictorial representation and explanation are excellent from your side.
Thanks.
As u have mentioned i am going to follow 4 cups of idli rice and 1 cup of whole urid dal.
Please guide me with the following queries to make it without mistakes.
1. Can i use thin variety of white poha?
2.We need poha in cup measures.
3.Fenu greek seeds to be added in teaspoons measures.
Sorry for troubling u by asking many qns.
Thanks again and expecting your reply eagerly.
Pranesh
hi pranesh. firstly thanks. your queries answered below:
1: you can use thin or thick variety of poha
2: 1/2 cup poha is fine
3: 1/2 tsp methi seeds
Thank you soooooooo much for wonderfully presenting idli recipe. I exactly followed steps mentioned by you. Idlis came out so soft and yummy
Everyone in my family liked it !!!
thats nice ekta. good to know that.
Thanks Dassana for the quick reply. Pl. suggest when I have to make the packing after fermentation (in hours) and keep the batter in refrigerator for sale. Also please tell me how many days we can keep the batter in refrigerator for sale and what is the ideal temperature to keep the batter in refrigerator. For packing LD , PP plastic or plastic container (food grade cups) is good?. Thanks once again for your quick and expert opinion.
sometimes i have brought readymade idli batter from out. what i have noticed is that in the pack, the batter is still not fermented. so i assume that the packing is done before fermentation. i am not sure though. i would suggest you to ask some local vendors as how they when the batter… before or after fermentation. as i don’t have a business of this type, i cannot help you with your packing and refrigeration queries. best is to ask someone who are already into this business.
Hi Dassana,
Firstly, the pics are AWESOME! Just by seeing the pics, I feel like making the idli right away!!! really, great pics! My problem is that I have never made idlis at home; and I am going to try your recipe for the first time. I am not sure what parboiled rice is. Does it mean cooked rice? I have normal Basmati rice, which I will use. please tell me what is parboiled rice! I will start making these idlis as soon as you reply!
Thanks for the great recipe!
Saili
thanks saili. parboiled rice as the name suggests is rice which has been partially cooked or boiled in the husk. they are then dried and then husked. they are also called as ukda chawal in hindi. parboiled rice is easily available in the western and southern states of india. see if you can get parboiled rice where you live. if you cannot, then you can use sona masoori rice along with basmati rice to make the idlis.
Dear Dassana,
Please suggest a small and good wet grinder machine suitable for making 3 to 5 kgs of rice for making idli / dosa batter on a daily basis for business in Delhi. Your post is very helpful and encouraging. Thanks Dassana.
Dear Dassana,
Your post is very good. Pics are very very good. Pl. tell me why little yellowish colour is on idli’s. Also pl. tell me a combination for making batter with 1kg rice.
pl. suggest the best from the following combinations for good idli batter:-
(1) Raw-rice (pachari) and urud dal
(2) Idli rice and urud dal
(3) Idli rice, raw-rice (pachari ) and urud dal?.
which combination is good for idli batter?. This is for a small business venture.
dear pb saji, thanks. i don’t see any yellowish color on the idlis. 1 kg of rice would be approx 5 cups of rice.
so, the following proportions would be fine:
- with Idli rice, raw-rice (pachari ) and urad dal combination:
4 cups raw rice
1 & 1/4 cup idli rice
1 & 1/4 cup urad dal
- with Raw-rice (pachari) and urad dal combination:
5 cups rice
2 cups urad dal
- with Idli rice and urad dal combination:
5 cups idli rice
1 & 2/3 cup urad dal
i have made idlis will all the above three combinations. however the best texture and taste i got from the raw rice, idli rice and urad dal combination.
i did ask some of my friends for a good idli grinder and they suggested to invest in prestige or ultra brand of grinder. prestige has stopped their model. ultra has grinders in different capacities. you will have to check if they have grinder which can grind 3-5 kgs of rice. when i had checked, i had seen grinders grinding 1kg or 2kg idli batter. if not, then you will have to look out for a commercial grinder.
Hi i live in nottingham uk ..i used 5 cups of idli rice, 2 cups of split urad dhal ( whole urad dhal is not available in my place) and 2 tsps of fenugrk…i kept it for 8-9 hrs in a warm place but ma dosa is yellow in colour..plz help me
the proportion of rice and urad dal is alright. amount of fenugreek is a little much. 1 tsp would have been fine. not sure why the yellow color, but i guess its due to the extra fenugreek.
