IDLI - HOW TO MAKE SOFT IDLIS / TIPS FOR GOOD FERMENTATION

SOFT IDLI RECIPE

This post shows you how to make a perfect idli batter in an idli grinder/mixer grinder. This healthy Indian breakfast is something very special breakfast recipe for most of us, especially South Indians. Soft and fluffy idli along with a sweet chutney makes us drool. As the idli batter requires time for fermentation, this recipe is not a quick breakfast idea. The dish Idli is one of the traditional South Indian breakfast recipes which is served along with any condiment considered as essential. So Idli is commonly accompanied by sambar and chutney. Nowadays we can see many variations and types of idlis which are even very hard to get the exact ingredients and is prepared with different methods of cooking too. Rather than a stovetop steamer( idli cooker/idli steamer), microwave and automatic electric steamers with the nonstick coating are also available. Semolina / Rava idli recipe, Ragi idli recipe, carrot idli, wheat flour idli are common nowadays instead of rice idli recipe. A variant of idli known as sanna is very popular among Goans and Konkani people. Enduri Pitha is another variant which is popular in Odisha. So here, let's have a look at the traditional idli recipe with dal and idli rice. Please check the notes given below for the tips of making soft idli. Hope this will guide you to a soft fluffy idli recipe. Here is the recipe showing how to make idli / vegan breakfast recipe / healthy Indian breakfast / how to make idli batter. Please drop your valuable feedback in the comment box below. 

                      
                You can check my  rava idli recipe here

INGREDIENTS

For IDLI batter

Idli rice       - 2 cups, flat

Urad dal     -  half a cup 

Chana dal / kadala parippu / bengal gram - 4 tbsp

Fenugreek seeds    - 1 tsp

Cooked rice / steamed rice  - half a cup

Salt as required

(For best result, you must use the above said idli rice even though you can substitute it with parboiled rice / pachari. Idli rice is available in almost all supermarkets)

PREPARATION

• SOAKING ...Wash well and then soak idli rice in a bowl. Urad dal, fenugreek seeds, Bengal gram in another bowl with enough water for 5 hours.

• GRINDING...After 5 hours, GRIND the soaked urad dal - bengal gram - fenugreek seeds with cold water. Use required water for grinding the dal (not more but minimum water is required for grinding).When it becomes smooth and fluffy, add the cooked rice to it and again GRIND the cooked rice well to make a smooth batter. Transfer it to a vessel. 
• Now GRIND idli rice until smooth by adding little by little water (do not add more water at a time). You can grind it in batches for making a smooth batter. 
• Transfer it to the above vessel and mix both the batters together along with salt WITH YOUR HAND. It is very important for making soft idlis. Leave it overnight for fermentation. (required minimum 8 hours in summer and it differs according to the climate. Allow 10 - 12 hours for fermentation for the best result ).
• Next day the batter will rise.

STEAMING / MAKING OF IDLI

• Now grease the idli molds.
• Pour the batter into the molds with a ladle. Always pour the batter only 3/4 of each mold.
• Steam the idlis in a pressure cooker or in a steamer.
• If you are using pressure cooker.............boil a cup of water in it, once it starts to boil keep the molds inside it and you have to remove the whistle/vent weight of the pressure cooker.
• Steam it for 15 minutes or until done.
• Take out the molds and let it stay for 5 minutes. And then take the idlis out from the mold using a spoon. If you are using nonstick idli mold please skip this step.
• Serve hot with any CHUTNEYS -  Coriander chutney, Coconut chutney, Garlic chutney, Tomato chutney and Sambar with sambar powder  , Sambar without sambar powder..

SECRET OF SOFT IDLIS

• You have to use the correct proportion of idli rice and dal. The ratio depends upon the quality of Dal u used. Adding more quantity of good dal makes ur idli flat and small. Likewise less quantity of good dal makes hard. So use correct proportion of good dal always.
• Idli rice is good for making idli than Parboiled rice / pachari.
• Use fresh urad dal. You can also use split urad dal.
• Fenugreek seeds help in fermentation. So do not skip this. Soak it along with urad dal for good fermentation.
• Cooked rice gives a very soft texture to the idli. You can also add white rice flakes instead. Soak rice flakes / poha for 15 minutes and then grind it along with other ingredients.
• Grind with minimum required water. You must grind urad dal with enough water for grinding it to smooth and fluffy. Adding required water at the time of mixing the batter will not work.
• While grinding urad dal there is a chance of getting the machine hot which results in a yellowish idli. So add cold water while grinding urad dal mixture or give resting time for the grinder in between. For best result, use cold water while grinding. 

