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Ingredients

• 400 g Idli rice (parboiled short-grain rice)
• 100 g whole skinned urad dal (gota)
• ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
• 25 g Thick poha (flattened rice) (optional)
• 1½ tsp non-iodised salt
• cold water, for soaking and grinding
• 1 tsp oil, for greasing

Method

1. Rinse the rice (with the poha, if using) and, separately, the urad dal with the fenugreek. Soak each in plenty of water for 6 hours.
2. Drain the dal, keeping the soaking water. Grind it with small splashes of cold water until very smooth, light and fluffy, 8–10 min in a blender (in batches) or 20 min in a wet grinder.
3. Drain the rice and grind it with a little water to a batter that feels like fine semolina between your fingers, slightly gritty rather than silky.
4. Combine both batters in a large bowl with the salt and mix well with your hand for 1 minute; your hand’s warmth helps the fermentation start. The batter should be thick but pourable.
5. Cover loosely and leave somewhere warm for 8–12 hours, until it has roughly doubled, smells pleasantly sour and is full of bubbles.
6. Stir gently just once (don’t beat out the air). Grease the idli moulds, fill each about three-quarters full and steam over boiling water for 10–12 min, until a skewer comes out clean.
7. Rest for 2 min, then scoop out the idlis with a wet spoon. Serve hot with sambar and coconut chutney.

Tips

• In a cold kitchen, ferment the batter in the oven with just the light on.
• Leftover batter keeps for 3–4 days in the fridge and makes great uttapam and dosa.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

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