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South Indian · Indian

Idli

Vegetarian

இட்லி · iṭli

Soft, spongy steamed cakes made from a naturally fermented batter of rice and urad lentils. A light South Indian breakfast with sambar and chutney.

Idli is a South Indian bread, ready in about 55 minutes and made with long-grain white rice and black gram (urad dal). It serves 6 and is rated intermediate to cook.

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High angle view of South Indian idli, chutneys, and sambhar on a black background.
Photo: Jack Baghel / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
25 min
Cook
30 min
Total
55 min
Serves
6
Level
Intermediate
Calories
247

Plus about 5 hours soaking and 8–14 hours fermenting.

Ingredients

6 servings (about 24 idlis)

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Grind the soaked urad (opens in a new tab) dal and fenugreek (opens in a new tab) with a little cold water to a very smooth, fluffy batter. Grind the rice separately to a slightly gritty batter.

    Keep the water cold so the blender doesn't heat the batter.

    Spices being ground in a mortar and pestle
    How it looks · Photo: https://kaboompics.com/ on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Mix both batters with the salt by hand in a large bowl, cover loosely and leave in a warm place for 8–14 hours, until risen, bubbly and pleasantly sour.

    • 3 min

  3. Step 3

    Gently stir the batter without deflating it. Grease the idli moulds and fill each three-quarters full.

    • 5 min

  4. Step 4

    Steam over boiling water for 10–12 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Rest 2 minutes, then unmould with a wet spoon. Repeat with remaining batter.

About this dish

Origin
South India, India · Commonly attributedEaten across South India and Sri Lanka; the exact origins of fermented idli are debated by food historians.Also popular in Sri LankaMore food from India
Dish
Breakfast · Breads & flatbreads · Side dishes
Cooking method
Fermented, Steamed
Taste
mild, sour
Diet
Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients
All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-fat · DASH-style
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Make-ahead · Budget-friendly · Child-friendly · Batch cooking
Cook more with
Long-grain white rice · Black gram (urad dal) · Fenugreek
Techniques
Boiling · Steaming · Fermentation

Allergens

None of the 14 major allergens appear in the listed ingredients.

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

247 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 128 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 13%
  • Carbohydrate 82%
  • Fat 5%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy247 kcal194 kcal
Protein7.8 g6.1 g
Carbohydrate50 g39.2 g
Net carbohydrate46.2 g36.2 g
Sugars——
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre3.8 g3 g
Fat1.4 g1.1 g
Saturated fat0.2 g0.1 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium593 mg465 mg
Salt equivalent1.5 g1.2 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
224 mg
Calcium
44 mg
Iron
3.5 mg
Magnesium
59 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
0 µg
Vitamin C
0 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
230 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Use idli (parboiled) rice for the softest idlis; basmati and jasmine rice don't work well.

Common mistakes

  • Under-fermented batter gives dense, flat idlis — in a cold kitchen, ferment in an oven with only the light on.

Serve with

  • Serve with coconut chutney, tomato chutney and sambar.

Food safety

  • Ferment the batter covered in a clean bowl at warm room temperature (about 25–32 °C); refrigerate once it has risen.
  • Discard batter that smells rotten (not just sour) or shows pink, orange or fuzzy mould.

Storage

  • Batter keeps 3 days refrigerated; cooked idlis 2 days refrigerated or 1 month frozen.

Reheating

  • Re-steam for 3–4 minutes.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Sauces, chutneys & dips for this dish

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in step 1

Baker’s notes

Customise in Bread & Bakery

Timeline and readiness cues

  1. Mix and knead · about 30 min

    Weigh everything. Knead until smooth and elastic: a small piece stretches thin enough to see light through (the windowpane test).

  2. First rise (bulk) · about 11 h

    Bubbly on top, risen and smelling pleasantly sour.

  3. Rest · about 5 h

    Covered so it doesn't dry out; relaxed dough rolls and shapes without springing back.

  4. Bake · about 30 min

    Deep golden; bread sounds hollow when tapped underneath, or reads 93–96 °C inside (enriched breads 88–90 °C).

  5. Start to finish: about 17 h. Times are a guide — warmth changes everything; follow the cues.

If something goes wrong

  • Pale crust

    Likely causes

    • Oven too cool
    • Too little sugar or no milk/egg for browning
    • Over-fermented (yeast ate the sugars)

    What to do

    • Check the oven with a thermometer
    • Brush with egg wash or milk
    • Shorten the fermentation
  • Burnt bottom

    Likely causes

    • Tray too close to the heat
    • Dark tray absorbs more heat
    • Too much sugar in the dough

    What to do

    • Bake on the middle shelf
    • Double up trays or use a light-coloured one
    • Lower the temperature 10–15 °C and bake a little longer

Reviews & corrections

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