IDLI DOSA BATTER

 Idli & Dosa are two of the healthiest and most popular , most delicious and healthiest South Indian breakfast foods that appeal to everyone .  I love both of them a lot. So today we are going to learn my fail-proof method for perfectly fermented batter to make crisp dosas and fluffy idlis every time. It's very popular in South India. Though they originated in South India, idlis and dosas have gained nation-wide recognition now. There’s probably no place in India where you will not find these popular South Indian breakfast foods. It can be prepared once and used differently every morning for soft idli, uttapam, bun dosa, sponge dosa and even a plain / masala dosa with any choice of condiments. Let’s start at the beginning. Idli / Dosa batter has two main ingredients – rice and black gram (urad dal or ulutham parippu). When you go to the Indian grocery store, you will find “Idli Rice” which is highly recommended for idli/dosa batter. It is a kind of fat, short-grained, parboiled rice. In India, it may also be called doppi rice. Dehusked black gram, either whole or split, are to be used. Make sure the urad dal is not too old. Add a few fenugreek seeds (methi or vendayam) to aid in the fermentation process which helps to make soft idlis and it also helps in giving the dosa a nice brown color. Another helpful ingredient is a handful of cooked rice or , murmura (aval or poha). The most important ingredient is time. 

I have been meaning to share this post for so long, like really long. Few weeks back, I shared the entire process of making Idli Dosa batter on my Instagram and YouTube and it received an overwhelming response. I got so many requests to write a blog post about it and well here I am. Sorry for the delay but better late than never I guess?

I can’t tell you the number of times I failed. I would follow the recipe to the “T” but my batter won’t ferment. I learnt this from my house owner aunty who used to make world's best best idli sambar.

Because I failed so much, I learnt a lot too. Isn’t that’s how it always is? You always learn from your failures. I have tried a lot. I have done 1:2, 1:1, 1:3 (dal to rice) but the one that works the best for me is 1:4 ! So, for every 1 cup of dal, I use 4 cups of rice. This ratio works for both idli and dosa. After grinding smooth,  I usually mix the batter using my hands for good 2 minutes. Trust me, it makes a difference. Mixing with hands helps in the fermentation process so don’t skip this step. You simply cannot rush the fermentation process; overnight is usually better (anywhere between 8-14 hours), but if it is extremely hot and humid where you live, the batter may be ready in as little as 6 hours. Once the batter is risen (it will also smell fermented), add salt and mix gently to combine. Make idlis and dosas with this batter.

One more frequently asked questions is that why not soak the dal and rice together?

I mean it will be just more convenient right? Well the reason is that rice and dal have different texture. You want the dal to have a fluffy texture which is important for idlis. And you can’t achieve that if you soak and grind the dal together with the rice. For this reason, it needs to be grind separately. However, if you are only going to make dosa, then you may soak and grind them together.

Okay guys, I hope that was much helpful. I have tried to cover everything I could think of. O let's see how to make perfect Idli -Dosa Batter at home.

📌📌 Watch the video recipe here 👇👇

https://youtube.com/shorts/wbFt1aaOAr0?feature=share

INGREDIENTS:

4 Cup Idli Rice

1 Cup Urad Dal

1 Cup Thick Poha ( see notes )

 1 teaspoon Methi/ Fenugreek Seeds ( see notes )

Water (for soaking and grinding)

Salt as per taste ( mix while making idli/ dosa )

METHOD :

STEP 1 - Firstly, in a large bowl take 4 cup idli rice and add 1 teaspoon methi, in another bowl 1 cup urad dal.

STEP 2 - Wash the rice, dal and fenugreek seeds in tap water a few times. 

 STEP 3 -  Soak them in a generous amount of water in a large bowl for at least 4-6 hours. ( see notes )

STEP 4 - When you are ready to grind the batter, wash and soak the aval/poha in water for 10 minutes, just enough to soften it. ( see notes )

STEP 5 - Drain off the water from dal, rice and transfer to the mixer grinder and grind it. Grind dal, rice and poha seperately.

STEP 6 - Add water as required and grind for 30 seconds.

STEP 7 - Grind to really smooth and fluffy batter.

STEP 8 - Transfer all the three batters to a large bowl.

STEP 9 - Mix using hands for good 2 minutes. Mixing with hands helps in the fermentation process so don’t skip this step. 

STEP 10 - Cover and allow to ferment the batter for atleast  8-12 hours/ overnight.

STEP 11 - The batter has risened up, indicating the batter is well fermented. 

STEP 12 - Mix it gently in one direction.

STEP 13 - For making idli/dosa, take the required amount of batter into a small bowl.

STEP 14 - Add salt as required and mix well with a light hands.

STEP 15 - You can prepare a crispy thin dosa or prepare super soft idli by steaming the idli for 15-20 minutes. ( see notes)

 STEP 16 - Idli dosa batter is ready and you can refrigerate the rest of the batter for up to a week.

Serve idlis and dosas hot along with sambar, coconut chutney, tomato chutney, chutney podi, etc.

NOTES - * Using idli rice makes idli and dosa very soft. so recommend using idli rice itself and not sona masuri rice.

*  If you are unable to grind the batter that day, you can refrigerate the rice and dal and use the next day.

* You can use cooked rice or rice flakes (called aval/poha)  (do not use both).

* If you are looking for an alternative for poha, then you can use murmura.

* Adding fenugreek seeds (methi or vendayam) to aid in the fermentation process which helps to make soft idlis and it also helps in giving the dosa a nice brown color.

* Skip this step if you are using cooked rice. You only need either of these ingredients, not all.

* If the blender motor becomes hot while grinding, turn it off and wait for some time before starting it again.

* Additionally, add salt just before preparing dosa or idli as it helps to keep the batter fresh.

* Refrigerate the batter if not using immediately to prevent further fermentation and souring of the batter.

* For Making Idli - Fill the steamer vessel with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Lightly grease the idli molds with a few drops of oil. Pour the batter to fill the molds. Slightly under-fill the molds so that the idlis have room to rise. Place the molds in the steamer vessel, cover with the lid, and cook for 15-20 minutes.

* For Making Dosa - Pour a ladle-full (around ¼ cup) of batter in the center of the dosa pan. Starting at the center, quickly make concentric circles of increasing diameter with the rounded cup of the ladle. This will form the dosa shape. Pour a few drops of ghee or oil on the dosa and around the edges. Cook for a couple of minutes till the bottom is golden brown, then flip with a wide spatula and cook the other side for a few seconds. If you have spread the batter thin enough, you may not even need to flip the dosa. Remove the dosa to a plate and serve immediately or keep it warm while you finish making more dosas.

* Idli dosa batter recipe can also be used to prepare uttapam, paniyaram or punugulu.