When you grind the urad dal (with methi seeds), start grinding it without any water. As you start grinding, keep adding spoonfuls of water. The key to soft fluffy idlis lies in grinding the urad dal. The ground batter has to be thick like what you would have for vada. Grind the rice separately and mix both batters with your hand, after adding salt. You are trying to create air pockets here. Then keep the batter in oven with light switched on overnight. Idli batter is ready in the morning.
For rava idlis, you need to mix sour curds with the rava, let it rest a bit. The batter will suck up the liquid, you need to add some more curds/water, stir and start spooning out the batter on well-greased idli plates.
When its too cold ( I am talking about 0 degree F weather), you could use brown rice instead of white rice for the idli. I find that whole grains help the batter ferment quicker and the idlis are really fluffy. I like to use whole jowar too , beautiful pink batter.
look for the recipe of sago idli online. You'll use rice rava, sago and yoghurt. Nothing to grind or ferment. You just need to soak it overnight. It comes out amazingly well. Best for winters...
Another thing that helps me with fermenting during winter is adding a wee pinch of baking soda, less than a 1/4 tsp and giving a good stir using my hand before putting it in the oven. My ratio is 1:4 for urad dal to idli rice, a spoonful of methi seeds and one cup of soaked aval/poha (I forgot what we call it in English!).
hi, no udad dal means no idli, u can try making some oats idli. I don't know cooker procedure for idlis, get a idli maker vessel, it comes with idli stand with it. since u are living in west, climate may affect the fermentation of batter. bac home in india- if you leave batter out for overnight, it will ferment, and idli/dosa will come well. so, u may need to keep batter out for longer time, if it s very cold!!! regards, resmi
