Idli is a popular South Indian dish made from fermented black lentils and rice.
Ingredients:
1 cup parboiled rice
1 cup black lentils (urad dal)
Salt, to taste
Instructions:
Wash the rice and lentils separately and soak them in water for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Drain the water from the rice and lentils and grind them separately into a fine paste. Mix them together in a large bowl and add salt to taste. Cover the bowl with a lid and let it ferment for 8-12 hours or until the batter has doubled in size.
Grease the idli plates with oil and pour the batter into each mold, filling them about 3/4 full.
Steam the idlis in a steamer or idli cooker for 10-15 minutes or until they are cooked through.
Once the idlis are cooked, remove them from the steamer and let them cool for a few minutes before serving.
Idlis are typically served with sambar and chutney, but you can also serve them with other side dishes like coconut chutney or tomato chutney.
Note:
Instead of fermentation you can also use readymade idli batter which you can buy from Indian grocery stores or online.
