NOTE
I have shared the tips and tricks for soft idli batter here below. This article also has answers for a lot of frequently asked questions. Please refer to this article and I am sure most of your doubts will be answered.
Tips and Tricks for a better idli.
If you are planning to grind idli batter using mixie, please refer to this recipe.
Here is recipe for making idli in mixie. (The ingredients are slightly different)
VIDEO OF MAKING IDLI BATTER IN WET GRINDER
Idli has to be the top most comfort food for all South Indians. The texture of the idli is what makes it sublime. This recipe is a very basic recipe which uses only four ingredients namely Urad dal, Idly rice, fenugreek seeds and Salt. Its the technique that makes this the best batter ever. I use a wet grinder for grinding the batter. The stones in the grinder fluffs up the urad dal without making it hot. And the wet grinder method cannot be beat. A mixie or a food processor can be used but it wont be near close to the wet grinder. Each and every ingredient is ground separately. All the ingredients are soaked for a minimum of 3-4 hours and then ground. Wash all the ingredients in the beginning and then soak it in water. Wash the rice 3-4 times so the idli will be really white later.
The Ratio. This is the ratio that works for me. It is fool proof and works every single time.
Measurements used
1 cup = 240 ml
1 tablespoon = 15 ml
Here is how to do an awesome idli batter. Soak Fenugreek Seeds, Urad Dal and Idly Rice for a minimum of 3-4 hours. Soak everything separately in lots of water.
Lets start with grinding of the fenugreek seeds.
I need to be honest with you here. This is an optional ingredient. But I love the flavor that fenugreek imparts in the idli or dosa. Thats the flavor that reminds me of childhood. Its healthy and it also aids in fermentation. But if you use a lot, your idli is going to be bitter.
Note: If you are using the recipe for the first time, Use only a tablespoon of fenugreek seeds. Gradually increase if you like the flavour.
Usually people soak fenugreek seeds and urad dal together. I picked up this trick from my friend Neeraja in California that grinding fenugreek seeds separately contributed for a lot of fluffiness. I was excited the first time when I saw the fenugreek seeds fluff up so much when ground. Grind the soaked fenugreek seeds with half a cup – 1 cup of water for 3-4 minutes until they are finely ground and have fluffed up.
Now is the time for lentils.
There are a lot of variety of urad dal available that people use for idli batter.
Whole White Urad Dal – This is what I use. I use unpolished whole white Urad Dal. I prefer this dal for the sake of convenience.
Split Black Urad Dal – People used this as the primary dal for idly batter till 20 years back and many people use it today too. Purists will use this dal only. Black urad dal still has the skin intact and that means less processing during manufacture. The theory for not using white urad dal being that some heat is generated in the process of removing the skin during manufacture which might kill some of the good bacteria. I buy the theory. But black dal – its a lot of work. The soaked dal needs to be rubbed between hands and washed 8-10 times to remove the skin. If you have the time, go for it. Its more healthier too.
So if you have the time, use this dal. Its the best dal for idly batter.
Split White Urad Dal – I do not use this and will not recommend this.
Add the soaked and drained urad dal to the wet grinder. Remember the ground fenugreek is still lying in the grinder. Just dump the dal on top of it and add half a cup of water. The tip in grinding urad dal is to add the water slowly. If you add all of the water at once, it wont fluff up well.
The dal should fluff up and fill the grinder. It should have increased about 8-10 times of its original volume. Grind for atleast 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, transfer the dal mixture into a bowl and set aside.
Now comes the rice.
We use Idly Rice for making idly batter. Its a short grain fat par boiled rice. Par boiled rice is the only way to go for idli. Its also called as Salem Rice in Tamilnadu. Its an unique short fat grained rice. I have seen many people using Idly Rava. I personally do not use Idly rava. Most of the households in Tamilnadu use Idly Rice only. So its got to be idly rice for me. Grind the soaked and drained rice for 30 minutes until smooth. Add just enough water while grinding. Once ground, transfer the batter to the dal mixture bowl and mix well. Let there be lot of space for the batter to expand while fermenting. Do not fill up to the brim.
ADDITIONAL TIP
If you are going to store the batter for more than two days and if you want extra soft idlies even when the batter gets old, soak 1/2 Cup Avalakki in 1 cup of water (Aval or Poha) for 5 minutes in water. Grind in a mixie and add to the batter. Aval makes for softest idlis. Try it if you live in cold climate or your idlis are always hard. (Aval – Thick or Thin – The size doesn’t matter)
SALT
When to add salt? There are two schools of thought. Whether to add salt while fermenting or to add it later. There is no right or wrong thing when it comes to adding salt. Its just a matter of choice. Salt inhibits fermentation and interferes with good bacteria to a certain extent. So one might want to add the salt after fermentation. At the same time, if you live in a hot and humid place then salt might be your friend because your batter will not be over fermented and will not turn sour soon. So when do I add salt? I add salt to the batter before fermenting in summers and add it after fermenting in winters. Hope this information was helpful.
I added salt to the batter before fermenting this time as we are seeing more sunnier days here. If you live in a very cold place leave your batter in some place warm. Leaving your batter inside your oven with the pilot light on works great if you live abroad and your place is cold.
Usually the batter needs to ferment for 8-12 hours.
Once the time is up, the batter should have increased in volume. Take a ladle and mix it well. Your batter is ready.
If you did not add salt before, now is the right time.
Lets make idli.
Put some water in an idly vessel and put it on medium flame. Oil the idli plate and gently fill the rounds with the batter. Put it inside the idly vessel and let it steam for 6-7 minutes.
The key to good idlis – Do not allow it to over cook. It might become hard and dry. Just keep an eye and remove the idlis after 6-7 minutes. Do not remove the idlis immediately. It might stick. Leave it undisturbed for 4-5 minutes and then spoon it out. Serve hot with your favorite chutney and sambar.
A good idly must be soft and tender.
The one common comment I get from a lot of readers is that, their idlies did not rise and the idlies were flat. The main reason is watery or runny batter. Watery batter will not rise and the idlies will be hard and flat. So use caution while grinding and do not add too much water while grinding. The batter will thin out a little after fermentation. So a BIG CAUTION on using water. Please use correct measurements as mentioned in the recipe.
- 1 Cup Urad Dal
- 4 Cups Idly Rice (1 liter)
- 2 tablespoon Fenugreek seeds (Vendhayam)
- 2 tablespoon Salt
- ½ Cup Aval or Poha (Optional)
- All the ingredients are soaked for a minimum of 3-4 hours and then ground. Wash all the ingredients in the beginning and then soak it in water. Wash the rice 3-4 times so the idli will be really white later.
- Grind the soaked fenugreek seeds in water for 3-4 minutes until the are finely ground and have fluffed up.
- Add the soaked and drained urad dal to the wet grinder. Remember the ground fenugreek is still lying in the grinder. Just dump the dal on top of it and add half a cup of water. The tip in grinding urad dal is to add the water slowly. If you add all of the water at once, it wont fluff up well. The dal should fluff up and fill the grinder. It should have increased about 8-10 times of its original volume. Grind for atleast 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, transfer the dal mixture into a bowl and set aside.
- Grind the soaked and drained rice for 30 minutes until smooth. Add just enough water while grinding. Once ground, transfer the batter to the dal mixture bowl and mix well.
- I add salt to the batter before fermenting in summers and add it after fermenting in winters.
- Usually the batter needs to ferment for 8-12 hours.
- Once the time is up, the batter should have increased in volume. Take a ladle and mix it well. Your batter is ready.
- For the idlies : Put some water in an idly vessel and put it on medium flame. Oil the idli plate and gently fill the rounds with the batter. Put it inside the idly vessel and let it steam for 6-7 minutes. The key to good idlis – Do not allow it to over cook. It might become hard and dry. Just keep an eye and remove the idlis after 6-7 minutes. Do not remove the idlis immediately. It might stick. Leave it undisturbed for 4-5 minutes and then spoon it out. Serve hot with your favorite chutney or sambar.
Can you tell us total quantity of water used while grinding the batter in a mixie?
Regards
Hi,
I am Karthi.
I am writting my question here looking forward to your answer..
I separately grinded my daal and rice for abt 5-6 minutes only. I had a feeling its grinded well. I thought each grinder is different so i took it out.. idli became HARD, is it because i didnt spend 30 mins to grind it as your article says? Plus i didnt have poha so i added 1/2 of soaked Sago.
My doubts are:
1) is it really must i grind them for 30 minutes or else it becomes hard?
2) my idli became harder and harder time passby. Is that also because of the grinding time or should i be transferred my idli to hotbox as soon as i took it out?
I am a beginner to cooking.. I would really appreciate if you answer my questions.
Hey can I add the poha grind after fermentation?
No. It wont work.
What if I forgot to use fenugreek???
No prob. You will be ok.
