Idli and dosa are popular South Indian dishes made from fermented rice and lentil batter. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make idli and dosa at home:
Ingredients:
For Idli:
- 1 cup parboiled rice or idli rice
- 1/4 cup urad dal (skinned black gram)
- 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
- Water (for soaking and grinding)
- Salt to taste
For Dosa:
- The same idli batter
- Water (to adjust batter consistency)
- Oil or ghee (for greasing the pan)
Instructions:
- Soaking the ingredients:
- Wash the rice, urad dal, and fenugreek seeds separately and soak them in water for about 4-6 hours. The rice and dal will expand during soaking.
- Grinding the batter:
- Drain the water from the soaked rice and grind it in a blender or wet grinder to a smooth paste, adding water as required. The consistency should be slightly coarse but not too grainy.
- Transfer the rice batter to a large mixing bowl.
- Now, grind the soaked urad dal and fenugreek seeds with water until you get a smooth and fluffy batter. The dal batter should be airy and light.
- Mix the urad dal batter with the rice batter in the mixing bowl.
- Add salt to taste and mix well. The salt helps in fermentation.
- Fermentation:
- Cover the bowl with a clean cloth or lid and let the batter ferment in a warm place for about 8-12 hours or overnight. Fermentation is crucial to achieve the light and fluffy texture of idlis and crispiness of dosas.
- Making Idlis:
- After fermentation, the batter will rise and become airy.
- Grease the idli molds with a little oil and fill them with the batter.
- Steam the idlis in an idli steamer or a large pot with a steaming rack for about 10-12 minutes on medium heat or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Once the idlis are cooked, let them cool for a minute, then remove them from the molds using a spoon.
- Making Dosas:
- To make dosas, you might need to adjust the batter consistency. If it’s too thick, add a little water and mix well.
- Heat a non-stick or cast-iron dosa pan on medium-high heat.
- Pour a ladleful of batter onto the center of the hot pan and spread it in a circular motion to form a thin dosa.
- Drizzle some oil or ghee around the edges of the dosa and cook until the underside turns golden and crispy.
- Flip the dosa and cook the other side briefly.
- Serving:
- Serve the idlis and dosas hot with sambar, coconut chutney, or any other chutney of your choice.
Remember that the quality of the batter and the fermentation process play a crucial role in achieving soft and fluffy idlis and crispy dosas. The weather and temperature can also affect fermentation, so adjust the fermentation time accordingly. Enjoy your homemade idlis and dosas!