Soft and Delicious Idli Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups idli rice (or regular white rice)
• ½ cup urad dal
• ¼ cup poha (flattened rice) — optional, but it makes the idlis softer
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Water as needed
• A little oil, for greasing the idli moulds

Method

• Soak
• Soak the rice separately for 4–6 hours.
• Soak the urad dal separately for 4 hours.
• If using poha, soak it for 20 minutes.
• Grind
• Grind the urad dal until it becomes smooth and soft.
• Grind the rice and poha, keeping the mixture slightly coarse.
• Mix the two together, adding water as needed, to make a moderately thick batter.
• Cover the bowl and leave it in a warm place for 8–12 hours (overnight) to ferment.
• Add Salt
• Add salt to the fermented batter and gently mix.
• Steam
• Lightly grease the idli moulds with oil and pour in the batter.
• Steam for 10–12 minutes in a well-heated steamer.
• Once cooked, let the idlis rest for 2 minutes, then gently remove them with a spoon.

Serve with:

• Coconut sambol
• Coconut chutney
• Sambar
• Lunu miris (chilli and onion sambol)