Thanks a lot. Shall try it and update you on the outcome. 😛
Hi,
Thanks for the detailed recipe but skin from black urad dal is very healthy and no need to remove the skin. This is what I heard from many.could you please tell will there be any issue with skin.
If you do not mind the color, sure you can use the skin. There is no issue.
Batter does not increase in volume next day. Why?
Hi, could you share the brand of your grinder please? I have not seen one that has a stone grinder before!
Check this out!
https://amzn.to/2AbWWcC
Please please let me know the measurement in grams for ml, as you said 1cup = 240ml. That’s confusing
Hi I’m Uma, a huge fan of your non veg recipes. Checked this recipe of yours. I have a major problem, my batter turns out yellowish. What could be the reason… kindly advice. The idli turned turned but the color is the issue.
If you want a pure white idli, omit the fenugreek.
Hello man,plz tell me what is the measurement of idli batter for 45 persons,plz tell me soon
This recipe will make about 40 small size idlies. You can adjust the recipe depending on how many idlies you are planning to make / how many idlies you are planning to serve a person etc…
Thank you for sharing a detailed recipe for idlis. But to my disappointment,my idlis turned out very hard in the centre and soft at the corners. Few idlis had holes on top.. I don’t know where I went wrong. ..Could u pls guide me on this.. I have taken a pic of the idlis, but unable to attach it here…
That’s bcz the batter was not mixed well.
One more question on Idli. When I was kid, I used to visit my uncle in Viriyur. The idli I ate there had a “distinct aroma”. The aroma is in my mouth, but can’t explain it.
Are you able to articulate this aroma and what is needed to create this aroma?
Hi Suguna – i followed your YouTube Idli instruction to a T. Used “Aval” as well. The batter was stored in the oven with the “oven light” on for about 14 hours. Result: The batter fermented (rose) well. The idli was “soft” and “fluffy”.
However, it did not “sour”. What could I be doing wrong?
Hi Tom, Good idlis should not taste sour. By your description, you have made the perfect idlis. . As the batter ages, by about day 2 or day 3 your idlis / dosas should start becoming sour. Once the batter is sour, we make dosas as the sour taste is more desirable in dosas. Once fermented, it is advisable to store the batter in the refrigerator and use it when required. Thank you.
Regarding the aroma in idlis, I am not sure as to what it might be.
Hi Suguna Vinodh,
The Article on How to Make Soft idli Recipe is amazing. Thanks for Sharing Such an amazing information.
Mam .what is the water ratio for urad dal and rice while grinding. U haven’t mentioned anywhere in the post. I remember when I referred the post last time for making idli batter I found the water:dal ratio. But now it is not found anywhere in the post. Please update it accordingly.
I have used this recipe so many times. I also have a print out of it in my kitchen and today I just want to thank you for the detailed explanation and simplifying the process. I make idlis and dosa like a pro thanks to you. 😀 my husband says thanks too, he is a mad fan of Dosa!!
Thank you so much!
Where is the water quantity for rice and dhaal updated ? It is nowhere !! you are just replying to all posts saying .. watch the video .. and that you have updated the post ! But I do not see it anywhere in the post.
NOTE: water quantity for fenogreek and poha is there. It is NOT there for rice and dhaal.
Why not give out that details clearly ?
Hi Suguna,
I am using ultra perfect wet grinder. But it is not grinding dal very smooth. Even after 35 minutes grinding some whole dal is visible. Why?
How could I overcome this problem? Help me.
Thanks
Hello,
Sharing my experience as I use the same brand wet grinder.
I soak the urad dal, fenugreek and rice in separate bowls for 6 hours and add the drained dal in the running grinder adding one handful of dal every 2 secs. I sprinkle water every five minutes and totally grind the dal for about 30 mins.
This gives me excellent fluffy 10 times increased dal batter.
Note: Three more reasons it may result without fluffing up is
* the dal variety you use. It should be a new one
* washing the dal thrice and soak in cold water. Use the same water to sprinkle while grinding the batter
* if the grinder gets hot, the batter or idlies doesn’t fluff
Hope this helps !
I am based in UK. Could anyone please recommend the wet grinder for making idly/dosa batter. I do have a normal wet grinder (mixer), but I am looking out for the authentic ones with stone .
Is there any south indian / Sri Lankan shop in london or any other area which sells similar appliances / product.
Kindly advise.
Thank you !!!
Avanti .
The idlis came out very soft. But I use cloth when steaming idlis. The idlis stick to the cloth and does not come out fully. What can be done for that. Can you help
Can’t we soak dal n rice together ?
Thanks.
The best part is adding technical stuff into make the end as expected. It will be very rare seeing these details.
God Bless you and your family.
Nandri.
Dearest kannamma… thank you so much for posting such a detailed post on idli /dosa batter..it is indeed fool proof… the idlies turned out soft and fluffy… the measurements are perfect… i made it with and without the poha…both gave me good results… i live in a cold country and the 2 tbsp fenugreek helped a lot in fermentation. I have tried many other recipes but this one is a keeper… thank you once again.
Can I grind aval along with rice in the grinder itself? Instead of grinding seperately in the mixie
Thanks
Useless recipe. The idly did not rise on steaming.
Hi,
We also follow the same measurements and same variety of urad dhal and rice.
I loved the way how detailed your post is. Explaining each and everything. It’s almost like holding the hand and you doing it on behalf of us.
Well, I now have a quick doubt. How to rectify if urad dhal becomes a lil watery than being fluffy? I know something are irreversible but just wondering if you have a solution.
Thank you
Should I keep the idli batter out or in the fridge after grinding the mixture.
For fermentation, yes at room temp. For the first 8-12 hours, it needs to be out. AFter fermentation, you need to store in the fridge.
hi, i just had a query…. the above recipe its mentioned that u can add aval if u keep batter for 2 days.. can v add aval in the above batter though v are not keeping it for 2 days…
Sure. You can. Aval makes for softest texture of idlies.
Awesome. how many servings
I am glad that i found your site.. so amazing tips and detailed explainations,concepts on the traditions that we follow for rasam,atta and other recipes..very happy ..i tried your pachadi it came out awesome firsttime. Can you please post recipe for puri ,urad dal dosa..please
Thanks for the clear instructions. The idlis came out fluffy 🙂
I have a question about the heat generated during grinding.
I have the same grinder as you and I followed the instructions to a T – the grinder got really really hot when I left it to grind the batter for 30 min and 20 min (I used to do it for 10-15 min and it never got hot and I and got okay results). Should I add cold water while grinding? Will that help?
I used only half of the quantity you are using, so is a lesser amount of ingredients a reason for the (really significant – like 60°C) heat?
Thanks 🙂
wow. thats really hot Daya. Stop the grinder in between, give a 10 min rest and go again. That will help.
I use the measurementsin the ratio 3:2:1 i.e.idly rice,normal ponni rice and rad dhal….my mom suggested 2 tbls soya beans and 1 tbls fenugreek…..i let the batter to get fermented overnight.whrm i used the first batterfor idly….though the idliws seemed to be fluufy but it’s texture and appearance was not spongy and was sticky ….please do suggest any solution ????
This is not my recipe.
Please ask the person who suggested this.
My mom suggested idly rice,half boiled rice and uraddhal in the ratio 3:2:1. We add 2,tbls soya bean and1 tbls fenugreek.today morning i prepared idly with the first batter.though my idly looked fluffy but texture was not spongy and was sticky too.i let the batter to get fermented overnight…..please do suggest some solution??? We always use the same measurement
This is not my recipe.
Please ask the person who suggested this.
Hi Suguna ..
I’m preparing the idly batter for the first time.
Could you let me know what would be the total water quantity needed separately for both the dal and the rice while grinding?
Given the exact measurements in the video. do watch.
Sorry for asking basic question. My wife is away and wont be back for another 5 months. Can we store the prepared batter in a refrigerator? How long can i keep?
Just after fermenting, store the batter in the fridge for upto a week.
Hi Thank you for the recipe. I never get it 8-10 times in volume while grinding Urad dal and fenugreek seeds. I am using 1/2 cup of water initially when I add Urad dal and then I add little by little for 30 minutes. What am I doing wrong? Please let me know
Are you using unpolished urad dal? whole?
I noticed from the comments here that a lot of people who are from US and Europe having difficulty with the fermentation of the idly batter. I also live in one of the coldest places in US (Chicago). I always use about 1/4 spoon of dry yeast while grinding the batter. Every time it ferments very nicely and the idlies come out totally fluffy, whether the outside temperature is 100 deg or -40 deg. It never fails. So for those who are disappointed with fermentation process, just add yeast and you won’t be disappointed. Even if the outside temperature is very hot during summer, still the batter will not ferment due to lack of microbes in the atmosphere. We live in a sterile atmosphere here. In India this is not a problem. Word of caution – do not use too much of yeast. 1/4 spoon or even less is suffice.
