Idli - Steamed Rice Buns

Idlis are the most common of all South Indian breakfasts. And it is one of the healthiest. Made from fermented rice and dal batter, these spongy little buns need no oil and are steamed and served with a sauce or sauces of your choice.  In Melbourne I usually make them as a weekend breakfast, but during the COVID isolation period we have been having them even during the weekdays.

Though I say it is a breakfast item, you can have it for lunch or dinner and it all depends what you want to pair it with.  For example you might like to have it with honey or a chutney for breakfast and a chicken curry or kurma for lunch.

Back home we have tropical weather and the idli batter ferments readily with no external stimulation.  Here in Melbourne, autumn and winter nights are very cold.  So I leave the batter in the oven and leave the oven on at approximately 20 deg C.  This keeps the batter warm and helps it to ferment.  The ingredients are readily available in any good Indian grocery store in Melbourne.

Ingredients:

3 cups idli rice
1 cup urid dal
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
salt to taste

Method:

Wash and soak the idli rice, the urid dal and fenugreek seeds in 3 separate containers for at least 4 hours.  (I have used split urid dal in this recipe but you can use whole urid dal as well, depending on what is available.)

Grind the dal first - very finely till you can see little bubbles in it.
Set aside in a big stainless steel or glass container that can hold all of the batter.

Next grind the rice and the fenugreek seeds together.  It doesn't have to be as fine as the dal.

Mix the rice-fenugreek batter with the dal batter.  Add salt to taste. Cover and leave overnight in the oven at 20 deg C.

The next day, you will see that your batter has fermented beautifully and is fluffy - and bouncy with bubbles.

Pour into greased moulds and steam for 8 to 10 minutes - check if a skewer comes out clean.  Once done, set moulds aside to cool for a few minutes and then unmould idlis. 

The spongy warm idlis can be served right away with a curry or curries of your choice.

Today I have served it with sambar and chutney.

Here is a close up of how the inside of the idli looks: