Fermented idli and dosa
Fermented rice and lentil cakes and pancakes
Prep Time12 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Cook Time10 minutes mins
Total Time12 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Indian, south indian
Keyword: dairy free, fermented, vegetarian
- 2 cups medium grain brown rice
- 2 cups urud dhal (split black gram)
- 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 handful cooked brown rice (optional) could be basmatic
- salt to taste
- 1 tsp bicarb soda if making idlis. Skip for dosa
- 1-2 cups water Use extra water if required
- coconut oil / ghee
Rinse the rice several times under running water
Soak the dhal, seeds and rice in a large bowl with enough water, for around 4 hours
Add the water and the cooked rice (if adding) to a high speed blender (I use my Vitamix)
Drain and add the soaked rice mix into the blender
Blend on low, moving to a medium speed for around 2-3 minutes. Add more water if needed
Blend till slightly coarse and not too smooth
Pour this batter in a large mixing bowl and use your clean hands to mix it in (the bacteria in your hands helps it ferment even better)
Cover the bowl with a tea towel and keep it in a warm spot in the kitchen to ferment overnight (in winter, you can put it in the oven with just the light on)
The next day, you can add the salt and more water if you need and mix well (You will find that there are bubbles on the surface of the batter and it has risen a fair bit)
To make idlis
Add enough water in the idli steamer to ensure it doesn’t dry out while steaming the idlis
Put it on the stove on high heat and bring the water to a boil
Add the bicarb to the idli batter
If you have an idli steamer, rub a bit of coconut oil / ghee on themoulds and fill them ¾ of the way to the top
Put the idli moulds inside the steamer and cover with the lid
Let it steam for 7 minutes
Keep the lid on and let it rest for around 3-4 minutes
Use a spoon to take the idlis out of the moulds
If you don’t have an idli steamer, you can use a well oiled bowl or plate with high sides in a double boiler. Depending on the size of the plate /bowl, steam till the idlis come out well formed and not sticky.
To make dosas
Start with a flat pancake pan heated over medium heat
Season the pan with a bit of ghee and wipe clean with a cotton napkin
Pour out a ¼ cup of batter onto the middle of the pan
Wait for a few seconds forthe batter to stick, then begin to spread it thinly to form a pancake shape
You could then add a ¼ tsp of coconut oil/ghee
Cover the pan with a large lid for the dosas to steam and therefore cook quicker
Once you see the edges brown, uncover and with a spatula, flip the dosa to cook on the other side
Let it cook for about 30seconds and then transfer the hot dosas into a hot box (this is an insulated container that keeps food hot for hours)
Serve hot with sambar / chutney / chutney puddi
Do not leave the batter out any longer once it has fermented. This makes the batter very fluffy and the dosas too soft and it doesn't quite form.
If you don't have an idli steamer, you can use any bowl or high sided plate and put it in a steamer.