Ma’am, thanks for the wonderful recipe..tips in the section helps us a lot.. can we add pacharisi to the idly rice while soaking? What is it’s purpose? If so how much is the quantity?
We do not use pacha arisi for making idli. Idli rice is puzhungal arisi.
Mam first time my idlys turned so soft..thank you mam..
Thank you!
Hi everyone, the best easy way for definite fermentation is soak a handful of soya beans with urad dal and grind it along with urad dal,the rest of the procedure is same,this works great in any season,healthy too
If I store the idli batter in the fridge, will I still get soft idli?
Give m e your contact number
Hello Maam, I am an ardent fab of your cooking and follow u on opos school too.
I have a small query. I always use my mixer grinder to make batter, and the idlis are just ok…Mixer jar gets heated a lot.
My toddler loves idlis and demands it 3-4 times in a week…We are a small family of 3. Shall i invest in a wet stone grinder? If yes which one do u recommend or what shall i look for while buying a stone grinder. I know nothing about it. Pls guide me.
Thank u in advance.
Please Check https://www.kannammacooks.com/tips-tricks-making-idli-batter/
Have mentioned the brands etc…
Hi I tried ur recipe n d idlis were too gud to b true. Earlier my idlis were never soft so I had stopped mkg them but after following urvrecipe I mke them quiet often. Thx
Thank you!
Can I combine soaked idli rice ( 1 cup) and urad dal (1/4 cup) for grinding idli batter? I am single and I don’t need too much of batter. I have 1.5 liter wet grinder and quarter cup urad dal grinding is difficult in that wet grinder. I am hearing more of empty stones grinding than Urad dal.
It’s better you grind the ingredients separately. You can use a mixie for such small quantities.
First time I tried and followed the same measurements.. and the idlis didnt come out quite the way it should. Second time , I made no mistakes and still the same results …. wat a time waste … PLEASE TAKE THIS RECPIE DOWN. Pathetic !! Full proof … my foot
There are more than 300+ comments on the blog for this recipe. It has been tried by these many readers to great results. Its a bummer that you dint get the recipe correct.
Hello mam, Thanks for brief explanation. I always confused with measurements bcz we use tumblers for that. Now very clear..
Thank you!
I was wondering if I could use ground rice for the Idlys too. If so what is the ratio and do they need to soak as well?
Thank you!!!
Hi Jozy, Ground rice meaning rice flour??? Rice flour does not work.
Your peanut chutney is favorite in my home. After that it’s almost bye bye to coconut chutney.
I have ordered wet grinder today and first thing I did is to visit your page. Is there any ratio which can give me idlis abd dosas as well? Can the same ratio be used for making dosa?
This recipe works well for both idlis and dosas. For dosas, dilute the batter a little with water.
I live in Dallas, TX. I grinded the batter at 7 30 pm and kept in the oven with light on. I checked the batter next morning around 8 am but the batter did not rise a bit. Here the temp is around 10 now.
Hi Bala, Leave the batter to ferment for 3-4 hours more. It may take more time in cold weather places.
Hi, Firstly I love your detail description of the recipes.Thanks for all the tips. Pls tell me why my batter is not raising even after 12 hours of stay in oven with lights on. I see light yellow colour at the top though.
Regards
Bala
Hi Bala, where do you live and how cold is the weather now? If the temperature is really cold, the batter might not ferment at all.
Hi Kannamma, Thanks for brief explanation. I tried as per your comments it came out gud. My husband n in-laws are fond of idlies. So we frequently used to prepare it’s batter. Here I used 1:4 ratio for me husband n 1yr old son. That is very sufficient for us. But I want to know the ratio for 6-7 members (if my in-laws visits…..) Pls suggest me. Awaiting for your reply.
The recipe makes 40 idlies. I think this would be sufficient.
1 cup is 250 ml.
Thanks
I have made idli batter as per your recipe .may be the quality of udid dal ,it did not come out soft . Can I add poha to the batter to make idlis ,the next day . How much to add . Can you please reply
Thank you
Lalitha
What rice did you use Mrs. Lalitha. If the idlis are not soft, dont worry. The batter is good for making dosas too.
I will avoid adding poha after the batter has fermented.
Hi Suguna
Have u used standard US measures?
In case we need to use other measures (like our tumbler) what is the proportion of fenugreek seeds ?
I’m in the US n for some reason recently my batter doesn’t rise but ferments well . Kindly give ur comments. Thanks.
Yes
1 cup = 240ml
1 tablespoon = 15 ml
1 teaspoon = 5ml
Hello thank you for the elaborate description of the recipe. I’ve tried the batter recipe for the first time and made an error with the measurement of poha. 2 cups instead of 1/2 cup. . rest all the ingredients are as per measurement. Please advice if this would make the batter usable or will I have to throw all of it.?
The batter will be usable. Dont worry but the idlis might be lil flat!
After nicely grinding Utah dal, can we not add rice without taking the uranium batter out. One shot job can be finished. One doubt please, what should be the consistency of the dough, it should be bit rough or very soft?
Cannot be explained better than this!!! Exactly how it’s done at home.. I can picture the wet grinder grinding away and the cottony soft urad batter at the end.,
Thank you!
Hi Kannamma, thanks for the recepie. I tried your recepie and got very soft idlies. Do u also provide recepies for cakes. If yes plz shar the link.
Please check
https://www.kannammacooks.com/category/recipes/baking/cakes/
Hi Suguna,
I live in the US and my batter turns yellow. I used swad Urad dal , Laxmi Idli rice in the ratio 3:1 . With Urad dal I add some fenugreek seeds. I soak it overnight and grind it the next day morning .Idli’s and dosa’s turn out fine but the problem is the color of the batter . Y does it turn yellow? I ferment it in the oven .
Thanks
Also, I use plastic dubba’s To ferment the batter
I have explained it here. Please read
https://www.kannammacooks.com/tips-tricks-making-idli-batter/
Also 3:1 is not good. Please use the correct measurements as given in the recipe.
Dear Mam,
Can I use half cup of cooked rice in batter ??
Regards,
No.
Hello Akka I have a few doubts I prepared batter according to your recipe last night around 12.30 got over.I stay in Dubai and it’s winter now. I kept the batter in fridge last nite and have added salt, today kept outside. When can I use it?? And the quantity u have mentioned in for how many litre grinder.
Thanks in advance.
Why did you keep the batter in Fridge ma? The batter needs to ferment first. After fermentation only, we need to keep in the fridge. A 2-3 liter grinder will work fine.
Akka last time I had kept it out whole nite and the got spoilt coz right now it’s cold here so not fermenting. But next day I kept out in sunlight and it fermented. Thanks a lot 😊
Hi
Ma’am
I am using idli rava for idlies because we won’t like rice idlies,pls let me know the ratios for urad dal and rava.
Can I use avalakki along with urad dal and how much time I have to grind for soft idlies
Please refer this recipe
https://www.kannammacooks.com/make-soft-idli-using-rice-rava-mixie-method/
Thank you Suguna,
You are awesome, everybody love your recipes. How about long grain rice? Can we use the same batter for dosas? I will try buying Par-boiled rice rice, Thanks again!
This batter will work for dosas and you will need par-boiled rice for this recipe.
Hai.. I’m from Sri Lanka.. I would like to know that can we blend poha /aval with the urad dal or rice? Or separately?And in your tips you have mentioned that you have soaked aval only five minutes. And in another place said to soak with the rice ( maximum 12 hours).. Which is the good method?
Poha / Aval needs to be ground seperately
Aval soaked for 5 minutes in enough.
But rice needs to be soaked over nite
I followed your recipe and the idlis and dosas came out super awesome. The dosa was super thin and crispy… yummmmy..I had tried 2-3 more recipes earlier but this is the best one. Thank you so so much.
Thank you so much. Happy that you liked the recipe.
hi kannamma… i’m new to your blog and am loving here. i have a question, is it ok to soak rice and urad dal overnight and grind it next day evening ? my husband is from coimbatore too. where in coimbatore are you located ? do let me know. would love to meet you when i come to coimbatore..:)
Hi Gayathri. Soaking overnight and grinding in the morning is fine (maximum of around 12 hours. Not more than that.) We currently live in Bangalore.
Nicely explained. By reading and following steps anyone can easily understand and make a nice and tasty idli. I think we can use same batter for dosa also?
Sure Neha. It will work for dosas too!
how much time to grind rice and how much for urad dal. my idli became smooth because i ground rice more and my lids like the porous grainy texture, i got grinder and want to know exact timing to get perfect texture of idli
you can grind for half hour each!
