Light, fluffy Idli Recipe
- 3 cups idli rice
- 1 cup black gram (urad dahl)
- Rinse idli rice and black gram separately.
- Place idli rice in one bowl and black gram in a separate bowl and cover each with water. Soak for at least 4 hours or overnight. (You can measure any amount but keep the ratio of 3 to 1; 3 portions of idli rice to 1 portion of black gram.)
- After soaking, drain water from each bowl.
- Grind idli rice with enough water to make a smooth, thick batter. Set aside.
- Grind black gram with enough water to make a smooth, thick batter.
- Pour both batters into a large container (leave a lot of space at the top for it to rise.
- Add salt.
- Wait until it rises a bit. (We live in the Pacific NW and in the winter the batter can take several days to rise. During the summer, it usually rises in less than a day.)
- Pour into a greased idli maker and steam until done (about 15-20 minutes).
- Serve with plain yogurt, curry, or chutney!
Idli batter can also be used to make dosas. You can also add a tablespoon of fenugreek to the black gram to soak during step 2 to make the idli softer (and for health reasons).
Light, fluffy idlis are my toddler’s favorite food. (I’m also a fan.) I have dubbed them “little flying saucers” because that is what they look like to me. They’re a popular food (often eaten for breakfast) in south India and they are made from ground black gram (or urad dahl) and idli rice. Black gram actually has a black shell on it when it is harvested, but you can buy them in the store without the shell. The funny thing is I’d never heard of idlis until I met my husband and I’m the one who makes the batter in our house (and he’s the Indian!). If I can do it, you can. Indian cooking made easy for the average American!
