Instant Idli Recipe | Instant Idli Mix
Instant Idli made with homemade Idli Mix that is made with rice flour, urad dal and poha (flattened rice). The idli made with these instant idli mix are soft, fluffy and goes very well with coconut chutney or sambar. Here I share both the recipes and methods of making the Instant Idli Flour Mix and also the making of Instant Idli with this idli flour mix.
About Instant Idli Mix
I had some recipe requests for sharing homemade instant idli mix flour as well as instant dosa mix. Generally, I do not prepare instant idli as I feel fermented idli are way better.
But since I had got the recipe requests, I did prepare the instant idli flour twice. The flaws which were there in the flour first time, were covered when I tried the second time. So now sharing a foolproof method of preparing homemade instant idli mix flour.
This recipe roughly gives 480 grams of instant idli flour. After preparing you can store in an air-tight jar. You can only make idlis with this mixed flour.
The dosa made from this idli mix flour was soft but not very crisp and at times were sticking to the pan. I have developed a separate recipe for Instant Dosa Mix Flour.
For making the traditional, fermented idli and dosa recipes , I have already shared detailed methods to make the batters with plenty of troubleshooting tips.
The texture of these instant idlis is like the fermented ones. But the taste is not like the fermented idlis. Though idli made from an instant idli mix flour are a savior on busy days.
Do use sour Curd (or sour yogurt) for preparing the idlis. With sour curd, there is a hint of sourness in the idlis. You can also use Buttermilk.
As mentioned above, I am sharing the instant idli mix flour recipe as well making Instant Idli. Below you can see the soft and fluffy texture of the Instant Idli made with the homemade idli flour mix.
How to make Instant Idli Mix Flour
1. Take all the three main ingredients before you proceed – 2 cups rice flour, ½ cup urad dal (hulled and whole black gram) and ½ cup thick poha.
2. Heat a pan on a low to medium flame. Then lower the heat, add the urad dal. I have used organic unpolished urad dal.
If using regular urad dal from the market, then rinse it a couple of times. The spread the lentils on a plate or tray and let them dry naturally or in the sun.
If keeping in the sun for a few hours, then you don’t need to roast urad dal.
3. Roast urad dal on a low heat for about 2 minutes, stirring often. Urad dal is roasted just to get rid of some moisture from them.
4. Then add the poha.
5. Mix very well and roast for a minute on low heat. Switch off the heat and immediately remove the pan from the stovetop and let this mixture cool down.
You can also cool this mixture on a separate plate.
6. Then add everything in a grinder jar.
7. Grind to a fine powder.
8. Keep a large plate or tray or pan and place a sieve on it. Take the ground flour in the fine sieve and sift it.
9. Some urad dal grits will be there. You can add them to your dals or discard.
10. The below picture is of the sifted urad dal and poha flour.
11. Add 2 cups of rice flour and ½ teaspoon salt. I have used fine rice flour. You can also use slightly coarse rice flour.
Even puttu flour can be used. Both white as well as red rice flour can be used.
12. Mix very well.
13. The idli mix flour is ready to be bottled.
14. With a dry and clean spoon, add the idli mix flour in a jar. Seal tightly with a lid. Use the homemade idli mix flour to make soft and fluffy idli when required.
Storage
Store in a cool and dry place in your kitchen. You can opt to refrigerate or freeze the flour also.
When removing the idli flour, always use a clean dry spoon or a clean dry cup. If water or moisture seeps into the flour, it will get spoiled.
About Instant Idli Recipe
This instant idli recipe is a follow up on the homemade instant idli mix flour recipe that I have shared above. Since this a quick version, the idli has to be leavened by using a leavening agent and a sour ingredient.
For the leavening batter two ingredients are used:
- An acidic ingredient – sour curd is the acidic ingredient which is used in the recipe and it works best.
- A leavening agent – fruit salt (eno) is the leavening agent used. I would not suggest to use baking soda, as then you get soapy aroma in the idlis.
The recipe works very well and within 15 minutes you will have steaming hot idlis and that too instant. All you need is this homemade instant idli flour.
So you can prepare the idli flour and keep it stored at room temperature. The idli flour mix stays good for months.
