Here is a simple rice idli recipe using idli rice and urad dal. This is my mom’s recipe. She makes super soft idli and cripsy dosa with this idli batter ground in a big Indian wet grinder effortlessly by just using rice and dal in proper ratio. No methi seeds or poha is used for softness. Adding right quantity of water to the batter while grinding and proper fermentation is the key here.
Making super soft idli batter at home using idli rice in a wet grinder can seem tedious for beginners, but it’s easy if you follow the right proportions. Idli is a staple breakfast in our family. Before marriage, I watched my mom grind batter every other day using a large wet grinder. Thankfully, we have compact table-top grinders now. We used to eat idli for both breakfast and dinner and I often took idli with milagai podi to school and college. My friends even nicknamed me “Idli”! I’m crazy about soft idlis and spongy uthappams, though I’m not a fan of crispy dosa. My dad insists on soft idlis too.
My mom never added methi seeds. she used only idli rice and white urad dal in a 5:1 ratio. After marriage, nothing much changed. My in-laws also love idli. We enjoy it at least three times a week. Every February, we buy 25 kg of idli rice (Salem/parboiled rice) and 10 kg of urad dal from Lee Bazaar, Salem. That’s when the freshest groceries are available at low prices. We store them in airtight containers to last the whole year.
Initially, we use an 8:1 ratio of rice to dal for soft idlis. As the dal gets older (after 4–5 months), we switch to 6:1. The ratio depends on dal quality. Along with rice and dal, we also stock up on mustard seeds, methi, jeera, pepper, and red chillies. If you’re planning to buy groceries in bulk, do it between February and March from a good wholesale market, sun dry and store them well.
Now that you know the tricks, let’s see how to make soft idlis and crispy dosas at home!
You might also like :
Idli Recipe Using Idli Rice – Rice Idli Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 cups Idli rice/ Parboiled rice / Puzhunghal arisi the ratio of rice & dal is 5:1
- 1 cup Urad dal
- a handful Crystal Salt / Kallu uppu to taste
- Water as needed
Instructions
- Wash and soak the idli rice for 4 hours. Wash and soak urad dal for 2 hours.
- Grind urad dal first by adding enough water in between. Make sure you add water every now & then so that the urad dal rises well and you’ll get a light, fluffy batter.
- Please do not add all the water in the beginning. For grinding urad dal, you need 1.5 – 2 cups of water in total.
- Grind till it comes out like a ball (should be a paste) (It takes nearly 15-20 mins in table-top wet grinder).
- Now remove it. Keep it in a big vessel such that it can hold double the quantity of batter.
- Now add the rice & crystal salt with 1/2 cup of water while the grinder is running.
- Add water in the middle (Whenever necessary). It should become a smooth paste (May take 20-25 mins in table-top). The water it consumes will be around 2 – 2.5 cups.
- Adjust the water quantity. Now remove the rice and put it in the same vessel.
- Mix it thoroughly with your hand. (This helps for fermentation).
- Let the batter ferments overnight or for 8 to 12 hrs based on the weather in your place.
- The next morning, don’t mix the batter again. You can mix till half way through the batter if its too light.
- Suppose if the batter is over flown, take the extra batter in a separate vessel.
- Use a ladle, mix the batter till half the way. Quantity of batter reduces. Now add the overflown batter, mix well and keep it aside.
- Start taking the batter from one corner and pour it into the idli mould.
- Even the next day, take the batter from the same side. IDLI remains very soft up to 3 days.
- Steam it in the idli pot for 10-15 mins and serve hot with sambar!!
- If you want to make dosa with the same batter, take the required quantity of batter separately in a bowl and add little water (1/4 cup) to make it thin and make dosas. U’ll get a crispy dosa for sure !!
- NOTE: Poha/Aval is optional. U can use based on the quality of rice & urad dal. Add 1/4 cup of poha for the above recipe if you wish to use it. Follow this method and enjoy eating soft idlies:) Enjoy !
Notes
- For getting the golden crust for dosas, add little sugar or pinch of jaggery in the dosa batter. Add some poha/aval or cooked rice while grinding to get golden brown dosa.
- To get crispy dosas with less oil : after pouring the dosa batter , spread it well, keep the flame medium high for 2 mins. The sides will lift. Now flip the dosa, cook in sim flame. Remove.
- One more method is, just keep the flame high after spreading the batter, drizzle a tsp of oil. Close the dosa tawa with a lid and cook for sometime. No need to flip. Just remove and serve hot. By this way, you’ll get a nice golden colored crispy dosa !!
Sharing is caring
Enjoy Soft idli & crispy dosa with your favorite chutney & sambar !
Nice informative post and sambar with those idlies looks mouthwatering!
Hi chitra,
thank you for following my blog. i think I ‘m here for the first time, I’m not sure.
got a lovely site with uselful informations under each recipe. I find it very useful.
By the way, the idlis are looking yummy with the tomato sambhar. Have to try this type of sambhar.
Hi,am a new follower to a post.am trying ur tomato gostu(tanjore style) its yummy my hubby like it very much.thanks.keep on rocking
Hi,am a new follower to a post.am trying ur tomato gostu(tanjore style) its yummy my hubby like it very much.thanks.keep on rocking
Thanks a lot sindhu for trying & the feedback :)
Cup measure in litres pls.that is 1cup equals to _ml
Hi,1 cup is 200 ml :)
Hai, I am Bhuvaneswari from salem. Ur tips R very useful to me.
which palce Ur MIL family live in salem?
Hi mam, on the first day, I am getting very porous idlies which are thin and only on the 2nd day am able to get fine idlies. PL TEL ME HOW TO CORRECT THIS MAM.
Hi Ramaa,i think ur urad dal is of very good quality.So u get very thin & soft idlis on first day.Before making idlis,mix the batter very well till the bottom.Then make idlis.It will come out well OR reduce the quantity of urad dal little and then grind.U may get it right.Hope this helps.
:) :) K mam. Thank you for ur kind reply
Hi mam,
You are giving such a wonderful tips.. thanks mam.. i always had problem which was the idlis always stick to the steamer.. It didnt comeup well.. why..? Hope this help….
Hi Kalai vani,
If u add more urad dal , it happens. OR if water is more,it may happen.Always check whether idli is cooked well before removing.Idli may stick if its uncooked.
Hi chitra mam,
Whenever I prepare idlis,they come out sticky that too on the top..even if I cook for a more time..they are always a disaster for me..My family loves them,but am unable to get them perfect..please help me mam
Hello chitra mam,
Whenever I prepare idlis they come out sticky that too on the top..even if I cook for more time..right now they are a disaster for me, our family prefers idli rava than rice…we prepare them with rava..so please help me with this mam.
Basically Idli comes out sticky if the quantity of urad dal or water is more in the batter. Add less urad dal and water next time. This problem won't happen i feel. Generally idli rice & dal ratio is 4:1. Its the same for idli rava too. I have also shared a recipe for idli rava idli. Please check it for more details. Thank you :)
Hey mam. I loved your recipes. I want to know how can i make dosa to not stick on iron pan. It sticks every time i have tried using oil and onion still nothing helps I dont use cast iron tawa it's normal iron pan
Hi Thanks. Heat the dosa tawa. Switch off the flame. Apply salt all over the pan carefully. Mow scrape it off gently. Then wipe the tawa with a cloth completely. Dosa will come out well. Hope you use 4:1 or 6:1 ratio of rice and urad dal.