Vanakum, my name is Sivamurthi Visvanathan Mudaly (Kenny) fro South Africa and my wife is really eager to make idle but she is not so versed in tamil. Would you be able to provide the ingredients in english eg avalaki
hello madam…. i loved your recipe. will you please tell me about improve white color of idli? my idli batter turn light yellow color. i want to do batter business in maharashtra. please help me mam.
i used ukada rice. idli rice is so costly. so that i m using ukada rice.
You can reduce fenugreek seeds or omit it to get whiter idlis.
Its an unique short fat grained rice Please correct these mistakes as your English is great in other write ups
May I know whats wrong in the sentence?
I made idlis for the first time last week. They were soft. They rose, but after removing from the heat they went flat like a souffle? What could have been the cause. I used 1 cup urad dhal and 2 cups rice. Was the rice too little?
Thanks
Please follow the measurements stated in the recipe. Using too much dal or too much water while grinding may cause this problem.
Hi
Agar ferment nahi huva to kya Karna hai pls bataye
What idli cooker do you recommend?
Something thats heavy. I am not sure of the brand.
Hello ,
Thank you for detailed explanation on grinding quality idli batter .
I want to make half the quantity of your recipe . Which is also easy to to do . But I want to know if I can Add 1/2 cup of Poha and 2 tablespoons of Sabudana too . I usaually add 1/4 cup of cooked rice butwant to replace cooked rice to Sabudana .
Please suggest .
Sure. You can
When should poha be added to the grinder, (if using ) with urad dal or with rice ?
I always grind my poha in mixie only. You can add it to rice too!
Hi Madam
Really very nice recipe. I would like to go on industrial level . Shall I use the same recipe for that also. Is it necessary to add any preservatives for that to keep for 3-4 days ? Please advice me. waiting for your reply.
I am not aware of industrial production of idli batter.
Hello Suguna
Its an absolute pleasure to go through your website and the details with each and every recipe.I would be very grateful if you could please let me known that when i buy rice for idlis or dosa which is the rice i should buy? The ones i search online show the following:-Ponni Bolied Rice, Idly rice, raw rice. Request you to kindly help.
First choice – Idli rice, second – Ponni Boiled Rice is good!
Fenugreek seeds help in fermentation. It is not only for taste.
A visiting male trying to be helpful to my host was looking for tips and lucky to have accessed
your site.Will revert id operation successful
Thank you!
Hi suguna,
I don’t get idli rice/boiled rice where I live. How can I make softer is lies. Any suggestions for me.
Where do you live? Look for par-boiled rice.
Hi Suguna. THKS alot for ur great tips. Tried ur method n my idlies n dosa came out well?
But plz clarify my doubts.?
Firstly why you dunt use the ingredients soaked water to grind?
Secondly my ultra grinder gets hot when itz grinding for 30mins. If time reduced for grinding the dal n rice ,will it affect the softness of the idly.?
Lastly the aval should be soaked for 4hrs or juz 10mins before grinding will do.
Thank you!
Thanks Banu.
1. If you want whiter idli, drain the water used for soaking
2. Ultra getting little hot is ok. you need to grind for a long time for soft texture
3. I soak the aval along with the rice. no problem for 4 hours.
Thk u so much for ur prompt reply!
I also tried ur dindugal thalappakattu briyani. It turned out fabulous!?
Can’t wait to try out more of ur dishes. Keep on going ???
Thank you
this is a fool proof method to make absolutely super soft idlys!! my mom has a name for making the softest idlys in the family – now I just cant wait for her to try mine 😛 hahhaa!! thank you so much for this Suguna!! 🙂
Thank you! Mom vs Daughter game on!
Can you please tell me which brand of wet grinder do you use to grind the batter?
I use Ultra.
Lovely explanation Mam… To be honest while reading a sentence if I feel i am getting a doubt it would be rectified in the next sentence. Appreciate your effort. Keep going!
Thank you!
Very informative. Thanks
Thank you!
Hello Ms. SUGUNA VINODH,
Thank you for the different tips… I have been experimenting and trying to figure out the effect of times, ingredients etc. I used to be able to make decent Idlis, but of late for some unknown reason started getting wrong odors even though fermentation times etc. were right (I blame it on the change of ingredients both on the whole Urid as well as Idly Rava). So I started afresh with your recommended recipe using the Parboiled rice. One question I have is related to the coarseness of the grinding. Urid dal is no problem… making into a smooth paste is easy. However, as use the mixer (Preethi), and had read somewhere that rice needs to be coarse grounded, I would like to ask you if you can give pointers. Should it be coarse ground or is it even critical? Thank you for your help.
I grind my rice fine. But people do grind it slightly coarse. The resultant idlis have a slight difference in texture. If your mixie Is getting really hot, then can settle for coarse texture.
Couple of scientific facts quoted wrongly in your description.
1. When you grind rice, the starch is broken down to some small and medium-size sugars from the enzymes (called amylases) in the rice. It is this enzyme which is also responsible for the paddy to grow into a plant when sown in the filed. Then to aid fermentation you need yeast which is found in the air. The yest gets into the batter and starts to grow using the sugars in the batter. It is this process which makes the batter froth up. The frothing is due to the carbon di oxide formed during fermentation (growth of yeast—just like in beer production)
2. The salt has to be added right after grinding because the yeast needs salt as an essential ingredient for its grown.
Trust me. I have worked in fermentation and I have made good idlies at home.
A million thanks for explaining so much in such minute detail.
You are a perfectionist.
Great help for the people.
Thanks
Thank you!
Hi Suguna,
I don’t get idli rice,I mean boiled rice in the place I live.
I use only the normal rice. Any suggestions.
Thanks
Hi saguna thanks a ton for sharing such wonderful recipe of idli . My idlies use to be rock hard. Now with your recipe I am able to make cotton soft idlies thanks to the exact proportions mentioned by you. I also realised that I was using wrong type of rise. Thanks again
Thank you Sujata.
Hello, Please help I have run out of poha. your reply has worked perfectly for me in the past. but I am nervous now. Can I use something else instead of poha?
Sorry I meant recipe. 🙂
You will need poha.
Hi Suguna..i am Shweta..this seems to be a good recepie …bt i wanted to ask that is it ok if we use mixer grinder to grind this and make batter??!
also my another question would be normal rice would be fine or idli rice is only to be used?
For mixer grinder, use this recipe. http://www.kannammacooks.com/soft-idli-recipe-using-mixie/
I prefer idli rice.
respected suguna sister, this is kumaran from chennai. i have been reading your blog for quite sometime. your recipes are really awesome. i would like to thank for ur service. and i also expect ur kind guidelines. i have the idea of making idli dosa batter for commercial purpose.i’ve read your recipe for the batter.I have some questions.1) is it advisable to grind the ingredients in the INSTANT WET GRINDER which will make the batter in few minutes?. 2) or else it should be done only in the normal wet grinders? 3) is that avalakki should be grind seperately or with soaked rice?
kindly guide me, thank u!
I do not have any experience on the making of commercial idli batter. Sorry about that. You might want to get the help of someone from the industry who can guide you better.
Your recipe is correct. so I thank you, but I want to know,how to make dried Idli flour.please be kind enough to sent me the Idli flour making recipe.thnks
Hello, Loved your recipe. I am making idly for the second time. I followed same measurements as mentioned in your recipe. I live in a cold area. Kept batter for fermenting for more than 24hrs. But unfortunately the batter did not rise or rather did not ferment only. The batter has a sour smell now. Please suggest me what could have went wrong.
Please see my idli tips post to know how to ferment batter in a cold place.
The batter will not ferment unless its kept in a warm environment.
I followed the recipe as explained by you. Have read the all tips and even comments. I have to thank you!! The idlis were super soft and yum!! Thank you so much!! My only concern was, the batter did not increase in volume even after 24hrs of leaving it for fermenting (around 24hrs inside oven, with its light on and few hours outside the oven). I have heard it increases in volume to double the quantity from the time its kept for fermenting to the time when it ferments fully. However idlies were great!
Thanks Swathi. Cover a blanket on the bowl and then keep inside the oven. It will work.
How many hours poha should be soaked
minimum 5 minutes up-to 4 hours.
I’m excited to try this recipe & have a few questions.
1. Would something like a Ninja sufficiently grind the grains? I think also have a Preethi grinder which I’ve never used.
2. Could the idlis be steamed in an Instant Pot instead of a special idli cooker?
3. Is it alright if the batter is fermented for over 12 hours?
Hi Chapin,
1. I would prefer a preethi grinder to a Ninja for making the batter.
2. You do not need a special idli cooker. Its called as an idli cooker (but do not confuse with pressure cooker.) Any pot with a lid will work. Just add an inch of water to the pot, place the idli plates and steam. I do not know much about Insta pot. So I am not able to comment about that.
