A great fortune to have been born in the land, that makes dosa and idli. These are rice crepe and rice cake respectively, and they are absolutely delicious! I’ve been having them since birth pretty much and not a week has gone by when I haven’t had them. I get withdrawal symptoms if I don’t one! Yes, I am addicted.

In this post, we speak about idli. By the way, check out this post from somewhere else that talks about the health benefits of naturally fermented food items like the idli! There is even a Wikipedia page for it.

Idli is made from rice and urad daal (black lentils). They are ground into a paste-like form, almost milky in texture. It’s then left to ferment for at least 6-8 hours, or best overnight. Then the next day, you take the batter out, add some water and salt, mix it well, let it stand out for a bit more, and then steam cook it in an idli cooker.

You should be able to get an idli cooker at any Indian grocery store or on Amazon. Here is one if you want to check – Idli cooker on Amazon.

How do you make the batter?

The traditional way is pretty much impossible in an urban setting, but I grew up watching my grandma grind this way back in the village:

You put the rice and black lentils into the centre hole, add some water and grind. Takes about 45 mins to grind by hand.

Then, in the 80s, the electrical grinder got famous:

Then, in the 1990s and onwards, smaller ones took birth!

But how I get my batter is simple – I buy a premade one 🙂

Let’s start cooking!

Take the required quantity of batter into a bowl. Add water and salt, and whisk it well. Let it stand for 15-30 mins.

Then, do the below using your idli cooker.

About the cooking on high heat part – You do it on high heat till you hear the whistle. Then, cook it in high for another 3-5 minutes, then lower it to medium and cook for another 10 mins. Then, turn it off and let it stay closed for another 5 minutes. Then, slowly and carefully remove the hot cover. Beware of STEAM!

It tastes great with coconut chutney, South Indian Toor Daal curry (sambhar), “Gun Powder” mix, or even just plain ghee!

Enjoy! Serve hot.