• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Browse Recipes
    • Latest
    • By Category
  • Indian Vegan Recipes
  • SUBSCRIBE
Holy Cow Vegan
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Latest recipes
  • Browse by category
  • Indian Vegan Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ร—

    Home > Indian Vegan Recipes

    Idli, a delicious, gut-friendly food from south India

    Posted: Apr 11, 2019 ยท Updated: Apr 28, 2022

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe

    These delicate, fluffy, moon-like Idlis--steamed, south Indian style lentil and rice cakes--are not just fun to eat, they are fat-free, full of protein, and really great for you.

    Fluffy, soft idlis in a silver tray with a bowl of coconut chutney and curry leaves in the background.

    If you love fermented foods and understand the immense benefits they bring to your health, you should be making Idli, a five-ingredient dish that originated in south India and has dug roots in kitchens across the rest of India and in Indian kitchens around the world.

    Even if you aren't Indian, you've likely at least eaten an Idli at an Indian restaurant. This porous, fluffy white disc could easily be the healthiest food in the world and it is made of two basic and very healthy building blocks -- rice and lentils. Eaten by itself, an idli tastes bland. But served with a sambar and a green coconut chutney, it becomes one of the most delicious foods you will ever eat. 

    This is also food for everyone--and anytime. Gluten-free? You can't do better than an idli with its perfect-protein combination. Trying to lose weight? Idlis are extremely low-calorie, fat-free and probiotic.  Sick? An idli will nurture your digestive system right back to health. Picky eater? No kid can resist a soft little moon to dunk into creamy, savory, green coconut chutney. And you can eat an idli at any time -- it makes a delicious south Indian breakfast, lunch or dinner.

    Fluffy, soft idlis in a silver tray with a bowl of coconut chutney and curry leaves in the background.

    There are many kinds of idlis, but the recipe I have for you today is for a basic Idli -- the only way Idli was eaten before people started adding oats or cream of wheat or whatever to gild its perfection. And while I'm just as guilty as the next cook of improvising, this is also the idli recipe that gets made most in my home, because you never really can best a classic, can you?

    Making an idli sounds simple enough, but for me, finding the perfect idli recipe was more challenging than finding the perfect dosa recipe. Both dosa and idli batters are made with rice and lentils, and both are typically fermented, but while a dosa is cooked into a crisp, golden crepe on a griddle, an idli is cooked by steaming it in a special mold. This means your idli batter has to be just so. Otherwise your idlis either won't set or they will harden up to the point where you simply won't enjoy them.

    Don't let that put you off, though, because I've done all the hard work for you. If you follow instructions carefully, and make sure you use all of the ingredients in the exact proportions and follow the right times for soaking your rice and lentils and fermenting the batter, you can have the perfect idlis and eat them too.

    You need just five ingredients for this idli recipe, including two kinds of rice. Some Indian recipes use idli rava instead of rice--a kind of coarse-ground semolina made with rice flour.

    My idli recipe is healthier, because you can make the idli batter using brown rice. I add the brown rice in combination with the parboiled rice that's typically used for making idli batter, and there's tons of healthfulness added to an already nutritious recipe with no loss in flavor or texture.

    I also toss in a handful of flattened rice or poha, which I told you about not long ago in this Kande Pohe post, because it greatly improves the texture and fluffiness of the idli. You also need the fenugreek seeds to help the good bacteria thrive and flourish.

    Idli on a silver plate with coconut chutney and curry leaves in background.

    Idli ingredients

    All of these are easily available at Indian groceries or online.

    • Parboiled rice. This is the kind available at the Indian store, not the kind sold in supermarkets here. The rice is sometimes labeled as "idli rice".
    • Brown rice (white rice is fine too). Use any rice you have on hand, including basmati rice.
    • Black gram lentils or urad dal
    • Flattened rice or poha/aval
    • Fenugreek or methi seeds
    • You don't need to add salt to the idli recipe although you can if you want to. Add it just before you steam the idli.

