Idli batter

Preparing Idli batter is quite interesting. Good fermentation of the batter gives softy idlis.

Idli is made of Urad dal and Rice (parboiled rice). Idli rice is also available. Use whole white Urad dal. Idli is a steamed food and it is the healthiest breakfast.

Ingredients:

Parboiled rice - 4 cups

Whole Urad dal - 1 cup

Rock salt - 2 or 2.5 tsp

This ratio will give very soft idlies, even without adding fenugreek seeds.

I add fenugreek seeds only for dosa. For dosa batter, the ingredients are same plus 1 teaspoon of fenugreek (vendhayam).

Procedure

1. Urad dal and rice are to be soaked separately. Wash urad dal 3 times. Wash rice a few times, until the water is clear. Soak urad dal and rice separately for 4 to 5 hours.
2. In a tabletop grinder, grind urad dal first. Add soaked and drained urad dal and 1/2  cup water. Then add water a little by little. If you add all the water at once, you will miss the consistency.  Grind for 25 to 30 minutes, you will notice the increase in volume and it will almost fill the grinding vessel. Now transfer this to a vessel.
3. Grind the soaked and drained rice with a little water. Then add water while it is grinding. Grind it for 30 minutes, until it is smooth.
4. Once ground, transfer this to the same vessel which holds urad dal batter. Now add rock salt. Mix the batter thoroughly and set it aside for 8 to 10 hours. This is to ferment the batter. So after 10 hours, when you look into the batter, you can notice the increase in volume. Take a ladle and mix it well.
5. Now the lovely idli batter is ready.
6. In an idli baking vessel, you can make softy idlis.
7. Grease the plates with gingelly oil before pouring the batter and the idlis will have a nice aroma.

**********   I always add rock salt and I add it while mixing both the batters of urad dal and rice.  Rock salt aids the fermentation process and you will never fail to get soft idlis in this way of preparation.