3. It is alright if it ferments over 12 hours.
All these are covered in my Idli batter FAQ’s. Please read http://www.kannammacooks.com/tips-tricks-making-idli-batter/
Tried it out and idlis turned out so good. Thank you so much. It felt so good to have home made idlis. this recipe saved 100’s of dollars that we have been spending on store bought idli batter.
Thank you Latha.
Hi,
Suguna mam, I really liked this article…. I learnt beautiful tips for making desirable idly… Thanks for share this information……..
Thank you Jack helmen.
Can we make idliys soft with normal rice
Hi, I tried the recipe exactly the way you had mentioned. However, for me it did not come out right. The idli once the gas was turned out after cooking totally deflated. They puffed up really nicely but then deflated instantly. The color also did not stay too white. I had guests over and I made it was so disappointed. Don’t know what could have gone so wrong.
The main reason why the batter deflates is because the batter was watery.
Do not add too much water while making the batter.
Hi Suguna- many thanks for the detailed recipe. I live in the U.K. How much in advance would you recommend preparing the idli batter as the cold weather does not usually permit proper fermentation. I need to prepare the idols on Thursday evening. Can I grind on Tuesday or Wednesday ? Your response will be highly appreciated.
You can grind on tuesday evening and once the batter ferments, store in the fridge and use it. Thanks.
Thank you Ma’am, I can’t wait to try. However, when you refer to cup, which cup are you referring to as there are many sizes.
Regards
Kumutha
Hi I have stated the measurements in the recipe.
Measurements used
1 cup = 250 ml (approx)
1 tablespoon = 15 ml
250ml means in grams…how much…250 gms ah….
Well explained. For me, 1cup dal,5 cups rice, little poha, little pacharisi (for red dosa) these ratio working well.
Hi Suguna,
Thank you so much for this. I live in England and I’ve tried making my own dosa/idli batter many times before but it’s never been this good. I followed your suggestions to a T and I can’t believe how good it turned out. I also made the Annapoorna sambar to go with the idli and that was fabulous too!
A big tip to people living in cold countries like me. I recently bought an Instant Pot and I fermented the batter using it in the yoghurt mode. Perfect temperature = perfect batter.
I have been on the hunt for the perfect medu vada recipe (crispy and crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside); do you have any magic tips or recipe for that too?
Thanks again!
Thank you so much. Really glad you like it! Will post the recipe for the vada soon!
I cook the same way.but i add a handfull of white avil ( soaked).it comes out super soft and fluffy and also white
Thank you!
Hi suguna mam.I want to know which utensil is good to use for idli making.I have used aluminium utensil which is fully covered & I never got good idli.
I prefer stainless steel.
Hi, I have some fried ( tawa fried without oil ) urad dal can it be used for idly batter.
The good bacteria would be dead after heating the dal. Heated dal wont work.
Hello Suguna Garu,
Do you add 1 cup of Poha in addition to 4 cups of idly Rice or use 3 cups of Rice if you use 1 cup of Poha?
How long do I cook in a regular container ? I don’t have Pressure Cooker or Idly Cooker.
Hi Yasodhara Reddy,
1 cup poha in addition to 4 cups.
you can steam for 7-10 minutes in any container.
Hi Suguna,
One clarification, regarding grindding ural dal. Below instructions is for 1 cup of urad dal or 4 cup of urad dal?
Add half a cup of water in intervals of 10 minutes for two to three times. So thats 1.5 cups of water in total.
Have updated water qty in post!
Suguna: Thank you so much for your wonderful idli recipe. Pictures look awesome.
I have a 1.25L wet grinder and I only make 1/2 cup urad dhal to 2 cups idly rice proportion and 1/2 TBS methi seeds. Re: the grinding….should I cut the grinding time in half since the proportions are half? For example, you mentioned to grind the urad dhal for 30 min; but this was for a cup of dhal. Should I only grind for 15 minutes instead since I am only using 1/2 cup?
The idlis I make are hit or miss. Sometimes they are soft and fluffy and other times flat and hard. Just trying to make the idli making process more predictable.
Thanks for your reply.
Sharda
Hi, you can just halve the recipe above and use it for your grinder size. If need be, grind in batches.
Take 30 minutes to grind as 1.25l grinder is a really small grinder and 15 minutes wont work.
To make soft idlis all the time, soak aval/poha for 10 minutes and grind along with rice. Qty of poha 1:1 to urad dal. Try to add poha. Whatever mistake you make while grinding, poha will make up for softness.
Thanks.
I think it is very good combination of Urdu and rice thank u for good information how much liter batter will get from this mixture
Hi,
I came across your site while looking for a basic vanilla sponge cake, which I am going to try tomorrow.
I am amazed at amount of detailing done by you for idli, a simple tiffin. My idlis so come out soft n fluffy but am going to try out this to see the difference.
Best part about your recipe was the explanation behind what to use and why like that.
Good luck.
Taruna.
Thank you!
Madam,
A big thanks for the idly recipe(mixi method).Just tried the method in Toto.It came out excellent.A small query, in Kolkata we at times face regular supply of idly rice.But normal par boiled rice is available thru out the year.Shall I get the same result if this local par-boiled variety is used.Pl elaborate on this issue.Thanks again.
par boiled rice should work fine. Try it and let us know.
I have tried the mixi method with the same ratio adding poha accordingly.Even using less water,the batter turned up little watery after adding salt.
The final result was awesome fluffy idlyies.Thanks for such an excellent ratio and detailed elaborations.
One small query. In Kolkata at times getting idly rice faces problem,but we get normal par boiled.Will it make any difference in quality.Pl elaborate on this.Thanks again to show the way for super spongy idlyies.
Hi I followed the receipe as you described, idli came out soft and pluffy but after few minutes out in air, it hardened! And prepared dosa after 2 days it was so crispy or elastic. What should I do?
How many minutes did you cook idly?
Don’t know exactly, in the middle I opened once and checked by inserting the spoon, initially i saw batter and cooked again for 2-3 min, then checked again. This time the idly was cooked well and pluffy too!
Hi Kannamma can I use idly batter recipe like
par boiled rice- 3 cup
raw rice – 1 cup
urad dal- 1 cup
I have never tried!
Also please post a picture of the final idli batter consistency, with the thickness, so it will be useful for newbies like me. Your recipe was very useful, I just made the first idli batter in grinder my life. Hope it turns out well
please check my idli tips post. have posted a video of the idli batter consistency.
Hi, do I need to cover the idli batter vessel while fermenting, or should I keep it uncovered.I am fermenting it in the oven with oven light on.
you need to keep it covered.
Very very soft idli.&annapoorana hotel sambar super combination madam. I tried tommorow. Madam I want masala pani puri in Tamil nadu style. Pls share this recipe
Madam I want masala pani puri
The idli recipe you have given serves 40. What do I do if I only want it for 6-8 people. (I don’t have an idea about how much it will increase while fermentation)
This doesnt serve 40 people. This recipe batter makes 40 idlies.
Perfect perfect perfect recipe..??got to make the ever best idli..
Thank You!
Hi Kannamma,
It is really a fool proof receip. Tips and tricks are explained beautifully. First time i got soft idlis….they were as soft as jasmine.. love you for giving tbis foolproof receip…
Thank you so much Sahana. Virtual hi-5 for the jasmine idlies!
Thank u so much… Although my idlies were good in India I’ve been having problem with it in US… After several failed attempts, I came across ur recipe while searching desperately for tips… Wonder it was… Got the perfect idlies again. Thanks again
Thank You!
Hi Suguna,
Fellow CBEian here 😀
If you add the salt after fermentation, does stirring the batter to distribute the salt cause the idlis to harden? Doesn’t it deflate the puffiness generated by the fermentation? (Like you mother & grandmother, I use the same batter for idli & dosa.)
Rajashree
This batter ferments well with good aeration. I always mix well before making idlies. I have heard that few people just do not disturb the batter and they try to keep the air as much as possible after fermentation. I tried that method and the idlis were very porous and not to my liking. I always mix the batter well – salt added or not. And it would deflate a little but the idlis puff up well in steaming. The batter ratio makes for it.
Thank you so much for the prompt response, Suguna. I’ll have to try the stirred version.
Btw, the AP sambar recipe rocks!
Thank you Kannamma, I followed your recipe and got the softest of idlis that were ever made at our home.
Thank you so much. Really glad that the recipe worked for you!
Hi, I tried idli this morning…it turned out to be slightly hard and elastic…am not sure of the reason..sense I might have overcooked it…will try out cooking method based on your article…Hopefully Idli should come out well this time
I had added 1:2 ratio Urad dal: Rice..batter seems to be good.
1:2 ratio for rice and idli is not correct. It obviously wont be good. Why don’t you follow the recipe?
Thank you so much Suguna!
I am going to buy myself a stone grinder and do this!
Hi Archana, Why dont you try this recipe to begin with. http://www.kannammacooks.com/soft-idli-recipe-using-mixie/ This gives awesome idlis too!
