Idli recipe, Learn to make soft idli batter using rice or rava. Making soft and fluffiest idlis at home is really an art which you can easily master with my step by step recipe guide. In this post I share 2 ways to make healthiest and soft idli. The first one is using rice and the other is using idly rava, which is also known as rice rava in some parts of the world. Both the methods will give you soft idlis.

Making idli using rava is a breeze, we don’t need to grind the rice to make the batter. The texture of the idly made using rava also turn out very soft and nice.
About Idli
Idli is a soft & fluffy steamed cake made of fermented rice & lentil batter. These are one of the healthiest protein packed Breakfasts from South Indian cuisine. Idli are easily digestible as the rice & lentils known as DAL are soaked, ground, fermented & then prepared by steaming the batter. These are served with a chutney and or with a tiffin sambar.
Is idli healthy? Idli is considered to be the healthiest food due to the unique method of preparation which enhances the bioavailability of the nutrients in urad dal and rice.
Soaking the lentils, blending to batter and fermenting enhances the nutrients and they are still preserved as idli are steam cooked for a short time.
This is what makes idly suitable to all including babies to people on diet and even to the aged, who generally have poor digestion.
If you are wondering what is idli made of ? Idli is made with urad dal ( skinned black gram) and rice. Urad dal is high in protein and calcium. It is absorbed by the body better in the form of idly as it is made from soaked & fermented batter.
How to make healthy idli? Restaurants or Hotels use a ratio of almost 1:4 (dal : rava or rice, as rice is cheaper for them). So I suppose we must favor more dal as it is high in protein and less rice or rava specially for home cooking. Since the cost doesn’t matter for home cooked foods as long as they are healthy and nutritious.

My Idli Recipe
This idli recipe does not need too much of rice or rava, yet you can make super white, soft, light and fluffy idlis every time.
When it comes to fermenting, dal contributes more towards the fermentation rather than the rice. So using lesser rava or rice too you can make super soft idly. To make them healthier use lesser rice and more dal.
My idli recipe doesn’t call for using cooked rice. So it is the same traditional recipe which has been followed for generations in South India – to soak the grains, blend, and then ferment the batter. Lastly steam cook for health benefits.

