This recipe shows the conventional and traditional way to make Idli / Dosa Batter. The ratio of the rice and dals, fermentation are the key aspects to get perfect Idli/ Dosa.
Idli & Dosa batter recipe is one of the mandatory recipe to learn in every South Indian home. Atleast once a week, we all make the batter and make idlis and dosas. Most of us have a schedule of making batter on sunday and use the batter atleast for 2-3 days during the weekdays. Breakfast and dinner goes handy with this batter. Idlis are very good for our health as they are steam cooked and no oil dish. Even for the babies it is always recommended to start their diet with idlis.
The only secret for getting softer and malligai poo idli is the proper proportion of rice and dal and the fermentation of the batter. I have given here the proportion of rice to dals which I use always in my home and upon fermentation, I always get softer idlis. I have heard of many people who use cooked rice or poha (puffed rice) along with the rice and dals for soft idlis, but I believe that proper fermentation is the most important aspect of getting soft idlis. Let’s see the tips and ticks for making Idli & Dosa Batter to get softer Idli.
Tips & Tricks:
Proportion of Rice & Dal :
The proportion of rice to dal 4:1 works for grinder. If you don’t have a grinder, then you have to use 4 : 2.5(rice to dal) ratio as grinding the batter in a wet grinder automatically double the urid dal batter but mixer doesn’t. Also soak the rice and dals at least for 4 hours.
Aeration makes the difference :
Grinding the batter in Wet grinder automatically takes care of aeration. It incorporates air to the batter making the batter light but at the same time increase the quantity. But grinding batter in a mixer doesn’t incorporate air in the batter making the batter dense and our idlis will also turn our harder. So if you grind the batter in a mixer, you need to beat the uriddal batter nicely atleast for 5 minutes using a whisk or ladle to aerate the batter nicely.
Time for Fermentation :
Time for Fermentation process greatly depends on the weather/climate. If we have nice sunny weather, our batter will get fermented quickly within 6-8 hours itself. If we have cold weather, the fermentation process would take more time.
When to add Salt ?
Adding salt before or after fermentation is always a debate. Salt will work in par with the fermentation which in turn makes the batter more fermented and sour. So if you are staying in a warm place where fermentation process is quick, its better to add salt after fermentation. But for winter season, its recommend to add salt to the ground batter which will speed up the fermentation process.
Cold weather ? Living in Abroad ?
If its a very cold weather, we can place the batter inside the conventional oven with light on. The heat from the light helps the batter to ferment faster. If you are living abroad and if the season is winter, it is very hard to ferment the batter. A small trick helps us to get softer idlis in that situation. After 12 hours, we can just add a spoon of eno salt to the batter and we could see immediately the batter bubbles up and becomes lighter and we could get softer idlis. But if we are going to add eno salt, then we need to add it to the quantity we are going to use and not for the whole batter. So take the required quantity in a separate bowl and add eno salt to it just before you plan to make the idlis.
Idli’s are too thin ?
If the idlis are too thin and not fluffy, then check the batter, it might be more watery. Diluted batter makes the idlis flat. Also some good variety of urad dal double up nicely after grinding, more urad dal batter will make the idli sticky and flat. So to adjust that, we can add rice flour and stir well.
Not a fan of Idli ?
If you are not a fan of idli but want to use batter for dosa, then we always need to dilute the batter with a little water before we make dosa as dosa needs little thin consistency compared to idli.
Secret Ingredient ?
I have seen many people who use 1/2 cup of aval / poha or Sabudhana along with rice while soaking. This will help in quicker fermentation. Fenugreek seeds also serve as Fermenting agent to help faster fermentation
With Idli & Dosa Batter on hand, our breakfast or dinner time is so easy to manage. If we are tied up with more work or we need to have a quick evening tiffin, this batter is our savior. When the batter is almost over, we can use the left over batter to make Punugulu, Paniyaram, Khatta Dhokla etc
Other Varieties of Idli Recipes that you may want to try
Soft Idli Recipe | Idli batter Recipe Idli & Dosa Batter Recipe | Idli and Dosa Mavu Recipe | Conventional method of making Idli and Dosa Batter
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Indian, South Indian, Tamilnadu
Prep Time: 4hours
Cook Time: 15minutes
Fermentation Time: 8hours
Total Time: 12hours15minutes
Servings: 4people
Calories: 146kcal
Author: Sowmya Venkatachalam
This recipe shows the conventional and traditional way to make Idli / Dosa Batter. The ratio of the rice and dals, fermentation are the key aspects to get perfect Idli/ Dosa.