Hey Suguna,
Thanks Thanks and Thanks a lot for this recipe. I am from Pune and have been eating idlis since childhood, but it never came out like Murgan idlis. I always used to wonder how do they cook. I tried your recipe, with just a small change , I added 1/2 teaspoon of methi seeds. Results were amazing. Thanks you Suguna..so happy with this recipe.
Thank you SK.
hi suguna,
i want the recipe to make appam,can you let me know,
Thanks in advance
You can browse the recipes and you will find it.
Suguna, this turned out awesome. I feel like idli rock star! Thank you.
One question, my idli stand has holes in it and batter leaked quiet a bit. Is that normal?
I see your idli don’t have wholes, is that what should be preferred?
Thank you Nish. If the idli plate has holes, better do thuni idlies. I have explained thuni idlies in here. http://www.kannammacooks.com/tips-tricks-making-idli-batter/
Hi suguna, is it ok to add raw rice as well to make idli and dosa .. If so pls give the ratil.. Toa..
Hi Safi. Please go through http://www.kannammacooks.com/tips-tricks-making-idli-batter/
Your questions are explained.
Hi the mixie recipe is superb.Thanks for sharing it.
Dear Madam,
We are batter manufacturer. We have one issue on this. Once the batter was prepared we packet that and move to delivery. Within a hour the packet was formed with air ( ubbina mathiri aagi vidukirathu). Not all the packets but some packets. Why? Whats the wrong with our method we don’t know and we can’t identify. Due to this our production was affected. Kindly give some suggestion how to avoide and rectify this.. we do not use preservatives. We are not intrest on this. Pls help us.
The batter balloons up because of fermentation. But I dont know how to avoid it or handle it. Please contact someone in the commercial food business.
Hello ! Can this recipe be followed for grinding in mixie
Please check http://www.kannammacooks.com/soft-idli-recipe-using-mixie/
How do you grind fenugreek in a cup? Do you mean you dump the tiny quantity of fenugreek in the wet grinder before you add Udad? Isnt that a very, very, very small quantity and will it grind at all?
Try it! 🙂
yes you dump the small quantity along with water.
Grind the soaked fenugreek seeds with a cup of water for 3-4 minutes until they are finely ground and have fluffed up.
It works!
Hi
Everything work fine
Only one doubt the idly puffs up while in the cooker but suddenly sinks the minute I open the cooker. I make mine in a regular cooker without the whistle…. Where am I going wrong?
Pls help
Thanks in advance
The reason for flat idlis is either its watery batter or its not fermented well.
Hi, I soak with 3 times of volume of water to 1 volume of urad. And use up all that water. The fenugreek ground first is new to me. Great tip, will try soon.
Thank you
Varalekshmy
Thank You!
Hi there
Vendayam is to be added for dosa batter is it not !!!
yeah. I like the aroma of vendayam when dosa gets roasted.
Amazing results ! Absolute Science of the breakdown of a substance by bacteria under specified conditions long before I studied of fermentation. Can never be said better of the most comfort food.
so true sir.
hi, I have a query. Everytime i m trying to ferment the dough it has some yellow spots on top and when i steam them there are red spots in it. I have added 1 cup urad dal and 3 cups rice with 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds. Can you tell me whats the problem?
This is something new I am hearing. Would be able to send me a pic. It might be due to the rice. What rice are you using. and 3:1 is too much urad dal. You need atleast 4 cups rice.
I am not able to post the pic here. I used idli rice.Next time I will add 4 cups rice. Is there a way I can send you the pic? your email id or something ☺️
you can send it to sugunaindia at gmail dot com
Dear Kannamma,
Thank you so much for this very helpful post. I live in Italy and recently I’ve started making idli batter. But the catch is that although my dosas turn out super crisp, my idlis never fluff up. I feel it’s the fermentation that doesn’t ever happen (I leave the batter overnight but it never ferments). Could that be the issue for the flat idlis? Also, idly boiled rice isn’t available so I have to use only raw rice (thai bonnet variety). Could that be the other reason? If it’s raw rice, what proportion do you suggest? Thanks in advance
Sheerja
Hi Shreeja,
Try sourcing par boiled rice. Raw rice is not good for idli making.
Also try adding little poha to get better idlis. It helps.
Hi Kannamma,
Once I tried with a parboiled rice I found here, but the idlis were a disaster. So were the dosas…they just did not gel. But I found that using raw rice at least brought out good dosas. So you think it doesn’t have to do with the fermentation (or the lack of)?
Thanks!
You may try one more time with the poha added. Recipe is there in the site (mixie method). make sure to grind a thick batter.
Hi kannamma,
Anthr smll dbt…if I add more fenugreek seeds wil the idlis b white??actlly til nw I usd nly vry little fenugreek..but i came to knw tat more of fenufreek seeds mks idls m dosas nyc…so I chckd into ur site…n u too hv suggstd the same…so tis is the nly dbt n also if in case it cums yellow hw to Mk it cum white?pls do Tel me tips…
Dear Keerthana, if you want a white idli, you have to skip the fenugreek seeds.
Hi kannamma,
U hv gvn measurmnts fr 4 cups of ryc…if I tk 6 cups of ryc thn cn I split it as 4 + 2 cups…n fr frst 4 cups gvn measrmnts n fr nxt 2 cups,hlf of the gvn measumnts?…
Yes keerthana. That will work. You can halve the ingredients.
Hi Suguna,
What a lovely recipe to make super soft yummy idlis! Thank you so very much!
I am waiting to try it out at the earliest.
… Waiting ’cause I’m planning to buy a wet grinder soon!
(maybe i will try out the mixie version until then 🙂 and let you know )
Couple of queries please:
First – reg. Wet grinder
https://www.elgiultra.com/wet-grinders
– I plan to buy the Ultra – earlier planned on Ultra Pride Plus, but when I check the website now, there are newly named models. Appreciate if you could please check it out at the link above and let me know which will be close to that one?
– Also, we are a family of 3, so will the 1.25 ltrs. suffice? I read your comment below that 2l should be minimum to buy. But I also recently read someone mention that for less batter quantity, do not go for a 2l one as it may not grind too well for smaller quantities. Is that so?
So, I thought of the Dura+ or Micro 1.75 l (do not like the red colour, though!)
1.25l capacity – how much batter qty. will it make?
What about the 2l capacity? (you mentioned ~40 idlis)
Secondly, the salt –
Will crystal salt be ok to add?
(did you mean the same thing by rock salt?)
Sorry for the long post..
thanks once again,
Hasita
Thank you Hasita. I would strongly suggest to go for 2 litre minimum as urad dal fluffs up when ground. Regarding model, I will go for the simple one that just does the grinding. I hardly see people use it for other stuff. For 40 idli quantity, you will need a 5 liter plus wet grinder. I have suggested my preferred model of wet grinder in this post. Please check it out. http://www.kannammacooks.com/tips-tricks-making-idli-batter/
And lastly, crystal salt is ok to add! Yes I meant the rock salt!
Hi.. can you please tell me the exact amount of water we need to use while grinding each??
Have updated water qty in post!
Hi reshma, please check this out!
http://www.kannammacooks.com/tips-tricks-making-idli-batter/
Excellent explanation of our favourite breakfast dish. It looks like a very simple dish but the trick is making them soft which is explained here pretty well. Thanks a lot.
Really happy to know that you liked the article Shaheen!
Superb explanation and crisp n clear instruction. I liked the dos n donts which clears my doubts. I will follow your page regularly.
Thank you so much.
Suguna,why do the idlis that I make become hard the next day ? I thought idlis remained soft for a long time.let me tell you my ratio. 4 cups idli rice 1.5 cups round Ulud. Dhal .no fenugreek seeds since I like my idlis to be spot white!! Soaked overnight and ground in wet grinder. I cook it for at least 10 mins. Perhaps that is the glitch!!
Please advise.
Idlis will definitely dry out the next day 🙂
Maam, one clarification- should I use the same ratio for Dal to rice,even if I use split black dal as some of the weight goes with the skin.
yes. the volume remains the same.
Hi. Followed your method and finally i made soft and tasty idlis. Thank you for sharing the best recipe.
Yes,the final idli is slightly yellow in Color .if I discard the water and grind, i feel the nutrition (to some extent)will be lost .
Pl advise
Lalitha
Yes thats true. Its a trade off!
This worked like a breeze .. I completely followed this step by step including timings and got soft idlis 🙂 which otherwise I would never get …. Thank you soooooo much
That’s so nice Nalini! You are most welcome!
I tried this method . Idli came out well but the Color of idli is not white . When ground vendhayam is mixed ,the batter became slightly yellowish . Do we have to remove the soaked water from methi seeds before grinding . Pl suggest .
Thanks
Lalitha
If you find its too yellow, you can drain the water and then grind. Is the final idlis yellow too?
