Topic started by sanjana menon (@ 62.215.3.37) on Sun Oct 27 12:21:33 .
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

hello friends,
i want to know the correct proportion of urad dal and rice to make good fluffy idlis. can any one of you help me with the correct ratio?

Responses:

• From: Chitra (@ sdn-ap-026txhousp0362.dialsprint.net) on: Sun Oct 27 15:12:16
  
  Hello Sanjana,
  You can find the Idli recipe in this old thread.
  http://forumhub.com/southfood/21593.6191.10.49.59.html
  Please let us know how it turned out.
  
  
• From: sanjana menon (@ 62.215.3.37) on: Mon Oct 28 12:15:52
  
  hi chitra,
  i got the recipe for idli from the old thread.i shall definetely let you know how my idlis turned out. the problem here is the rice. i donno if i can find the right kind of rice in kuwait. i hope its available in indian bakalas.
  thanks a lot
  sanjana menon
  
  
• From: sanjana menon (@ 62.215.3.37) on: Mon Oct 28 12:16:01
  
  hi chitra,
  i got the recipe for idli from the old thread.i shall definetely let you know how my idlis turned out. the problem here is the rice. i donno if i can find the right kind of rice in kuwait. i hope its available in indian bakalas.
  thanks a lot
  sanjana menon
  
  
• From: Mrs.Mano (@ 213.42.1.175) on: Tue Oct 29 00:08:08
  
  Hello sanjana,
  I am also from yr neighbouring country,United Arab Emirates.Here there is a kind of boiled rice which is called as chinese boiled rice. Hope you would get this in Kuwait also. You can try this rice with the usual method. And the idlies will be very soft.Nowadays we get Thanjavur ponni boiled rice also here. So you can search for that also.
  
  
• From: sanjana menon (@ 62.215.3.45) on: Tue Oct 29 12:25:49
  
  hello mrs.mano,
  good to know that u r my neighbour.yes, we do get chinese and american boiled rice, but haven't used them. i purchased something called"idli rice" from an indian store. hope it comes out well.bye,
  sanjana
  
  
• From: Revathy (@ 213.42.1.171) on: Tue Nov 12 03:42:54
  
  Hello Chithra,
  
  I tried your method of making idlies, following each step exactly. They turned out extremely soft but were flatter than what i get usually. I tried increasing the amount of batter i pour in the moulds but still they didn't rise in the middle & were flat. Also, sometimes only the first lot of idlies are wonderfully soft -- the subsequent batches are not as soft as the first one.
  Any suggestions as to why this could be happening?
  Thanks,
  Revathy.
  
  
• From: Chitra (@ sdn-ap-017txhousp0363.dialsprint.net) on: Tue Nov 12 22:44:11
  
  Dear Revathy,
  I am sorry to know that the idlies didn’t turn out the way you expected.
  I am guessing that the reason why the first batches were very soft and flat, and the last ones hard may be due to the fact that the batter was not uniformly mixed. The first batches being very soft and flat, contained more urdh and the last ones contained more rice batter and ended up hard. The rice gives the body, urud gives the softness and the air bubbles make it fluffy. The success of good idli making depends not only on the original batter preparation, but also on the adequate amount of these three ingredients at the time of scooping the batter in to the molds. You may be aware of the fact, that the batter when left in the container forms three layers, the denser rice at the bottom with the lighter urud and air on top of one another
  These are my suggestions to prevent this problem:
  1. gently mix the fermented batter uniformly, taking care not to break all the air bubbles. This ensures that the granular rice and the soft urud will be intimately mixed in the scooped batter with adequate amount of air bubbles, the former making the idli soft and rising and the latter making it fluffy.
  2. To ensure each ladle of batter retains this critical composition, mix the batter gently at the near side of the vessel when scooping out in to the mold.
  With practice you may develop your own technique and these steps may not appear as complicated as explained here.
  Please keep us posted after your next attempt.
  
  
• From: Hemant (@ 12-233-223-112.client.attbi.com) on: Tue Nov 12 23:19:43
  
  Hello Revathy,
  Another reason you got uneven quality of idlies is that you must have added a little bit more of water.If the batter has more water, Idlies turn flat eventhough they may be soft.
  When you get to the second or third batch, they turn harder due to more of rice content settling down at the bottom.
  So add just the exact proportion of water next time.
  