The instant recipe makes use of 1 cup of this homemade instant idli mix flour only. 1 cup of flour yields 9 to 10 idli. But if you want you can even use 2 cups of idli mix flour.
The recipe yields really good soft and fluffy idlis. For an instant idli recipe, the texture of these idlis is too good.
The taste is not typically sour like the regular fermented idli, but these idlis are a better option for an instant recipe.
Tips To Remember
- Since we are only using fruit salt (eno) as the leavening agent, its best to check whether its fresh and active. If the eno is not fresh or active or past its shelf life, then the idlis will become dense. To check the freshness, just add about ¼ teaspoon fruit salt in 1 to 2 tablespoons of water and it should fizz and bubble. If it does not then the fruit salt is not active.
- The ratio of sour curd and water can always be played around with. For a more sour taste, you can even add ½ cup of sour curd and reduce the water accordingly.
- Also do note that these idlis cook faster than the idlis made with ground & fermented batter. So do keep a check while they are steaming.
Serve these soft, light and fluffy instant idlis with any coconut chutney or sambar. You can even make mini idlis from this idli mix. I served idlis with beetroot chutney.
How to make Instant Idli
1. Before proceeding, grease the idli plates very well with a neutral flavored oil (or ghee).
Also heat 2 to 2.5 cups water in a pot, idli steamer, a 5 litre pressure cooker or an electric cooker.
2. In a mixing bowl or pan take 1 cup of the homemade idli mix flour made from the recipe shared above.
3. Add ¼ cup of sour curd or sour tasting yogurt.
4. Add water in parts at a time. So first you can add about ⅓ to ½ cup water.
5. Then begin to mix with a wired whisk. A wired whisk works best as it helps to dissolve the lumps in the batter.
6. Add more water and continue to mix. Overall you can add a total of about ⅔ to ¾ cup of water.
7. Mix very well. You can briskly whisk this mixture for a minute to aerate it a bit.
8. You need to get a batter which is thick yet flowing, almost like an idli batter.
The water proportion is very important. If the water is less, the idli can end up having a dense or rough texture. If its too much and in this case the batter will become thin, the idlis will fall flat and become too soft.
9. Now take ½ teaspoon eno or fruit salt.
10. Sprinkle the fruit salt all over the batter.
11. As soon as you add eno, mix very well and be quick. Do mix the eno very well with the batter. Otherwise you will have a faint green color on the idlis as well as uneven texture in them.
12. Now pour the batter in the greased idli moulds.
13. Place the idli stand in the pressure cooker or idli steamer or an electric cooker. When you place the idli stand in the steamer, the water will be hot. So place it carefully.
14. Cover pan or idli steamer with its lid. Steam on medium to medium-high heat for 10 to 12 minutes or till the idli are done and a tooth pick or fork inserted in them, comes out clean.
If you have used a stovetop 5 litre pressure cooker, remove the vent weight/whistle from the lid. Place the idli stand carefully in the cooker as the water will be hot. Then seal the lid (without the vent weight/whistle) tightly on to the cooker and steam the idlis on medium to medium-high heat for 10 to 12 minutes.
These instant idlis cook faster. So do keep a check. Do not overcook as then they will become hard.
15. Once done, carefully remove the stand contained the steamed idlis. Let the idli to sit for a few minutes at room temperature..
16. Then with a butter knife or a spoon gently remove the idlis from the mould.
17. Place them in a casserole.
18. Serve Instant Idli hot or warm with your favorite coconut chutney and sambar.
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Instant Idli Recipe | Instant Idli Mix
Ingredients
For Instant Idli Mix Flour
- 300 grams Rice Flour or 2 cups rice flour
- 125 grams urad dal or ½ cup urad dal (husked whole black gram)
- 45 grams thick poha or ½ cup thick poha (flattened rice)
- ½ teaspoon salt or add as per taste
For Instant Idli (Makes for 9 to 10 Idli)
- 1 cup idli mix flour – made from the above recipe
- ⅔ to ¾ cup water or as needed, to make a thick flowing batter
- ¼ cup Curd – sour tasting or sour yogurt
- ½ teaspoon eno or fruit salt
Instructions
Making instant idli mix flour
- Take all the three main ingredients before you proceed – 2 cups rice flour, ½ cup urad dal and ½ cup thick poha.
