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How to make spongy idlys/idlis

September 7, 2009 by PadhuSankar 45 Comments

idli recipe Idly with coconut chutney

How to make spongy Idlis/idlys

I am posting this recipe “How to make spongy idlis” only for novice to kitchen.Idly has occupied a very important place as breakfast in all South Indian homes. It can be called the queen of breakfast. It is a very healthy dish as it is fermented and steamed cooked.Idlis have been considered one of the top ten most healthiest foods in the world. (source Wikipedia)

Ingredients needed

Par Boiled Idly rice -3 tumblers or 3 cups ((Pulungal Arisi meant for making idli)

Urad dal (whole urad dal/mulu ulundu) -1 tumbler or 1 cup

You can use any cup for measurement but the ratio of par boiled rice and urad dal should be 3:1 or 4:1 (ie 4 cups idly par boiled rice and 1 cup urad dal). Both measurements works well.

Crystal Salt – 4 – 4 1/2 tsp (or as required)

Method

Wash urad dal and rice and soak it separately for 4-5 hours.

Grind urad dal in the wet grinder (advisable for soft idlies) until fluffy. Add ice cold water/ordinary water when needed. Add water little at a time.

Transfer it to a container.

Then grind rice well for 20-30 minutes.

After that add the ground urad dal to the ground rice in the grinder and grind for another 5 minutes.This is done for mixing the batter well.

Add salt to the batter and mix well with your hands.

The consistency of the batter should neither be thick nor watery. It should be medium. You can master it with practice.

Transfer the batter to 2 containers. It should be filled only up to 3/4 th, so as to allow space for fermenting.

Leave it for 6-7 hours in a warm place undisturbed to ferment. You could see that the batter would have risen after 7 hours.

If you are not using it immedietely, refrigerate it .

For making spongy idlis

Mix the fermented batter well. (Some advise not to mix it but I mix it well )

Grease idly moulds. Take a scoop of batter and fill it in each idly mould.

Use pressure cooker or any vessel and steam cook the idlis. But the water should be heated well first.

Boil water in a kadai/pressure cooker/any vessel which could hold the idli moulds and place the idly mould with batter in it and cover it with a lid.

Steam cook for 10 -15 minutes.

Prick a fork inside the idly, if it comes out clean – idly is ready .

Have it with any chutney or sambar or milagai podi.

Note -The quality of rice and dal is important to make spongy idlis.

If the idly is hard

  • The consistency of the batter might be thick.
  • the quality of the dal might be poor.
  • The batter would not have been properly fermented.

    If the idly is too flat or thin

  • the consistency of the batter might be watery or thin.
  • the quality of urad dal might be excellent.In that case slightly reduce the amount of urad dal while soaking the next time.
  • The batter would not have been fermented.

So with trial and error and practice, anybody can make spongy idlis. Check out my more detailed post on Soft Idli Secrets 

If you found this post useful, I would really love it if you pin it or share it with your Facebook fans or Twitter followers or Google+ circles today. All it takes is a simple click on the “pin it” “like,” “share,” “tweet,” or Google+ buttons below the post. It will keep me motivated. Thank  you!

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Filed Under: Breakfast Varieties, How To, Uncategorized Tagged With: Idli Varieties, Uncategorized




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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Akal's Saappadu

    November 9, 2009 at 10:58 am

    I can eat idlis for all the meals, without any problem;
    though my favourite combinations are with sambhar and coconut chutney, sometimes, I love to eat idlis pre-soaked in a mixture of podi and nalennai (sesame oil) yummmm, it's delicious!!

    and thanks for the visit and the comment; thankfully I found yours; nice collection of recipes you've got here!!!

    Reply
  2. Sowmya

    January 14, 2010 at 3:22 pm

    Often i do mistakes in the batter preparation…thanks for ur useful post n for ur visit…have a g8 time:)

    Reply
  3. Cooking Foodie

    February 25, 2010 at 8:47 am

    I have never made idlis from scratch always from readymade batter so now will definitely try with your tips!

    Reply
  4. Rajani

    January 3, 2011 at 9:41 am

    VEry apt instructions for novices-you could even call this post 'idlis for dummies'.(No offence meant.)

    Reply
  5. rkcollegemoney

    February 15, 2012 at 7:30 pm

    Do we use cooked idli rice or uncooked rice?
    Your dosa recipes say just rice, no mention of being cooked.
    Btw, great blog! Love the simplicity with which you write, and the beautifully captured pictures.

    Reply
  6. PadhuSankar

    February 16, 2012 at 11:12 am

    We do not use cooked rice but uncooked parboiled rice meant for making idly. (Pulungal Arisi meant for making idli)
    In dosa recipe – Just rice means uncooked rice only

    Reply
  7. meenakshi

    February 16, 2012 at 6:09 pm

    I use the following method. 4 cups of idly rice one cup of urdu dhall and 1/2 cup of thick poha
    I mix idly rice and poha together and urdu dhall separately. Grind in the wet grinder nicely. I set the temp in the oven at 400deg. and once it is reached switch off. Keep the batter over night and you can see how the batter has risen. Mix well and make idly. You will see how soft it is.