    How to make the idli batter recipe

    • Soaking the rice and lentils: You need to soak your black gram lentils (urad dal) and the two rices -- regular or brown rice and parboiled rice -- separately and overnight. Soak the poha or flattened rice and the fenugreek seeds with the udad dal. Overnight is great, but you can also do this for about six hours in the daytime.
    • Blending the idli batter: Once the lentils and rice have soaked, drain them and then grind them, again separately, with fresh cold water. The texture you grind each to is important for how your idlis will turn out, so don't try to make quick work of it by grinding them together. The lentils have to be ground into a very smooth paste, while the rice needs to be just slightly coarser. In India and online here in the U.S. you can buy a wet grinder designed specifically to grind idli and dosa batter, but you don't need one. A strong blender does a great job of making perfect and soft idli batter. I use my Vitamix and bonus, it takes a fraction of the time a wet grinder would.
    • Fermenting idli batter: Once you've got both to the right texture, you mix them in a large bowl and set the batter aside to ferment for about eight hours, preferably in a warm place or in the oven with the light turned on. Once your batter has fermented, you will see it. The batter will look puffy and will rise quite a bit (it's a good idea to put a plate or a baking sheet under the bowl -- I've had to deal with an overflow of fermented dosa batter in the oven and it was NOT fun to clean up). 

    How to steam idlis

    • You do need an idli mold to form the idlis (I added an affiliate link in the recipe card). It is not expensive and it'll last you a lifetime. In addition, if you are in India and have access to an inexpensive idli steamer you can use that to steam the idlis in. Otherwise a large stockpot with a lid that has a vent hole will do. If you use a pressure cooker, you need the kind that has a vent at the top on which you place the pressure regulator or "whistle". This is because you don't really want to pressure cook your idlis-- you want to steam them, so you don't need to put on the pressure regulator.
    • When your batter is ready, lightly coat the individual plates in the mold with cooking spray. This is not absolutely essential, but it's something my parents did, and it makes the idli really easy to slide out after it's steamed. Now fill each little mold with the batter, stopping just short of filling it all the way up, because the idlis will puff up a little as they steam. To make the process of easier, I start out by filling the plate at the bottom, then place the second plate on top, fill that up, slide in the third, fill it up, and so on. If you were to fill in the molds first and them put the whole thing back together, you'd have a mess on your hands.
    • Place the trivet in your pressure cooker or stockpot and add about an inch of water. Now place the idli mold on top of the trivet, put on the lid of the pressure cooker (without the pressure regulator on) or stockpot, and turn on the heat to medium-high.
    • When you see wisps of steam beginning to escape from the vent on the pressure cooker or in the lid of your stockpot, set your timer to 10 minutes. Once your timer goes off, turn off the heat. I let the idlis stand in the stockpot for a couple of minutes, then carefully remove the mold and let them stand at least five more minutes before sliding them out. You need to apply light pressure with your fingers at the corners to ease the idli out. 

    What do you serve with idli?

    Any kind of chutney or sambar is awesome. Here are some suggestions:

    • Coconut chutney
    • Onion chutney
    • Roasted red pepper chutney
    • Onion sambar
    • White pumpkin sambar

    I used the coconut chutney this time. Now here is the recipe for a really delicious, fluffy, amazing idli that'll go right to the top of your list of south Indian breakfast favorites.

    Frequently asked questions

    Can I steam the idlis in an Instant Pot?

    You definitely can. Place a cup of water in the IP insert, set to "saute" and bring the water to a boil. Place the idli mold with the batter in the liner, click the lid in place, and set the Instant Pot to "steam" at high pressure. Leave the vent open. Set an external timer for 12 minutes and steam the idlis. Once the timer goes off do a quick manual release and remove the idli mold from the IP.

    Why did my idli stick to the mold?

    This can happen if you didn't oil the idli molds before adding the batter to them, or if you undercooked the idli. Make sure you oil the idli molds and to check if the idli is done insert a toothpick and ensure it comes out clean.

    Can I use idli batter to make dosa?

    Yes, you certainly can. Many Indian cooks, in fact, make a common "idli dosa batter" that they use to make both dishes.

    An overhead closeup of fluffy, soft idlis in a silver tray with a bowl of coconut chutney and curry leaves in the background.
    An overhead closeup of fluffy, soft idlis in a silver tray with a bowl of coconut chutney and curry leaves in the background.