- Heat a pan on a low to medium flame. Then lower the flame, add the urad dal.
- Roast urad dal on a low heat for about 2 minutes, stirring often. Urad dal is roasted just to get rid of some moisture from them.
- Then add the thick poha or thick flattened rice.
- Mix very well and roast for a minute on low heat. Remove the pan from the stove top and let this mixture cool down.
- Then add everything in a grinder jar. Grind to a fine powder.
- Keep a large plate or tray or pan and place a sieve on it. Take the ground flour in the fine seive and sift it.
- Some urad dal grits will be there. You can add them to your dals or discard.
- Add rice flour and salt. Mix thoroughly.
- The idli mix flour is ready to be bottled. With a dry and clean spoon, add the idli mix flour in a jar. Seal tightly with a lid. Use the idli mix flour when required.
Storage
- Store in a cool and dry place in your kitchen. You can also choose to refrigerate or freeze the ildi flour.
- When removing the idli flour, always use a clean dry spoon or a clean dry cup. If water or moisture seeps into the flour, it will get spoiled.
Making instant idli
- First grease the idli plates very well with oil. Also heat 2 to 2.5 cups water in a pot, idli steamer, 5 litre pressure cooker or an electric cooker.
- In a mixing bowl take the prepared idli mix flour and sour curd.
- Add water in parts. So you can add ⅓ to ½ cup water first.
- Then begin to mix with a wired whisk. A wired whisk works best as it helps to dissolve the lumps in the batter.
- Add more water and continue to mix. Overall you can add ⅔ to ¾ cup of water. Mix very well. You can briskly whisk this mixture for a minute to aerate it a bit.
- Remember to use a wired whisk to make a smooth lump free batter.
- You need to get a batter which is thick yet flowing, almost like an idli batter.
- Sprinkle the fruit salt or eno all over the batter evenly. As soon as you add eno, mix very well and be quick.
- Do mix the eno very well with the batter. Otherwise you will have a faint green color on the idlis as well as uneven texture in them.
- Pour the batter in the prepared idli moulds. Carefully place the idli stand in the pot or idli steamer or 5 litre pressure cooker or an electric cooker.When you place the idli stand in the pot or steamer, the water will be hot. So place it carefully.
- Cover with the lid of the pot or the Idli steamer. Steam the idlis for 10 to 12 minutes or till they are done and a tooth pick or fork inserted in the idlis, comes out clean.
- Note: If you have used a stovetop 5 litre pressure cooker, remove the vent weight/whistle from the lid. Place the idli stand carefully in the cooker as the water will be hot. Then seal the lid (without the vent weight/whistle) tightly on to the cooker and steam the idlis on medium to medium-high heat for 10 to 12 minutes.
- These idlis cook faster. So do keep a check. Do not overcook as then they will become hard.
- Once done, remove them and allow to sit for a few minutes.Then with a butter knife gently remove the idlis from the mould.
- Place them in a casserole. Serve instant idli hot or warm with your preferred coconut chutney and sambar.
Notes
- Since we are only using eno or fruit salt as the leavening agent, its best to check whether its fresh and active. If the eno is not fresh or active or past its shelf life, then the idlis will become dense.
- Avoid using baking soda as it gives a soapy aroma in the idlis.
- To check freshness, add about ¼ teaspoon fruit salt in 1 to 2 tablespoons of water and it should fizz and bubble. If it does not then the fruit salt is not active.
- The ratio of sour curd and water can always be played around with. For a more sour taste, you can even add ½ cup of sour curd and reduce the water accordingly.
- Also do note that these idlis cook faster than the ground & fermented idlis. So do keep a check while they are steaming.
- Make sure all your ingredients for the idli flour are fresh and within their shelf-life.
- Both the recipes for the Idli Mix Flour and the Instant Idli can be scaled according to your needs.
- Note that the approximate nutrition info is for the entire amount of homemade idli mix flour made from this recipe.
Nutrition
These Instant Idli and Idli Mix recipes from the archives, originally published in October 2016 has been updated and republished on January 2023.
This recipe is a blessing in disguise for me. Thanks Dassana!
Most welcome.
