Idli batter - fermenting but not rising !

Dewdrop · Aug 20, 2012

For the first time in all these years, I'm having a peculiar problem with the idli/dosa batter fermenting very well but not rising at all :thumbsdown.
In tamil, 'pulikkardhu .. but pongi varavillai' -- it has fermented with tiny bubbles on the surface, but the amount of batter has not increased even a centimeter. I've tried keeping it for longer - even 20hrs.- in indirect heat, still the batter colour becomes yellowish but doesn't rise in quantity at all ...don't know why ? :confused2:

I haven't changed any proportion or the dal/rice quality or even the water amount and timing is the same . I've never had any such problem before -:idontgetit:- what could be the cause ?

cool09 · Aug 20, 2012

I always use my hands to mix the batter after adding salt . Since my body is always hot it really overflows ! May be try someone else's! GL

freddycat · Aug 20, 2012

dewdrop:

Change urad dal, if it is too old, it will have problem as you described. I buy whole urad dal, brands like swad, sugam or laxmi are good from my local grocery store. Also, I use laxmi brand boiled rice (4 cups of rice and 1 cup of urad dal with 1 teaspoon vendayam). I grind it using the table top grinder from India. When mixing the batter, add a little pinch of baking soda along with salt and leave the batter in the oven with lights on (4-6 hours), and perfect idly/dosa comes every time.

GL

Dewdrop · Aug 21, 2012

Thanks for the suggestions cool09 & freddycat.

I also use laxmi brand & in grinder only, same proportions. And mix with hand only & I'm also warm blooded & keep in oven with light on for 12 hrs. -- still didn't work
I buy provisions, every 6 weeks from the regular guy only - maybe he pushed off some old stock :rantI'm thinking now.

cool09 · Aug 21, 2012

Every 6 weeks ? Wowwww! How Do u stock up much. We tend To shop every 2 weeks or sometimes every week too

redbird1 · Aug 21, 2012

I switch the oven for 5 mins, 150 degrees, then open the oven and let out all the heat.

I put the batter in when i feel the heat wont melt the container and close the oven.

Night 11 I put the batter in the oven and take it morning 6 or 7. Sometimes the Idly tastes perfect, sometimes batter gets over fermented (may be I have put it in over heat).

Am I doing it correctly?

Want to know how u guys do?

Ranchu · Aug 21, 2012

Dewdrop,

Same problem for me too .. I've been scratching head.
But idly comes out perfect even though it did not rise.

Related question, my dosa does not come out in Golden brown. Its always white.
I tried 3: 1 , 4:1 , nothing works.
I use non-stick Ikea tawa for dosa. Is that the reason ? my mom feels its due to non-stick .

sravanitenali · Aug 21, 2012

Hi Ranchu...

Add 1/4cup of Channa dal along with regular 3:1 for crispy golden brown color

Sravani

Ranchu · Aug 21, 2012

Thanks Sravani.. I'll try this.

Dewdrop · Aug 22, 2012

cool09 said: ↑

Every 6 weeks ? Wowwww! How Do u stock up much. We tend To shop every 2 weeks or sometimes every week too
Click to expand...

No cool09, I don't stock up a lot 'cos I have no pantry & don't like piling the shelves with stuff.
We go every 6 weeks only 'cos the Indian store is pretty far from our place -- so one trip itself we combine all the shopping. I grind idli batter every week & for our family of four, I buy 2kg of the dal[which I also use for tempering, making powder or medu vada etc.] which lasts just a little over a month.Stuff like aata and rice lasts longer, so I don't buy that every time.