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| IDLI |
South Indian Cuisine is incomplete without IDLI. Crowned to be one of the best among the long list of South Indian Tiffin Items. An all time comfort food, steamed goodness, healthy, tasty and easily digestible. Most of the South Indian households wake up to the wonderful aroma wafting out of steamed Idlis. A simple recipe with very few ingredients which seems quite straightforward, but only for the people who have cooked it and perfected it knows the skill behind soft airy Idlis. Perfect airy Idlis are always a hard earned trick. As any other fermented food, Idlis can easily go wrong - over fermented batter = Soury Idlis, under fermented batter = Stodginess. The simple steps involved in making Idlis have to be meticulously done to get perfect Idlis.
- Perfect Rice Dhal Ratio
- Type of Rice and Urad Dhal used
- Soaking Time
- Amount of water needed to grind the batter
- Grinding the Urad Dhal until fluffy
- Texture of the ground Rice
- Thoroughly mixing the batter
- Addition of Salt
- Fermentation Time
- Steam cooking the Idlis
Though I am not scaring you all by saying it is a tedious process, but to be true, most of the South Indian Cook Books published earlier didn't include this humble dish - IDLI. Even I was wondering whether I should write a recipe for Idli in my blog. My daughter would be totally against the idea. I am not an expert or an ace cook when it comes to cooking IDLI. Need to say - not to worry to follow my recipe though. As a typical South Indian housewife I cook Idlis quite often at home, and my Idlis are always the okay kind. Being a South Indian who have grown up eating Idli, my love for the dish is so that I have quite lot of memories and anecdotes related to Idli in my timeline.
Idli, has a long tied history of its own. When I was a kid I have always thought how people came up with certain recipes, especially dishes like Idli, Dosa, Upma, Puri etc & etc., And who was behind fixing the perfection of the dish. Combining ingredients together in certain proportions with quite a number of cooking techniques.
Though there are various other dishes which uses a leavening agent for speeding up the fermentation process. Idli sticks on to the perfect slow & natural fermenting technique which gives the much talked soft & supple texture which is quite synonymous to Idli. Though a recipe with straight forward ingredients and cooking techniques, there are quite a lot of tips and tricks every household follows for perfect airy Idlis. May be most of us would say, it is a left hand's play but it is not true for every individual. Even I have seen up & downs with Idli recipe, the term ups & downs seems quite suitable when it comes to Idli. Perfect soft and fluffy Idlis for Ups or sometimes flattened, hard or sticky ones for Downs. The Idli recipe here is what I know about the process of making Idlis and how I usually prepare Idlis at home.
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Cuisine - South Indian
Course - Main Course
Difficulty - Medium
Yields - 40-45 Idlis
Author - SM
Preparation Time - 15-20 Minutes
Soaking Time - 4-5 Hours/Overnight
Fermenting Time - 8-10 Hours/Overnight
Cooking Time - 10 - 15 Minutes
THE PROCESS OF MAKING IDLI
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| IDLI |
INGREDIENTS:
For Idli Batter:
- Idli Rice - 4 Cups
- Whole Urad Dhal(Black Gram Dhal) - 1 Cup
- Fenugreek Seeds - 1 Tablespoon
- Rock Salt - To Taste
THE RICE URAD DHAL RATIO - (4:1):
This 4:1 Rice Urad Dhal Ratio works best for me and I have always followed the thumb rule. It is fool proof and works every single time for me.
WHAT TYPE OF URAD DHAL/BLACK GRAM DHAL TO USE?
There are quite a variety of Urad Dhals available in the market.Whole White Urad Dhal
This is the type of Urad Dhal I use. In recent times I have not seen any of the households using any other variety. The convenience involved in using this variety of Urad dhal has made people easily switch to this variety.
Whole Black Urad Dhal
I have seen my mother use this type of Urad Dhal when I was a kid. Black Urad Dhal has the skin intact. The old school would surely vote for this variety of Urad Dhal. The main reason why they do not use White Urad Dhal is that the heat generated during the process of removing the skin would have killed the good bacteria in the Dhal. Above all Black Urad Dhal yields fluffier Urad Dhal batter and it is also a healthier option.My Mom used to soak the Dhal and then comes the main show - removing the skin. The Dhal should be rubbed between the hands and the skin has to removed by gently squeezing it out, until all the skin is removed. It has to be washed again and again until the Dhal has no more skin in it. I still remember the days Mom asks me to remove the skin from the Dhal, I used to hate doing it.
