Thoroughly wash the rice, lentils, and fenugreek seeds. Soak the rice in one bowl and the lentils and fenugreek seeds in another. Let them soak for at least 8 hours, ideally overnight.
Idli (Fluffy Steamed Rice Cakes)
- Total time - more than 24 hours (including soaking and fermentation)
- Preparation - 10 minutes (plus soaking time)
- Cooking time - 20 minutes
- Servings: 4
- Country: India
The key to perfect, fluffy Idli is proper fermentation. It ensures that the cakes are soft and light. To get the best results, it is important to adhere to the proportions of rice and lentils and use quality ingredients.
Ingredients
For the Idli Batter
- 2 cups idli rice (or any short-grain rice)
- 1 cup urad dal (split black gram lentils), skinned
- 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi)
- salt
- water
Instructions
Step 1: Soaking
Step 2: Grinding and Fermenting
Drain the soaked lentils and grind them into a smooth and fluffy batter. Drain the rice and grind it into a fine but slightly grainy paste.
Combine both batters in a large bowl, add salt, and mix well with your hand. Cover and let the batter ferment in a warm place for 8-12 hours until it doubles in volume and becomes bubbly.
Step 3: Steaming the Idli
Lightly grease the idli molds with oil or ghee. Gently mix the fermented batter and pour it into the molds, filling them about three-quarters full.
Step 4: Cooking
Pour water into a steamer (or a large pot with a steamer rack) and bring it to a boil. Place the molds with the batter inside and steam on high heat for 10-15 minutes. The Idli are ready when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Step 5: Serving
Let the Idli cool slightly before scooping them out of the molds. Serve warm with sambar and coconut chutney.