TIPS FOR GOOD FERMENTATION

• Use your hand for mixing the dal mixture and rice mixture which works well. Mix well. Uneven mixing will result in bad idlis.
• Fermentation time is 10 - 12 hours for best results. 8 hours will do, but it will not give you a perfect idli. 
• A warm temperature is an essential part of fermentation. If the weather is cold, you can add little baking soda (quarter tsp) to the ground batter and then ferment which helps in raising the batter well even in cold weather.

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VEGGIE SIDE DISH - STUFFED OKRA / STUFFED BHINDI

The name and the picture itself  shows how simple and yummy it is. In this lady finger recipe, lady's finger is stuffed with  Indian spices and then shallow fried in less oil  which results in a spicy crunchy drooling texture. Some Indian okra recipes are absolutely delicious that can make you wanting more. I still don't know why people hates the taste of okra. When prepared properly , this vegetable tastes awesome. You will crave this more, when cooked with Indian spices, i bet.  This is one of the most adorable Indian veggie in my home and i love to make  simple okra recipes like okra fry, crispy okra, poriyal than making a bhindi curry recipe. . Always try to buy tender okra / vendakka / bendakaya / lady fingers which tastes best for any dish. I used to add okra in my fish curry too or in any dishes with fish. My daughter prefers eating okra from fish curry than having the soft and tender fish. Do try this delicious simple bhindi recipe at home which pairs best with paratha, chapati and steamed rice. Here is the recipe showing how to make stuffed bhindi / vegan okra recipe / veggie side dishes / easy vegetable side dishes /vegan appetizers /bharwa bhindi . Hope you loved this yummy side dish as much as i do.

My related video - How to make stuffed okra - 3 minute video

INGREDIENTS

Ladys finger / okra / bhindi  - 10 nos, tender okras

Cumin seeds                          - quarter tsp

Salt                                        - a pinch

Oil                                         - 2 tsp

For stuffing

Gram flour / besan                - 4 tbsp, heaped

Chili powder                         - 1 tsp

Coriander powder                 - half tbsp

Turmeric powder                  - half tsp

Salt                                        - half tsp

Onion / shallots                     - 3 tbsp, very finely chopped

Cumin seeds                          - half tsp

Garlic                                     - half tsp, finely chopped

Coriander leaves                    - 1 tsp, finely chopped

PREPARATION

• Wash bhindi / okra well and pat dry. Then trim the edges and cut the okra into a finger length pieces. Then make a slit in the center lengthwise without breaking it into two.
• In a bowl, combine all the ingredients given under for stuffing with a teaspoon of water. Mix very well.
• Stuff the the okras with this gramflour mixture and set aside.
• Heat a non stick pan with oil and then crackle cumin seeds. When done, add the stuffed okras and saute well. Sprinkle some pinches of salt all over.
• Cook on a low flame without covering the pan for best result.
• Stir in between, so that it will get an attractive color from all sides.
• When done, transfer it to a plate.
• Serve hot with chapati, paratha, rice etc

Please click below to watch the video "how to make stuffed okra"

CHICKEN STRIPS RECIPE - SPICY SAUCY CHICKEN

SPICY SAUCY CHICKEN

Many of us including me are a great fan of saucy chicken recipes. Chicken!!! the great yummy blessing to mankind from God. I can hardly go a day without eating some scrumptious chicken dishes. Like Chinese chicken dishes, i love having chicken recipes with sauce.   Its really fun  to browse through shopping malls especially in food section searching for wide varieties of scrumptious eats. Haah...lets come to the recipe ...While preparing sauce recipes for chicken, just mix  the sauces together in a bowl very well before adding the chicken in sauce. This is a simple recipe for chicken with sauce.  As the name suggests, its saucy and easy. More over this is a mess free recipe as i spent hours for cleaning my kitchen in some days. You can try the same recipe with vegetables of your choice for a quick chicken and vegetable recipes. Here is the recipe showing how to make saucy chicken recipe / Chinese chicken dishes /Chicken dinner recipes / Chicken with sauce / strips chicken/ chicken stripes /easy recipes for chicken breast/ saucy chicken breast recipes. Do try this juicy saucy spicy chicken dish .

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                               Chili chicken gravy
                               Chicken stir fry

INGREDIENTS

Boneless chicken       - 250 g, cut into thin chicken strips

Bell pepper                - red and green, cut into strips like chicken

Carrot                        - few, cut into thin strips like chicken

Butter                        - 2 tsp , melted

Garlic                        - 3 cloves, finely chopped

Salt                            - as required

Oil for frying the chicken strips

For chicken marination

Garlic cloves                     - 5 nos, big sized

Yogurt / curd                     - 2 tbsp

Fennel seed                       - 1 tsp

Soy sauce                          - 1 tsp

Pepper powder                  - half tsp

Corn flour                         - 2 tbsp

Salt

For the sauce

Tomato sauce                     - 3 tbsp

Soy sauce                           - 1 tbsp

Kashmir chili powder       - 1 tsp

Vinegar                               - half tsp

Cornflour                            - 1 tsp

Sugar                                   - 1 tsp or less

You can use red chili sauce instead of Kashmir chili powder.

