White Idli- Steamed Urad dal Rice cake

Urad dal/ white lentil is one of the main ingredients in idli.  It is the split/whole and skinned black gram.  It is rich in protein.

120 gm urad dal

200 gm rice

½  tsp of methi/ fenugreek seeds

½  tsp salt

1. Wash rice and urad dal and soak them separately for about 8 hours .  Add few methi seeds to the urad while soaking.

2. Rinse and grind urad very finely whereas the rice should be little granular like sooji. Use as minimum water as possible while grinding because the final urad-rice batter should be of thick dropping consistency. 

3. Mix rice, dal and ½  tsp of salt together into a smooth thick consistency batter.

4. Cover the batter and leave it in a warm place overnight or about 8-12 hours to ferment.

5. Stir the batter well. Oil the idli moulds and fill them up with the batter.

6. Heat the pressure cooker with 2 cups of water.

7.Place the idlis in the cooker.  Close the cooker without the pressure weight.  Once the steam escapes from the vent of the cooker.  Time it for 6 minutes and then switch of the cooker. Allow the cooker to cool.

8. Remove the idli stand from the cooker.  Carefully take out the idlis from the moulds.  

9. Serve hot with chutney/ sambar

Idlis go well with jam and butter and honey also.