    Reply
  8. Nanda Page

    March 29, 2012 at 12:50 am

    I liked your website giving so many Indian recipes. Since you stress on Healthy dishes, your recipes and dishes can be more useful if you provide some Nutrition information with the recipe. The Nutrition information in terms of Protein, Carbo, Fats, other important nutrients, and Calories per 100 gm would be very useful.This type of info. for Indian dishes is hard to find.

    Reply
  9. Anonymous

    May 30, 2012 at 12:42 pm

    Wow!!! I really liked your website.

    Reply
  10. Anonymous

    June 19, 2012 at 6:16 pm

    Hi, I use 4:1 ratio of rice to urad dhal and follow your instructions. Idlis are soft on the first day but second day it comes out hard. Any help/suggestions please?
    thanks

    Reply
  11. PadhuSankar

    June 20, 2012 at 12:44 pm

    I get very soft idlis for 2-3 days .You have to divide the batter into 2 equal part , ferment both and put one in the refrigerator .You can make idlis once from the first batch and then again the next day from the second batch. Take it out from the fridge 1 hours before making idlis .After 2 days , you can use the remaining batter to make dosa or uthappams.Also check out my Soft idli secrets and idli batter for more detailed explanation.

    Reply
  12. Naveena Sukumaran

    July 20, 2012 at 5:41 pm

    My idlis are always flat……I use 1:3 proportion, 1 parboiled rice and 2 long grain rice……..in india it come perfect but not in uk, I got my mom in law to try as well. I shall give one last try with parboiled rice only. I use the same batter for dosa…….I assume it will be too soft for dosa. You have a nice collection and I am sure I have referred to this site for some recipes in the past. Thanks and well done.

    Reply
  13. Vikrant Arora

    August 5, 2012 at 5:35 am

    is there any substitute for parboiled idly rice?

    Can i use 2 cups basmati rice and one cup cooked boiled rice.

    Reply
  14. PadhuSankar

    August 8, 2012 at 11:11 am

    Dear Vikrant
    Sorry for the delay in replying to you.I had connectivity problem. Ok Coming to your question- You can make dosas with any rice but I doubt if you can make idlis.Parboiled rice is a very important ingredient for making soft idlis.

    Reply
  15. Shuchi

    September 14, 2012 at 7:58 am

    I followed your recipe 100%, but the cooked idli's has a bad taste of urad dal.
    What could be the reason

    Reply
  16. PadhuSankar

    September 14, 2012 at 2:31 pm

    Dear Shuchi
    There is no problem with the recipe as I am following it for the past 14 years.Many have tried it and were happy with the results. It may me because of the quality of urad dal.Next time try reducing the quantity of urad dal a little or try changing the brand.Find a more detailed post on preparing soft and delicious idly
    http://www.padhuskitchen.com/2012/03/idli-soft-idlis-idli-batter-recipe-soft.html

    Reply
  17. Rasika

    December 1, 2012 at 10:49 am

    it was interesting to browse through your blog and be amazed with the recipes that you have. just one request if you could share recipes of typical south Indian chutneys.

    Reply
  18. afreen abid

    April 8, 2013 at 6:25 pm

    hi nice blog….i needed to know should the vessels be covered or open during Fermentation….

    Reply
  19. PadhuSankar

    April 10, 2013 at 8:28 am

    Thank Afreen for your appreciations. You should keep it covered.

    Reply
  20. Rani A

    June 4, 2013 at 2:05 am

    Hi Padhu, the information is very useful for beginners like me . Which grinder do you use. Can you suggest me one from Ultra 2 stone or Butterfly 1 stone ?

    Reply
  21. PadhuSankar

    June 4, 2013 at 6:35 am

    Rani -I am using ultra 2 stone grinder for more than 10 years.(no problem with it).Also check out my more detailed post on soft idlis

    Reply
  22. Ritoja Sen

    July 21, 2013 at 7:17 pm

    Ma'am, I'm a home science student & plan 2 make these 4 my cooking practicals at school. can u plz tell me how i hould pack the fermented mixture while carrying it 2 school? (there'll b a min. of 3hrs difference from taking dat out of refridgerator and starting the cooking.
    also, could i do anything 2 fasten the cooking, or proceed a bit more at home?

    Reply
  23. PadhuSankar

    July 22, 2013 at 3:47 am

    Pack fermented batter in an eversilver container or a plastic container with lid. If you want the idli to cook faster, first bring water to boiling point, then pour idle batter in the mould, cover and cook.

    Reply
  24. Indira Sundaram

    July 29, 2013 at 4:28 am

    Hi The idli was soft when hot but when it became cold it became hard can u tell me why this happened

    Reply
  25. PadhuSankar

    July 30, 2013 at 8:36 am

    Indira – First you have to grind the batter well. Second you must use fresh urad dal and not old stock. Check out more detailed explanation on
    How to make soft idlis

    Reply
  26. Kiruba Devi

    November 12, 2013 at 3:11 am

    hello padhu, i am kiruba… i like ur receips very much & am the fan of ur site. i hav a doubt I use 4:1 ratio for batter,i.e., 4 tumblers par boiled rice and 1 urad dal but its not fermenting as well and idles are also flat always.. could u plz tell me wat is the mistake.. thank u.

