Idli Sāmbhar is very famous South Indian Breakfast Dish. In my family everybody loves Idli with Sāmbhar and Coriander chutney. On every weekend we will definitely have Idli or dosa. Idli is not very easy to make but very tasty and easy to digest.
This is very perfect Breakfast Dish and even easy to carry in travelling for kids. My kiddo loves to Idli when we are in travelling, because he thinks its a travelling food ;-)
Each time when I eat Idli outside, I keep on thinking how can they make so Soft Idli. Even I used to make Idli from so many years but recently I got formula for soft and perfect Idli. I was using kolam rice, basmati rice and many more which we use regularly at our home for rice dishes. But for soft Idli , quality of rice and urad dal is very important and then I learnt that Par-boiled rice is used for making Idli.
1 cup urad dal / Split Black gram
3 cups par-boiled rice /ukda chawal
1/2 tsp. fenugreek /methi seeds
1 tsp. salt to taste
coconut oil or any other refined oil for greasing
1.Wash Urad dal and rice with clean water 2-3 times till all milkish color goes away.
2.Soak the urad dal and fenugreek seeds together for 3-4 hours. (I have used full urad dal without the black skin.
3.Soak rice in enough water for 3-4 hours. You will get par-boiled rice anywhere in grosser shop.
4.First blend urad dal and fenugreek seeds in blender till smooth consistency.
5.Blend rice in a mixer till smooth. Remove and keep aside. With regular mixer or blender , this process takes little long time to get perfect consistency.
6.Combine urad dal and rice mixture together in sufficient big bowl, because this mixture will be fermenting and increase in size. Keep this mixture aside for fermentation process at least 6-7 hours. So, overnight is good for this process.
7.Once the Idli batter is fermented, add salt and mix well.
8.Grease the Idli mould with oil and put spoonful of batter into these moulds.
9.Fill in lower level of steamer with water and put Idli moulds on it. Cover the steamer. Steam these Idli for 10-15 minutes.Check with toothpick if they are done, if Toothpick comes out with no sticky dough means Idli is ready.
10.Remove Idli with spoon into bowl and again grease moulds with oil for next batch of Idli.
(Because we need more Idli.. Right!!!)