Instant idli recipe with step by step photos – quick and instant recipe of preparing soft idlis. No fermentation required.
This instant idli recipe is a follow up on the homemade instant idli mix flour recipe that I had posted a few days back. Here I have used homemade instant idli mix flour and prepared the idlis.
In this post I have mentioned both the recipes for the idli mix flour and preparing idlis. Though for a detailed recipe with step by step on the homemade idli mix flour, you can check this post – Homemade Instant idli Mix Flour.
The idli recipe posted here uses 1 cup of instant idli mix flour. 1 cup of flour yields 9 to 10 idlis. But if you want you can even use 2 cups of idli mix flour.
For the leavening 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 the instant idli mix. So you can prepare the idli mix and keep it stored at room temperature. The idli mix stays good for months. you can also have a look at these Instant recipes:
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 Fermented idli, but these idlis are a better option for an instant recipe.
Few suggestions for making instant idli
- 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. 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.
If you are looking for more Idli recipes then do check:
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instant idli (using instant idli mix flour)
Ingredients
for making instant idli mix flour
- 300 grams Rice Flour or 2 cups rice flour
- 125 grams urad dal or ½ cup urad dal - (husked whole or split black gram)
- 45 grams thick poha or ½ cup thick poha (flattened rice)
- ½ teaspoon salt or add as per taste
for making instant idlis
- 1 cup idli mix flour
- ⅔ to ¾ cup water to make a thick flowing batter
- ¼ cup sour curd (khatta dahi or sour yogurt)
- ½ teaspoon fruit salt or eno
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 flame for about 2 minutes, stirring often. Urad dal is roasted just to get rid of some moisture from them.
- Then add the poha.
- Mix very well and roast for a minute on low flame. 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 seive (channi) 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 very well.
- The idli mix flour is ready to be bottled. With a spoon, add the idli mix flour in a jar. Seal tightly with a lid. Use the idli mix when required.
making instant idlis from the flour
- Before proceeding, grease the idli plates very well with oil. Also heat 2 to 2.5 cups water in a 5 litre pressure cooker or idli steamer or an electric cooker.
- In a mixing bowl or pan take 1 cup of instant idli mix flour.
- Add 1/4 cup of sour curd.
- Add water in parts. So you can add 1/3 to 1/2 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 2/3 to 3/4 cup of water.
- Mix very well. You can briskly whisk this mixture for a minute to aerate it a bit.
- You need to get a batter which is thick yet flowing, almost like an idli batter.
- Now take 1/2 teaspoon eno or fruit salt.
- Sprinkle the fruit salt all over the batter.
- 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.
steaming idlis
- Now pour the batter in the idli moulds. Place the idli stand in a 5 litre pressure cooker or idli steamer or an electric cooker.
- 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. 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 idlis hot or warm with your favorite coconut chutney and sambar.
Notes
- Since we are only using baking soda 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, just add about 1/4 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.
How to make instant idli using instant idli mix
1. Before proceeding, grease the idli plates very well with oil. Also heat 2 to 2.5 cups water in a 5 litre pressure cooker or idli steamer or an electric cooker.
2. In a mixing bowl or pan take 1 cup of the Homemade idli mix.
3. Add ¼ cup of sour curd.
4. Add water in parts. So you can add ⅓ to ½ cup water first.
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 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.
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 idli moulds.
Steaming instant idlis
13. Place the idli stand in a 5 litre pressure cooker or idli steamer or an electric cooker.
14. 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. These idlis cook faster. So do keep a check. Do not overcook as then they will become hard.
15. Once done, remove the stand and allow the idlis to sit for a few minutes.
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 idlis hot or warm with your favorite coconut chutney and sambar.
Hi, I like your recipe.
Can you replace poha (flattened rice) with murmure (puffed rice)?
Or if I were to replace poha with cooked rice, how would it work in this instant recipe?
with murmure (puffed rice) you will have to give a try. i don’t know what will be the final result. cooked rice won’t give a dry texture in the mix and with cooked rice the idli mix powder cannot be stored for many days.
Hi. Love the idea of instant idlis.. But instead of using curd and end, can I make a batter with the mix? Meaning can I mix this powder with water and leave it overnight? Will it ferment as usual?
you can ferment the batter and make idlis. but when ready flours are used to ferment the batter, then some baking soda or eno has to be added. the reason is that batters made with flour do not ferment the same way as an idli batter made with rice and urad dal. the ground urad dal adds a lot of fluffiness in the batter which is not possible with a batter made from urad flour.
Can u send me your play store link
UmA, we have deleted the App. We were facing issues in maintaining the app.