PREPARATION

• Cut the boneless chicken (preferably chicken breast) into thin chicken strips or slices. 
• Also, cut the bell peppers and carrot into thin slices same like chicken strips. Set aside.
• Make a fine paste of garlic cloves, fennel seeds, curd and soy sauce. Then marinate the washed thin stripped chicken with this paste along with cornflour and pepper powder. Add less salt than required as we have to saute the chicken in a saucy gravy after frying.
• Now heat a non-stick frying pan (i prefer this) with required oil for deep frying the strips.
• Deep fry the marinated stripped chicken in batches until the chicken is done. Do not fry the chicken more crispy. When done, set aside on a paper towel to get rid of the excess oil.
• Meanwhile, take a bowl and mix well all the ingredients given under 'for the sauce' heading along with little salt (do not add more). Make a thick sauce. You can add more or less sauce as per your taste.
• Now heat another pan with butter. To this add finely chopped garlic, saute for a minute. Then add the thinly sliced bell pepper and carrot. Saute for few minutes until it became soft.
• And now add the fried chicken strips along with the sauce mixture.
• Saute it continuously very well over a medium low flame. Check for salt. Cook until the fried stripped chicken is well coated with the sauce mixture.
• Garnish with sliced bell peppers and serve hot.
• Yummilicious side dish which goes well with fried rice, chapati, or any special rice recipes.
• This dish tastes heavenly delicious when it is served hot. Do try and please drop your valuable feedback in the comment box below.

SWEET PLANTAINS RECIPE - STUFFED PLANTAIN / ETHAKKA NIRACHATH

STUFFED PLANTAIN / PAZHAM NIRACHATH

 This is the healthy version of stuffed plantain recipes.Most of the healthy sweet snacks in India, especially in Kerala are made with egg, plantain, and coconut. Here am with yet another Malabar delicacy with ripe plantain. A healthy snack idea. Normally stuffed banana/plantains are deep fried after the stuffing and coating in flour mixture. Here i cut the whole plantain into halves and then stuffed the sweet filling without making any slits. Then toast/roast them in a little oil over a low flame. You can also bake the same instead of toasting for baked plantains. This makes this yummy snack more attractive than stuffing a whole plantain (stuffed whole plantain recipe).

Stuffed plantain / ethakka / pazham nirachath is an authentic malabar  delicious snack which is very commonly prepared during special occasions.  I love simple ripe plantain recipes like kaay pola, banana fritters, roasted plantains/banana toast, banana cutlets, fried banana recipe / fried plantains etc.. but my all time favorite is Unnakaaya / stuffed mashed banana fry.

Here, for stuffed banana, the main ingredient is ripe plantain (not too ripe) and is stuffed with sweetened cardamom flavored coconut and nuts. The fillings depend upon your taste only. You can stuff with your favorite sweet fillings like sweet coconut filling, coconut nuts filling, coconut and rice flakes filling and even can fill it with egg and sugar filling. Here is the recipe showing how to make ethakka nirachath / stuffed plantain/plantain breakfast recipe /how to fry plantains/plantain banana recipes / easy sweet snack recipes. Do try and do not forget to drop your valuable feedback. Enjoy.

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                                                    Unnakaaya / mashed banana fritters

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                                                     Banana rolls

                                                      Banana fritters with wheat flour

                                   Banana pola

INGREDIENTS

Ripe Plantains                - 2 nos, large one

Ghee / oil                       - 2 tbsp melted

FOR STUFFING

Coconut grated                  - half a cup or less

Chopped almonds              - 2 tbsp

Sugar                                - 5 tbsp, can add less

Cardamom powder         - quarter tsp

FOR SEALING THE ENDS

This flour mixture is required only when the sides of plantain gets open while stuffing. For a healthier version, you can skip this mixture and instead, you can toast both the ends carefully in ghee. 

