Idly/ Dosa Batter

Ever wandered into a South Indian restaurant and ordered Idly?  Didn't you LOVE it?

Usually served with a type of vegetable soup in a tomato base, idly is a divine fluffy white ball of goodness.  Idly is the steamed concoction of dal and rice, soaked and then ground to a paste.  With the right equipment, it’s not hard to make these for yourself at home!  

This is what I begin with..   Urid Dal, Poha (Optional), Idly Rice and Methi Seeds (optional). 

I usually make up the dry mix in batches of 6 portions plus what I am making for the day.  I store the dry mixes in my pantry until needed.

My recipe for Idly/Dosa is fairly simple.  The two essential ingredients in IDLY/DOSA batter are Idly Rice and Urid Dal.   I have these fabulous 450ml containers that perfectly fit my recipe (shown here without the rice added)

• 1 cup Idly Rice
• 1/2 Cup Urid Dal
• 5-6 methi seeds - also called Fenugreek Seeds (optional - adds flavor)
• pinch of Poha  (flattened rice) (optional - adds fluffiness)

The extra containers of dry mix get stored in the pantry, for easy pulling (already pre-measured!).
We LOVE idly and dosa, and there are quite a few times that I have to make a double batch for all 4 of us, so if you have a larger family, or just love idly/dosa as much as we do, get a bigger container and double the recipe!  

After all the ingredients are measured out, cover with water and let sit for 6-8 hours, or overnight.  Here I am making a double batch, so I had to use two mason jars.  Some people think it's better to soak the idly and the dal separately and then add them together later, but I have tried that and found that it didn't make a difference.  

A note on ingredients and equipment - you can find all of this at your local Indian grocery store, or you can find them on Amazon.  Here are some links to help you out!

I do not own a wet grinder and you can't purchase my Thermomix on Amazon, but I know plenty of others who use Vitamix's and other equivalent blenders on their Idly/Dosa mix and find it just fine.  The trick is that the batter should not be too smooth, a good Idly needs some consistency to it.  

• Urid Dal, 
• Poha (Optional), 
• Idly Rice 
• Methi Seeds (also called Fenugreek Seeds)
• Idly steam rack
• pressure cooker (I use a 6qt Instant Pot )
• Wet Grinder/ very good blender

To grind, i drain off my mix and put it into my thermomix (blender)

I add a little bit of water back in, but only if needed.

 

The resulting batter should be a smooth, but not entirely so, a little bit grainy is good. 

When I’m done grinding, I add my mix into my Instant Pot on yogurt mode for 8 hours or so.  I usually add in a pinch of baking soda and a spoonful of cultured yogurt before starting the program. This helps it rise and get nice and fluffy, but doesn’t alter the taste.

( after 7 hours on yogurt mode)

I then store my batter in a mason jar in the fridge until I want to use it.
It can also be frozen for up to 3 months!