Awesome! Thanks for share…
Hi Dassana, Can I use ordinary liquidiser for grinding.
i am afraid, you cannot use liquidiser for grinding. you can grind the batter in a mixer-grinder or in a wet grinder. in india, the mixers that are sold have an attachment and blade for grinding heavy batters like idli or dosa.
I’ve never seen an article which is this much lengthier for just an “IDLY” very nice photographs indeed, also described beautiful art of words. You did an awesome job by teaching us (as called the amateurs of newly married life).My wife and me enjoyed reading this article kept us busy for over an hour and made Idli’s the same way came out very nicely thank you.
thats great abhi. glad you liked the post. thanks for all your comments.
Thank u Dassana… it’s simply great n i like this , this tip has brought me a nice compliment from my family as well as in friends circle.
thanks a lot…
Rajesh
thanks rajesh. glad that the tips helped you.
This web side is to good bec”s all type cooking item get it fast & easy to make it.
Thanx
thanks priyanka.
I lost interest in Idlies from the time i was 10 years old because my mom used to make really hard & stone-faced idlies more or less everyday as breakfast. From then on, i never ate or prepared idli at home.
But im gonna ask my mom(yes me too) to follow the steps that you have jotted down to make soft idlies, Thanks Divya!!
Also, I had no clue that Poha can be added to make idlies.
Thanks Dassana!
alright
it does happen that we loose interest or dislike a certain food since we do not have pleasant memories with it or what was served to us was not good. do try these steps. poha helps in making the idlis soft and fluffy.
Hi,
can you help me with the receipe of making medu vada, if you have one.
With your advice and GOD’s grace, i have got the consistency in the idli / dosa batter. Thanks a ton.
Regards,
Nipa
mailed you nipa.
I use only pachari, uzhunu , boiled rice and fenugreek seeds . With these ingredients can you tell me the proportion please.
you can make the idlis with the same proportion as mentioned in the recipe – 1 cup pachari/white rice, 1 cup boiled rice, 1/2 cup uzhunu/urad dal and 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds.
hands down the best idli I ever made!
THANK YOU!
I did add a pinch or two of bakers yeast because I was scared that midwest US winters won’t let it ferment. Next time I will try without it. They came out soft and melt in the mouth delicious. I have pinned your recipe too
thanks again
thanks for the nice feedback sam. i am glad as idlis to come out perfect in winters is difficult and quite a challenge.
Hi dassana,
I have the same issue. My idlis also rise but as soon as I remove them from the gas, it again becomes flat. The softness is there, white colour is also there. I am also having the rice paste which is too thick, let me try tomorrow with little more water and check out. i use idli rice (2 cups ) and pacheri rice (1 cup). Idli rice grinds only to the rava consistency whereas pacheri rice grids very fine smoot paste, so I grind idli rice and then pacheri rice.
Else all is fine
Thanks a ton again for this recipie but still need your expert advice for the same
Nipa
hi nipa, do try by adding some more water and let me know. not sure why the idli rice grinds to a rava consistency. actually the rice should be grind to a find consistency. i hope you have started your business venture.
Dear Dassana,
yes, I have started this small business of selling idli/dosa batter. I do sell 1-2 kgs per day as of now as more poeple are not aware about the same.
I had order for 6 kgs, that time I soaked for 3 hours dal and rice, but to get fermentation fast (especially when you have bulk order and less time), please advise.
Idli became little hard as I soak at 9:30 a.m., grind at 12:30 noon and had to pack and deliver at 8:00 p.m.
I need your advise for fast fermentation only when I have bulk order, otherwise, if I keep for 14-18 hours as it is winter now, the idlis come out very soft and smooth.
Do reply.
Thanks a ton again to bosst my confidence.
Nipa
thats great nipa. i wish you all the best in your venture.
for faster fermentation, without changing any flavor or taste in the batter you could keep in a warm place like inside a lit oven or in the warm corner of your kitchen. you can even keep the batter in a casserole if the batter is less in quantity. wrapping the batter container with towel or a thick woolen cloth or shawl also helps in faster fermentation in the winters.
another technique is to use a starter to ferment the batter. preserve some of the fermented batter (fermentation starter) in a small bowl in the refrigerator. then to the freshly ground rice-urad dal batter add the starter. the fermentation will be somewhat a little quicker than allowing the batter to ferment on its own. this will take less time. i have never tried this method though, but being a food science student i know it works. for 1 kg of batter you can add approx 1/2 to 1 tbsp of the starter. i would not suggest adding yeast etc as it will change the taste and flavor of the idlis completely.
