Idli

You know my cooking is a very get to the point kind and I dont like to sweat it out by confusing myself since I have my small one running and constantly needing me.  I made some batter for Dosa couple of days ago and today I was thinking of making Idly with that batter. Idly is a pillowy soft cakes cooked in a special steamer and served mainly with chutney powder or sambar (lentil soup) for dipping. This dish is usually served for breakfast or dinner in many Indian house and also on special occassions. Many recipes call for soaking the lentil and rice seperately and grinding them seperately  but since I did not have the time to do things one at a time, I just ground them together and still got a good result.  Here is my super basic recipe.

Ingredients

1 cup urad dhal

3 cup raw rice ( I used Ponni Raw Rice) or use parboiled rice

A pinch of  fenugreek seed

1 tsp salt

a fistful of cooked rice (or a little less)

• Soak the rice and lentil in different containers for at least 6 hours.  Grind the rice, dhal and cooked rice with the soaked water to a thick batter.  Add in the salt. Give it a good mix with your hands.  If you feel the place you live is fairly cold then you can add 1/4 tsp yeast.  This is to help with fermentation of the batter.  Cover the bowl and leave it in a warm place for at least 8 hours.
• After the batter has fermented fully, you will notice there is a strong odor as if the batter is spoilt.  No worries, this is how it should be. Then laddle the batter into the special Idli mould and steam for about 15 minutes.  Serve while still warm.