makes
16
prep
25 minutes
cook
25 minutes
difficulty
Mid
makes
16
serves
preparation
25
minutes
cooking
25
minutes
difficulty
Mid
level
This Indian fermented batter of millet and urad dal (black gram) is in itself a leaven. When it is freshly fermented and full of gases it can be used to make small, light-textured steamed cakes called idli, which are often served for breakfast. The same batter can be thinned out and used to make delicate, crispy dosa (pancakes).
Traditionally, all the ingredients for the batter were stone-ground, producing a smooth and fluffy result. A high-speed blender or good food processor will do the job but the texture may not be quite as fine. The batter must be made a day in advance, giving it proper time to ferment, develop its unique light texture and the all-important sour note. Once fermented, the batter can be stored in the fridge for up to five days, and during this time the sourness will intensify.
To cook idli, ideally you will want an idli steamer, which can be sourced online or from an Indian grocery store (one good source is , which sells Indian appliances including wet grinders, blenders and idli steamers).
Ingredients
- 440 g (15½ oz/2 cups) hulled millet
- 160 g (5½ oz/¾ cup) whole white urad dal (black gram)
- 4 tsp lemon juice
- 65 g (2¼ oz/⅓ cup sago (I like Bob’s Red Mill because it does not contain sulphur dioxide)
- 100 ml (3½ fl oz) cold water
- 500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) ice-cold water, approximately
- 1 tsp fenugreek seeds, soaked overnight in water
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ghee, for greasing
Makes 16 dosa (22 mins prep, 25 mins cooking) or 30 idli (23 mins prep, 12 mins cooking)
Soaking time: 12 hours 30 minutes
Instructions
For either idli or dosa, start by washing the millet and urad dal separately until the water runs clear and put in two separate bowls, then cover with tepid water. Add 2 teaspoons lemon juice to each bowl and allow to soak for 12 hours.
Soak the sago in the cold water for 30 minutes, then drain well. Rinse the dal and drain well. Drain the fenugreek seeds, then combine the sago, dal and fenugreek seeds in a food processor or high-speed blender. Blitz, while very gradually adding spoonfuls of ice-cold water (approximately 250 ml/9 fl oz/1 cup), until the mixture is a very smooth, pourable consistency. Pour into a large jug or jar, and set aside.
Next, drain the water from the millet and blitz to a smooth paste, adding 60–125 ml (2–4 fl oz/¼–½ cup) ice-cold water gradually to form a thick batter. Stir the millet with the dal mixture in a bowl; it should be a thick batter that drops from a spoon and holds its shape. Add the salt and mix well.
Cover the mix with muslin (cheesecloth) or a clean tea towel (dish towel) and leave to ferment between 26°C and 30°C (79°F and 86°F) for 12–24 hours (the longer the mixture is left to ferment, the more sour it will become). Be careful not to overfill the container, as the mixture may overflow when fermented.
At this stage the batter should have increased in volume and appear very bubbly. You are now ready to make idli or you could choose to dilute the mixture to make dosas.
Alternatively, if not using the batter straight away, it can be stored in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To make idli, fill an idli steamer with water and bring to the boil. Use ghee to grease each indent in the idli trays. Ladle in the batter, but be careful not to overfill the indents. Steam for 6–8 minutes, or until the idli appear lightly puffy and are cooked through. Remove the idli tray from the steamer and set the idli aside, in the tray, for 5 minutes. Serve hot with your choice of accompaniments.
To make dosas, make sure the batter is at room temperature. Stir 80–125 ml (2½–4 fl oz/⅓–½ cup) cold water into the batter, adjusting the consistency to form a pourable batter similar to thin (pouring) cream.
Heat a 20 cm (8 in) heavy-based frying pan over medium–high heat, until a few drops of water dance on the surface and then evaporate. Use paper towel to grease the pan with the ghee. Give the batter a final stir and add a ladleful of the batter to the centre of the pan, tilting the pan to spread the batter out in an even and thin layer. Use the base of the ladle in a circular motion to thin out the batter and to make the surface as smooth as possible.
Drip small amounts of ghee around the edge of the dosa; this helps to crisp it up. Cook the dosa until it is dry and turning golden, carefully flip over and cook the other side for 1 minute. It should be thin, shiny and golden brown with crisp edges. Turn the dosa out on to a large plate and serve with the filling and accompaniments of your choice. Holly's recipe for a traditional masala filling is available .
Recipe from Ferment by Holly Davis (, hb, $45.00). Photography by Ben Dearnley. Read more from Holly about the joy of fermenting .
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
This Indian fermented batter of millet and urad dal (black gram) is in itself a leaven. When it is freshly fermented and full of gases it can be used to make small, light-textured steamed cakes called idli, which are often served for breakfast. The same batter can be thinned out and used to make delicate, crispy dosa (pancakes).
Traditionally, all the ingredients for the batter were stone-ground, producing a smooth and fluffy result. A high-speed blender or good food processor will do the job but the texture may not be quite as fine. The batter must be made a day in advance, giving it proper time to ferment, develop its unique light texture and the all-important sour note. Once fermented, the batter can be stored in the fridge for up to five days, and during this time the sourness will intensify.
To cook idli, ideally you will want an idli steamer, which can be sourced online or from an Indian grocery store (one good source is , which sells Indian appliances including wet grinders, blenders and idli steamers).