Process of Making Idli Batter
There are 2 ways idli batter can be made
1. The first method uses idli rava which is made of a special kind of parboiled rice. This method is very popular in the south Indian states where the idli rava is available. Making idlis using this method is super quick as the rice need not be ground.
2. The second method is a traditional one which uses idli rice or parboiled rice. However they can be made with most kinds of rice including sona masuri, ponni or parmal rice.
How is Idli Batter Ground?
Traditionally idli batter was ground in a stone mortar pestle to make the urad dal batter very light and fluffy. This light fluffy batter is the key to soft, fluffy and pillowy idlis.
In the current days, it is made either in a wet grinder or blender. Wet grinder works as good as a stone mortar in grinding the urad dal to a smooth and fluffy texture. If it is made in wet grinder then ingredients like poha or methi seeds can be skipped.
Most people prefer making batter in a blender as it is easy to handle. If the batter is made in blender then poha or methi seeds will be helpful to make fluffy idlis.
Blender vs Wet Grinder for Batter
As per my experience both yield the same results if good quality dal is used & blended following the correct method. I do have a wet grinder & blender.
I use the wet grinder only when I have guests home from India. During other times I use the regular blender. Making idli batter in wet grinder is good for larger families – like 5 or more. Otherwise it is quite easy to manage with a blender.
4 Important Factors to Make Soft Idli Batter
(Based on my experience), no matter whether you use a wet grinder or a blender.
1. Age of the dal: Urad dal from the current year’s harvest is best suitable to make soft idli. But how do we identify? The current year’s yield will be white in color with no pale yellow shades on it.
While the yield from the previous years, will be pale yellow in color. Or sometimes pale yellow spots on the dal. Using the new dal will surely result in good fermentation.
This gives you super soft idly provided you take care of the other 3 factors. For those who are not accessible to fresh stock, other ingredients like fenugreek seeds or poha are used to aid the fermentation.
2. Non-iodized salt: always use enough non iodized salt, avoid iodized salts since it do not favor the fermentation process.
3. Temperature to ferment batter: Cold climates do not favor fermentation process. So keep your batter in a warm place. If you live in cold countries, use a preheated oven for fermenting it. Or turn on the light in the oven.
You can also use the fermentation or yogurt making option in your oven, electric cooker or Instant pot.
4. Lastly consistency of idli batter (the amount of water to use): For good fermentation, the batter must be of the right consistency. If you make it runny or thin, it will not rise. But the fermentation will be ok, though not perfect. The result will be wet and flat idly.
But again, if your batter is too thick batter, it will not ferment. I understand this as “the organisms need enough moisture for a healthy cultivation”. So blending it to a right consistency is important. So the soft idli batter must be of a thick but pouring consistency.
Tips to Ferment Batter
Temperature: Warm temperatures between 25 to 32 C (80 to 90F) are ideal for fermentation & it takes about 8 to 12 hours. A higher temperature is just fine and will ferment the idli batter much faster. So you need to watch and move it to the refrigerator once it doubles & before it turns too sour.
Soaking time: Batter won’t ferment quickly at lower temperatures. So basically you need to play with the soaking and fermentation times to check what works during winter and summers. Longer soaking time helps in activation of wild yeast. So soak the rice and dal for longer during cold days.
Dechlorinated water: Avoid chlorinated water to soak and even to blend. Chlorinated water kills the yeast and hinders fermentation process. So use dechlorinated water. Use google search to find ways to dechlorinate water easily.
Fermentation During Winters
Avoid over rinsing soaked rice and dal as it removes the wild yeast completely. We need this wild yeast to assist fermentation.
For better fermentation use the same water in which you soaked your urad dal. But avoid during summer as it leaves a wired & sour smell in the batter.
Speaking of the idli dosa batter, when to add salt – before fermentation or after fermentation is one of the most debated topic. So try and check out what works for you. I add salt before fermentation throughout the year. My mom always adds powdered rock salt after fermentation during summers and before fermentation during winters.
What kind of salt to use? Avoid using table salt or any salt that has added iodine and anticaking agents as they both hinder the fermentation. You can use sea salt, rock salt or pink Himalayan salt that do not have any anticaking agents added to them.
Create a warm atmosphere for the batter
If using microwave convection oven, use your yogurt settings. You can also use Instant pot with the yogurt settings ON (low). I have more details below.
For OTG, Preheat the oven to lowest such as 60 to 80 C or 140 to 175F for 10 mins. Wait for 5 to 7 mins so the temperature comes down a bit. Then place the idli batter inside.
Avoid keeping batter in a very hot oven, this will kill the existing yeast in the batter and won’t ferment. For regular traditional/gas oven, turn on the light.
You may like other South Indian recipes,
Dosa
Masala dosa
Upma
Uttapam
Paniyaram
How to Make Soft Idli (Stepwise Photos)
1. Prepare the following:
- Add ½ cup dal to a bowl and wash few times until water is clear. Pour fresh water and soak for about 6 hours
- If using fenugreek seeds, soak ½ tsp teaspoon seeds with dal. or soak 2 tablespoons poha, 30 mins before blending.
- Add 1 cup idli rice or 1 cup + 2 tablespoons idly rava to another large bowl. Rinse a few times until water runs clear. Drain the water and soak it. If using rava, nicely squeeze the rava and rinse to get rid of the unwanted stuff.
Making Batter
2. After 6 hours, drain off the water from the dal and add it to the blender along with salt. If you live in a hot place, then skip adding salt now and add it after fermentation, just before making idli. Add 3/4 cup cold water & blend it to smooth. Using cold water prevents the blender or grinder from turning hot. If the batter turns up hot, idli may turn hard.

3. Pour 2 to 4 tbsps more water if needed and blend till you get frothy thick smooth batter. Do not make it very runny.

4. Transfer this batter to a large pot or bowl.

5. If using rice refer method 2 with detailed step by step photos below. A short description is here as well. Add rice and water to the blender and grind coarsely. Pour it to the batter and mix well. Follow from step 6.
If using idly rava: Squeeze off the water by taking rava in between your palms and with pressure try to remove excess water. Transfer this to a plate. Squeeze again any excess water.

6. Next transfer it to the batter. If you are some one who do not like the slight coarse texture of rava, then you can also blend it well. Then add to the urad batter.