4Cups Idli RiceIf we dont get idli rice, we can add 3 cups of parboiled rice and 1 cup raw rice
1CupAval / Poha / Flattened RiceUse thick poha
1tspFenugreek Seeds
4tspSaltAs Needed
Instructions
Take parboiled rice and raw rice in a mixing bowl and rinse in water twice or thrice and then soak it in water. Take urid dal and fenugreek seeds in another vessel and rinse it in water twice and add water to soak them. Also wash poha thoroughly and add fresh water to soak poha.
Leave the soaking rice, poha and dal aside for atleast 4 hours. Add generous water to the dals and rice as the soaking process makes them double their size.
After 4 hours, drain the water from uriddal and add it to the grinder. Initially add 1/2 cup of water to the grinder and start the grinding process. Then slowly sprinkle water in regular intervals and grind the urid dal to a nice and thick batter. This process usually takes atleast 20 minutes. If the urdal quality is good, then we would get more batter. After 20 minutes, our urid dal batter is nice and smooth and if we take some batter and roll it in our hand it should roll like a soft ball. Also the moment we stop the grinding process, we could see small bubbles on top of the batter. This is the right stage to remove the urid dal batter from grinder. Remove the batter and keep it in a mixing bowl.
Next, drain the water from the rice and add it to the grinder. Add water little by little and grind the rice to a nice, smooth and thick batter. Add the rice batter to the mixing bowl which has already the urid dal batter
Mix both the batters well with a ladle or clean hand. When the urid dal batter and rice batter are nicely combined, then close the bowl with a air tight lid or a proper lid to cover the bowl completely and keep it aside for 12 hours or overnight for fermentation.
After 12 hours, we could see batter has fermented and the quantity would have doubled up. Now add salt and mix the batter well. Our Idli / Dosa Batter is now ready for making Idlis / Dosas
Video
Notes
Poha and sabudana both helps with the fermentation process which in turn yield soft idli
Fenugreek also aids in fermentation process.
Nowadays we are getting idli rice in shops. Conventionally, we use puzhungal arisi (parboiled rice). To get softer idlis, we need to use raw rice along with parboiled rice. But if we get idli rice, then we can skip raw rice and use only idli rice. In that case the ratio of idli rice to urid dal is 4:1
We can also use half millets and half quantity of rice and make the idli little more healthier
Nutritional Info
Nutrition Facts
Soft Idli Recipe | Idli batter Recipe Idli & Dosa Batter Recipe | Idli and Dosa Mavu Recipe | Conventional method of making Idli and Dosa Batter
Amount Per Serving (1 Cup)
Calories 146Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Carbohydrates 30g10%
Protein 5g10%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Method for Idli & Dosa Batter Recipe with Step by Step Pictures:
Take parboiled rice and raw rice in a mixing bowl and rinse in water twice or thrice and then soak it in water. Take urid dal and fenugreek seeds in another vessel and rinse it in water twice and add water to soak them. Leave the soaking rice and dal aside for atleast 4 hours. Add generous water to the dals and rice as the soaking process makes them double their size.
Grinding Process
After 4 hours, drain the water from uriddal and add it to the grinder. Initially add 1/2 cup of water to the grinder and start the grinding process. Then slowly sprinkle water in regular intervals and grind the urid dal to a nice and thick batter. This process usually takes atleast 20 minutes. If the urdal quality is good, then we would get more batter. After 20 minutes, our urid dal batter is nice and smooth and if we take some batter and roll it in our hand it should roll like a soft ball. Also the moment we stop the grinding process, we could see small bubbles on top of the batter. This is the right stage to remove the urid dal batter from grinder. Remove the batter and keep it in a mixing bowl. Next, drain the water from the rice and add it to the grinder. Add water little by little and grind the rice to a nice, smooth and thick batter. Add the rice batter to the mixing bowl which has already the urid dal batter
Fermentation Process
Mix both the batters well with a ladle or clean hand. When the urid dal batter and rice batter are nicely combined, then close the bowl with a air tight lid or a proper lid to cover the bowl completely and keep it aside for 12 hours or overnight for fermentation. After 12 hours, we could see batter has fermented and the quantity would have doubled up. Now add salt and mix the batter well. Our Idli / Dosa Batter is now ready for making Idlis / Dosas
I wanted to congratulate you on this wonderful work and thank you for sharing the age old tradition , tips and tricks that can be passed on only from a mother or a elder person from a family to their children ! Thank you for being so thoughtful and kind and sharing these recipe !
