A - Z Idli Series ~ I for Idli (Idli Rice Version)

So far in the series,

D for Dal Idli

E for Elaneer Idli

F for Foxtail Millet Idli

G for Greengram idli

H for Halasina Hannina Kadubu

Today is the turn for the basic version of idli which happens to be the standard for all the idli variations out there and cherished by South Indians. For the uninitiated, idli is an iconic South Indian breakfast dish which are soft and fluffy steamed cakes. They are prepared using a fermented batter of rice and skinned black gram. This traditional dish is considered to be one of the healthiest breakfasts from the region, easily digestible and fit enough to be prescribed for the ill and convalescing. The dish needs an advanced preparation as the ingredients need to be soaked, ground and then the batter needs to be fermented before steaming it in special moulds. Idlis taste bland on their own. However drizzle some melted ghee over them and dig in with delicious accompaniments like a chutney, usually a coconut based one, a lentil dish called sambhar and spicy lentil powders, thus making it a filling and enjoyable meal for any time of the day. They are obviously gluten free and vegan if you skip the ghee.

My idli turn out super fluffy and soft. To be honest, I grew up watching idli being made around me on a regular basis and I don't fret about the idli preparation. I know however it is a daunting task for those who are not well versed with the process. I tried to explain the process in as much detail as possible here for anyone who needs some tips and the post has turned out to be a lengthy one. Idli making involves four steps - soaking the ingredients, grinding, fermenting and steaming the idlis. Grinding the batter to the correct consistency and it's proper fermentation are the important factors which decides the fate of the idlis. Idli making is an easy task with the modern conveniences we have in the kitchen compared to the olden days when the women had to manually grind the batter in stone grinders and steam on wood / kerosene stoves.

Usually if one lives in a warmer climate like India, soaking the ingredients in the afternoon and grinding it in the evening works fine, if planning for next day's breakfast. My husband's hometown is like a hot oven during summers and so, my mother in law would grind the batter around 9 at night so that the fermented batter would not go sour by morning breakfast time. I live in a cold climate and so my routine in recent years has been to soak the ingredients as soon as I wake up. I grind the ingredients around 11 am and leave the batter in oven with the light on. There are instances where my batter took around 24 hours or more to ferment, during the peak winter time.

Ingredients used in idli preparation:

Idli preparation needs two basic ingredients, skinned black gram / urad dal and rice. Skinned black gram, either whole or split can be used. (My grand mother used to use the whole black gram to make dosas and idlis but it is a pain to sit and rinse off the skins off the soaked beans.) 

Idli rice that is used in the recipe is the short, fat parboiled rice that also goes by the name Salem rice. In lieu of idli rice, idli rava aka cream of rice can be used. In that case soak separately black gram and idli rava. Some use fenugreek seeds / methi and flattened rice / poha as well in the recipe.

 

The black gram and rice proportions used also vary from home to home. The rice used varies from 2 to 4 times the quantity of black gram used. I go with 1:2 ratio whereas my mother uses 1:3 ratio. In Andhra and Karnataka, dosa and idli batters are different but I have noticed that some use the same batter for the both the dishes. 

Step 1 - Soaking the ingredients:

Soaking period is about 4 hours but two minutes are needed to rinse and soak the ingredients. Some soak the ingredients individually but I don't see any merits and soak them together which works fine for me. Rinse them twice thoroughly with water and soak them in enough water so that the water level is higher through out the soaking period. (About 3 hours is enough if using idli rava instead of idli rice and the ingredients are soaked individually in that case.)

Step 2 - Grinding the ingredients:

The ingredients are ground to a smooth batter either in a wet grinder or an Indian style mixer / blender. I have a wet grinder but I prefer grinding in my Oster 14 speed blender which works good for me. (The grinder takes more time than the blender and I hate cleaning the grinder.) I haven't watched the time but the amount of ingredients I mentioned in the recipe can be ground in one batch, which takes around 10 minutes. Don't grind the batter too thick or runny. Too thick batter will not ferment and thin batter will yield flat and not well cooked idlis. Salt can be added while grinding if living in a cold climate and in warmer climates, add salt before steaming the idlis. If using idli rava, grind black gram first, squeeze out the water from the idli rava (that has been soaking in water) and add the rava to the batter and run the blender for a couple of minutes to blend.