Split Black Urad Dhal
This is the same as the above variety with the only difference that the Dhal is split into two. This variety can also be used for making Idlis. The only hitch is, it is time consuming. If you are a perfectionist and want to follow the old school method and above all if you have TIME, use Whole/Split Black Gram Dhal. Trust me it is the best variety for Idli Batter.Split White Urad Dhal
I will surely not recommend this variety of Urad Dhal. It doesn't yield fluffy batter and also the Idlis would turn out to be hard. Some Grocers sell mixed Urad Dhals - they add a small quantity of Split Urad Dhal along with Whole Urad Dhal. This will also effect the texture of the Idlis. I have quite a lot of experience with mixed up Dhal varieties available in the local market. Try buying good quality Whole White Urad Dhal.WHAT VARIETY OF RICE TO BE USED FOR IDLI BATTER?
We normally use Idli Rice for the batter. It's a short grained fat par-boiled rice. Par boiled rice suits best for Idli Batter. Idli Rice is a unique short fat grained rice available in Tamilnadu. I have seen many people using Idli Rava. I have not tried Idli Rava.
While I was in India I have always used Idli Rice. But when I moved to Malaysia, I found it difficult to get Idli Rice, so I tried my hand with Raw Rice and Ponni Rice. Not bad for Idli deprived taste buds. And even recently I tried equal portion of Idli Rice & Kerala Matta Rice(2 Cups each) for the batter as suggested by the cook at a restaurant in JB. A Mamak shop in JB City Centre, where I found the softest Idlis ever. I should say that it did total justice to the Idli and also yielded soft Idlis. But the colour of Idlis turned out to be slightly dull due to the pink colour of Kerala Matta Rice. This combination of rice variety yielded is much healthier, tastier and softer Idlis.
If you can get hold of good quality Idli Rice, then forget the stories and just stick on to Idli Rice. Grind the soaked and drained rice coarsely for about 15-20 minutes. Add just enough water while grinding. The Idli Batter should be thick consistency. Once ground, transfer the batter to the ground Urad Dhal and mix well. Let there be lot of space for the batter to expand while fermenting. Do not fill up to the brim.
Should we add Fenugreek Seeds?
Some say adding Fenugreek Seeds would not yield white coloured Idlis. But some call for adding fenugreek seeds in the Idli batter. Absolutely it is an optional ingredient here. But according to me, I have always seen my mother adding fenugreek seeds in the Idli/Dosa batter which imparts a wonderful flavour unique to fenugreek which I love. Also, fenugreek has its own health benefits and the microbes in Fenugreek seeds speeds up the fermentation process. But be careful while using Feneugreek seeds, if you tend to add a lot, it can make your Idlis bitter.
SOAKING :
The Idli Rice and Urad Dhal should be soaked separately for at least 4 -5 hours/Overnight. Wash the Rice 3-4 times until the water runs clear(yields white coloured Idlis) and soak it in ample of water.
Wash Urad Dhal/Black Gram Dhal separately in a similar way. Soak Urad Dhal/Black Gram Dhal along with Fenugreek Seeds in ample of water for about 4-5 Hours/Overnight.
GRINDING :
I use a wet grinder for grinding the batter. Wet Grinders are an invention which was introduced mainly for the process of grinding Idli/Dosa Batters. In olden days the process was done manually in a stone mortar and pestle(Attangkal/Attukkal). The stones in the wet grinder fluffs up the Urad Dhal without making it hot.
A mixer or a food processor can also be used but it wont yield perfect Idli batter, but does total justice to Dosa Batter. I have experience making Idli and Dosa with the batter ground in a Mixie/Blender. And the Mixie I used was a low Watts Blender which I bought in Malaysia. Later I used a typical 750 Watts heavy duty Indian brand Mixer until I was able to bring down a Wet Grinder. Living outside India, few Utensils and machines an Indian housewife commonly bring home would be a Mixie, Grinder and then a Pressure Cooker. May be I can share a recipe for Idli/Dosa Batter in Mixer/Blender later.
First grind Urad Dhal
Add the soaked and drained Urad Dhal along with the Fenugreek Seeds to the wet grinder. Add just 1/2 a Cup of Water. The best way to grind the Urad Dhal is by adding little water at a time, swiping off the unground Urad dhal from the sides at intervals. If you pour all of the water at once, the batter wont fluff up well. It may take around approximately 20 -30 minutes depending upon the amount of Urad Dhal used and the type of Wet grinder.