All purpose flour / maida   - 3 tbsp

Sugar                                - 2 tsp

Turmeric powder             - a pinch

PREPARATION

• Dry roast the grated coconut, sugar, cardamom powder and chopped almonds over a low flame until it becomes slightly golden and crispy. Saute them continuously until done. For those who like soft coconut stuffing, can stop roasting the coconut mixture once a fine aroma comes. When done, transfer it to a plate and set aside.
• Peel and cut the two ends of the ripe plantains (ethakka).
• Now cut them into halves. This makes it more attractive than the Whole stuffed plantain. 
• Carefully scoop out the inside black seed using a scooper or apple corer or even with a knife. Do check the picture given above.
• Now stuff carefully the plantains with the coconut mixture. 
• Make a batter with all purpose flour, sugar, turmeric powder and a little water. The batter must be thick and flowing consistency. 
• If you need a fried stuffed plantain, you can dip the same in the flour mixture and deep fry. But here is a healthy version. Just seal the ends with the flour mixture and then toast it in little oil/ghee like we toasting banana (pazham vaattiyath).
• Heat ghee in a nonstick pan. Seal the ends with the batter and then toast the stuffed plantain over a medium low flame until done. You must toast it in a medium flame until all sides are done. You can add a tablespoon of sugar while toasting for a caramelized texture.
• When done, serve hot. Enjoy your evening with this healthy recipe.

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PRAWNS KIZHI / PRAWNS COOKED IN BANANA LEAF POUCH

PRAWNS KIZHI

One of my yummilicious Spicy shrimp recipes which are cooked in banana leaf. This is the perfect way to enjoy the flavor of roasted Shrimps/prawns , i must say. Cooking prawns in banana leaf / banaba leaf are the yet another delicious dish from Malabar cuisine. In the Southern part of India, this dish is named as Prawns kizhi / chemmeen kizhi / konju kizhi / prawns pollichath / chemmeen pollichath. A Kizhi means a pouch in English and here the cooked prawns with the tangy gravy are wrapped in a banana leaf which looks like a pouch / kizhi. Banana leaves impart a fine aroma to the food that is cooked in or served in them. These leafs are not themselves eaten and are discarded after the use. Besides adding flavor to the dish, cooking with banana leaves keeps the juices in and protect the dish from burning. So here is a healthy easy shrimp recipes. Let's see how to make seafood recipes with banana leaf / yummy shrimp dishes /shrimp recipes easy /shrimp recipes healthy / shrimp dinner recipes / Prawns kizhi / konju kizhi.

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INGREDIENTS

Prawns / Shrimps    - 10 - 15 nos, 

Onion                      - 1 medium sized, chopped very finely

Green chilies          - 2 nos, chopped

Ginger                   - 1 tsp, chopped finely

Garlic                    - 1 tbsp, chopped finely

Tomato                  - 2 small sized, chopped very finely

Kashmir chili powder  - 1 tbsp, can add less for less hot

Turmeric powder         - half tsp

Coriander powder       - 1 tbsp

Fenugreek seed            - half tbsp

Mustard seeds              - half tsp

Curry leaves

Salt

Coconut oil

Banana leaf for making a pouch

FOR COARSE GRINDING

Coconut grated     - half a cup

Dried red chili      - 2 nos + half tsp kashmir chili powder

Shallots                - 3 nos

PREPARATION

• Wash and clean the prawns/shrimps well. Marinate it with a pinch of turmeric powder, lemon juice, and salt. Set aside. (If you are using jumbo prawns/ shrimps, then cook it until half done along with this marinade.)
• Coarse the coconut chili mixture and set aside. Do not add water while grinding.
• Heat a non stick with 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. Splutter mustard seed. Then add chopped onion, chilies, garlic, ginger one after the other. Saute until the onion turns slightly golden. Now add curry leaves.
• When done, add the finely chopped tomatoes and saute until mushy.
• Then add the chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, fennel seed, and salt. Cook until the oil separates and floats on the top.
• When done, add the marinated prawns and cook until prawn is 90 % done. Then add the coarse grinned coconut chili mixture or condiment and saute for a minute. Check for salt and Switch off the flame.

MAKING OF PRAWN KIZHI / PRAWNS POUCH

• Take a banana leaf and heat gently on fire to prevent for tearing. As i didn't get big piece of banana leaf, i used 3 small pieces for making one kizhi / pouch. Else you can use two medium sized leaf to make a kizhi.(keeping an additional leaf below the main leaf prevents the breakage of leaf while frying.
• Spread a tsp of coconut oil over the banana leaf and keep half of the prepared prawn masala over it in the center. Top it with curry leaves and make a kizhi. (hold the edges of the banana leaf together so that the masala will stay at the center of the leaf which looks like a pouch or kizhi. Tie the top of the banana leaf with a thread or with fiber from the banana stem or even with a slice of leaf itself.
• Repeat the same with the remaining prawn masala. 
• Now heat a pan with 2 teaspoons of oil and place the kizhi or prepared pouch over it. Cover it with a lid and let it cook over a medium low flame for 5-8 minutes.
• When done, enjoy the yummy flavor of prawns cooked in the banana leaf along with hot steamed rice, chappathi, paratha.