Step 3 - Fermenting the batter:

This is the important part of the idli preparation. The ground batter needs to be covered and placed in a warm place to ferment. The time of fermentation depends upon the local weather. It may take around 8 to 10 hours to double that time. Place it in an oven with the light on (without turning the oven on) if living in a cold climate. The yogurt setting in an instant pot works too. The final fermented batter would increase in volume, be airy and have a slightly sour smell to it. If the batter turns out thin for some reason, use it to make dibba rotte instead of idlis. 

Step 4 - Steaming the idlis:

If living in a warm place, salt can be added to the batter at this point. Gently stir the fermented batter a couple of times to uniformly aerate the batter and ladle the batter into greased moulds. If you don't own a idli stand, they can be steamed in small steel cups / glasses. Or even in a steel plate with high edges in a similar fashion to dhokla and cut them into wedges. The idlis can be steamed in a idli cooker, pressure cooker or a steamer. Don't use the safety valve if using a pressure cooker. Steam the idlis on low medium setting and it takes around 20 - 25 minutes on my gas stove to steam them. Moisten your fingers with water and check the top of idli to check whether they are done. They will not stick if done. If the idli top sticks to your moist fingers, then it needs to be steamed further.

Storing the batter and idlis:

I never refrigerate the idli batter but my mother recommends the refrigerated batter to be used within three days. She adds salt only to the portion she is going to use to make idlis and refrigerates the rest of the batter. She leaves the batter on the counter for a while before using it the next time. The refrigerated batter can be used to make again idlis, dibba rotte or ponganalu.

 

I instead usually make a big batch of idlis and freeze as many idlis as I need. (This works if you don't have power cuts in your area.) I cool down the idli immediately after preparation and freeze them to use later. They need to be just warmed in a microwave, covered until hot to enjoy them when needed. 

Ingredients: (Yield - 20 - 22 idlis)

1/2 cup skinned black gram / urad dal
1 cup idli rice
1 & 3/4 tsp. salt or to taste

1 & 1/4 cup water

Ghee to grease the idli moulds and drizzle over idlis while serving

Directions:

* Rinse idli rice, and skinned black gram together and drain. Soak them together in water, in a wide bowl for about 4 - 5 hours and drain the water used to soak completely.

* Grind them together adding salt and water just enough to grind them into a smooth and thick batter. (The salt can be added just before making idlis if living in a warm climate. I add it while grinding since I live in a cold climate and the batter takes longer to ferment.)

* Transfer the batter to a container large enough to hold the fermented batter. (The batter raises while fermenting and so plan accordingly and use a big container.) Cover the container and allow it to ferment overnight (if the batter was ground in the evening) or for about 10 - 12 hours in a warm place. If living in a cold climate, leaving the batter in an oven with the lights on (without turning on the oven) helps. Or use yogurt setting in an instant pot.

* The fermented batter looks like below - thicker than when grounded, airy, and slightly sour smelling.

 

* Heat about 2 cups of water in a idli cooker base or a idli cooker or a steamer on medium heat. 

* Grease the idli moulds with ghee / oil. 

* Gently stir the batter a couple of times with a ladle. 

* Ladle the batter into the idli  moulds carefully without spilling.

* Place the idli stand in the prepared cooker / steamer and close the lid. Don't use the valve for the lid if using a pressure cooker.

* Steam the idlis on low heat setting for about 20 - 25 minutes or until done. (The idlis should not stick when touched with moist fingers.) Check the water level in the steamer base and add extra if needed.

* Wait for about 10 minutes and then remove the idlis by running a spoon around the edges.

* Drizzle melted ghee over the idlis and serve them with a chutney, sambhar and/or spicy podi. Mine were served with roasted gram chutney, sambhar and nalla karam podi.

* Refrigerate the left over idlis and use in a day or two. Or they can be cooled down immediately after preparation and frozen to use later. Nuke them in a microwave, covered and enjoy hot, piping idlis when needed. 

