Idli Batter is generally prepared using a wet grinder. But, it can also be prepared using a mixture grinder. The ingredients are same for both, but there has to be minor adjustments in the quantity of the ingredients used.
Ingredients
Idli Rice – 3 cup
Skinned Whole Black Gram (Akka Urad Dal) – 1 cup
Flattened Rice (Poha / Aval) – 1 cup
Fenugreek (Methi) Seeds – 1 tsp
Salt – 2 tsp
Ice Cold Water (Chilled Water) as required
Preparation:
Wash and soak Rice in a vessel for 3 to 4 hours. Wash and soak Skinned Whole Black Gram (Akka Urad Dal) in water in another vessel for 3 to 4 hours.
Mix Beaten Rice (Flattened Rice / Aval/ Poha) and Methi and soak in water for 3 to 4 hours. The water level should be two inch above while soaking as above.
Drain the water and grind Fenugreek and Beaten Rice first for 4 to 5 minutes till it becomes fluffy. Add Chilled water as required while grinding. Transfer to a big bowl.
Grind Black Gram adding chilled water little by little till it attains a smooth buttery texture. Do not allow it to become watery. When it takes the batter in a spoon, it should remain in a heap and should not flow down. Once this consistency is attained, mix this with the beaten Rice and Methi batter.
Now, Grind the Rice with very little water to a smooth or a little grainy consistency. It should not become watery.
Add this to the earlier batter. Mix well with bare hands (not with spoon etc). Wash the hands well before mixing. Mix for not less than 3 to 4 minutes. This helps in fermentation. The batter should not be too thick or watery. Clean the vessel above the batter level with hand. The empty space above the batter level should be 3 to 4 inch high depending on the vessel size.
When it ferments, the batter level will go up and so, empty space above the batter level should be sufficient enough to ensure the batter does not overflow from the vessel. Cover the vessel /bowl with a lid and allow 7 to 8 hours for the fermentation to take place.
After the fermentation is complete, transfer to air tight container and store in a refrigerator. It can be stored in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.
Soft steaming idlis ready to eat with chutneys!
Note:
Use Skinned Whole Black Gram only. Split Black Gram will not give the fluffiness to the batter.
Drain the water from the soaked ingredients completely before grinding. Add chilled water only while grinding. If chilled water is readily not available, add enough ice cubes to the water to make it chill.
Use bare hands only to mix the batter, else the batter may not ferment fully.
After the fermentation, the level of the batter should not go down.
Transfer to air tight containers as soon as fermentation is complete.
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