Thank you so much for this! I was skeptical as it seemed tedious at first (I used to grind everything together) but it was well worth it..thank you for this!
So nice Deepa!
Please refer to my mail dt.2.4.16 on the subject. I continued to search the net for making the soft idlis. Today I prepared the softest idlis of my lifetime with a slight variation in the quantity of ingredients.
Urad Dhal = 3/4 cup Plus 1 tspn. of methi seeds
Idli rice = 4.5 cups plus 1 tblspn of flat rice
I used less water while grinding urad dal about 1 cup. The idli batter was of thick pouring consistency. As here in Delhi, India weather is warm, I soaked the ingredients for 2 hours only.
By keeping the consistency of thick pouring consistency as advised by you, I have been able to get the desired results.
Thank you very much for your asistance.
This is so cool news Ajay. You kept working on it. I really appreciate it. Super happy that the idli was a success. A big hi five from here.
Hi! Thanks so much for a detailed recipe. I don’t have a wet grinder. Could you please tell me the ratio for ural dal and rice for a regular grinder? I have a Bajaj mixer/grinder. Thanks so, so much!
Please refer to this recipe.
http://www.kannammacooks.com/soft-idli-recipe-using-mixie/
Just saw your reply! Thanks a ton!! 🙂
Hi kannamma many thanks for your speedy reply we did what you suggested and our idly turned out perfect it was fantastic to taste idly just like we did on our india holiday all our memories came flooding back.my wife and I are eternally grateful. Again many thanks.
regards dave and sue price
Thats really nice to know Dave. Super happy that the recipe was a success. Happy cooking.
Excellent mam saab…I am from Malaysia and I am entering in to wet Idly maavu business…as here people buy idly maavu in dry powder form and dissolve in water and make idlys after 15 minutes and call it as idly..i am going to strictly follow your guide lines and hope to win in the wet idly maavu business…tons of thanks to you..
Wish you all the very best Janagi!
Very good results with your instructions. Both idli and dosa came out very well. Thank you so much
Really glad you liked the recipe. Thank You!
Hi kannamma my wife and I have just returned from a holiday in India and fell in love with idli.we have been attempting to make idli since we
Manage to get the batter to ferment and rise which it dies fine but when we cook the idli they don’t rise in the pan and end up stodgy, could you suggest a remedy please. thanking you in advance dave price
Too runny a batter might give you tough idlis. The batter should be to that of the consistency of pan cake batter.
I fermented it for around 15 hours. As the weather now a days is not very cold and during nights the temperature is around 23 to 27 degree Centigrade. The batter was sour and well fermented. While steaming the idlis the batter was poured in the mould upto the full level. After steaming instead of any increase in volume, the size of idlis were decreased considerably. The idlis became flat. It looked like that the batter did not contain anything that will increase in size due to steaming process. When we boil rice it will rise in size but here in this case the rise in size was very less. The final idlis did not have the idli like shape. The shape was more like a flat thick roti. After steaming for 20 minutes, the batter instead of increasing in size upward, became flat and even covered the area outside the mould Still the idlis were not rubbery though the air bubbles were not there and were not bad in eating. The idlis did not have the familiar grainy like content.
I am really sorry Ajay that the recipe did not work for you. The only thing I am thinking might be that the batter was too runny which might give very flat idlis.
Madam, I again tried today with 4:1 ratio but again the result was flat idlis. This time the idlis were soft in eating but without any fluffiness. While grinding dal I used 2 and one fourth cup of water. For grinding rice, I used 3.5 cups of water. Is the ratio of water is more than required resulting in flat idlis. Please guide. Fermentation was good and the batter was having cream like consistency. I grinded urad dal for 20 minutes and rice for 20 minutes.
For how many hours did you ferment?
Can you tell me For how many hours did you ferment? Did the batter increase in volume? Usually in Indian weather, it needs about 6-8 hours in summer.
What can i use aside from grinder?
You can use a heavy duty mixie!
Please refer to this recipe.
http://www.kannammacooks.com/soft-idli-recipe-using-mixie/
Madam, I am a Punjabi residing in Delhi. I recently purchased a wet grinder Ultra especially for making soft idlis. But due to an oversight I used 3:1 ratio instead of 4:1 as mentioned in the receipe. Though the fermentation was perfect but still the idlis were not soft and were rubber like texture without any pores. Was it due to the wrong ratio or over grinding. I am also bit confused about what should be the pouring consistency of idli mixture. I had to face a lot of criticism from my wife for spending Rs.6200/- on purchase of a wet grinder.
I am sure I will succeed one day in making soft idlis with your guidance.
Looks like the problem was with wrong ratio. The batter should be airy.
Just do it again with correct measurement and I am sure you will have good idlis. After full fermentation at room temperarure please store batter in fridge. Don’t hesitate to mail me.
Kannamma.. Youuuu rock ma! My idli came out sooo awesome. I followed everything you said to the last point. Thank you so much
Thank you Sugana for this detailed idly recipe. If I want to make batter in one batch to prepare idlis later, how long-how many days- it can be stored in a refrigerator? any salt variations has to be followed ? like salt only at time of cooking Idlis or so?
Thank you
Sangita
The idlis will come good for two days after fermenting. The third day, it will be a bit hard. You can add salt in the beginning. No need to add in batches.
Hi Sugana,
I stumbled upon your blog. Very detailed instructions, excellent blog. Will definitely visit again.
A comment caught my eye, you mention you do not recommend split white urad daal. Can you explain why. I have always made my idly batter using the same proportion as your recommendation, but with split white urad daal.
Split dal is more processed. I never use that for idli batter.
It’s more processed. So I never use split dal.
Hi, I tried your recipe today, it’s work nicely,very smooth white, but the taste is something different, I don’t why?
Hi Suguna
Let me know the ratio mixing in KGS
Can you please give me your mixing in kilograms,
I don’t have in kilograms. Sorry.
Hi Suguna
I made this recipe this week with idli rice and just we just had idli for dinner and I am just delighted with the result – great tasting idli!
I have tried other recipes from the internet and had Indian friends coach me but this is the best!
I used a Magimix food processor instead of a grinder.
I love your recipes
Thank you
Thats really nice to hear. Thank you so much.
Hi
I tried the procedure, it turned soft, little sticky but not white. I used wet grinder and same proportions as instructed, It became off white, I dont know what went wrong, please suggest
Thanks
Too much fenugreek i guess.
Hi, we are making idle but after 2 hour the idle gets hard.how to get soft idle and the softness will retain for long time. pls comments.
Dont over cook idlis. That might be the problem
What grinder to use for half a liter batter? Where to purchase? Thanks in advance.
awesome….thanks for sharing your experiments with idli batter.This was what I needed.
Hi suguna
Should we add water to the batter if it is too thick before actually making idlis.
Or should the water that we add while grinding be enough?some say adding water later on makes the idlis flat and not fluffy?
If the batter is too thick, there is nothing wrong in adding a bit water Pushpa. I do that all the time. Too much water will make the idlis flat but add less for the first batch so you would know whether that was enough or whether you might need more. adjust accordingly.
Hi Suguna,
I stumbled across your web site,while surfing.Your instructions are very clear and the photographs are excellent.Just wanted to show my appreciation.:)
Thank you very much.
Have not tried yet but looks good
Suguna,
One more question as I master this receipe – What exactly is “Idli Rice”? Is “Raw” (e.g. as in Ponni Raw rice) or “Parboiled”?
You stated that the idli rice is also called “salem rice” in Tamil Nadu. I assume salem is NOT a brand, but a nick name. Did I get this right?
Thanks.
Yes. You are right. Salem is a rice variety like ponni or IR20 that’s used exclusively for idly making. Its parboiled rice variety. The variety is called Salem Car.
Suguna,
Thank you. Tried the receipe with a Vitamix Blender. The Idlies came out very soft.
However, I feel the fenugreek was overpowering the taste. Did you mean 2 TABLEspoon or TEAspoon?
Tom
2 tablespoon or 30 ml for a liter of rice. Thats what we use.
Suguna:
A few questions:
1. What “brand” of wet stone grinder do you use or recommend.
2. If I bought a 2 liter grinder, would it be too “big” to grind 1 table spoon of fenugreek seeds. (It is just the two of us, so we want to minimize the quantity).
3. You suggested “Split Black Urad Dal”. Why not “Whole” black urad dal.
4. If it is too hard to remove the skin of the black urad dal, is there any harm in using it without removing the skin. i.e. will the black skin result in a bitter or other type of taste.
5. As a kid, I used to visit my uncle in Tamil Nadu. My memories of the idli then (it has been a while) is that it used to have a nice fragrance (I am not able to explain the type of fragrance – If I smell one, I know!!). Any idea of what I am talking about?
Hi Tom, Here are the answers to your questions.
