Name: South Indian Steamed Rice Cakes: Idli Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: US
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 0.5 teaspoon mustard seeds; 0.5 teaspoon cumin seeds; 1 teaspoon split Bengal gram (chana dal); 10 fresh curry leaves; 1 dried red chile pepper, crushed; 1 tablespoon cashews, crushed; 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root; 1 teaspoon diced green chile pepper; 0.25 teaspoon asafoetida powder (hing); 1 cup semolina (sooji rava); 0.5 cup yogurt; 2 tablespoons carrots, chopped; Salt to taste (optional); 1 teaspoon fruit salt (such as Eno®)

Embark on a culinary journey to South India with this delightful Idli recipe. These fluffy, steamed cakes, made with a blend of semolina and yogurt, offer a light and satisfying breakfast or snack.

Follow The Directions

01

Step

4 mins

Heat vegetable oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and chana dal and sauté for a few seconds. Add curry leaves, dried red chile, cashews, ginger, green chile peppers, and hing and sauté until cashew nuts turn slightly brown (3-4 minutes). Add semolina and cook and stir over low heat until slightly browned; remove mixture to a plate and let cool completely (about 10 minutes).

02

Step

10 mins

Add yogurt and carrot to the mixture and mix well. Add water as needed to reach desired consistency. Season with salt to taste. Cover and let sit for 15 minutes. Check batter consistency again; add more water if needed.

03

Step

15 mins

Grease an idli pan and add water to steam; bring to a boil.

04

Step

1 mins

Meanwhile, add fruit salt to the batter, mix well, and then pour the batter in the greased molds.

05

Step

1 mins

Steam the idli for 10 minutes. Remove the idli from the molds and serve.

For a richer flavor, try using ghee instead of vegetable oil.
Ensure the semolina is cooled completely before adding the yogurt to prevent a lumpy batter.
The consistency of the batter is key. It should be thick enough to hold its shape but not too thick that the idlis become dense.
Experiment with adding other vegetables like finely chopped spinach or grated bottle gourd for added nutrition.
Serve the idlis hot with sambar, coconut chutney, or your favorite South Indian accompaniments.

Adelle Mclaughlin

Written by

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