Idli is the most favorite breakfast item in India. They are steamed cakes of Lentils and Cream of Rice or Wheat. These soft and fluffy cakes which are rich in proteins and carbohydrates are prepared in many hotels, and restaurants almost every day for the morning breakfasts. It is a healthy and nutritious probiotic Indian breakfast.
Idlis in a plate with Sambar poured over them and served along with Coconut Chutney
The Idli Rawa, which is the Cream of Rice or Wheat are available in any Indian Store. The Idli mould are also easily available in most of the Indian Stores, and are sold in almost every stainless steel utensils shop in India. The Idli plates in a Idli mould have depressions to pour the batter in those. These depressions vary in sizes in different stores. I have a medium size Idli Mould which is perfect for my family.
To prepare Idli, i usually start its preperation from a day ahead. Like for example if i plan to prepare it on Sunday for breakfast or brunch, i start from Saturday morning. On the Saturday morning, i wash and soak the Urad Dal and before i go to sleep in the night i drain away the water and grind the dal well, then mix it with the washed Idli Rawa in a bowl and keep the bowl in a warm and dark place. I use equal amounts of Idli Rawa and Dal.
Idlis – Steamed Rice-Lentil Cakes
Makes : approx 40 Idlis
Ingredients:
- Urad Dal/Black Lentils (Split White) – 1 1/2 cups
- Cream of Rice (Idli Rawa) – 1 1/2 cups
- Baking powder – 1/2 tsp
- Salt - 1 tablespoon
- Canola Oil – to grease the Idli Plates
Idli batter in the Idli Mould & Cooked Served Idlis
Method:
(Note: Read the above instrictions before you proceed to prepare the Idli)
- Wash and soak the Urad Dal and in surplus water for about 6-8 hours. Wash the Idli rawa and keep aside.
- In a wet grinder, or a food processor, blend the Urad dal adding a few drops of water to aid in the blending to a very fine paste.
- Add this to the washed idli rawa in a large mixing bowl and mix them both completely. Add water to it to make a batter of a slightly thick consistency, it should not be too watery or too thick. Keep aside in a warm and dark place for it to ferment for about 8 hours or overnight.
- Later, when you see the bowl, the batter should have fermented well and the volume almost doubled. Add Salt and mix it well.
- Grease the Idli stand with a few drops of oil and pour about 1-2 tablespoon of batter in each depression in the Idli stand.
- In a large pressure cooker, pour water and put the stand inside, making sure the water does not touch the lowest idli plate in the stand. The water level in the pressure cooker should be well below it.
- Close the lid of the cooker and do not put the weight on it, pressure cook them for about 10 minutes.
- Once done, scoop the Idlies out with a tablespoon in a big serving bowl.
- Repeat this process adding water to the cooker as necessary until the batter is all used up.
Suggested Accompaniments: Serve them hot with Sambar, Coconut chutney, Hara Dhaniya aur Pudina Ki Chutney. ( I love to have Idlis with Padma’s Udipi Sambar)
Tips:
- If you live in a cold place, you can add about half tsp of Baking powder to the batter before you keep it to ferment, and set the oven to 350°F. Keep the bowl inside. Later after 10 minutes, Off the oven keeping the bowl still inside till fermented well. This aids in the fermentation. If the batter has not fermented and doubled in size by next day, do not use it for Idli. Instead make Dosa out of it.
- If you do not find Cream of Rice, you can even use Cream of Wheat as the Idli Rawa.
- This is the basic recipe for the prepartion of Idli. You can alter it by adding a few chopped french beans, carrits, coriander leaves ..
- Adding a dollop of butter to the idli while having them hot along with sambar makes it more delectable.
- These Idli moulds are the traditional methods to prepare Idli at home. If you are somehow not able to find the Idli Mould, you can use little metal bowls which can be kept in a steamer or an egg poacher. I have however never used these. I only use the Idli Mould each time i prepare these.
Luv,
Mona