    Reply
    • pooja

      July 23, 2014 at 7:16 pm

      Add eno before making idali…

      Reply
  27. Padhu Sankar

    November 12, 2013 at 12:10 pm

    Kiruba – Thank you for liking my recipes. The ratio of rice and urad dal is correct. I have given you the reason above for flat idlys. Kindly read that. Use idli par boiled rice. If you are you living in a place where the climate is very cold, keep the batter in a warm place for it to ferment.Also check out this more detailed post on soft idlis

    Reply
  28. geetha

    December 26, 2013 at 5:11 am

    Hi Padhu, I was searching for how to make compost at home…your blog gave me a good detail about it thank u so much.

    Reply
  29. sonia sharma

    February 2, 2014 at 4:24 am

    Hi Padhu, ur search is superb…any recipe search and google takes to ur website….good work ! However I try my idlis dont come out soft….I also use a wet grinder….I use 3/4 tumbler gola udid and 2 1/2 tumbler idli rice in which 1/2 tumbler is raw rice so that I can make dosa as well….u said abt ponni rice but is it raw or boiled as here in bangalore where I live ponni boiled is available…I dont know where I am wrong.

    Reply
    • Padhu Sankar

      February 2, 2014 at 7:32 am

      Try 4 cups Idli par boiled rice and 1 cups whole urad dal. You must use only par boiled idly rice. You can make dosa also in that batter.Check out this even more detailed post on soft idlis

      Reply
  30. Priya

    April 9, 2014 at 8:00 pm

    Is there a brand that sells deep idli plates? My idli plates are shallow and the bottom of the upper idlis mess up the top layer of the bottom idlis. Thank you.

    Reply
  31. susmitha gangineni

    May 8, 2014 at 2:40 pm

    Hi mam when i tried to prepare idly in pressure cooker idly was not cooked properly and after removing idly container i saw that water on the pressure cooker was finished.to cook idly properly shoyld i pour more water in pressure cooker.please suggest me what to do

    Reply
    • Padhu Sankar

      May 11, 2014 at 5:06 am

      Yes, you should pour enough water. When the water starts boiling, pour the batter in idli mold, close and steam in medium heat. It will take around 10-15 minutes.

      Reply
    • Prabha Xaxa

      June 19, 2014 at 1:00 pm

      Hi Padhu, very nice site! Have question- when you say crystal salt do you mean the normal salt or some special salt? Would you know where the crystal salt would be available if it is different than normal salt? thanks in advance.

      Reply
    • Padhu Sankar

      July 6, 2014 at 6:57 am

      Thank you for liking my site. Sorry for the delay in replying to you as I was away on a vacation. Crystal salt or rock salt is kal uppu in tamil. You can use normal salt also but use less.

      Reply
  32. Nallammai Subramani

    February 9, 2015 at 1:37 pm

    Hi padhu 🙂 Can i use black urad for the batter as ppl say it is much healthier than the normal white urad. Should i have to remove the black skin before grinding ?

    Reply
    • Padhu Sankar

      February 10, 2015 at 6:33 am

      Yes, you can use black urad dal but you have to remove the black skin as much as possible before grinding.

      Reply
  33. Anchal Verma

    November 16, 2015 at 1:45 pm

    Hi… what is par boiled rice…. please name the the rice in hindi….

    Reply
  34. Madhavi

    January 21, 2016 at 1:54 am

    I tried this 3:1 ratio and the idli's were very hard. I do have idli rice but I am not sure of the quality of both. If its getting harder what is the adjustment that I need to make?

    Reply
    • Padhu Sankar

      January 21, 2016 at 10:55 am

      Every week I am grinding in the same ratio and I am getting super soft idlis. You can try 4:1 also. Check this detailed post on tips to make soft idlis

      Reply
  35. Manasa N K

    March 8, 2016 at 4:22 pm

    Hi!Your instructions are really great!
    I am from Kerala.There we use rawrice/pachari for making idlis.Can i still make soft idlis with pachari and following these instructions?
    Thanks in advance!

    Reply
    • Padhu Sankar

      March 9, 2016 at 7:03 am

      Thank you Manasa for liking my recipes. Yes, you can. Check out my Pacharisi idli recipe.

      Reply
  36. Vijayalakshmi Kartik

    October 27, 2016 at 5:05 am

    Hi padhu, thanks for the recipe. As you had mentioned in the tips for soft idlis, I boiled the water before playing the idli moulds inside the cooker. The idlis turned out soft. You are awesome!

    Reply
  37. ninatoll

    July 4, 2017 at 4:20 pm

    dont deflate the risen batter just pour in and steam for only 7 to 8 minutes and enjoy soft idlis

    Reply

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Meet Padhu, the Chef, the photographer, recipe developer and web designer behind Padhuskitchen which features Simple Indian Vegetarian recipes, healthy recipes, kids friendly recipes, Indian festival recipes, traditional South Indian Vegetarian ...

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