Piping hot idlis
Idli – soft, fragrant, melt in the mouth rice-and-lentil cakes are the perfect South Indian breakfast items. Served with chutneys and/or onion sambhar, they can set you up for a great day. Making idlies can never be a spur of the moment thing – the rice and lentils have to be soaked for 4 hours+, ground fine and then fermented till the batter ‘rises’ for perfectly, fluffy idlies.
Ingredients
Boiled rice or idli rice – 6 cups
Whole urad dal – 1 cup
Fenugreek seeds – 1 tsp
Salt – to taste
Wash and soak the rice in warm water for 6 hours.
An hour before grinding, soak the dal and methi seeds in hot water.
Grind the rice and dal separately, adding enough water till they are ground fine and you get a thick, wet batter.
Mix the two together with your hand, adding enough salt.
Cover and keep in a warm place and allow the batter to rise.
Idlies in the molds
Once the batter has risen, oil the idli molds and ladle the batter onto the molds.
Steam for around 12 minutes, till the idlies are cooked through.
Sprinkle cold water on top of the idlis and prise them out.
Serve hot with chutney / sambhar.
Serving Suggestion: Idlies with coconut chutney, tomato thokku
Looks so fluffy and white, yum. I like your proportions. I soak 3 rice and 1 Urad, must try your’s next time.