Idli Recipe - How to Make Soft Idlis At Home (2024)

FAQs

What made the idli soft and fluffy? ›

Add yeast cells to the batter of idli and dosa. The fungus undergoes anaerobic fermentation. Fungi use fermentable sugars and convert them into ethanol and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide gas raises the dough and becomes soft and fluffy.

02/6Ferment for a while

To make soft and spongy Idlis, it is suggested by experts to leave the yeast for sometime so that the batter could rise well. Especially during the cold or rainy days, keep the batter for fermentation for a long time. Also, don't let the yeast ferment for too long in the hot summer days.

The most important reason for hard idlis is the due to insufficient amount of urad dal and inadequate water used for grinding. If u find ur idlis are hard,add more dal and use more water while grinding the batter. Add enough water while grinding itself. Even if u add water while mixing the batter,it won't work.

Urad dhal can be soaked for 4 hours to eight hours before grinding for idli or dosa. The reason is, urad dhal tends to absorb water and it increases its volume. A small amount of fenugreek seeds can also be soaked along with urad dhal and the quality of urad dhal determines the volume of batter.

If it is made in wet grinder then ingredients like poha or methi seeds can be skipped. Most people prefer making batter in a blender as it is easy to handle. If the batter is made in blender then poha or methi seeds will be helpful to make fluffy idlis.

Answer. Explanation: In the preparation of idli batter, the batter is fermented using bacteria or yeast. During fermentation, CO2 bubbles which are released get trapped in the gluten, thus making idlis puffy.

– If your idlis are too flat, it could be due to two reasons. One, there's too much urad dal in the batter and two, the batter is too watery. Even if you end up adding too much urad, if your batter is thick, the idlis will be fine but too much water will create flat idlis and there's really no way to fix this.

Curd contains several microorganisms including lactobacillus bacteria which undergoes anaerobic respiration and in this process, it acts on the sugar of the flour and releases Carbon dioxide, this gas makes the dough rise and when baked or fried the gas escapes leaving the idli or bhatura soft and spongy.

Salt inhibits fermentation and interferes with good bacteria to a certain extent. So one might want to add the salt after fermentation. At the same time, if you live in a hot and humid place then salt might be your friend because your batter will not be over fermented and will not turn sour soon.

Improved Texture and Softness: The presence of fenugreek seeds in idli dough results in idlis that are softer, fluffier, and lighter in texture. The carbon dioxide produced during fermentation creates air pockets within the dough, giving the idlis their characteristic spongy texture.

How much time to steam idlis? ›

Take your idli steamer or pressure cooker or electric cooker or Instant pot. Add some 2 to 2.5 cups water and heat the water until it comes to a light boil. Keep the idli mould in the steamer or pressure cooker. Steam for 12 to 15 minutes.

To soften hard idlis, soak and grind rice and dal separately, add poha or sago to the batter, ferment well, do not overmix, steam for 10 minutes, and reheat or resteam if needed.

Grinding together works well for dosas, not idlis. The right method is to grind the urad dal to a paste (soak for at least 2–3 hours beforehand), and add 'idli rava' (rice powder. Not rice flour, which is too fine) to it.

As a reaction, yeast cells grow and dough spreads. Anaerobic fermentation occurs in the fungus. Fungi break down fermentable carbohydrates into ethanol and carbon dioxide. The dough rises and becomes soft and fluffy as a response to the carbon dioxide gas.

good idli or dosa batter. This process gives you soft. fluffy idli's and dosas.

The reaction of alkaline fruit salt or baking soda with the acidity of the curd helps in leavening the batter. Thereby, giving it a soft and fluffy texture.

Fenugreek seeds play a crucial role in elevating the volume of idli dough, leading to the creation of light, fluffy idlis. Their natural yeast activation properties, enhanced fermentation, and nutrient absorption benefits make them a valuable ingredient in the idli-making process.