Idli (Steamed Rice Cakes)
Soft, cloud-like steamed cakes made from fermented rice and lentil batter. Light, healthy and naturally gluten-free — South India's everyday breakfast, served with sambar and coconut chutney.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Grind the lentils
Drain the soaked and . Blend them in a mixer or wet grinder with the ice-cold water, adding it a little at a time, for 10-15 minutes until the batter is very light and fluffy.
- 100g
- ½ tsp
- 200ml ice-cold water
✅ Done when: batter is light, fluffy, and almost doubled in volume
Grind the rice
Drain the soaked rice and grind it separately with the water to a slightly coarse batter, similar to fine semolina.
- 400g idli rice
- 150ml water
✅ Done when: batter feels slightly coarse, like fine semolina
Ferment
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Steam
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Rest and remove
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Grind the lentils
Drain the soaked and . Blend them in a mixer or wet grinder with the ice-cold water, adding it a little at a time, for 10-15 minutes until the batter is very light and fluffy.
- 100g
- ½ tsp
- 200ml ice-cold water
✅ Done when: batter is light, fluffy, and almost doubled in volume
Grind the rice
Drain the soaked rice and grind it separately with the water to a slightly coarse batter, similar to fine semolina.
- 400g idli rice
- 150ml water
✅ Done when: batter feels slightly coarse, like fine semolina
Ferment
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Steam
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Rest and remove
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The Story Behind the Dish
A dish called iddalige appears in a Kannada text from around the 10th century, and many food historians see it as an ancestor of the idli, though early versions may not have been fermented. Over centuries, the soaked, ground and fermented rice-and-lentil batter became the foundation of South Indian breakfasts.
Today idli is eaten across India and is often recommended as one of the healthiest breakfasts in the country.
⭐ Why It's Famous
Steamed, oil-free, protein-rich and easy to digest, idli is the gentle breakfast that suits everyone from babies to grandparents.
💡 Fun Fact
South Indian kitchens use special stacked idli stands that steam up to two dozen cakes at once.
Tamil Nadu & Karnataka
13.08°N, 80.27°E
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