IDLI

Idli is a traditional breakfast in South Indian households, especially in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala too where it is a popular breakfast.  It is a savory cake that is made out of rice and dehusked black gram i.e. urid dal famous in India and neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka. The batter  is fermented and is put into the mould, then steam cooked. Served along with sambhar and coconut chutney.  The fermentation process breaks down the starches so that they are more readily metabolised by the body.

This dish can be served as breakfast, and at dinner time too. In fact it is any time favourite of Indians.

You can grind the rice and dal once in a week and keep in fridge for 3 -  4  days consumption.

The first day, Idli is prepared and second day, it becomes dosa, third day if the batter is remaining, then it becomes uttappa or kuzhipaniyaram.  While preparing dosa, you can add little bit of rice flour and water  to adjust the consistency.

Since all are familiar with this dish, I am not explaining much about it and let us straight away look at the recipe now:

Other idli varieites:  Kanjeevaram Idli, tuvar dal idli, idli fry, chinese idli,
How to preserve idli batter in natural way:

Ingredients:

Measurement:  1

3 cups par boiled rice
1 cup raw rice
1 cup urid dal
1/4 tsp methi seeds

Measurement : 2

4 cups par boild rice
1 cup urid dal
1/4 tsp methi seeds

Measurement : 3

3 cups raw rice
1 cup par boiled rice
1 cup urid dal
1/4 tsp methi seeds

Measurement 4

3 cups raw rice
1 cup urid dal
1/4 tsp methi seeds
handful of poha


Salt


Method:

Wash and soak the rice for 6-8 hours with methi seeds.  Wash and soak the urid dal for half an hour to one hour.

Grind the rice  to a smooth paste.  You can also grind coarsely. ( while making dosa, you have to put it in mixer to get a smooth paste and then make it.)  Grind the urid dal minimum for 45 minutes in the grinder.  Mix both the batter, add salt and allow to ferment.

Grease the idli mould, pour one laddleful of batter in it and steam cook for 10-15 minutes.  take out from the vessel, allow to cool, demould, serve hot with sambar and  coconut chutney, milagaipodi.

TIPS:  left over batter can be used for making dosa, uttappam, kuzhipaniyaram etc.

We can also make idli with idli rava

NOTE; while grinding for idli, I always grind the urid dal in the mixer first for 5 minutes to crush the dal properly and then put in the grinder for speedy process of  grinding.  If you put the dal directly in the grinder, you have to spend some time with the spatula for pushing the dal till such time it is crushed.