    Idli, a healthy, gut-friendly South Indian food

    Idli, a popular south Indian food, is a delicious, moon-like rice and lentil cake. Probiotic and extremely healthy, it makes the perfect breakfast or snack food.
    5 from 9 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Review Recipe
    Course: Breakfast/Brunch
    Cuisine: Indian, Indian veg recipes, nut-free, Soy-free
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: Idli, Idli recipe
    Prep Time: 20 mins
    Cook Time: 15 mins
    Batter fermenting time: 8 hrs
    Total Time: 8 hrs 35 mins
    Servings: 12 servings (about 48 to 50 idlis)
    Calories: 175kcal
    Author: Vaishali ยท Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes

    Equipment

    • Large stockpot or pressure cooker
    • Idli mold

    Ingredients 

    • 1 cup black gram lentils (udad dal)
    • 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
    • ยผ cup flattened rice (poha)
    • 1 cup parboiled rice
    • 1 cup brown rice (white rice is fine too)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Make the idli batter:

    • Place the black gram lentils in a bowl with the flattened rice and fenugreek seeds and cover by at least two inches of water. Set aside to soak at least six hours or overnight.
    • Mix the parboiled rice and brown rice in another bowl and cover them with at least two inches of water. Set aside, again for at least six hours or overnight.
    • Drain the lentils and grind them in a high powered blender, adding just enough water to get a batter that's the consistency of a thick pancake batter. The batter should be very smooth. Remove the batter to a large bowl.
    • Add the rice to the blender, again with enough water to create the consistency of a thick pancake batter. This time, grind until the batter still has a slight coarseness -- you don't want to see broken grains of rice, but the batter should have a slight grittiness, like that of cornmeal, when you rub it between your fingers.

    Ferment the batter:

    • Add the rice batter to the lentil batter and mix them both, preferably with your very clean hands. The reason for this is that the warmth of your hand helps start and hastens the fermentation process.
    • Cover the bowl very tightly with cling wrap. Your bowl should be large enough that the batter reaches only half way up because the batter will rise. If you're not sure, slide a plate or a baking sheet under your bowl to catch any overflow.
    • Place the bowl in a warm place or in a cold oven with the pilot light turned on and let it stand overnight or at least eight hours. By that time it should have become puff and risen.

    Steam the idlis:

    • In a steamer or a large stockpot with a vented lid that lets steam escape, or in a pressure cooker with a removable pressure regulator, place a trivet and an inch of water.
    • Spray the idli molds lightly with cooking spray and fill them up, stopping just short of filling them up all the way because the idlis will puff up a bit as they steam. I first fill in the bottom-most plate of the mold, then slide on the second one, fill it up, slide on the third, fill it and so on.
    • Place the idli mold in the stockpot or pressure cooker and cover with the lid. Do not put the pressure regulator on the pressure cooker vent.
    • Place your stockpot or cooker on medium-high heat. When you see wisps of steam rise from the vent in the lid or the pressure cooker, set the timer to 10 minutes and let the idlis steam away. At the end of 10 minutes, turn off the heat and let the idlis stand for a couple of minutes before opening and removing the mold.
    • Disassemble the mold and let the idlis stand in the plates for another five minutes or so. Then slide them off, either with your fingers or with a spoon.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 4idli | Calories: 175kcal | Carbohydrates: 35.3g | Protein: 6.3g | Fat: 1g | Fiber: 2.8g | Sugar: 0.1g | Iron: 1.6mg
    Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
    Follow Holy Cow Vegan on Instagram
    « Gluten-Free Vegan Skillet Cornbread Cake
    Vegan Asparagus Risotto »
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Yummly

    About Vaishali


    Hi! I am so happy you're here. I'm Vaishali, and I've been sharing recipes for delicious vegan food at Holy Cow Vegan since 2007. Every one of the more than 1,000 recipes on this blog has been tried and tested -- and loved -- by my family and I. I hope you will find something here to share with your loved ones. Thanks for stopping by!
    Read more about me here.

    Try these recipes next

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Nidhi

      May 10, 2021 at 12:04 pm

      Does the ratio remains 1:2 for urad dal and rice if I just used par boiled rice and not any other white or brown rice. Last time my idlis were super sticky and uncooked when I used 1:2.5 ration using only parboiled rice. Could not even make dosas out of it as the batter was not spreading on the tawa. It was all very sticky. I feel I may have grinded rice more than needed. The idlis were raw from inside and flat even after 12-15 minutes of cook time.