Ma’am I am using mixie to grind N I will preparing dosa not idli with the batter is the same ratio ok
Soaked 2 cups idli rice and 1 cup UDad dhal and 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
Ma’am I am using mixie to grind N I will preparing dosa not idli with the batter is the same ratio ok
Soaked 2 cups idli rice and 1 cup UDad dhal and 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
Hello maami, I love your blog for all our authentic Tamil Brahmins recipes. Nice work. Maami previously when I make idles it would fluff up like kushboo idli. But now a days I am not getting it like that. I'm following the 1 1/2 : 1 ratio with a tablespoon of fenugreek seeds. The same ratio gave me fluffy and bigger idles but now I am getting flat idles. Why so? The weather is also hot in USA so nalla Maavu pongivanthruthu. Help me Maami please
We generally use 3:1 or 4:1 (rice:uriddal). If you are grinding it in mixer, then this ratio is fine. Also I would suggest you to use a cup of aval (poha) which will make the idlis softer. Try adding poha and let me know
When you are saying wet grinder are you referring to the idli batter grinder which has the stone or are you referring to the mixers with the wet grinder jar? I am confused about the proportion and the appliance. I have a sujatha grinder with a separate jar for batters.
dear mam, what is doppie rice? can we use doppie rice for making soft idli? what is the proposition? we are confused about doppie rice and ponni rice. kindly help
I’m planning to start a new business of making idly/dosa batter..when it comes to business, I’m not sure about idly rice and dal proposion..please let me know whether 4:1 works well for business too..secondly, adding poha to mass batter makes idly softer or does not make any big difference in softness?your response will be greatly appreciated…
Dear Sowmya: I use a Mixer for grinding. So, I have to use 3 parts of Idli rice and 1 part of poha or javarisi to get 4 parts of rice to 2.5 parts of urad dhal and 1 tsp of fenugreek. Then, during winter, I have to add salt after grinding to hasten the fermentation process, but not when the weather is warm, otherwise, the batter becomes sour soon. I’m making this clear as the procedure for making the Idli batter using the Mixer is different from using the Stone Grinder. I’m very thankful to you for explaining to us in detail and also giving us some Tricks, Tips & Notes to make Soft Idlis. I have seen many recipes for Idlis, but yours gives me the confidence to try for softer idlis as it tells us what we should do and what we shouldn’t do, which is very important for us to know. Thank you, once again!
hi mam,
can u tell me what is the proportion of ingredients or making dosa idli batter in wet grinder?i usually use 4:1 but confused in measurement of adding poha and methi.
Is the name Doppi rice familiar to you? If I’m using it, will I still have to add raw rice to make idlis like yours? I’m not able to find the short, round rice you have used where I live.
Hi Raji, I have not used or seen doppi rice. I checked in google and it looks more like the idli rice we use. So I guess you can 3.5 cups of that doppi rice and 0.5 cup of aval for 1 cup of urad dal. You will also get fluffy and soft idli’s.
Thanks a lot for small small tips…I made the idli batter following ur tips I took 2.5 cups rice, 1 cup urad dal, 1/4 cup pha and 1/4 cup sabudana and 1 tsbp methi seeds.. batter came out well fermented in 12 hrs…idlis were soft and spongy…..
Dear madam , nice work and i follow you regularly.
