The best way to get the soft and spongy idli is making a perfect fermented batter. Fermenting batter in hot places like India and UAE is not at all a problem. But in ice-cold places and winters fermenting batter is a kind of challenge. Here comes the Mealthy multipot to save you from this difficult situation.
The best technique to grind the batter:
- Nowadays grinder is not required to grind the batter. A high-speed mixer is enough to do the job.
- Soak idli rice, fenugreek in a bowl for 2 hrs. Similarly, soak poha in a separate bowl for 1 hr. (If using cooked rice, you can directly add along with the rice while grinding.) Then soak urad dal in a separate bowl for 2 hrs.
- Choosing the best quality urad dal is very important in getting the soft and spongy idli. When you grind an urad dal it should double in size, it should be fluffy.
- While grinding if your urad dal batter is yellow, then you will end up with flat idli.
- To get white soft and spongy idly, the batter should be white, fluffy like butter.
- Nowadays organic urad dal is available in plenty, and I would recommend going for it.
- While grinding, mixer gets hotter easier, to avoid it, use ice-cold water to grind the batter.
- Also, don’t run the mixer at a stretch for a long time especially for the urad dal. Use whipper mode to grind the urad dal batter. That way the mixer will not get hotter.
Fermenting Idli in Mealthy Multipot:
- You can either ferment the idli batter directly in the inner pot or you can go for the PIP method.
- make sure to close the pot with a regular lid.
- Do not use the Mealthy multipot lid, as the batter could rise too much and if the pressure forms you may not be able to open the lid.
- Even though you set the YOGURT mode for 8 hrs, depending on the climate it may ferment earlier too. So do keep an eye on the batter then and there not to over ferment the batter.
- I always grind 2 cups rice and a half cup urad dal, so fermenting batter does not overflow in my 6qt MM.
- If you are using more cups of rice then you have to split it among bowls accordingly and then ferment the batter.
- The same batter can be used in making dosa, uthappam, paniyaram, punugulu, etc.
Steaming idli in Mealthy Multipot:
- To get perfectly cooked idli, first, boil the water before placing the idli plates.
- Once the water starts to boil, cancel saute mode and place the idli plates and close the lid. Let the valve be in the VENT position.
- Turn on the “STEAM” mode. The timer in the steam mode will not work. You have to set an external timer for 8 mins.
- while steaming the steam will be released through the valve, but the red nob will be floating due to pressure.
- after 8 mins cancel the SAUTE mode and wait for 2 mins to drop the red nob. Once the red nob drops you can open the lid.
- If you follow all these steps mentioned, you will surely get the soft and spongy idli.
Enjoy the video of fermenting and steaming the idli in MM. Subscribe for more videos.
Now let us see how to prepare the recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Idli Rice Par boiled rice/Puzhungal Arisi
- 1/2 tsp Fenugreek seed/vendayam
- 1/2 cup Poha/Puffed Rice or cooked rice
- 1/2 cup Urad Dal/Uluttam Paruppu Whole white
- salt to taste
Servings: Idli
Instructions
Grinding Idli Batter
- Wash and soak rice and fenugreek seeds together in a vessel for 2 hrs. Soak urad dal separately in another bowl for 2 hrs. Also, soak poha separately in another bowl for 1 hr.
- Once soaked. drain the water completely. In a mixer add soaked rice, fenugreek, poha and grind to a smooth batter by adding ice water little by little. Transfer rice batter to a bowl.
- Now grind urad dal using ice water little by little. Do not pour all water at the same time. Also, run the mixie in short intervals until urad dal is ground to a smooth batter and puffed up. Now transfer this batter to the rice batter bowl. Add salt and mix it thoroughly.
Fermenting Idli Batter
- Pour the batter to the inner pot of the Mealthy multipot.
- Select YOGURT mode. Yogurt mode sets for 8 hrs and countdown begins.
- Close the multipot with a regular glass lid and not with the Mealthy lid.
- Once the 8hr is completed, the machine beeps and the display shows "yogt". Now you can see that the batter is fermented well and risen.
Steaming Idli
- Transfer the fermented idli batter to another bowl and mix well. Adjust water if required to get the desired consistency. Grease idli plate with oil or ghee and pour the batter.
- Add a cup of water in the Mealthy inner pot. Turn on SAUTE mode and bring the water to rolling boil. Then CANCEL SAUTE mode.
- Place the idli plate inside the Mealthy multipot. Close the lid. Let the nob be in the VENT position. Select STEAM mode and set an external clock for 8 mins.
- Once the external clock comes to 0, Cancel the STEAM mode. Due to pressure red nob floats. Let the idli be there in the inner pot for 1 or 2 mins. Once the red nob drops, open the lid and remove the plates.
- Then sprinkle little water, use a spoon and remove the idlis from the mold and serve hot.
Recipe Notes
- Use parboiled rice or idli rice to make idli.
- Use good quality urad dal.
- Instead of poha, you can also replace it with cooked rice. (Both helps in getting the soft spongy idly)
- Fermentation is important to get soft spongy idli. (Fermentation completes according to the climate condition. So keep an eye on the batter. Sometimes it ferments within 8 hrs too.)
- As we are grinding in a mixie, it very often gets heated. So add ice cold water to grind the batter.
- You can use this same batter to make dosa, uthappam or paniyaram too.
- While steaming in Mealthy multipot let the vent be in VENTING position. Do not seal it. While in the venting mode, clock does not work, so keep an external clock for the timing. Do not use the pressure cook mode for steaming. Then you will not get the soft spongy idli.
Share this Recipe
Soft and spongy idli is ready to relish. Serve hot with sambar, chutney or idli podi.
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