Basmati rice mini idli is soft, spongy and fluffy idli prepared with fermented batter consisting of basmati rice, poha and urad dal. Basmati rice is not used/ recommended for making idli/ dosa other than pulao and biryani as it carries so much flavor and also misunderstood it being unfit to yield perfect idli / dosa. But it will be proved completely wrong with this recipe post as it definitely does yield in perfectly soft and fluffy idli more soft than the idli rice ones I should say. The soaking, grinding procedure, fermentation and steaming is exactly the same as regular idli batter so making it more easy and understanding to try. Its been years since I made idli/ dosa with basmati rice, and I was so determined that my blog should hold this recipe and I m super happy to post a recipe that achieved excellent result. So coming to the taste part, it definitely tastes like regular idli and people will not find it out until and unless you tell them it was made with basmati rice. I wished to post mini idli ones with basmati rice batter because it would sound little interesting I felt and also my blog has no mini idli post. so if you decide to make this mini idli do check out my tiffin sambar recipe which serves as great side accompany.So lets get to the making!
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- Basmati rice – 2 cup
- Urad dal – ½ cup
- Poha – 1 tbsp
- Water - required amount for grinding
- Salt to taste
- Oil – for greasing idli plates
- * 1 cup = 235 ml
- In a bowl add basmati rice and wash 3 to 4 times until you see clear water. Soak it in enough water for 5 to 6 hours. (I soaked rice n 3 cups of water)
- In another bowl add white urad dal and poha together. Wash 3 to 4 times until you see clear water. Soak it in enough water for 5 to 6 hours. ( I soaked it in 2 cups of water)
- After 6 hours, in a wet grinder add little quantity of the soaked urad dal and poha. Switch on the grinder, when it starts grinding gradually add little by little of all the soaked items. Grind the mixture into a smooth, thick and fluffy batter with adding water in regular intervals when needed. I used 1/3 cup of water for grinding but it may vary according the soaking time. But the measurement is just a guideline to get a perfect batter.
- Also scrap the inner sides of the grinder often to get rid of coarse urad dal mixture using the scrapper provided along with grinder.
- When done grinding transfer the mixture to a bowl.
- Now in the same grinder vessel add little water say around ¼ cup then add little rice. Switch on the grinder and then add soaked basmati rice gradually when its grinding. Grind it into smooth flowing batter adding water in regular intervals. Add water gradually so that you don’t loose the consistency. (I used around 1 cup water for grinding rice batter)
- When the rice batter looks done with flowing smooth consistency add the urad dal batter to it gradually when the grinder is still grinding. Allow the batter to mix well for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Now transfer the batter to a bowl, add salt and allow it to ferment for 8 to 10 hours. (If you are in cold country leave the batter in microwave undisturbed or keep it in the oven with just the light on so that it creates warm atmosphere fir the batter to ferment. Also suggested time is soak rice and urad dal in the morning, grind it in the evening and let it ferment overnight)
- When the batter has fermented give it a good stir. In the morning heat water in idli pot. Grease idli plates with few drops of oil. Pour ladle of batter in each idli mold.
- Place the batter filled idli plates in the idli steamer and steam it for 12 minutes. When done remove the idli plate from the steamer and keep it aside for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes wet a spoon with little water (wetting the spoon with water helps in and scoop idli from the idli plate and serve it hot with tiffin sambar and chutney of your choice.
How to make Basmati rice mini idli with step by step images
- In a bowl add basmati rice and wash 3 to 4 times until you see clear water. Soak it in enough water for 5 to 6 hours. (I soaked rice n 3 cups of water)
- In another bowl add white urad dal and poha together. Wash 3 to 4 times until you see clear water. Soak it in enough water for 5 to 6 hours. ( I soaked it in 2 cups of water)
- After 6 hours, in a wet grinder add little quantity of the s oaked urad dal and poha. Switch on the grinder, when it starts grinding gradually add little by little of all the soaked items. Grind the mixture into a smooth, thick and fluffy batter with adding water in regular intervals when needed. I used 1/3 cup of water for grinding but it may vary according the soaking time. But the measurement is just a guideline to get a perfect batter.
- Also scrap the inner sides of the grinder often to get rid of coarse urad dal mixture using the scrapper provided along with grinder.
- When done grinding transfer the mixture to a bowl.
- Now in the same grinder vessel add little water say around ¼ cup then add little rice. Switch on the grinder and then add soaked basmati rice gradually when its grinding. Grind it into smooth flowing batter adding water in regular intervals. Add water gradually so that you don’t loose the consistency. (I used around 1 cup water for grinding rice batter)
- When the rice batter looks done with flowing smooth consistency add the urad dal batter to it gradually when the grinder is still grinding. Allow the batter to mix well for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Now transfer the batter to a bowl, add salt and allow it to ferment for 8 to 10 hours. (If you are in cold country leave the batter in microwave undisturbed or keep it in the oven with just the light on so that it creates warm atmosphere fir the batter to ferment. Also suggested time is soak rice and urad dal in the morning, grind it in the evening and let it ferment overnight)
- When the batter has fermented give it a good stir. In the morning heat water in idli pot. Grease idli plates with few drops of oil. Pour ladle of batter in each idli mold.
- Place the batter filled idli plates in the idli steamer and steam it for 12 minutes. When done remove the idli plate from the steamer and keep it aside for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes wet a spoon with little water (wetting the spoon with water helps in and scoop idli from the idli plate and serve it hot with tiffin sambar and chutney of your choice.
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