1. What brand of wet stone grinder do you use or recommend? I am from Coimbatore and most of the wet grinders are manufactured from my town. I strongly recommend ELGI Ultra.
2. You will be ok. No worries with the small quantity
3. The problem with whole urad dal is that, you will not be able to remove the skin after soaking. The skin will come off after soaking if its split urad dal but not whole.
4. I have never tried doing idli with whole urad dal nor tasted one. so cant comment on the taste. but its definitely not harmful. There are other indian recipes that use whole black urad dal and so I am pretty sure its infact healthy.
5. I am thinking its the feremented aroma of fenugreek.
Hope this helps. Happy Cooking.
Suguna,
I meant to say”flavor”, not fragrance in question number 5 above.
Thanks,
tom
Yes Tom. I meant both and idlies come the best when made just after fermentation. The next day preferably. You can use it comfortably for 3-4 days storing the batter in the refrigerator but it will slightly start souring!
It’s pleasure to share, idly is my favorite food but when we grind ingredients we are not put fenugreek. We thought colour would not nice. Is it correct mam? Thank you
The little fenugreek never intereferes with the colour. Infact it helps in good fermentation and its very healthy.
Respect! That is the first thing which comes to mind. You have opened the alibabas cave and given out a treasure of rules to be followed to make world best idlis. I’m lost for words and cannot write more as we are enjoying them right now. Cannot thank you enough. (Five stars is the limit which is unfair to rate, need more)
Thank you so much for writing in Aditi! It means a lot to me. I am super happy that you guys nailed it!
Howmany idlies can we get?
40-50 idlies!
Idly truns to different color due to the rice. U must wash the rice atleast 3-4 times to get white idlies.
Hi Suguna, thank you very much for the recipe. I tried and followed your recipe and it turns out so good.
Thanks once again.
Nice to hear Loges. Happy Cooking!
Hi suguna,
I want to clarify the amount of vendayam.is it 2 tablespoon or teaspoon?
Its 2 tablespoons or 30 ml. 1 Cup used is equal to 250 ml. I used 1 litre idli rice for this recipe. It makes lot of idlies.
Hello..i tried your idli recipe with half the the amount and it turn out very well..thank you.my doubt is that the aroma of fenugreek is very strong and the colour of the idli was not so white..i did follow your recipe to the core!….idli rice was washed until clear,the only think is i used a blender! Thank you.
You can reduce the fenugreek a little if you do not like it Jayanty. But the recipe gives white idlis. I am thinking what might have gone wrong.
Hi, Recently came across ur blog n found it really useful. Can u let me know the idly cooker brand that u r using… I earlier had premier n now pigeon. the quality of stainless steel is very poor. Within just few weeks of usage there were bruises as if I had dropped it from 3rd floor. Urs looks like traditional idly cooker. can u giv me the details???
Its not branded Nisha. Its a very old one that was bought years back from Coimbatore. Yeah I agree the quality of the cookers are really bad. You can get good ones in local markets. If you are in COimbatore, visit Kamala Stores.
I tried yr receipe yesterday. I used a mixer for. Preparing the batter.the. Idlis were soft .and the. Dosas were Also. Soft and spongy. 1st time I could make such soft dosas..thank you very very much for sharing this wonderful receipe
Thank you Kalpana. I am glad you liked it.
Hello suguna
After I saw grinding the fenugreek seeds separately , I started following your method. Could you please tell me the proportion of using black urad daal (split) is to rice for making idlies.
Thanks
Subha
Hi Subha, I never use split urad dal for idli batter. I always use only whole urad dal.
Hi Suguna, I tried your recipe this week with idly mix and using a ninja blender and it turned out really soft and fluffy…which is a first! Thanks!
Thank you Blessie. Thats really nice.
Will kolam boiled rice or any regular boiled rice work as well ?
It will work but it will not be as soft as idly rice.
Thanks for the quick response. Is there an alternative to the Salem rice? I live in Pune so not sure if Salem rice will be available here. Thanks.
Just check in the grocery store for idli rice. Let me know if you are able to find them.
Please let me know that how mixer will be use instead of wet grinder? Also suggest which blade will be use in mixer?
Hi Ranjan, This post is specifically for making idli in wet grinder. The batter proportion in mixie is a little different. Will post one real soon!
Awaiting your valuable tips “the batter proportion with method in mixer”.
Please refer to this recipe.
http://www.kannammacooks.com/soft-idli-recipe-using-mixie/
Last time when i made idles they were like rock…. but this time i followed your recipe and they came out awesome… when i served it to my dad he was expecting rock idles but as he took first bite he started smiling and just said, ‘Perfect.’ Thank You ma’am for sharing this recipe, all credit goes to you… Thank You once again 🙂
WOW!!!!! Shadab! Your comment means a lot to me. I am really happy that your dad enjoyed the idlies. Happy cooking!
Dear Kannamma,
Thank you for giving me absolutely fine receipts.”..
Thank you so much Anita Murali!
I tried 5 time to make idli but I failed it become massive like halwa after cooking . I follow every step to make ildli better still result is not good.
I am really sorry to hear this. Can you tell me more about how u did the recipe like which rice did you use? grinder or mixie? How many minutes did you cook?
can i use basmati rice for making idlis as they are available at home or parmal rice
Basmati rice wont work for idlies Aditi. Somehow the starch content doesnt help in fermenting well.
Since my wet grinder is small. I am planning to halve the recipe.
What should I do about the grinding time? Reduce it or keep it the same
The grinding time will remain the same!
suppose i dont want to make idlis from the whole batter at one time then should i keep the remaining batter in fridge and take out from fridge before two hours for making next batch? please advice .
thanks.
You are right Meenakshi. Always store the batter in the refrigerator else the batter will sour. You can take the batter an hour before for making idli or dosa.
Extremely sorry Suguna for writing the wrong name.
Absolutely no problem!
Oh I forgot to mention that I used a mixer…and I wonder what would be the result if I had a wet grinder.
Hello Sugandha,
Your idli recipe turned out so good that it compelled me to leave a comment ( this is my first ever for a blog)! I live in germany and as you can imagine Idlis are a dream to achieve in such cold countries. But your recipe managed to do some magic. I had left the batter in a stainless steel atta dabba (which is pretty tall). Today morning to my surprise the tight lid had opened and batter flew out. It was so well fermented! My husband very happily took them to his office and my two year old was almost jumping for idlis. My husband is a german but he definitely knows how good idlis taste and his eyes were gleaming at the sight of those soft idlis. Heartfelt thanks to you for sharing this recipe.
wow. wow. wow…Really really happy with your idli success story Pooja. Virtual hi5 to you. I am really glad your 2 year old loved the idlis. That really makes my day and your comment means a lot to me. Thank you very much. 🙂 🙂 🙂
Thanks for replying my. 1st query but the second one remains unanswered
You can use the same proportions Kalpana. Make sure the mixie does not get overly heated up. Hope this helps.
many types of rice known aš idli rice r available in the market.which one should i buy. i use a mixer
What should b the. Proportion of rice and urid dal.except for the south indians many people don’t have wet grinders
I have told the variety of rice as salem rice in the post Kalpana.
Hello,
Loved your idli recepie. Till date have read quite a few idli recepies but no one absolutely no one had the heart to open up on the secrets of cotton soft idlis. But need ur guidance for buying a wet grinder. Should I go for a 3 stone or 2 stone wet grinder? We are going in for 1.25 litres since ours is a small family. Please do guide me and thanks once again for the lovely recepie
Thank you Nivedita. I have a two stone grinder and all my folks back home use 2 stone ( 3 stone came in recently and all our grinders are more than a decade old 🙂 atleast!) They last for a long time. I really do not know the specifics when it comes to the 3 stone wet grinders. Having said that please read reviews online in places like amazon before buying. My advice would be to go for a minimum of 2 litre’s. The urad dal really fluffs up and 1.25 litres may be a really really small one. Trust me you will not regret having gone for a bigger one. Hope you have great idlis!
Hi ,
just wanted to know whether this recipe will go for dosa also…
Yes, just dilute the batter a little bit with water if very thick. Hope u have a good dosa.
And……… I had the most delicious soft yummy idlies
I have never been successful in making soft/ malli poo idlies….and I had kind of given up on it But your recipe is tempting me to try it
Thank you.
Why are you using rock salt and not the regular salt?
Its minimally processed 🙂 Tastes better too.
Thank you! I will check it out ..
Waiting for your reply mam on the above query! Thanks
Sorry if I was late. I like Tata unpolished dal these days.
Gonna try this can u tell me which brand urad dhal you use?
I am not very particular about the brand miss Kalyani. But I make sure its unpolished urad dal. The polished urad dal-they call it as nylon urad. I do not use that.
Perfectly made
Guna..Idly or cotton?
Awesome tips..
Thank You very much.