How to make soften home-made Idlis - Healthy South Indian Recipes, Cooking Tips & Vegetarian Dishes

How to make soft and Idlis every time. Easy homemade method

Soft, fluffy, and light - perfect with sambar or chutney. Let's start

🧾 Ingredients for Batter:

• 2 cups idli rice (or parboiled rice)
• ½ cup whole urad dal (skinned)
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi)
• Water (for soaking & grinding)
• Salt to taste

⏱ Step 1: Soaking

Rinse the rice 2–3 times and soak in enough water for 4 to 6 hours. Rinse urad dal and fenugreek seeds and soak for 4–6 hours.

Tip: Soaking gives the best texture for grinding.

🌀 Step 2: Grinding

Grind urad dal + fenugreek until fluffy. Grind rice until grainy. Mix both pastes together in a large bowl. Add salt if desired.

Tip: Use cold water to prevent batter from heating up while grinding.

🌡 Step 3: Fermentation

Cover the bowl and let ferment in a warm place for 8–12 hours. Batter should rise and have a light sour aroma.

Tip: In cold regions, keep batter in an oven with light on or wrap it in a warm cloth.

🥘 Ingredients for Steaming:

• Fermented idli batter
• Water (for steaming)
• Oil or ghee to grease moulds

Step 1: Preheat Steamer

Add water to a steamer or cooker and bring it to a gentle boil.

Step 2: Grease and Pour

Grease idli moulds. Pour batter into each cavity (¾ full).

Step 3: Steam the Idlis

Steam for 10–12 minutes. Avoid placing a whistle on the cooker lid. Test with a toothpick — it should come out clean.

Step 4: Cool & Serve

Let idlis cool for 2–3 minutes before removing with a wet spoon. Serve hot with coconut chutney or sambar.

✅ Pro Tips:

• Use the entire urad dal for better inflating.
• Add poha or cooked rice to the batsman for soft Idlis.
• Before steam, give rest to the batsman who was stored at room temperature.

Tags: #Idlirecipe #homemadeidli #Southindianfood #IDLibatter #Breakfastrecipe