Idli: Steamed Rice & Black Gram Bread From Indian Cuisine For a Fermented Breakfast

Idli is a soft, steamed South Indian breakfast made from a fermented mix of rice and urad dal. This simple idli recipe uses parboiled rice, black gram, fenugreek seeds, salt and water. The batter ferments overnight and then steams into light, fluffy discs served with sambar or chutney.

Idli is a round, fluffy steamed bread, about eight centimetres wide. It comes from Southern India and is a common breakfast in many homes. The batter is made from ground rice and urad dal, then left to ferment before steaming in an idli steamer or idli pan.

This idli recipe is a fermented food recipe. Rice and dal soak for about 2 hours, then you prepare the batter in around 10 minutes. The batter ferments for 8–12 hours, depending on room heat. Each batch of idli steams in 11–15 minutes, based on rice type.

Ingredients for idli batter

These quantities make a full batch of idli batter for a family. You may halve the recipe for a smaller batch. Use standard measuring cups and spoons for best results so the batter ferments well and the idli texture stays light and spongy.

• 4 cups (about 800 g) parboiled short-grain rice
• 1 cup (about 200 g) skinless white urad dal (whole, not broken)
• 1 teaspoon (about 4 g) fenugreek seeds (methi)
• 2 teaspoons (about 10 g) non-iodised salt
• 2 cups (about 480 ml) chlorine-free water for fermenting, plus extra for soaking and grinding
• 2 tablespoons (optional) fermented idli batter or 1 teaspoon yogurt with live cultures, as fermentation starter

Equipment needed

Good tools make this idli recipe easier and give more even results. A stone grinder is ideal, but many home cooks use a mixer jar or blender. Avoid food processors, as they do not grind the dal and rice to the right smooth yet airy texture.

• Large bowl for soaking rice
• Large bowl for soaking urad dal and fenugreek
• Stone grinder or strong blender
• Spatula or large spoon for mixing batter
• Deep vessel for fermenting batter
• Idli pans or idli stand with round moulds
• Steamer or large pot with lid for steaming idlis
• Small knife or thin spatula for unmoulding

Step-by-step: making idli batter

The batter is the heart of any idli recipe. Follow these clear steps for soaking, grinding and fermenting. Stick to the rice and dal ratio and keep the batter in a warm place so the natural bacteria can grow and create air bubbles in the mix.

1. Wash the rice and urad dal in separate bowls until the water runs clear. This removes extra starch and dust, which helps the batter ferment well.
2. Add fenugreek seeds to the urad dal bowl. Pour enough water to cover the dal and methi by at least 2–3 cm, as they swell while soaking.
3. Soak the rice in a separate bowl with plenty of water. Keep both bowls aside for up to 2 hours. Do not soak for longer than this time for this idli recipe.
4. After soaking, drain the rice completely and discard the rice soaking water. Drain the urad dal but keep its soaking water aside to use while grinding.
5. Grind the urad dal and fenugreek to a smooth, light paste. Add the reserved soaking water as needed. The dal paste should be fluffy rather than dense or tight.
6. Grind the rice with about 1 cup (240 ml) chlorine-free water. For idli, you may keep the rice slightly coarse. If you also plan to make dosa later, grind the rice to a finer paste.
7. Transfer both pastes to a clean, deep vessel. Add non-iodised salt and mix very well with your hand or a spatula until fully combined.
8. If using a starter, add fermented idli batter or yogurt now and stir well. This can help when the room temperature is low or the batter does not ferment easily.

Fermenting the idli batter

Proper fermentation gives idli its soft texture and mild sour taste. The mixed batter should trap tiny bubbles by the next day. A warm environment helps the natural cultures grow and fill the batter with gas, which stays during steaming and gives lift.

9. Cover the batter vessel loosely, allowing some air to pass. Place it in a warm spot at around 25–28 °C. A light left on in the oven often gives the right gentle warmth.
10. Let the batter ferment for about 8 hours or overnight. Look for tiny bubbles and a slight rise in volume. If you do not see bubbles, the batter has not fermented well.
11. If your kitchen is very cold, place the vessel in a larger bowl of warm water. Cover the outer bowl with a cloth to hold the heat, and change the water if it cools too much.

Steaming soft idlis

Once the batter has fermented, it is ready for steaming. Handle it with care, because rough mixing pushes out the trapped air. The goal is to keep the batter airy so the idlis stay tender and rise well in the idli pan during steaming.

12. Grease each mould of the idli pan with a little ghee or vegetable oil. This stops sticking and also gives a slight shine to the idlis.
13. Gently spoon fermented batter into the round moulds. Do not stir the whole batter or tap the stand, as this lets the bubbles escape and makes dense idlis.
14. Place the filled idli stand in a steamer or large pot with boiling water. Cover with a tight lid and steam for about 12 minutes for white rice idli.
15. If you use brown rice, steam a little longer, around 16 minutes. Brown rice adds more taste and colour but needs extra time to cook through.
16. After steaming, remove the stand from the steamer and let it cool for a few minutes. Then unmould each idli with a thin knife or spatula, sliding around the edges.

Tips, rice choices and batter ratio

This idli recipe works best with parboiled short-grain white rice, which gives a soft crumb. Brown rice also works and adds more flavour, but must soak for at least 4–6 hours. Avoid broken urad dal, as whole dal traps more air and helps the batter rise.

Keep the urad dal to rice ratio between 1:3 and 1:4 by volume. With very good dal, you may stretch the rice a bit more. Mix rice and dal batters very well. Hand mixing is often best, as uneven mixing is a common cause of flat or hard idlis.

Water and fermentation starter notes

Use chlorine-free or filtered water for soaking and grinding. Tap water with chlorine may slow fermentation. Many home water filters remove chlorine and chloramine, which helps the natural bacteria in the batter grow and create the airy structure.

If the batter does not ferment on its own, stir in a spoon of ready idli batter from the fridge or a teaspoon of live yogurt. Do not use plain bread yeast alone, as you also need lactic bacteria for the right idli taste and mild sour aroma.

Serving, leftovers and ready batter

Sprinkle hot idlis with sesame oil and serve them with sambar, coconut chutney or idli podi. Leftover batter that has lost its froth is still useful. Spread it thinner on a tawa to make dosa, which needs less lift and uses the same fermented mix.

Some Indian shops sell fresh, ready-to-cook idli batter in the fridge section. Many of these give light and fluffy idlis with a gentle tang. Some brands, however, use citric acid and baking powder instead of full natural fermentation, so the health benefits may be lower.

Nutritional values (approximate, per 2 medium idlis)