I often find idly like rubber in TN which we dont feel good, I heard that they are made of parboiled rice , we like to have idly which absorbs sambar well and fluffy, can we get them by using idly rice
I have used idli rice for so many years now and the idli’s always turn out soft. The key is the fermentation. if the fermentation is nice and batter gets rise up well then the idli’s will surely be soft
Could you tell me the ratio for idli/dosa, as I use idli rava and I grind it in the food processor and then use the vita mix
Is that ok
Your suggestion will be appreciated
Hi! First of all, thank you for such good recipes and so dedication. Now, we are 2 at home; Can I make this mass and leave it in the refrigerator after fermented to use it in the following days? Thanks in advance and take care . Best regards from Spain. God protect you
You have mentioned sabudana also makes idli soft but you have not mentioned it in your recipe. You have mentioned only poha. So should we be adding sabudana too? If, yes what is the quantity?
Thanks for the recipe. My question is what is the purpose of adding 1 cup raw rice for idli batter? How does it help?
Adding only parboiled rice makes idli little hard. Raw rice with parboiled rice will aid in getting softer idlis
Dear subbuji,
Is there any difference between idli rice and parboiled rice. Which is better.thanks arthy
Idli rice and parboiled rice are same. But I personally feel idli rice is better than parboiled rice.
Dear Subbu Ji ,
I wanted to congratulate you on this wonderful work and thank you for sharing the age old tradition , tips and tricks that can be passed on only from a mother or a elder person from a family to their children ! Thank you for being so thoughtful and kind and sharing these recipe !
Can I use 3 cups parboiled rice 1 cup idli rice and the cup urad dal
if you are using idli rice, then you could use 4 cups of idli rice and 1 cup of urdal. you dont need parboiled rice
Ma’am I am using mixie to grind N I will preparing dosa not idli with the batter is the same ratio ok
Soaked 2 cups idli rice and 1 cup UDad dhal and 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
yeah this ratio will work. you can also add 1 tbsp toor dal and 1 tbsp chana dal for added taste
Ma’am I am using mixie to grind N I will preparing dosa not idli with the batter is the same ratio ok
Soaked 2 cups idli rice and 1 cup UDad dhal and 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
yeah this ratio will work. you can also add 1 tbsp toor dal and 1 tbsp chana dal for added taste
Thanks for the reply
Is it OK if I add salt before letting it ferment ie; after mixing the rice n urid dhaal batter??
Hello maami,
I love your blog for all our authentic Tamil Brahmins recipes. Nice work.
Maami previously when I make idles it would fluff up like kushboo idli. But now a days I am not getting it like that. I'm following the 1 1/2 : 1 ratio with a tablespoon of fenugreek seeds. The same ratio gave me fluffy and bigger idles but now I am getting flat idles. Why so? The weather is also hot in USA so nalla Maavu pongivanthruthu. Help me Maami please
We generally use 3:1 or 4:1 (rice:uriddal). If you are grinding it in mixer, then this ratio is fine. Also I would suggest you to use a cup of aval (poha) which will make the idlis softer. Try adding poha and let me know
When you are saying wet grinder are you referring to the idli batter grinder which has the stone or are you referring to the mixers with the wet grinder jar? I am confused about the proportion and the appliance. I have a sujatha grinder with a separate jar for batters.
dear mam, what is doppie rice? can we use doppie rice for making soft idli? what is the proposition? we are confused about doppie rice and ponni rice. kindly help
I live in Sweden and it isnt easy to know what is idli rice. Would you happen to know a generic or scientific name for the rice?
Its Parboiled Rice
I’m planning to start a new business of making idly/dosa batter..when it comes to business, I’m not sure about idly rice and dal proposion..please let me know whether 4:1 works well for business too..secondly, adding poha to mass batter makes idly softer or does not make any big difference in softness?your response will be greatly appreciated…
Adding poha indeed increase the softness and also 4:1 is the correct proportion
Can I make idlis using 2cups of idli rice to 1 cup of whole urad dal?
more the urad dal the idlis will be flat and sticky. But if you are grinding the batter in mixer jar then this would work.
