Idli, or How to Steam A Breakfast Batter
I would be hard pressed to say if that delicious south-Indian dal sambar was an accompaniment for these idli, or if it’s the other way around. Maybe they are meal partners: the sambar is a delicious medley of spices and vegetables and cooked pulses, while the idli provide a pillow-like staple of ground gram beans and creamed rice (laced with kuri leaf) that give the soup some staying power.
Well, whomever accompanies whom, this morning meal is one of my favorite memories of our trip through Tamil Nadu and surrounds, a close second to those spectacularly delicious tiffin meals of the same region.
Here is a basic recipe for idli, followed by the short-cut “mix” version, and some notes on idli success, which I have just mastered after several somewhat leaden attempts to create them. As is usual in these cross-cultural attempts at cuisine, there are little pieces that get lost in translation and, untranslated, what should look and taste like what is pictured ends up looking and tasting like the picture itself.
Gram bean and rice dumplings (Idli)
| clean & wash beans; cover with 2" of water and soak 8 hours; rinse | 1 1/3 c | urad dal, white water, to cover |
|---|---|---|
| - | ||
| puree until smooth & fluffy; transfer to a large bowl | 1 1/3 c | water |
| - | ||
| rinse til water runs clear (no starch), then squeeze dry and add to bean paste; beat well adding salt to taste; ferment 8-12 hours in a warm place | 2 1/2 c 1 t | cream of rice cereal salt (opt, or to taste) double-layer of cheesecloth |
| - | ||
| gently stir baking soda into the batter - stay foamy; let rest 4-5 minutes; spoon 1/4c into cups of lined idli rack; steam 6-12 mins or toothpick test | 1/4 t | baking soda |
Makes 28 - 2 1/2" dumplings. A single portion would be 1/4 batch - use just a dusting of baking soda. If you use a pressure cooker, make sure the vent weight is left off of it so the steam readily escapes.
NOTES
Idli racks can be purchased for $10-15 from most Indian groceries. There are racks with 3 large indentations (to make 4-5" dumplings) or racks with 4 smaller indentations. They usually come with a long threaded screw in the center, to hold 6 trays; that will only fit in tall pressure cookers or pots. I bought a shorter threaded screw from my local hardware store, and cut it back even further so it would fit my 6-qt cooker. There was a long threaded cap I was able to add to the top to make it easier to lift out of the pot.
Before I got a rack, I steamed the batter in an 8" cake tin, which was in a tub of water on top of an inverted tin or colander. That worked all right - I had long cake-slice wedges to eat with my meal. But the air bubbling under the tin was a bit inconvenient, and rust was a factor. I am happier with the rack.
Be sure to line the cake tin or the cups with cheesecloth: serving and cleanup is so much easier. I cut squares that span the width of the tray plus a few inches (they shrink when used), and cut a little hole in the middle so they fit over the central screw. It seemed easier than making little dumpling-sized sheets… but more wasteful perhaps. I wash them out after each use to extend their life. If you do this, be careful to clean very well, since rice and gram starches make a great petri medium for growing your own bacteria (not generally the beneficial variety).
Idli powder is easily found at the same groceries where you buy your rack. I think one batch I bought had baking soda already in the mix, because it rose up foamy in the morning and made fine, soft idli. But since then I have not had so much luck. Maybe there is baking soda, but it is “flat”. When I looked at the ingredients, there were four lines in Tamil, but only two lines in English: gram bean and rice. If you have any doubt, add that pinch of baking soda to the batter and let it set a few minutes before steaming: my last batch turned out great!
Finally… some nice touches to spice up your rice dumplings.
- First, you can fold the salt into the batter when you fold in the baking soda: that might help fermentation proceed more smoothly, without the salt slowing down biology;
- You can take five or six kuri leaves and slice them into threads, and fold those delicious smelling greens into the batter with the salt and the soda (pictured above);
- And you can finely chop a green or red chili and add a touch of fire to the mix as well.
All options turn out well, the salt being most important for that bit of flavor enhancement you want in an otherwise nondescript, pasty, white dumpling!
Enjoy ~
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