Rice Idli ( Steamed Rice Cakes)

The idli , also romanized "idly" or "iddly", is a savory cake most often eaten at breakfast or as a snack.

The cakes are usually two to three inches in diameter and are made by steaming a batter consisting of fermented split and skinned black gram and rice.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups split skinned Black Gram (Dhuli Urad Dal)
• 4 cups Idli Rawa ( Granulated rice powder available in Indian Grocery stores)
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Soak the urad dal for 3-4 hours.Grind it by adding sufficient water to make a smooth paste in a grinder. Take out in a deep vessel.
• Wash Idli rawa in a separate vessel. For this add water to the vessel and mix well with idli rawa. Keep for few seconds, let the idli rawa settle down, discard supernatant water.
• Mix washed idli rawa to ground dal. Add salt to taste and mix the batter well. Keep it overnight for fermentation.
• Next morning once again, mix the batter with a spoon and pour into the Idli moulds and steam it for 8-10 minutes.
• Cooking oil can be applied on the tray, before the dough is poured into the same, so its easier to take the cooked idlis out from the tray.
• Serve hot with Coconut Chutney and Sambar.

Tips: For fluffier idlies, never beat idli batter too much because the air which has already incorporated during fermentation is lost.

Note:Idli stands of different sizes are available in market which make either big idlies or small idlies. Choose according to your choice.

Do You Know?

The fermentation process breaks down the starches so that it is more readily metabolized by the body, and is considered a healthy food.