      Reply
    2. Sunitha

      October 17, 2020 at 12:30 am

      What do you mean by brown rice, is it raw rice

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        October 17, 2020 at 1:32 am

        Just brown rice, rice that doesnโ€™t have its bran removed. You can use white rice.

        Reply
    3. Joane

      August 12, 2020 at 6:57 pm

      Hi! Can the batter or cooked Idli be frozen? I'm live alone and don't think i can eat a full batch on my own! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        August 12, 2020 at 7:29 pm

        You can freeze the batter after itโ€™s fermented. Thaw completely on the counter before using.

        Reply
        • Anonymous

          August 13, 2020 at 6:59 pm

          Thank you

          Reply
    4. realbharat idli

      July 14, 2020 at 3:39 am

      5 stars
      Hi, It is nice recipe and the idli making process seems more simpler now. I also prepared Idli upma on weekends.

      Reply
    5. kala

      May 26, 2020 at 2:22 pm

      hi vaishali, can i ferment idliy batter in instant pot, if so how do i do it? can i use uncle bens parboiled rice. thans for the lovely recpies'. hope to hear from you soon.

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        May 26, 2020 at 3:11 pm

        Hi Kala, you can set the IP to the yogurt setting for 12 hours--place the batter in the steel liner. You can leave the valve open or closed, or just use the glass lid of the IP. And the Uncle Ben's rice should be fine.

        Reply
        • Anonymous

          May 26, 2020 at 5:42 pm

          thanks for the reply.

          Reply
    6. Rupa

      April 26, 2020 at 5:08 am

      Hello! Can u share the recipe of the green chutney which is in the image of the idli chutney.

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        April 26, 2020 at 7:33 pm

        Yes, will do soon!

        Reply
    7. mamta

      April 07, 2020 at 10:43 pm

      Hi :

      Thank you for the recipe. I have always wanted to make idli batter at home but never really tried it because I thought not being from south indian origin I wont be able to make it at home. When I came across your recipe, I just made it the way you had explained it and it came out pretty well.

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        April 08, 2020 at 4:21 pm

        So happy it worked out for you!

        Reply
    8. Shobana Ramkumar

      March 21, 2020 at 1:20 am

      The trick is in the grinding. I add 2 ยฝ cups of par boiled rice and 2 ยฝ cups of white rice ( could be brown too though itโ€™s coarser and takes longer to soak and grind) for 1 cup urad. For people looking for an easier option, adding a ladle of cooked rice at the grinding will give soft idlis

      Reply
    9. Rishni

      February 26, 2020 at 2:21 pm

      I am south African Indian. We make sweet idli. Can I follow this recipe up to fermentation and add like half cup sugar n then steam. Eat on its own. No chutney

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        February 26, 2020 at 4:17 pm

        Hi Rishni, what a delightful idea--I can't say I've heard of sweet idli before. I think adding sugar should be fine!

        Reply
    10. Suman

      December 29, 2019 at 3:03 am

      Very nicely explained. Healthier version too.
      Isn't there a video to show the method.
      What's a stock - pot, please send a picture of it.

      Reply
    11. Renga

      November 06, 2019 at 10:21 am

      You have not mentioned to add salt

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        November 06, 2019 at 11:00 am

        I don't add salt to my idlis -- I don't think they need it. If you do want to add it, add it after your batter has fermented and before you make the idlis, because salt can adversely affect fermentation.

        Reply
    12. Krithika

      April 15, 2019 at 12:51 pm

      Soft idlis are my nemesis! Since coming to the US, I have made dosas, rava idlis and countless other dishes. But cotton soft idlis have eluded me. I took them for granted while growing up, and now they mock me! I always blamed my blender for not getting the rice ground perfectly, but I'm intrigued at the thought that only the daal needs to be finely ground. I will try this again following your instructions: they haven't failed me before ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        April 17, 2019 at 2:03 pm

        Hi Krithika, The rice needs to be a little coarser -- not in large pieces, but like liquid rava. I used to grind the rice very smooth too before realizing my mistake.

