How to get soft and fluffy idlis

Idli is a South Indian dish but is relished around the world. Idli is truly a specialty of the southern regions of the country which is served along with delicious hot sambhar and yummy coconut chutney. Idli contains two main ingredients, i.e. rice and lentils. Do you want your idlis to be fluffy and soft when you make them at home? Here are some tips for you to try.

How to prepare soft and fluffy idlis

• Ideally, the idlis should be porous and light and not spongy and crumbly. The idlis should be soft even when kept at room temperature. For this, the consistency of the idli batter should be right.
• It is best if the rice used for soft idlis is idli rice or parboiled rice. You can also use short or medium grain rice rather than the long grain variety as it helps in maintaining the fluffiness of the idlis.
• You should always soak the lentils and the rice separately and not together as it helps in preparing much softer and fluffier idlis.
• You should use whole or split black gram for the idli batter. Usually, the proportion of rice and dal used for the batter is 2:1.
• We often do not pay much attention to the appliances we use in grinding the paste but that matters a lot when it comes to the texture of idlis. You should always use a wet grinder rather than a food processor or a mixer grinder to prepare the idli batter. The wet grinder helps to get a much smoother and fluffier idli batter.
• One of the most important ingredients is methi daana or soaked fenugreek seeds. You should soak some methi daana in water and wait till they rise as this helps in improving the consistency of the idlis.

Vanathy Shekhar