Hi,
We are having trouble with our idlis. They are falling during the cooking instead of rising.
The beans are grinding well, until a drop of it floats in water. The fermentation is OK, the batter doubles overnight and smells slightly sour.
The rice does not seem to be grinding correctly. We are using Indian parboiled rice and grinding it in a Vitamix blender. It is getting too pasty and taking a lot of water. Do you grind all the rice at once or do you do it in partial batches? What is the proportion of water to soaked rice at the start of the grinding?
Thank you, Patrick
hi patrick, the rice does become paste like while grinding. some rice types do take a lot of water while grinding. i think the amount of water added to the whole batter is less than what it should be, hence the idlis are not rising. so try adding some more water.
if the rice proportion is in less quantity, then i grind it once or else i grind in batches. it is difficult to give the exact proportion of water added before grinding. i can just tell you that the rice batter should not be thick or thin. so accordingly you can add water.
Hi Dassana,
Many thanks for this recipe. I made it (both iddli and thosai ) yesterday and they came out perfectly. I have been searching for an iddli and thosai recipes for ages and have tried many but none worked out. This is the best. I won’t be buying prepackaged mixes again.
One small problem I had was that the iddli stuck to the molds. I just rubbed a very small amount of oil with my finger as I don’t want to use too much oil. Also it was olive oil. Any suggestions on this?
Again many thanks for the recipe with all the detailed pictures. It was so easy to make. I have put another batch to soak today.
hi priyanthi. this is so nice to hear. am glad that the recipe worked for you.
i would suggest to add a little bit more oil to the idli moulds. you can also grease the moulds overnight and keep. better to use sunflower oil as that is what i use when making idlis. another option would be to steam the idlis in a moist muslin cloth.
Thanks
welcome priyanthi
Thanks a lot,
Your recipes are very easy to learn as its step by step and with pics.
M.imp your way of explaining seems to be a friend or sister teaching personally.
I am enjoying all your blogs.
Thank you
thanks neha for your sweet comment.
Nice Guide Dassana! I have only had once Idlis and thats ages ago, maybe I should try making my own some times. Thanks for sharing the detailed recipe and tips!
PS: Love your new blog design!
thanks helene
Hi,
I also tried your idlis and they came up very well. Thanks a ton for this receipe. You made my day.
But one thing, I want to ask though I kept the remaining unused batter in the fridge, still it became sour, please guide me on this. I soak the rice and urad dal for 5 hours and leave it for ferment 8 hours, is this right?
Thanks
thanks nipa. soaking for 4-5 hours is alright and fermenting time is also alright. i used to have this issue of batter becoming sour but now it does not happen. what you do is you take the required amount of batter you need for making the idli or dosa and then keep the remaining covered in the fridge. when you want to make next time, again take the required amount of batter in another bowl and keep the rest again in the fridge. if you use the same bowl or pan for making the idli or dosa and then the souring happens. even i don’t know the exact reason for this. but this method works for me.
hi dassana, tried your bhel puri at home …it was great. now since i am from tamil nadu i would like to say that we dont make idly from basmati rice,we use idly rice .ratio of the rice to the urad dal should be 5:1.fenugreek can be used.
i know anu, in south they don’t make idlis from basmati rice. but if you have lived in the north, then it is not easy to get idli rice there. so the only option is to make idli with some other variety of rice or basmati rice. when i was living in north india, i have made idlis with basmati rice
thanks for sharing the ratio too. the ratio depends from a person to person and what works out with them in the given temperature conditions. personally i have never tried 5:1 ratio and i am going to try this soon.
hi Dassana,
your explanations and tips are too good could not stop myself frm commenting…enjoyed ur site…
thanks vishma
i think by this idlis will not be that white. How the whiteness can be increased
since i have added red parboiled rice, the idlis will obviously be not white. just use the white colored parboiled rice or idli rice. then the idlis will be white
Oh, finally I feel like I have the key to making good idli! Thank you so much, and the pictures are super helpful.
