Idli with urad dal and rice
Preparation Time
15 minutes
Cooking Time
35 minutes
Difficulty Level
moderate
Meal Type
Breakfast
Serves 4
Key Ingredients
- White urad split (urad dal)
About This Recipe
Idli is a steamed rice cake from South India, and urad dal is the ingredient that gives it its soft, spongy crumb. The dal ferments easily, filling the batter with tiny air pockets,. Rice gives the body.
The working ratio is a single measure of urad dal to three measures of rice. This recipe soaks 100 g (1/2 cup) of white urad split alongside 300 g (1.5 cups) of sona masoori rice overnight for about 12 hours, grinds the two separately, and grinds half a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds with the dal for aroma. The mixed batter then ferments for 8 to 12 hours: it is ready when it has risen well and smells lightly sour; see how to soak urad dal for the full picture on soaking.
White urad split, the dehusked dal, is the standard choice for idli: it grinds white and the idli comes out pale and even. Whole black urad with the skin ferments just as well and makes a grey-speckled idli with a little more texture. For the nutrition behind the dal, the urad dal hub has the per 100 g numbers.
Ingredient List
Serving Size:
1x
2x
3x
Batter
- White urad split (urad dal) — 1/2 cup
- Sona masoori rice — 1 1/2 cups
- Fenugreek Seeds — 1/2 tsp
- Water for grinding — 1 1/2 cups
- Salt — 1 tsp
For steaming
- Groundnut oil for greasing — 1 tsp
- Water for the steamer — 2 cups
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Serving Suggestions
Serve three idlis per person, hot, with coconut chutney, sambar and a spoon of podi with ghee. Idli with a bowl of hot sambar is a full breakfast; with chutney alone it is a light one. The same batter poured thick on greased plates steams into thatte idli instead.
Tips for Cooking Idli with urad dal and rice
Grind the urad until it is genuinely fluffy; ten minutes in a mixer grinder is not too long, and under-ground dal will not rise well. Mix the salt in before fermenting, not after. If the batter has not doubled, let it sit longer rather than steaming it early. Cold water in the grinder keeps the paste from heating, which dulls the rise.
Chef’s Note
Do not stir the fermented batter hard before steaming; one gentle fold is enough, or the air you waited all night for escapes. Fill each mould about three-quarters, leaving room for the idli to swell. A serving of three idlis comes to about 360 kcal with 11.7 g of protein and 5.1 g of fibre, about half of the protein from the urad dal.
Per serving (approx.): 360 kcal, protein 12 g, carbs 71 g, fat 2.1 g, fibre 5.1 g. Computed from IFCT 2017 / USDA values for the listed quantities. Measures: 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 tbsp = 15 ml, 1 tsp = 5 ml.
Happy Cooking
!!
ByCOWBERRY
May 08, 2026
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