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A - Z Idli Series ~ E for Elaneer Idli

I was fixated on a recipe from Karnataka for today's 'E' post until I came across Mallika Badrinath's elaneer idli recipe, in a millet version. Inspired by the idea, I used coconut water in my regular idli recipe here but one can replace rice with any millet to make them more healthier. These idlis are gluten free and vegan if idli moulds are greased with oil. Coconut water and the white flesh from a young coconut are used to grind the idli batter instead of water in this case. It makes a difference in the final outcome and one cannot miss how the idlis turn out light, airy and spongy. 

Elaneer means tender coconut water in Tamil and Kannada and hence the name for the idli. Use a young coconut if accessible and add all the pulp / soft white flesh from it while grinding the batter. I had to manage with canned coconut water which was super sweet and contained about a spoon of tiny coconut pieces but not much pulp. The quantity of coconut water mentioned below in the recipe needs to be adjusted if using the soft flesh as well. The coconut flavor is not much noticeable in idlis if using only coconut water (and no white flesh) to grind the batter though the idlis  come out soft and spongy.

Ingredients: 

1 cup idli rice
1/2 cup skinned black gram / urad dal

1 young coconut / Coconut water with soft coconut flesh as needed 

(I used about 1 and 3/4 cups coconut water with no flesh. With coconut flesh, may be less liquid is needed.)

Salt as needed

Directions:

* Rinse idli rice and black gram and drain. Soak them together in water, in a bowl for about 4 - 5 hours and drain the water used to soak completely.

* Add soaked idli rice, black gram, salt, and coconut flesh to a grinder / blender. Next add coconut water as needed and grind them into a smooth and thick batter with pouring consistency. (I used my Oster 16 speed blender to grind them.)

* Transfer the batter to a container and cover it. Allow it to ferment overnight (if the batter was ground in the evening) or as needed in a warm place or in an oven with the lights on.

* Heat about 2 cups of water in a idli cooker base or a idli cooker or a steamer on medium heat. Grease the idli moulds with ghee / oil and spoon the batter into idli plates.

* Place the idli stand in the prepared cooker / steamer and close the lid. Don't use the valve for the lid if using a pressure cooker.

* Steam the idli on low heat setting for about 20 - 25 minutes or until done. (The idlis should not stick when touched with moist fingers.)

* Wait for about 10 minutes and then demold the idlis by running a spoon around the edges.

* Serve them warm with  chutney / sambhar.

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A - Z Karnataka Recipe Series ~ U for Ukkarisida Rotti / Ubbu Rotti

I kinda overdid with the letter 'U' and cooked three dishes but chose to stick with the familiar and the popular one among the lot, the akki rotti. Akki rotti needs no introduction if one is familiar with the state's cuisine. If unacquainted, here you go. Akki rotti literally means a rice based flat bread and is a very common and favored breakfast across the state. It is a vegan, gluten free and lighter option for either breakfast or as a lunch box item if going with the masale rotti kind. Akki rotti is basically made in three different ways. If one is from the southern parts of the state like I am, the possibility is more that one is familiar with the version called masale rotti. Chopped onions, grated fresh coconut, chilies, cilantro, salt are all mixed with rice flour into a slightly firm dough using warm water and patted into rottis. The people here call this akki rotti where the rest of the state calls it masale rotti since it is spicy and not plain. It can be made either into thin and soft rottis which can be folded or a little thicker and hard. Both taste good. This version specifically doesn't need any side dishes and people eat it plain or with chutney pudi, butter or even jaggery. And besides this version has an advantage where the dough can be prepared in advance and refrigerated to avoid the hassle in the morning rush. Here is a masale rotti made with brown rice flour and veggies.

Now the other two versions come from the Malenadu region, a part of western ghats. One version is where the cooked rice and rice flour are combined to make rottis. And the other one is what I am posting here which are called ukkarisida rotti or ubbu rotti. 'Ukkarisida rotti' refers to the cooking part whereas the latter term means puffed rotti. Some even call it bili rotti meaning white flat bread. The rice flour is added to boiling water and the resulting mixture is kneaded into a soft, elastic dough. One important point to note here is that dough needs to be to kneaded thoroughly. Kneading is the key in making soft rottis and without kneading, the dough keeps on breaking while rolling. The rolled out dough can be toasted either as wheat roti on a hot griddle or directly on flame similar to phulkas. They need a spicy accompaniment to go with as these rottis are bland by themselves.

