Idli ( How To Make Idli ) recipe, Perfect Soft Idlis (2024)

FAQs

What is the reason for hard idly? ›

The most common reason for hard idlis is due to lack of urad dal and insufficient water used for grinding. If you find your idlis are hard, just add more dal and use more water while grinding the batter. Add enough water while grinding itself. Even if you add water while mixing the batter, it won't work.

Soaking rice and lentils: For making simple traditional idli, both the rice and the urad dal are rinsed a couple of times with fresh water and soaked separately for 4 to 5 hours. Quality of rice and urad dal: Make sure to use both rice and urad dal within their shelf-period.

Add yeast cells to the batter of idli and dosa. The fungus undergoes anaerobic fermentation. Fungi use fermentable sugars and convert them into ethanol and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide gas raises the dough and becomes soft and fluffy.

Usually people add baking soda to the batter of rice, dal and rava for idli so that it becomes more soft and spongy while making idli. However, if you add Eno in it, the Idlis will be much softer. It has the properties to ferment things quickly, so mix half to one packet of plain Eno in the batter.

There are so many ways you can fix a runny idli batter. The most common being is to add 'Semolina' or rawa/sooji. Though you might also add ground poha and rice flour to thicken the consistency. Besides, if you add ragi flour, oats flour, millet flour then this would enhance the nutritional content too.

Simply put the cooked idli in an airtight container and keep it in the freezer after it has cooled down. However, you may always wrap them in aluminium foil or put them inside freezer bags if you're storing a lot of idlis.

Fenugreek seeds play a crucial role in elevating the volume of idli dough, leading to the creation of light, fluffy idlis. Their natural yeast activation properties, enhanced fermentation, and nutrient absorption benefits make them a valuable ingredient in the idli-making process.

Make Batter

If you live in a hot place, then skip adding salt now and add it after fermentation, just before making idli.

In warmer climates, the batter ferments faster, typically within 6 to 8 hours, while in colder environments, it might require up to 12 hours or more. The key is to observe the batter: when it doubles in volume, becomes light, and develops a slightly sour aroma, it's ready for cooking.

Explanation: In the preparation of idli batter, the batter is fermented using bacteria or yeast. During fermentation, CO2 bubbles which are released get trapped in the gluten, thus making idlis puffy.

Why do we add baking soda to idli batter? ›

The reaction of alkaline fruit salt or baking soda with the acidity of the curd helps in leavening the batter. Thereby, giving it a soft and fluffy texture.

Harima Baking Soda is used as a leavening agent in baked products to make them fluffy such as idlis, dhokla, pancakes and other dishes. Baking soda is an important kitchen ingredient and it's perfect for all baking needs.

In conclusion, while fermentation is essential for the deliciousness of idli, dosa, and uttapam, it's crucial to strike the right balance. Over-fermentation can lead to a loss of nutrients, undesirable flavours, and inconsistent results.

I usually just turn on the oven light, which gives the batter enough warmth to ferment. Place the pot covered with a lid just below the oven light. Leave it overnight or for 10 hours in the oven to ferment the batter. After 10 hours, the batter should have risen well.

What makes my rava idli turn sticky and sometimes hard? Always roast the rava on a low to medium flame until it turns aromatic, or else the idli may turn sticky and hard. Roast the rava in a good amount of ghee or oil. There should be enough ghee or oil to coat the rava.

If you pour batter on a cold tawa and then heat it, your dosa will turn hard. If you pour the batter after heating the tawa too high, then the batter forms lumps before you can even spread it. So see that the tawa heat is medium.

If the batter is not fermented correctly, the dosa will not be soft and will not have the typical sour taste. So, make sure to ferment the batter for at least 8 hours or overnight in a warm place.

I use my rice cooker cup to measure, you can use any cup or tumbler as long as you use the same one to measure both rice and dal. – If your idlis are too flat, it could be due to two reasons. One, there's too much urad dal in the batter and two, the batter is too watery.