Idli made with moong dal
Reviewed by Dr Namrata Bagaria, MBBS, MPH (Harvard)Last reviewed
Standard idli is mostly rice, which makes it soft and comforting and not very sustaining. Shifting the ratio towards dal keeps everything people like about it and adds the protein that was missing.
It is also the gentlest thing on this list to eat. Steamed, soft and moist, it suits sore gums, dentures and a dry mouth better than almost anything else.
Ingredients
- 1 cup split yellow moong dal
- 1/2 cup urad dal
- 1/2 cup rice or idli rava
- 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
- Salt to taste
- Oil for greasing
Method
- 1
Soak the moong dal, urad dal, rice and fenugreek seeds together in plenty of water for five or six hours.
- 2
Drain and grind to a smooth, thick batter, adding water a little at a time. It should drop off the spoon rather than pour.
- 3
Add salt, cover, and leave in a warm place overnight to ferment. It should rise and smell pleasantly sour.
- 4
Stir the batter gently, once, without knocking the air out. Grease the idli plates and fill them about three quarters full.
- 5
Steam for ten to twelve minutes, until a knife comes out clean. Let them stand two minutes before removing.
Good to know
- The batter is ready when it has risen and smells sour. In cold weather leave it inside the oven with the light on.
- Stir gently before steaming. Beating the fermented batter knocks out the air and the idlis come out dense.
- Have them with sambar rather than only coconut chutney; the dal in the sambar adds real protein.
- Batter keeps three days in the fridge, so one grinding gives several breakfasts.