Once the batter is well ground it will fluff up. The batter would have fluffed upto 8-10 times of its original volume and would have almost filled the grinder. The grinding sound would be like the Wet Grinder is grinding without any batter inside(like just the stones rolling around). This was one tip I learnt from one of our servant maid. Remove the Urad Dhal Batter from the Wet Grinder and transfer it into a bowl. There are tilting versions of wet grinders which makes the process easier. Keep the bowl with the Urad Dhal Batter closed.
Grinding the Rice
Next Add the soaked and drained Idli Rice to the Wet grinder. I usually grind the Rice into a coarse mixture. If you are using the batter for making Dosa too, then grind the Rice batter until smooth. Just add enough water while grinding the Rice. The Idli batter should be of thick consistency. Once the Rice batter is ready, transfer it to the bowl which has the Urad Dhal Batter.Mix it thoroughly until both the batters are well combined. There should be enough space in the bowl for the Batter to rise, so do not fill the batter to the brim.
For Extra Soft & Airy Idlis(Optional Tip) :
For Softer Idlis can add any one method mentioned belowMethod 1:
While grinding the Idli Rice, add 1 Cup of Cooked Rice. Grind the Cooked Rice, then add soaked Idli Rice and grind it along.
Method 2:
Can also add 1/2 a Cup of Beaten Rice(Aval/Avalakki/Poha) soaked in 1 Cup of Water for about 5 -10 Minutes. If adding Beaten Rice, first grind the soaked Beaten Rice and then add soaked Idli Rice and grind it along.
WHEN TO ADD SALT?
- Initially to the ground batter while fermenting
- Or to add it after the batter is well fermented.
If you are living in hot/tropical place or during Summer, the fermentation may be carried out soon and would turn the batter sour quickly. In such cases Salt will help slow down the fermentation process. So add Salt accordingly.
If you are living in a cold place, leave the Batter in a warm place. My cousin who is living in Canada said she leaves it in an Oven with the lights on.
FERMENTATION TIME:
Usually the batter needs to ferment for about 8-12 hours/overnight. Fermentation time depends upon the volume of the Batter, weather and region you live. Once fermented the batter would have frothed or increased in volume. Thoroughly mix the batter with a ladle with quick movements(If you have not added Salt at the initial stage, add Salt now). This is to induce air into the batter. The batter is now ready for making Idlis.THOROUGHLY MIXING THE IDLI BATTER:
This has to be done at three stages :
- Once the batter is ground.
- Once the batter is fermented.
- Just before making Idli/Dosa.
STEAM COOKING THE IDLIS :
- Pour some Water into the Idli Vessel/Steamer. Cover & Boil the water in Medium-high flame.
- Grease the Idli moulds. (Some lay Muslin cloths over the Idli Moulds)
- Pour a ladle full of Idli batter into each mould. Follow the suit with the rest of the Idli Plate/Moulds.
- Carefully place the Idli Moulds into the Idli Vessel and cover it tightly with the lid.
- Steam cook the Idlis for about 4-5 Minutes on a High flame, reduce the flame to medium-low and cook for another 3-5 Minutes.
- Do not over cook the Idlis.
- The right time to remove the Idlis are when the steam emanates the wonderful aroma of steamed Idlis.
- Remove the Idli Moulds from the Idli Vessel/steamer and leave it aside for few minutes.
- Do not remove the Idlis from the Idli moulds immediately, they would be sticky.
- Once the Idlis are slightly cooled down, gently dip a spoon in cold water and carefully remove the Idlis from the mould.
- Serve Idlis hot with Sambar or any Chutney of your choice.
STORING THE IDLI BATTER:
- Once the batter is fermented, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Remember to bring the batter to room temperature before making Idlis.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS :
- Idli is typically served with a variety of Chutneys and Sambar, each with its own unique style and taste.
- Indulge in the heavenly combination of deep-dunked Idlis in a pool of flavourful Sambar, known as SAMBAR IDLI.
- For a delightful twist, try PODI IDLI by sprinkling Idli Podi and drizzling Gingelly oil over the Idlis.
- Another delicious option is IDLI FRY, where the Idlis are cut into small cubes, deep-fried, and optionally served with a sprinkle of Idli Podi.
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Idli can be also be served along with a combination of Vegetarian/Non vegetarian Curries.
