serves
4
prep
20 minutes
cook
15 minutes
difficulty
Easy
serves
4
people
preparation
20
minutes
cooking
15
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
Ingredients
- 400 g (14 oz) forbidden rice, or black rice (see Notes)
- 360 g (12½ oz) idli rice (see Notes)
- 250 g (9 oz) urad dhal (dal)
- 10 fenugreek seeds
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tsp vegetable oil, for greasing
- 3 tbsp melted ghee, to serve (see
if you'd like to make your own) - Sambar or chutney, to serve, optional
Soaking time: overnight. Fermenting time: 12 hours.
Instructions
- Separately wash and soak the rices and urad dal overnight in water with a pinch of fenugreek seeds in each.
- The next day, drain the rice and dal, reserving the water. Blend each individually in a stone grinder or using a blender, adding enough of the soaking water to make a paste. Make sure the rices aren’t totally smooth. (It’s better to start with just a little water, then add more if needed.)
- Mix all the batters together and add the salt. Add enough water to bring it to a thick, cake-batter consistency.
- Place the batter in an airtight container, seal and leave in a warm spot to ferment for 12 hours (see Notes) or until it forms tiny air bubbles and becomes light and airy. Once fermented, the batter is ready to steam.
- Pour water into an idli steamer and bring it to the boil. Grease the idli trays and fill them halfway with the batter. Drop the trays in boiling water, cover the steamer, and then cook over a medium heat for 13–15 minutes depending on how deep your idli steamer is. The water should be simmering, not boiling.
- To check if the idli are cooked, pierce an idli with a skewer. If it comes out clean and the idli has puffed up, it’s ready.
- Take out the idli tray and let it cool for a few minutes, then remove the idli with the help of a spoon.
- Serve with melted ghee, sambar or chutney.
This is an edited extract from by Helly Raichura (Hardie Grant Books), photography by Jana Langhorst and Brett Cole.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