Dear Sowmya: I use a Mixer for grinding. So, I have to use 3 parts of Idli rice and 1 part of poha or javarisi to get 4 parts of rice to 2.5 parts of urad dhal and 1 tsp of fenugreek. Then, during winter, I have to add salt after grinding to hasten the fermentation process, but not when the weather is warm, otherwise, the batter becomes sour soon. I’m making this clear as the procedure for making the Idli batter using the Mixer is different from using the Stone Grinder. I’m very thankful to you for explaining to us in detail and also giving us some Tricks, Tips & Notes to make Soft Idlis. I have seen many recipes for Idlis, but yours gives me the confidence to try for softer idlis as it tells us what we should do and what we shouldn’t do, which is very important for us to know. Thank you, once again!
Thank you so much Sheela. Thanks for sharing your way of making idli I will include that in my notes.
Mami can we use normal rice
For Idli/dosa its always a best choice to use parboiled or idli rice. Raw rice makes the idli more hard
Hi mam I want instant idle re please share me
Thank u subbu mam… if I add poha when do I add…while grinding with rice? Does it really help
yes Soak the poha for about 10-20 mins and grind it along with the rice.
In India, there is a rice that is used to make dosa and it is called DOSA RICE.
What dosa rice is called in USA?
I usually get Lakshmi Brand “Idli Rice” for making the batter
hi mam,
can u tell me what is the proportion of ingredients or making dosa idli batter in wet grinder?i usually use 4:1 but confused in measurement of adding poha and methi.
I usually add 3 cups of parboiled/idli rice, 1 cup of poha and 1 cup of urad dal
I have jada Poha. Is it ok if I.use 1 cup jada Poha n soak it for 1 hour. I don’t have the thin variety.
yes certainly. Soak for an hour and then grind it
Hi Sowmya,
Your idlis look so fluffy and pretty!
Is the name Doppi rice familiar to you? If I’m using it, will I still have to add raw rice to make idlis like yours? I’m not able to find the short, round rice you have used where I live.
Thanks
Raji
Hi Raji, I have not used or seen doppi rice. I checked in google and it looks more like the idli rice we use. So I guess you can 3.5 cups of that doppi rice and 0.5 cup of aval for 1 cup of urad dal. You will also get fluffy and soft idli’s.
Many thanks, Sowmya. I did as per your suggestion and added 0.5 cup normal parboiled rice for good measure. I got the soft idlis I wanted.
So glad to hear. Thanks Raji.
Thanks a lot for small small tips…I made the idli batter following ur tips I took 2.5 cups rice, 1 cup urad dal, 1/4 cup pha and 1/4 cup sabudana and 1 tsbp methi seeds.. batter came out well fermented in 12 hrs…idlis were soft and spongy…..
So glad Geetha. Thank you
Dear madam , nice work and i follow you regularly.
I often find idly like rubber in TN which we dont feel good, I heard that they are made of parboiled rice , we like to have idly which absorbs sambar well and fluffy, can we get them by using idly rice
I have used idli rice for so many years now and the idli’s always turn out soft. The key is the fermentation. if the fermentation is nice and batter gets rise up well then the idli’s will surely be soft
Could you tell me the ratio for idli/dosa, as I use idli rava and I grind it in the food processor and then use the vita mix
Is that ok
Your suggestion will be appreciated
Even for idli rava the ratio is same 4:1 4 cups of idli rava to 1 cup of urad dal will be perfect. We can add 1/2 cup of poha too
Can I use SPLIT URID Dhal and is the ratio still 4:1 or less dhal
Its still the same. Also you can try using split urad dal with skin. that will also have the same ratio
4:2.5 for mixer grinding for dosa is ok
we can 4:1.5 and 1 cup of poha will be good
Ma’am will be preparing dosa soaked 2 cups idli rice 1.25 cups udad dhal n 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
yes Meena this ratio will work
Hi! First of all, thank you for such good recipes and so dedication. Now, we are 2 at home; Can I make this mass and leave it in the refrigerator after fermented to use it in the following days? Thanks in advance and take care . Best regards from Spain. God protect you
Yes of course. We can grind large quantity, ferment and then refrigrate and use it for next 1 week
You have mentioned sabudana also makes idli soft but you have not mentioned it in your recipe. You have mentioned only poha. So should we be adding sabudana too? If, yes what is the quantity?
I know my friends who use sabudana. We can add 1/2 cup of poha and 1/2 cup of sabudana.