One VERY IMPORTANT question that I have for you – how much water to put in the pressure cooker when you steam them? And do you set the idli pan directly on the bottom of the pan, or on a triveet?
thanks sara. you can add so much water with a gap of about 1.5 inches between the water and the lower idli mould rack. i generally don’t use a trivet. but you can use it… no issues there.
I always wanted to know the secret of fermenting the dosa batter .with all your tips you have no idea how happy i am …………………….i w’ll try soon.dear dassana,can you please send some tips to ferment the batter for khaman (chana dal+yogurt) please. now i feel like your my cook book guru thank you so much.
thanks for your lovely words hemlata. the fermentation process works in the same way. i have never ever made dhokla by fermenting the batter. i usually make the instant dhokla. but i will give a try to make the dhokla by fermenting the batter.
What is the difference between boiled rice and par-boiled rice ?
i think technically both rices are parboiled and then husked. but boiled rice is eaten as rice with sambar, curries in kerala & karnataka. conjee or pej as we call it is also made from boiled rice. it is usually thick and reddish brown in appearance. whereas parboiled rice is used to make idlis, dosa and is white or creamish in appearance. the rice that i have used in this recipe is a variety of goan boiled rice.
I made idlis last sunday. idlis were so soft and tasty. i tried it first time as per your recipe and it was superb
thats nice to know smita. feels good.
PLEASE GIVE US SOME TIPS ON MAKING PARAATHAAS AND CHICKEN KURMAA AT HOME. HOTEL PARAATHAAS ARE RATHER OILY AND SOURCE OF OIL UNKNOWN.
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF ” YOUR COMMENT IS AWAITING MODERATION”?
it means that your comment will be approved and then it gets displayed on the post.
i shall post the tips on making parathas in some time. i do not make chicken dishes at home. so for a chicken kurma you will have to search on google.
IDLY IS A WHOLESOME MEAL FOR THE BREAKFAST.THIS PROVIDES ALL THE NECESSARY VITAMINS ALONG WITH THUVAR DAAL- SAAMBAR AND URAR DAAL IN THE IDLY ALONG WITH THE GOODNESS OF COCONUT CHUTNEY.ELDERS AND CHOLESTEROL CONSCIOUS PERSONS CAN AVOID THE COCONUT CHUTNEY. BUT THE THUVAR DAAL SAAMBAAR IS VERY GOOD AND IT IS FULLY VEGETARIAN.
PEOPLE WHO USE PRESSURE COOKERS PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT THE LID OR THE WHISTLE SHOULD BE REMOVED WHILE STEAMING. IT SHOULD NOT BE COOKED LIKE RICE WITH THE LID ON.
thanks for the bit of info celine.
I love idlis but really suck at making them. This post is so well done. I love the step by step method. Your idlis look awesome! Going to try this recipe for sure. Thanks for the recipe.
pls also tell me proper ratio of idli rava with urad dal and for without parboiled rice can we make normal rice like sona masori only or kolom rice for idli nd dosas, nd for rava idli also plsssss.
dear pinky
you can use the foll ratios:
2 cups idli rava
1/2 cup urad dal or 3/4 cup urad dal
1/4 cup poha
you can make idlis or dosa with regular rice varieties like sona masoori or kolam. our maid which i have mentioned in the post above would make the soft idlis with kolam rice. even i have made soft idlis and dosa both with sona masoori and kolam.
thanks ,
dassana i will try this then i will let u know abt my experience.
bye
sure pinky. do let me know.
hi,
dassana
thanks, i made idli and dosas as per ur recipes , both were very very nice , i was so happy
that at last i made good idly and dosa and whole credit goes to u dassana, first i was depressed when i saw my batter which was not so fermented as i expected but then i tried both nd both were good.
hey dassana i took 2nd half cup of normal rice nd 1 cp of urad dal ,1 cup poha and little bit methi seeds , may be cause of this ratio my batter did not fermented as i expected is this so pls tell me.
byeeee
dear pinky
nice to know that both idlis & dosas were good.
the proportion of rice and urad dal is alright. but the quantity of poha is more. just a handful of poha is needed to make the idlis soft. at the most you can add 1/2 cup poha.