  
• From: sanjana menon (@ 62.215.3.45) on: Wed Nov 13 10:35:20
  
  hi chitra,
  sanjana here. well, i prepared idlis today. they didn't turn out very soft, but for the first time it came out properly. i followed all the steps given by you. the reason for it being less soft must be due to the rice that i used. but, let me ask u something. my idlis were slight off white in colour. it wasn't as white as the idlis we get in india. do u know the reason.
  bye,
  sanjana
  
  
• From: Chitra (@ sdn-ap-018txhousp0392.dialsprint.net) on: Wed Nov 13 14:59:35
  
  Hello Sanjana,
  Usually the idlies I make are white in color. The reason why they are off white may be due to the color of the rice you used. I can't think of any other reason.
  Revathy also made idlies and they were too soft! By trial and error and trying different brands of rice, you will succeed in making the idlies of your choice. Please keep us posted when you make the next batch. Until you perfect the technique, you can reduce the recipe to half, and make small batches. Good luck and thanks for the feed back.
  
  
• From: Revathy (@ 213.42.1.171) on: Sun Nov 17 13:23:11
  
  Hi Chitra & Hemantji,
  I followed both your suggestions of proper mixing as well as reducing the amount of water used ; but though the idlies were puffed up they were rather dry & had a coarse texture. Maybe i reduced too much water ; i think i'll fare better in my next attempt. Thank you.
  
  
• From: Hemant (@ wsi2.ci.san-leandro.ca.us) on: Sun Nov 17 14:31:22
  
  Hello Revathey,
  I want to know if you ahd used a little Venthiyum (fenugreek) in the batter.
  If your answer is no, then that is the only reason .One probable reason may be , you should not over steam Idlies.They will become dry if you over steam.Try it out and let me know.
  
  
• From: Revathy (@ 213.42.1.171) on: Sun Nov 17 14:45:20
  
  Hello Hemantji,
  Thanks for your prompt response. Yes, i did use vendhyam. But i steamed the idlies for around 10 to 12 mins.....so i guess my problem lies there. How much trouble the humble & healthy idli is causing to my family & neighbours, who are totally fed up of my idli adventures ; that's the fun in cooking eh, try try till you succeed & as long as you have guinea pigs around.....
  
  
• From: Andal Balu (@ adsl-154-4-171.asm.bellsouth.net) on: Mon Nov 25 00:04:17
  
  If the idli batter is too thick, the dough may not rise well and the top of the dough will have a yellowish film. All the idlies made from this batter will be off white in color. Regarding the consistency, after you finish mixing the urad and rice dough, the batter should fall freely from your hand.
  
  You should add the correct amount of salt to the dough mixture for proper fermentation.
  
  Do not pressure cook the idlies.
  
  
• From: ssjosan (@ 213.189.83.103) on: Wed Nov 27 13:24:36
  
  Dear sanjana,
  get the idly rice from gulf mart (double horse-ponni) ratio is 1 cup urad : 4 cup rice.
  get black gram from nilgris- salmiya. ask for uruttu ulundu.
  
  
• From: jenifer (@ yahoobb219215059226.bbtec.net) on: Fri Jul 23 08:19:51
  
  Hi i am jenifer from japan
  i can make good idlies till 2 months before.But now a days i am getting very sticky idlies.I am using the ratio 1cup urad:4 cup rice.(And 2 teaspoons methi with urad and cooked basumathi rice with soaked rice for 6 hrs)But i am getting very fine dosa as we get in india.Can anybody telet me know the reason for stickyness.
  
  
• From: Andal Balu (@ user-11falvm.dsl.mindspring.com) on: Fri Jul 23 17:04:58 EDT 2004
  
  The stickyness may be from the cooked rice you are adding. May be reduce the amount of cooked rice proportion and then let us know. Also do not use basmati rice for idlies. Use the idli rice and if it is not available, use regular long grain rice.
  
  
• From: Vishwanthan (@ leased-200-10-35.bng.vsnl.net.in) on: Tue Aug 10 01:12:57
  
  How to prepare malige idli? What is the ingredients?
  
  
• From: Vishwa (@ leased-200-10-35.bng.vsnl.net.in) on: Tue Aug 10 01:17:34 EDT 2004
  
  How to prepare Mallige Idli? This is very soft and white. It will be tasty if eat when it is hot. Please tell how to preape
  
  

Want to post a response?