Nothing can replace the luxury of soft, fluffy idlis and crispy dosas for a healthy South Indian breakfast. The key to achieving both perfection lies in the consistency of your batter — and your old mixer grinder can be your greatest ally in doing so.
Most home cooks find themselves battling against batter that's either too loose or too coarse. With the proper technique, you can grind batter that ferments well and cooks beautifully each time. Here's how to do it using high-end and best-quality Usha's mixer grinder.
Use the Right Rice and Dal Proportions
The key to good batter is the proper proportion. For idlis, one basic combination is 3:1 of parboiled rice and urad dal. For dosas, a tablespoon of fenugreek seeds is sometimes added for flavour and improved fermentation. Soak them separately for a minimum of 4-6 hours. This causes them to soften well, enabling your mixer grinder to grind them into a smooth, fluffy paste, which has a direct bearing on the batter texture.
Grind Urad Dal First for Fluffiness
Always. Begin. by grinding soaked urad dal. Drain excess water and add dal to the mixer grinder with a little water. Pulse first, then continuously grind till it's light and fluffy. Scrape the sides in between. This step is absolutely important because fluffy dal batter retains air, making the idlis rise just perfectly. Don't add a lot of water at a time. Add little by little for better control over texture and consistency.
Use Cold Water to Avoid Overheating
Mixer grinders produce heat when used for prolonged grinding, and this can destroy useful bacteria necessary for fermentation. Counter this by using cold water when grinding both the dal and rice. Cold water maintains the batter at low temperatures, ensuring its inherent fermentation qualities. It is also effective in making your mixer grinder operate smoothly without burning out the motor. Add cold water slowly and monitor the texture constantly for the right smoothness.
Grind Rice to the Appropriate Texture
Grind the soaked dal first, then grind the soaked rice afterwards. Grind the rice slightly coarse for idlis so that idlis has some body and fluffiness. Grind the rice finer so that dosas spreads thin and becomes crisp. Use cold water and grind in small quantities if necessary. Consistency is key: not too watery or too thick to pour and spread easily.
Mix and Ferment Correctly
After both are ground, mix together the dal and rice batter in a big container gently. Add salt if you want to add it before fermentation. Use clean hands to mix thoroughly — the heat from your hands can be used to start fermentation. Provide space for the batter to expand, cover loosely, and place in a warm place overnight or 8-12 hours. A well-fermented batter will double in volume, become light, and smell pleasantly sour.
Check and Adjust Batter Before Use
Gently mix the fermented batter before cooking. Thin it with a splash of water, if too thick, to pour consistency but not lumpy. For idlis, it must be thick enough to retain shape when filled in moulds but pour easily. For dosas, it must be poured well and spread well on a hot pan. Never over-mix after fermentation; handle gently to preserve the light and airy texture for soft idlis and crunchy dosas.