I lived in Hyd for almost 9 years and every single morning, we would eat Idli for breakfast. We had a cook who made the softest idlis. That was when I was not interested in cooking. LOL ! so never asked her how she did it. Now that I have your recipe, I know how to do it
I love your descriptive posts and beautiful photography.
thanks ansh. i too lived in hyderabad for some time. used to have excellent idlis there from a joint. don’t remember the name. i cannot forget the chutney they would serve with the idlis. i am still figuring out the ingredients that go into that chutney.
Pls share receipe on how to make Chida which we eat during fasts with lots of potato sticks, nuts, chillis & caster sugar etc what we call farali chivda.
thanks
i know about farali chiwda. i used to have lots of it in mumbai. i will keep your request in mind.
Those idlis look super soft.. I should give the plain idlis a try.. mine are never as perfect.. just about edible:)
luckily i married into a marwari family and so if something doesnt come out as perfect, it is discounted to the fact that I wouldnt know the basics of marwari cooking and anything punjabi works out well too, coz there arent any authentic versions around they can compare it to
you must post some marwari dishes. i had a few marwari students and they would get the best of marwari rajasthani food like ker sangri, gatte ki sabzi, mango pickle with the berries.
i make idlis the same way with the same ingredients..only difference is that i put salt after fermentation is complete i.e. when i make idlis..
Thnku so much for delicious recipe….thnx dear… thnx alot…..
What lovely pics, useful tips and detailed recipe you have on this post Dassana!
I have always made my idlis from idli rawa and they were just good, and now I know the secret to making the best idlis ever. Thank you!
hey dassana, my baby loves idlis but i am yet to master the art of making idlis
i have a friend who suggested using idli rice… incase i m using idli rice what should be my measurements? your idlis looks really nice & soft! wonderful post.
thanks beena. if you are using idli rice, then there is no need to add regular rice. 2 cups of idli rice with 1/2 cup of urad dal would be fine.
thank u for ur support to cook my food make tasty and delicious
awesome presentation…hot soft idlies makes me droooooool..:)
yummy idleeees….danx for d recipe…i appreciate ur effort .
thanks safya.
Wonderful post Dassana and the pics are making me drool. I have watched my mom make idlis a million times and I would even grind the batter when I was at home, but I’ve never had any success with idlis. I always curse the weather here, but I’ve no clue if i’m doing something wrong. I would love to try this, is the parboiled rice absolutely necessary?
thanks poornima. the parboiled rice makes the idlis softer and fluffier. it is not absolutely necessary. you can still make idlis with regular rice or idli rava. i don’t make idlis with idli rava as i don’t like the taste and texture.
for cold temperatures, this is what i used to do:
1: preheat the oven and then switch it off.
2: snuggly wrap and cover the batter container in a warm thick kitchen towel and place it in the oven.
3: the batter would ferment nicely.
but then indian winters are much different than american winters. yet keeping the batter in a warm place does help it to ferment. probably you might have keep to the batter for a long period of time.
Thanks for a detailed post. your efforts r commendable, I am avid fan of your receipes but never make comments just for the sake of making but always appreciate the way you take pain as things are not as easy as it looks but you make it with elaborate pictures & explanations.
pls keep up good work
thanks suhas. things are not easy sometimes as you have said, especially when photographing food. but i enjoy these moments of cooking and clicking.
Hi,
What if I want to make the idlis using only the basmati rice?what would be the proportions in that case?can i replace the parboiled rice with the basmati rice?
yes vidhi, you can replace the parboiled rice with basmati rice or any regular rice. but just increase the proportion of urad dal to 3/4 cup. the overall proportions would be:
2 cups basmati rice/regular rice
3/4 cup urad dal
1/4 cup poha
nothing is better than a soft idly with a bit spicy , loads of coconut, tempered along chana dal & garlic. to die for =). by this u can say I am the die heart fan of Idili and extra coconut chutney.
Lovely pics
xoxo
The idli’s look so damn tempting, I and my kids have one South Indian meal almost daily, we are a big South Indian food freaks. I have to now try your Idli recipe version soon, I use urad dal and rice combo with methi seeds or else I now use Idli rawa with urad dal to make the batter as feel it’s easier and the Idlis also come out fluffy and too soft…I liked the first click too much…idlis in a row, all ready to be picked up one by one
!