Fermenting Idli Batter
7. Mix well with your hands. Keep it aside for fermenting in a warm place for 6 to 12 hours, depending on the climate. It may take up to 18 to 20 hours too sometimes. Do not use air tight jars or containers for fermentation.
If you live in a cold country, you can place it in the oven with the light bulb ON. Or preheat the oven to 120 F or 50 C for 10 to 12 mins. Keep the loosely covered batter bowl inside.
Or If you have a instant pot or microwave (with yogurt function), then you can also turn it ON with the yogurt setting (low) for 6 to 12 hours or until the batter doubles. You have to experiment to know the exact fermentation time.

8. After fermentation the batter has to double and turn light, fluffy and bubbly. This time when I made this I had to ferment for about 18 hours as the climate was windy and cold.

9. Gently mix the batter, very lightly to make it uniform. Sometimes after steaming, idlis will rise and collapse due to the aeration in the batter. So it is ideal to give a gentle stir once. This will also bring the batter to a uniform consistency. I prefer to stir gently only 1 to 2 times. It may shrink when we do this.

Steaming Idlis
10. Bring water to boil in a steamer or pressure cooker without weight on a medium high flame. Grease the idly plates. If needed sprinkle little water. The batter should be of thick pouring consistency. Pour it in the molds.

11. When the water begins to bubble up rapidly, place the idly stand in the steamer. Steam it for 10 minutes. Remember you need to be a bit tricky to adjust the flame. If the flame is very high, the water may bounce to the idly plates. If it is to low, they may not get steamed enough. So the flame should be on a medium high. Off the stove after 10 minutes. Leave it for 2 minutes. Remove the plates from the steamer and allow them to cool for 2 to 3 minutes.

12. Loosen the idli from the plates with the help of a spoon and then remove them to a plate. Add some ghee and serve with coriander coconut chutney or peanut chutney. You can also find a collection of 33 South Indian Style chutney recipes.

What to Serve With Idli?
Idly is mostly eaten with a variety of chutneys & a variety of sambar. Here are some popular chutneys that are served
Tomato chutney
Coconut chutney
Pudina chutney
Ginger chutney
We also eat Idli for a meal sometimes, most often it is for dinner. Then I prepare some kind of sambar along with some mini idlis for my kids. Here are some sambar options you may like to check.
Idli sambar or tiffin sambar
Vegetable sambar
Drumstick sambar
Method 2 – Idli Using Rice
The step by step photos shown below were made with half cup urad dal and 1 cup rice with 2 tbsp poha using recipe 1
1. Blend soaked dal,salt and poha adding water as needed until thick and frothy.

2. Grind rice until smooth or coarse to suit your liking. Add water as needed. Batter must be neither too thick nor too thin.

3. Next transfer to a pot. Set aside until fermented. The time it takes depends on the climate. I doubled the recipe 1 and made this. So I had to transfer the idli batter to 2 bowls.

4. After 14 hours, the batter fermented, doubled in volume and had a bubbly texture. Give a gentle stir only twice.

5. Lastly I greased the plates and poured the it in the plates. Steamed for exactly 6 to 7 minutes in the bubbling steamer. Since i made mini idli steamed for just 6 to 7 minutes else they has to be steamed for 10 minutes. Mini idli go well with idli sambar.

