How to make Idli Dosa Batter using Mixie | Idli Recipe

Idli-dosa is synonyms for South India food or breakfast for many though I make it rare now a days and it goes same in my parents house too idli-dosa is made only once in blue moon so to own a grinder is out of question.  My mom used mixer, my sisters using mixer for grinding idli-dosa batter and I do same too though I gifted my sister a table top grinder but never thought of getting one for me so you can see I have plenty years of experience when it comes to idli batter in mixer starting from my mom trials. In fact I never used grinder so far in my life I don't know even how to operate a grinder, strange right?


Lot of people think we can't get soft idli or for that matter vada if we use mixie which I don't agree with I have used only mixer for idli-dosa batter, vada, dahi vada and everything comes soft every time.  We just need to know our mixie and keep few pointers in mind that's all though we use little extra urad dal in while using mixie than grinder but other than that it's all fine.

I wanted to do this post of how to make idli-dosa batter in mixer/mixie for a very long time but it was not just happening and this post is specially dedicated to my North-Indian friends whom doesn't know or doesn't get the perfect batter.  One of my friend was complaining to make that she never get soft idli I asked her how she makes batter then I came to know the mistake she was doing, she was using black urad dal and soaking both urad dal and rice together too like this there are many whom doesn't know the exact process so this post is for those people.

Try this method specially if you don't own a grinder, do read the note to get better understanding.  I tried to cover all the points that I remember as of now if you still have doubt or doesn't get soft idli let me know we can see what can be done for that.

How to make Idli-Dosa Batter in Mixie

Author: Priti | Category: Breakfast | Cuisine: South Indian
Prep Time: 13 Hours 20 Mins | Cook Time: 10 Mins | Total Time: 13 Hours 30 Minutes

Yields: 24-26 Idlis

Ingredients:

Idli Rice or Boiled Rice - 3 Cups
Whole White Urad Dal - 1 Cup
Fenugreek Seeds/Methidana - 1/2 tsp
Water - 2-3 Cups
Soda-bi-Card - 1/2 tsp
Salt - As needed, I add 1 tsp

Method:
0. Before we move on to the post here is picture of idli rice and white urad dal that we should use.

1. Wash 4-5 idli rice and urad dal and soak idli rice and urad dal with fenugreek seeds separately with ample of water (I normally add water covering 3-4 inches above rice and dal) for 5-6 hours. Soaking with enough water ensures dal and rice both gets double in quantity.  You can keep the water will be useful for grinding.
~ Normally I will soak rice and dal around 4pm while making tea and grind teh batter 9 or 10 pm and let it get fermented overnight.

2. Use large jar to grind batter, in jar add soaked dal and fenugreek seeds add 1/2 cup of water and grind in high speed for a minute, add 1/4 - 1/2 cup of water again and grind until smooth. If your mixer start making noise add more water. 

3. Urad dal batter will be soft, fluffy and smooth if grind properly with enough water. Always remember to add water, if you don't add enough water your mixie will start making noise so that's a hint for you to add water.

4. Transfer batter to a large container that you wish to store batter in. It has to be large as the batter will double after fermentation.

5. Now in the same jar add half of rice (I normally grind rice in 2 batches, you can do the same in 3 batches too), 1/2-3/4 cup of water and grind for 2-3 minutes in high speed. After each minute stop the mixie and check if more water is needed.

6. If more water is need add 1/8 to 1/4 cup of water and grind again. Idli batter will have slight grainy texture (more like texture of super fine semolina).

7. Transfer batter to the container we transfer urad dal batter.  Now add remaining rice and water same like in step 6, 7 and grind.

8. In a small bowl  dissolve soda with 2-3 tbsp water, add this water to prepared batter (you can also add salt now) and mix gently to combine everything together, using hand is best option.

9. Cover and let it ferment for over night or 8 hours.  If your weather conditions is cold it might required another 1-2 extra to ferment.  When the batter gets double means it's fermented well.

10. To make idli, take required amount of batter in another container add salt (if not added before) and stir gently, do not over mix. Grease idli plate with oil well or lay wet cloth or use wet muslin cloth, fill each impression with a ladle ful of batter or until 3/4. 

11. Meanwhile add water in steamer or pressure cooker and let it start to steam, place idli plates stand close steamer or cooker  (don't use cooker weight ) and steam for 10-12 minutes.  Off flame and allow it to cool, take out the idli stand and sprinkle little water on each plate, use a spoon to scoop out idli.  If using cloth then gently invert the cloth to remove idli.

Serve hot with chutney, sambar of your choice.

Notes

1. Water is the most important factor while grinding idli-dosa batter in mixer/mixie.  If you add less water idli won't be soft.
2. Whole white urad dal works best for idli-dosa batter, you can use broken white urad dal too if whole ones are not availabe.  Try to avoid black urad dal.
3. Fermentation time depends on weather conditions, normally 8 hours or over night is enough in places like Chennai, Singapore.  If you live in cold place fermentation might take 10-12 hours or more than that, you can keep batter in preheated oven or microwave with light ON it helps in quicker fermentation. Another tip is to add 1/4 cup or a ladle of batter from previous batch as starter to make the batter ferment same as we do to set curd. 
4. I keep the batter in steel vessel what you see in pictures and cover it with steel plate it stays good for almost a week for me.  
5. I don't add salt while grinding or before fermentation.  Generally I will take out required batter in another container, add salt and use it.  This way batter doesn't becomes sour quickly and stay good for 5-6 days.  Just don't let the batter sit on your kitchen counter after fermentation to keep it fresh.
6. Some people add poha/aval/beaten rice along with rice or urad dal while soaking to make soft idlis, you can do same too.  Soak a fistful of poha along dal and grind together.  While some people add cooked rice while grinding idli rice this also to make soft idli, add fistful of cooked rice if you wish to add.
7. Always grind urad dal first and then idli rice. 
8. If using pressure cooker to steam idli then don't use cooker weight.
9. If you are using cloth to steam idli make sure it's clean and wet.
10. Spoon help to remove idli from plate in earlier and neater way.
11. After 2-3 days use remaining batter to make dosa, this batter makes crispy dosa too, just 4-5 tbsp of water to dilute batter before making dosa.

Accompaniments for Idli-Dosa

• Coconut Coriander Chutney
• Coconut Garlic Chutney
• Erra Karam | Red Chutney
• Onion Chutney
• Onion Tomato Chutney
• Peanut Chutney
• Vada Kari (Curry)

Have a nice day.