Idly

Ingredients:

4 cups idly rice (Parboiled Rice)
1 cup whole white urad dal ( no black skin )
1 tsp methi seeds
2 tsp salt

To make idly batter :

* Soak the idly rice and the urad dal+methi seeds separately overnight.
* Grind the dal first in grinder to a nice foamy batter with water as needed. Remove it in a big container. Add 2 tsp salt to it.
* Then grind the soaked rice with water as needed to a fine batter.
* Now mix both the grind urad dal and rice together.
* The batter should be like a pancake batter consistency, If the batter is watery then when you do idlis they won't come properly.
* Mix the batter nicely and leave it to ferment and puff, overnight so that the batter will be ready for doing idlies the next day.
* After the batter is fermented and raised mix it again and keep it in fridge.
* Take it out an hour before doing idly. Keep the idly vessel or pressure cooker with 2 cups water in it and heat.
* Grease the idly tray with a drop of oil and rub it and pour a certain amount of the batter in them and keep it in the cooker and steam cook it without whistle for 10-12 mins.
* Open the lid after steam is gone, let it warm a bit and remove the idly carefully. * Serve hot with coconut chutney, sambhar or any type of chutney.


Making idlies in a microwave:

Microwave idli makers are available easily these days. They are like microwave poached egg makers, two plates stacked on top of each other, cooking 8 idlies at a time.

Place 1/4th cup of water in the bottom tray of the microwave idli maker.

Cover with the lid and microwave at full power for 3 1/2 to 4 minutes.
Powers vary, so try for 3 1/2minutes first and see by pressing gently. They feel springy, like a cake and a skewer inserted through it’s sentre, comes out clean.
Slide idlies out of the moulds gently.