Idli Recipe using Ultra Fastgrind Wetgrinder
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This idli batter, ground with an Ultra Fastgrind wet grinder, stretches into a few different healthy breakfasts across the week — not just idli.
Idli is a popular South Indian breakfast dish. Learn how to make breakfast prep stretch for a few days by altering this idli batter a little, for a completely different but still healthy breakfast every day. This post shares an idli recipe using an Ultra Fastgrind wet grinder.
Idlis are made by steaming a batter of de-husked black lentils and rice. The fermentation process breaks down the starches, making them more readily metabolized by the body.
Table of Contents
A Healthy, Gluten-Free Breakfast
Idli has been a breakfast staple since childhood — a fermented, gluten-free preparation that’s high in protein, making it a genuinely healthy and wholesome choice. Since idlis are also easy to digest, they’re an ideal breakfast for kids too, supporting a healthy gut and digestion. The combination of rice and lentils also gives idlis a solid protein content.
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How to Make Idli Using Ultra Fastgrind Wetgrinder?
Ingredients List
- 1 cup urad dhal
- 3 cups idly rice
- 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 3 tsp salt
- 2 pinches baking soda
- Water, as needed
Cooking Instructions
Soak the Grains:
Soak the rice and black lentils separately for a minimum of 6 hours — soak the lentils together with the fenugreek seeds.
Grind:
Grind the lentils with a little water using the rice/dhal program on a wet grinder — this takes about 15 minutes. Then grind the soaked rice into a smooth batter, which takes about 12 minutes.
Combine and Ferment:
Mix both batters together with the salt, then let it ferment overnight, or for a few hours depending on your climate.
Prep the Steaming Batter:
Take 2 cups of the fermented batter and mix in 1 to 2 pinches of baking soda along with a little water.
Fill the Molds:
Oil the idli plates and pour in the batter — don’t make it too thin, and don’t fill right to the brim, since the idlis need room to rise.
Steam:
Steam on high heat for 10 minutes.
Cool and Serve:
Let the idlis cool for about 5 minutes before serving hot with chutney.
Serving Suggestions
Idli is traditionally served simply. Try it:
With chutney: the classic pairing — a chutney recipe made with the same wet grinder is shared separately on the blog.
With sambar: a lentil-based stew makes it a heartier meal.
On its own: idli holds up well without any accompaniment too.
Tips for Making Idli
Use the right rice: only par-boiled rice from Indian stores works well for this recipe — par-boiled rice like Uncle Ben’s, or other varieties from western stores, won’t give the same result.
Soak the fenugreek with the lentils: this is what makes the idlis soft and fluffy.
Adjust for cold climates: if you live somewhere cold, soak the grains the night before and change the water a couple of times before grinding.
Ferment somewhere warm: keep the finished batter in a warm spot for the best fermentation.
Refrigerate once fermented: move the batter to the fridge once it’s ready.
Stretching the Batter into More Breakfasts
Since enough batter is usually ground for a week at a time, the fermented batter gets refrigerated and stretched across a few different dishes rather than just idli.
Dosa: thin the same batter down with water and a little salt, then cook thin savory pancakes in a hot, lightly oiled cast iron crepe pan.
Millet pancakes: add a little millet flour and thin the batter out for savory millet pancakes — spice it up with chopped onions, chilies and cumin seeds if you like.
Is Idli a Superfood?
Fermented foods have become something of a superfood category in recent years — which raises the question of whether idli, with all its beneficial effects on the body, deserves that label too. Between the fermentation, the gluten-free profile, and the protein from rice and lentils together, it’s hard to argue otherwise.
Watch the Video
Recipe Card
Idli Recipe Using Ultra Fastgrind Wetgrinder
- Total Time: 910
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Soft, fluffy South Indian idli made from fermented rice and lentil batter, ground with a wet grinder — with enough left over to stretch into dosa or millet pancakes too.
Ingredients
- 1 cup urad dhal
- 3 cups idly rice
- 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 2 pinches baking soda
- Water, as needed
Instructions
-
Soak the Grains:
Soak the rice and black lentils separately for a minimum of 6 hours — soak the lentils together with the fenugreek seeds.
-
Grind:
Grind the lentils with a little water using the rice/dhal program on a wet grinder — this takes about 15 minutes. Then grind the soaked rice into a smooth batter, which takes about 12 minutes.
-
Combine and Ferment:
Mix both batters together with the salt, then let it ferment overnight, or for a few hours depending on your climate.
-
Prep the Steaming Batter:
Take 2 cups of the fermented batter and mix in 1 to 2 pinches of baking soda along with a little water.
-
Fill the Molds:
Oil the idli plates and pour in the batter — don’t make it too thin, and don’t fill right to the brim, since the idlis need room to rise.
-
Steam:
Steam on high heat for 10 minutes.
-
Cool and Serve:
Let the idlis cool for about 5 minutes before serving hot with chutney.
Notes
Use par-boiled rice from an Indian store for the right texture. The fermented batter keeps well in the fridge for about a week, and can also be thinned out to make dosa or millet pancakes.
- Prep Time: 900
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 40
- Fat: 0.19
Your feedback is valuable
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love if you come back and gave it 5 stars! Thank you so much for visiting Vital Fair Living – we’re so happy you’re here! I would love it if you can share this recipe using the social media buttons you see next to the post.
… I never thought of making Idli in the steamer. Nice idea. Thanks
I too at the beginning never thought about it but it struck me only later.