        Reply
      • kim

        February 29, 2020 at 5:00 pm

        hi!!!
        my 2 cents
        im a cook n baker
        invest in a {VITAMIX BLENDER
        you will be THANKING me

        be well!
        kim

        Reply
        • Pri Shah

          April 27, 2020 at 11:44 am

          Please elaborate how you use the vitamix for this

          Reply
    13. Becky

      April 12, 2019 at 10:23 pm

      5 stars
      I am getting hungry just looking at these. I love love love idlis. there's south Indian restaurant where I live and it's always the first thing I order. I am definitely going to try!

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        April 17, 2019 at 2:03 pm

        Hope you do, Becky!

        Reply
    14. Alamelu

      April 11, 2019 at 5:37 pm

      Can't wait to try. After failing 3 times i have given up making idli's. Made Ragi idli batter yesterday.
      Will make this evening to test first if not we get dosai ????
      When do you add salt. I was told to add salt after fermentation by some and after grinding from few friends??? Don't see salt in your recipe??
      Thanks and wish me luck

      Reply
      • Vaishali Honawar

        April 11, 2019 at 9:48 pm

        Hi Alamelu, good luck! ๐Ÿ™‚ I don't add salt to my idlis, just so we can cut down on the sodium and because the chutney and sambar have it. But if you want to add, definitely add it after the fermentation because salt can inhibit the growth of the good bacteria. Cheers.

        Reply
    15. kala

      April 11, 2019 at 11:50 am

      hi vaishali, can i use unclebens parboiled rice for the idlies.

      Reply
      • Vaishali Honawar

        April 11, 2019 at 11:52 am

        Yes, I use a variety I buy at supermarkets here too-- not necessarily the one from the Indian grocery store.

        Reply

    Leave a comment: Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Vaishali Honawar, Holy Cow Vegan author, profile photo

    Hi, I'm Vaishali! I cook, eat and share easy, tasty and nutritious plant-based recipes from my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. 

    More about me โ†’

    Trending recipes

    • Vegan Picadillo Tacos
    • Vegan Zucchini Pasta
    • Chickpea Rice
    • Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff
    • Mexican Tofu with Apricots, Chipotle and Tamarind
    • Vegan Swedish Meatballs

    How to make

    • Dosa Recipe | How to Make Perfect Dosai at Home
    • Easy Mushroom Stock
    • Sambar Powder (Sambar Masala)
    • Roti recipe. How to make the softest Roti/Chapati (step by step with video)
    • Healthy Whole Wheat Vegan Puff Pastry (1/2 the fat)
    • Easy Indian Curry Paste for Restaurant-Style Dishes
    • Vegan Mayo
    • How to Make Curry Powder
    Vaishali Honawar, Holy Cow Vegan author, profile photo

    Hi, I'm Vaishali! I cook, eat and share easy, tasty and nutritious plant-based recipes from my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. 

    More about me โ†’

    Trending recipes

    • Vegan Muffaletta Casserole
    • Cheezy Vegan Mexican Black Bean Casserole
    • Vegan Indian-Spiced Tofu Casserole
    • Lentil Soup
    • Cauliflower Rice Biryani (Keto + Vegan)
    • Easy Vegetable Curry (One-pot, 30 minutes)

    How to make

    • Vegan Instant Pot Yogurt
    • Air Fryer Tofu
    • Ginger Garlic Paste for Indian Recipes | How to make and store it
    • Garam Masala Recipe
    • How to Make a Sourdough Starter (Easy Step by Step Guide)
    • How to make sauerkraut
    • Gluten Free Sourdough Starter
    • Homemade Biryani Masala Spice Mix

    Footer


    ABOUT HOLYCOWVEGAN

    All Recipes
    Recipe Videos
    About Vaishali
    Privacy Policy

    VEGAN INDIAN RECIPES

    Vegan Dal or Dahl Recipes
    Vegan Curry Recipes
    Indian Vegan Desserts

    VEGAN BAKING RECIPES

    Vegan Bread Recipes
    Vegan Sourdough Recipes
    Vegan Cake Recipes
    Vegan Pie Recipes
    Vegan Cookie Recipes


    As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my full disclosure here.

    ยฉ 2022 Holy Cow Vegan