Hi,
My son is lactose intolerant. so, can I use vegan curd instead of normal cure to make idli?
Thanks
Yes, you can. I have used vegan curd like cashew curd and almond curd as a substitute in many Indian recipes and they work well.
Hi,
I have prepared flour but regular fruit salt is not available anywhere, not even flavourless eno. What can be substitute for eno? And how much?
You can add baking soda instead. About 2 pinches should be fine as about ¼ teaspoon will give a soapy aroma.
Life saver, time saver. And since we do not ferment it less sour. But it didn’t turn out as fluffy as fermented ones. For any veg reciepies i have stopped checking for multiple sites, i simply come to this website and my work is done. Thank you for your easy receipies
Yes it will be less sour than the fermented version. The fermented idli will be more fluffy compared to the instant one. Thank for the lovely feedback. Most welcome.
Hi, thanks for the recipe! This looks very convenient. If I wanted to ferment this, can you give me an estimate of how much water would be required per 1 cup of this mix? Thanks!
Welcome. You can add about ⅔ cup water for fermenting. After the batter is fermented, if it looks thick, you can always add a few tablespoons of water to loosen it.
Just a query – it is mentioned that 1 cup = 250 gms. And in the recipe it states 300 gms rice flour or 2 cups should it be 500 gms?
1 cup of rice flour weighs 150 grams in a weighing machine when weighed separately. so 2 cups of rice flour is 300 grams. the volume for 1 cup is measured in litres and not in grams. it is 250 ml and not 250 grams. 2 cups of any liquid like water or oil will weigh 500 ml but not dry or solid ingredients. i give both cup and weight measurement as some readers have weighing machines and some have measuring cups. hope this helps.
What is the purpose of adding poha if we are already using rice flour?
How will it change the consistency of the idli if I skip it?
poha helps in giving soft texture in the idli. yes, if poha is skipped, there will be some changes in the texture. hope this helps.
These idlis are ideally suitable for making idli upma. When you are in a hurry prepare and store them in fridge overnight and next day make a delicious upma from it. Children just love it when used with a littile ghee for tadka.
It is very nice recipes and Method to preparation Very thankful to you Dassana
thank you rohini and welcome. happy cooking.
What happens if you use fine ground raw rice flour and black gram flour without roasting?
dry roasting reduces moisture from the urad dal and poha. so the shelf life increases. moreover roasted urad dal will grind faster. but you can skip roasting if you prefer.
Hi Dasanna,
I tried this recipe today. Idlis tasted great and I did not have to add eno ????. I made the powder last night and let the batter ferment overnight with curds and water. I had to add more water than what was recommended in the recipe.
Thank you so much for this recipe. Really appreciate it and all the other east handy recipes that you publish ????????????.
The only thing I noticed was that the idlis were not fluffy, they seemed more flat. Any suggestions on how to get them to be fluffy?
thank you sudha for this detailed comment. if there is more water in the batter, then the idlis will become flat. even with fermented idli batter made by grinding rice and urad dal, more water or thin batter makes the idli flat. next time you can add less water than what you added this time. the batter consistency can be like a proper idli batter or having a medium-thick consistency. in recipes like these one to two pinches of eno or baking soda (even if the batter is fermented) helps in making softer and fluffier idlis.
is this raw rice flour or boiled rice flour.
raw rice flour.
Nice recipe. It comes very handy in peak winter.
Thanks Anuradha
Hi , I would like to know if I can use dry rice flour and dry urad Dal flour soak them separately for maybe 2 hrs and mix , leave overnight to ferment and use. Will this work. Please advise. Thanks
you can use the dry flours. you can soak them together overnight. you don’t need to soak them separately for 2 hours. since here urad dal is not ground, it won’t ferment like the regular idli batter. so you will need to add a bit of baking soda. so you can add 1/4th to 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. mix very well and then steam idlis. you can also add some curd or buttermilk in the flours and keep them to ferment overnight.
Very nice recepie , if we add coconut water to the batter ,works as eno , good fermentation happens & the idlis turn super soft
thanks for the suggestion asha. will definitely help readers.
can eno salt be added to the dry powder itself
add eno while making the batter.
