Idli - Sambar

Having soft puffy idlis is just mouth watering. In restaurant, I can't resist to eat only one plate. Instead if you cook at home then you can make a lot and have it with your family and friends. For preparing idlis have to start 1 day before as it is a step by step procedure.

First, soak the urad dal in warm water on a day before morning, Soak at least 4 to 6 hours for them to soften. Then grind them into smooth, silky smooth batter. Then remove the batter into a big vessel and mix up with store bought rava idli. Then keep it covered overnight for fermentation. By morning, the batter will be fermented and changed in looks and consistency. After stirring in salt and little bit of baking soda, pour it idli stand and steam cook them. And enjoy puffy steamy idlis with your choice of sambar ,chutney.

Ingredients:

2 cups Idli Rice Rava(coarse Rice powder)
1 cup Urad Daal (white)
1 1/2 tblsp Salt
A pinch of Baking Soda
Oil for greasing

Utensils

Blender/wet grinder

Idly stand with idly plates

a vessel with tight lid (suitable to fit idly stand)

Method:

1. Pick, wash and soak the Urad daal overnight or for 8 hours in warm water. Drain the water and keep the drained water aside.

2. Grind the daal into a smooth paste.To get the medium tight consistency, add the drained water, as needed to the batter,while grinding. Remove the batter in a vessel.

3. Now mix the rice rava and daal together thoroughly without any lumps.

4. Set aside in a warm place for 8-9 hours or overnight for fermenting. Idlis are ready to be cooked when the batter is well fermented.

5. By morning, the batter will be doubled in volume. Stir in salt and baking soda. Consistency of batter must be medium, not too tight or too watery. Add water if necessary.

6.In a big vessel (fit to idly stand) with tight lid, add about half to one glass of water and bring to a boil. Grease the idle holder or pan well and fill each of them with 3/4th full of batter.

7.Fill all the plates with idly batter and place these filled idly plates, back on the stand. Place this idly stand with filled plates in the vessel with boiling water. Cover it tightly and cook them on steam.

8. Steam cook idlis on medium flame for about 10-15 minutes or until done. After about 15 to 20 minutes, the batter will be hardened and when touched, won’t stick to your fingers like a wet batter does.

9. Turn off the heat and remove the idli stand from the vessel. Run a spoon under each idli to separate steamed idlies from the plate. Remove them all like this and get ready to steam the next batch of idlis.

10. Serve them with sambhar or coriander-mint chutney, coconut chutney for Indian breakfast, snack,lunch or dinner.

Note:

1. I soak the urad dal in just enough water and while grinding I add this drained water. This tip works only in cold climate to aid the fermentation.
2. While grinding adding one or two teaspoons of soaked fenugreek seeds will improve the taste and fermentation.
3. Rice rava- I use store bought. You can use Rice too. In that case, soak rice in warm water in another vessel along with urad dal. In morning make a paste out of it.
4. Fermentation- In winter set the oven on to minimum (lowest setting/warm) for about 5 minutes, then turn it off. place batter in warm oven. If you dont have oven then soak urad dal in warm water. While grinding add warm drained water to make smooth paste.