IDLY

After so many posts just now I noticed that I haven't posted idly recipe yet. I searched link for idly recipe to provide in baby food recipe. Do I decided to post the recipe while I grind batter the next time. So it's here.

Ingredients:
Idly rice - 4 cups (or 2 cups of parboiled rice and 2 cups of raw rice)
Urid dal or dehusked black gram - 1 cup
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp

Preparation:

Wash and soak rice seperately. If parboiled rice and raw rice are used then soak both rice together. Wash and soak urid dal and fenugreek seeds together. Let it soak for about 2 to 4 hours.

Grind urid and fenugreek seeds in a grinder until it is buttery smooth. Don't add lots of water. Add little by little to get smooth and fluffy batter.

Take from the grinder and keep in a big vessel.

Now grind rice. Don't grind very smoothly but not much coarsely like seashore sand texture.

Mix this batter with urid batter and add salt. Mix well. The consistency must be like little thicker and pouring consistency. Be careful not to add more water like freely flowing.

Allow to ferment for about 8-10 hours. In cold weather it takes a long time.  Keep in warm place. If you live in a cold weather then keep it near heater or inside oven or above the refrigerator. This will speed up the process. 

After about 10 hours batter has fermented and raised.

Now steam idlies using idly plates. 

If you apply oil on the plates and then pour the batter then idly comes out easily but idly dries soon. Simply pour batter and steam. Then while removing from plates pour very little cold water to the edges of idly and turn the plate upside down and pour little cold water over. Then idly comes out easily. I prefer this method. Or use a white cloth. Cut a white cloth to the size of the idly plate and keep over the plate and pour the batter. In this method too, pour little cold water below the idly over the cloth. Then idly won't stick to the cloth.

In the below pictures left plate is simply without applying oil and right plate is with oil. So it's clear that there is no much difference. I like to have without oil taste. 

Or if you don't have idly plates steam in a plate. Just apply few drops of oil in a plate and half fill the plate and steam for 10-15 minutes.

Serve with sambhar and/or chutney. Tastes best with sambhar, coconut chutney, mint chutney, tomato mint chutney or tomato chutney.