I had one query that, is that we have to rinse rice and urad dal before roasting
rice is not used in the recipe. i have used rice flour. if using urad dal which is polished and not organic, then do rinse it. then spread the lentils on a plate or tray and let them dry naturally. if you plan to use rice, then do the same with rice.
Hi, Can i soak the mixture overnight in water and avoid adding the fruit salt?
sheena, you can do so. in the morning add some soda before steaming.
interesting n time saving no need to pre plan ..I liked the recepie sure I ‘ll try ?
thanks shri.
Is this the flat poha or the thick one used for Batata poha?
it is thick poha which is used to prepare batata poha or kanda poha.
can I use idly ravva instead of rice flour.plz tell me
chandrika, you can use idli rava.
Hi…love d recipe that u post… Whenever I think of cooking just browse for d recepies under vegrecepies of India…and der u have a detailed and well photographed recipe…
Gud work and looking forward for more interesting recipes…. Thank u sooo very much
thanks a lot preeth. yes will add more recipes. thanks again.
Adding eno? Is it good for kids of 2 years. I feed my kids with idli everyday.
avoid eno for kids of 2 years or below. you can ferment the batter with the idli mix and then make the idlis the next day. also you can add some curd and ferment for 4 to 5 hours or more. i have done this with instant dosa batter and the taste is good.
Hi ma’am, can we skip adding eno/fruit salt??
eno or fruit salt is compulsory. otherwise the idli will not become soft. you can add baking soda, but with soda there will be the soda aroma in the idlis.
Thank yu so much for such a clear explanation yu rock dassana ..waiting for Yur other recip!!!
welcome harshya 🙂
Hi, I have urad daal atta, can I use that instead of urad daal? If so what will be the quantity required?
preeti, you can use urad dal flour. add half a cup.
what isthe shelflifeof this mix? do I have tio keep in the fridge?
it can easily stay good for 6 months, if you have used rice flour, urad dal and poha which have the current packaging date. no need to keep in the fridge. keep in a cool dry place in your kitchen.
I was lik rubber .its not hard.consistency was right
three things – either the eno was not active & fresh or the water not enough or the idlis were steamed too much. since you say its like rubber, the eno must have not been fresh. whenever you make recipes where only eno or baking soda is used for leavening, then always check the freshness. just add eno in some water and see if it fizzes & bubbles. if it does not, that means the eno or fruit salt is not active. too less water can also result in dense texture. hope this helps you harshya.
i will be adding the idli recipe made with this idli mix and another version of instant idlis made with poha. in the pics, then you can check the consistency of the batter to get an idea, how it should be.
Hi I tried it today my idly came out wel but it s elastic n I had to add more water to batter more tan yu specified to bring to it consistency .can tel me y it s elastic
harshya, i did not get what you mean by ‘elastic’. was the texture of idlis, dense or hard or was the batter too thick. let me know.
Which rice’s flour should b used. Is it paraboiled or raw white rice. Pls rply
raw white rice.
K thanks a lot.
can i use eno fruit salt lemon flavoured
you can. but you may get some lemon flavor in the idlis. if you are fine with it, then go ahead and use.
Hi dasanna,
i tried this idli today morning and came out very well. My husband liked it very much. Your site is very much helpful for beginners. Thanks a lot for sharing such recipes. Great job!
thats great to know pavitha. thanks for sharing this. most welcome pavitha.
Thanks a lots dear. I really need this.
welcome nalini. the recipe can also be doubled.
I like ur all quick recipes……..
thanks hemlata.
Hi. Will try this recipe.. wanted this recipe since long. Thanks for sharing. But, I have one query..
Should we wash the udad dal before roasting? Since, the dal we buy comes with pesticide powder on it..
Also, how many idlis are made from 1 cup of this instant mix?
i have used organic urad dal in this recipe. so i did not rinse it. you can rinse the urad dal first and then spread it on a plate and let it dry. then roast it. or instead of roasting, sun dry for 30 minutes, till the dal is very well dried up. from 1 cup, you will get 8 to 9 idlis.
Hii dasanna,
Can I mix Udad dal powder awailable in the market ?
you can mix readymade urad dal powder also. just add 1/2 cup urad dal flour.
nice n soft idlies made by this idli mix
thanks swati.