soft idlis even in winter

Hi
I never make idli due to the fear of hardness.May be I will try now as my fear is gone after reading the article.Hope it works

oops... sorry i started this thread and didn't check it for a long time! Imani: here too we don't get the same idli rice as in India. I buy what is called 'Ponni par-boiled rice' (each time different brand). Sometimes I get a srilankan brand of rice which is red in colour and is also par boiled rice. Both have worked good for me. Hope it helps! Latha

Originally Posted by lmani

In usa we dont get the rice we get in chennai.What would be the best way to make soft iddlis here.

Nope you do get them :)

Next time check out for Lakshmi brand Idly rice !!! Thats what I use and I get kushboo idilies...

traveller... quick tip...

to get more fluffy and soft idilies.. do this...

(1) Soak rice in warm to medium hot water for 4 hrs along with poha and vendayam. Yes dont soak vendayam with urad dhal.

(2) Then after 4 years.. start grinding the rice mixture.. How during that time.. soak the urad dal in hot water (not medium or warm.. hot)

(3) So once rice is done.. now you can do the urad.. Then follow as you mentioned by keeping them in the oven..[only during winter, during summer I just keep it outside]

Thus u can make it in a day ferment it over night and have idly for breakfast the next morning.. no need to spend 2 days.. I do this all seasons.. whether its snowstorm or hot summer.. it just works great!!!

Hi Nandhu,

Those were good tips. Infact, I do the same...my mom gave these ideas.

Btw, looks like you need to edit 4 years to 4 hours!!

Cheers
Krithika ( Jithiks)

Originally Posted by Nandshyam

Nope you do get them :)

Next time check out for Lakshmi brand Idly rice !!! Thats what I use and I get kushboo idilies...

traveller... quick tip...

to get more fluffy and soft idilies.. do this...

(1) Soak rice in warm to medium hot water for 4 hrs along with poha and vendayam. Yes dont soak vendayam with urad dhal.

(2) Then after 4 years.. start grinding the rice mixture.. How during that time.. soak the urad dal in hot water (not medium or warm.. hot)

(3) So once rice is done.. now you can do the urad.. Then follow as you mentioned by keeping them in the oven..[only during winter, during summer I just keep it outside]

Thus u can make it in a day ferment it over night and have idly for breakfast the next morning.. no need to spend 2 days.. I do this all seasons.. whether its snowstorm or hot summer.. it just works great!!!

Hi,

As Nandhu mentioned, it is better to soak the rice and urad dhal in hot water before grinding especially during winter.

One small change, I grind the urad dhal first and then the rice. Rice usually takes a little more time to grind than the dhal....that is why.

Also when we mix them after grinding...make sure we dont overdo it. This may also be one of the reasons some may get hard idlis. We need to fold them well so that they get mixed. Ofcourse dont forget the salt!

Cheers
Jithiks

I'll try your method,Nandshyam and let you know. Thanks for the tips! Latha

Hi,
I had been to california when my son had been there, and now in vancouver...I soak idly rice in warm water rice: urad dal (whole) 4:1 adding a little vendhayam... for 2 hrs or so and grind ev'thing together to fine paste, and findally adding a handful of cooked rice or soaked aval and remove.The dough will be thick when storing..and the next day when u areabout to prepare idlies, you have to beat it thouroughly adding a little water if necessary .We have to ferment it in the oven with the light on and we get very soft idlies.(we soak vendhayam , 2 cups beforehand and allow it to sprout , store , and use it for idlies ,dosa, for seasoning in almost all the kozhambus and vegetables)

[quote=kaluputti;272174]Hi,
I had been to california when my son had been there, and now in vancouver...I soak idly rice in warm water rice: urad dal (whole) 4:1 adding a little vendhayam... for 2 hrs or so and grind ev'thing together to fine paste, and findally adding a handful of cooked rice or soaked aval and remove.The dough will be thick when storing..and the next day when u areabout to prepare idlies, you have to beat it thouroughly adding a little water if necessary .We have to ferment it in the oven with the light on and we get very soft idlies.(we soak vendhayam , 2 cups beforehand and allow it to sprout , store , and use it for idlies ,dosa, for seasoning in almost all the kozhambus and vegetables)[IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO LEARN]

Hi Kaluputti,

Do you add vendhayam to the idli rice or urad dhal when grinding? Is it the raw or sprouted vendhayam that you add?

One more question, do you grind the dhal & rice together??!! That would make the batter tooo stiff...right? How do the idlis and dosas come out? Please elaborate!

Cheers
Krithika ( Jithiks)

Originally Posted by kaluputti

Hi,
I had been to california when my son had been there, and now in vancouver...I soak idly rice in warm water rice: urad dal (whole) 4:1 adding a little vendhayam... for 2 hrs or so and grind ev'thing together to fine paste, and findally adding a handful of cooked rice or soaked aval and remove.The dough will be thick when storing..and the next day when u areabout to prepare idlies, you have to beat it thouroughly adding a little water if necessary .We have to ferment it in the oven with the light on and we get very soft idlies.(we soak vendhayam , 2 cups beforehand and allow it to sprout , store , and use it for idlies ,dosa, for seasoning in almost all the kozhambus and vegetables)

Hi Nandshyam and Traveller,
I tried soaking poha this time and the idlis came out very soft