Some 'U' dishes from Karnataka:
Uchhellu chutney pudi - A condiment made with niger seeds 
Uddina hittu - Black gram flour based raita
Uddina vade - Black gram fritters
Udupi rasam - A thin gravy to go with rice
Udupi sambhar - Lentil gravy
Unde huli - A gravy with lentil dumplings
Undi & Undige - Steamed, rice based dumplings
Undulka - A rice based, steamed dish served as naivedhya 
Uppinakaayi - Pickle
Uppu huli dose - Subtly spicy and sour pancakes
Usli - Boiled and seasoned legumes

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 tsp. oil
Salt to taste
1 cup rice flour (Not heaped. I even use 1 or 2 tsp. less than a cup.) + extra for dusting *
* Store bought rice flour will work. 

Directions:
* Heat a cup of water in a wide pan, on medium flame. Add salt and oil to it. 

* Lower the heat when the water starts boiling and add the rice flour carefully. 

* Mix the rice flour quickly into the water with a wooden spoon and turn off the stove. The mixture is going to look lumpy at this stage.

* Cover the pan with a lid and leave it aside for about 15 - 20 minutes. (It will allow the dough to somewhat cook further. Some work with the hot dough immediately but it is not necessary unless one is in a hurry. Chances are more to scald your hand. Resting would allow the temperature to come down and makes it easier to handle the dough. ) 

* Now comes the crucial part, kneading. Grease your dominant hand with little oil and bring the dough together. Start to knead the dough by gathering and kneading with the heel of your palm. (The dough would be easy to handle by now. If still hot, wet your hands and work the dough. Also if by any chance, the dough turns out to be hard, add a tsp. or two of water (or as needed) and knead. Hot water is preferred but it is not the end of the world if you add room temperature water at this point. Or if the dough appears loose, add a little extra rice flour and knead. )

* Keep kneading until you get a soft and somewhat elastic dough, about 8 to 10 minutes. (Do not skip this step.) The final dough would look smooth and soft.

* Divide the dough into 5 or 6 equal balls. If making palm sized rottis then the dough can be portioned into more balls.

 * Pat the ball into a disc and dust with flour if necessary.

 * Gently roll into a thin circle of about 6 - 7 inches and pat way if any extra flour is present. (The gluten free rottis may not have smooth edges like the wheat flour rotis.)

 * Meanwhile, grease a iron tawa / griddle / shallow pan and heat it on medium flame. There is no need to bring it to a smoking point but the griddle should be hot enough to toast the rottis. 
* The rotti can be cooked on the griddle until brown spots appear on both sides or they can be cooked similar to phulkas.
* For the first method, Place the rolled out dough circle at the center of the griddle.

 * Cook until the bubbles start appearing on the surface and then flip. 

* After few seconds when the bottom side starts to cook, the rotti starts to puff up. (Don't worry if it doesn't puff up for any reason. Cook flipping once or twice in between until small brown spots appear on both sides. Remove and repeat the steps with the remaining dough. (The rottis toasted this way will look like shown in the ellu pajji post.)

* For the second method, place the rolled out circle on the hot griddle and cook for about a minute or so and flip. Cook until you start to notice the brown spots. Transfer it directly over the flame and cook on both sides until done or spots appear as seen on my rottis. Brush them with ghee and store them. 
* Serve them warm with a spicy curry or chutney. Mine were served as part of a lunch platter which had eggplant curry in a peanut base and spinach - tomato dal.

So far in my 'A - Z' Karnataka Recipe Series,
Akki Halbai
Biscuit Roti
Congress Kadalekayi
Davanagere Benne Dose
Ellu Pajji
Field Beans / Avarekalu Payasa
Girmit
Hitakida Avarekalu Huli
Iyengar Bakery Style Masala Toast
Jolada Vade
Kumbalakayi Idli
Limbe Hannina Gojju
Mysore Pak
Nuchinunde
Oodhalina Bisibele Bhath
Panchakajjaya

Quinoa Oralu Chitranna
Rave Vangi Bhath
Sajjige Rotti
Thambittu Unde

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