Faqs
Idli rice is the best to make soft idlis. However you may also use parboiled rice or basmati rice. During the lockdown I had made them with different kinds of rice. Aged short grain parboiled rice, raw rice & basmati rice (not parboiled rice) also worked well.
Idli rice is a kind of short grain fat parboiled rice that is cheaper than the regular parboiled rice.
Steam them exactly for 10 minutes on a moderately high flame. I do it on the highest heat. Place the idli stand in the pot only when the water comes to a rolling boil. Cover immediately and then start the 10 mins timer. The timing is the same irrespective of the size of your steaming pot.
They can turn hard if the batter hasn’t fermented well. Make idlis only with well fermented batter that looks well aerated & has risen. Also avoid over cooking them as it makes them hard.
If the batter has fermented partially, then you may wait for few more hours. But if it has not fermented at all even after 18 to 24 hours, then it is good to quit the trial and use it to make dosa, dibba rotti or punugulu. Trying to ferment the batter longer may grow mould over the batter. Read my full post & try it again.
Can You Refrigerate Idli Batter?
Yes. It can be refrigerated for 1 to 2 days. After grinding, it must be transferred to separate containers. Then fermented separately. Next refrigerated after fermentation without disturbing it.
I usually make the idli batter good enough for 2 days. Then transfer it to 2 different containers and ferment them separately.
Use up one the next morning and refrigerate the other as it is without stirring it. For the second day, I use a glass or ceramic bowl. Plastic or steel containers may make it sour. My idli turns out soft with no sour smell even on the subsequent days.
On the third day, I am left with some batter that is not enough for all of us. So I mix up ragi flour in luke warm water and add it to the left over batter. I allow it to rest for 30 mins out of the fridge. Even these turn out good.
How to Make Idli in Instant Pot
For fermentation, place a trivet inside the steel insert of your Instant pot. Then keep the idli batter bowl on the trivet and cover the IP with a plate and not with the lid. Ensure your pot is not too hot from your earlier cooking otherwise your batter will have the flavour of cooked urad dal.
Press the yogurt button (set to low) and the timer to 8 to 16 hours depending on your weather conditions.
To steam the idlis in your IP, pour 1.5 cups water to your steel insert and bring the water to a rolling boil on a saute mode. Meanwhile, fill the idli moulds. When the water begins to boil, place the stand in the IP. Cover it with the lid and position the steam vent to venting mode. Press the steam button and steam them for 10 mins.
Related Recipes
Recipe Card

Idli Recipe, How to Make Soft Idli Batter
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
Recipe 1
- ½ cup urad dal or skinned black gram
- 1 cup idli rice (or parboiled rice) or (1 cup + 2 tbsp idli rava)
- 2 tablespoon thick poha Or ½ tsp fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
- ½ teaspoon Non-iodized salt (rock salt or pink salt)
- ¾ to 1 cup chilled water (for grinding dal)
- ½ cup water (for grinding rice)
Recipe 2
- ½ cup urad dal
- 1½ cups idli rice (or parboiled rice)
- ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
- 2 tablespoons thick poha (flattened rice) (substitute with ¼ tsp methi)
- ¾ to 1 cup chilled water (for grinding dal)
- ¾ cup water (for grinding rice)
Instructions
Preparation
- Add urad dal & methi seeds to a bowl. Add rice or idli rava to another bowl.
- Wash them very well separately until water runs clear. Soak them separately in lot of water for at least 6 hrs.
- Rinse and soak poha with ¼ cup water for about 30 mins before blending.
How to Make Idli Batter
- After 6 hours, drain the water from both the bowls.
- Add dal, methi, soaked poha, salt & ¾ cup water to a blender jar or a wet grinder. You may need another 2 to 4 tbsps water while blending.
- If you live in a hot climate then skip adding salt now and add it just before making idli otherwise the batter turns sour. You will have to experiment with salt to know what works well for you.
- Blend all of them till thick, smooth, bubbly & frothy. The idli batter should not turn hot or even warm as it makes dense idli.
- Transfer urad dal batter to a large bowl.
- A. If using rice : Add rice to the blender with water (mentioned in the ingredients). Grind to a little coarse batter (semolina texture). Pour this to the dal batter. Mix both of them well with your clean hands. The batter must be thick yet of pouring consistency. B. If using idli rava : Drain off the water thoroughly from the rava. Squeeze excess water from the rava with the help of both your palms. Rava must not look soggy. It must absolutely have no water in it, else the batter will become runny.
- Transfer this to the urad dal batter and mix well.
- Now mix everything well. Use your hand to mix as it helps to ferment faster and better. If needed can add little water, if the batter is too thick.
Fermenting Idli Batter
- Set the batter aside in a warm place for at least 8 to 14 hrs. The batter ferments and rises well to double the quantity. Sometimes it may take up to 18 hours depending on the weather and temperature.
- If you live in a cold country, keep it in the oven with the light bulb ON. Or preheat the oven to 120 F or 50 C for 10 to 12 mins. Keep the loosely covered batter bowl inside. If you have a instant pot or microwave (with yogurt function), then you can also turn it ON with the yogurt setting (low) for 6 to 12 hours or until the batter doubles.
- A well fermented batter will yield good soft idli. The batter must rise and look fluffy but not turn sour. You will need to experiment to know the fermentation time.
How to Make Idli
- On a high flame, bring water to a boil in an idly steamer or a pressure cooker. If using instant pot, pour 1½ cups water to your inner pot. Press the saute button and bring the water to a rolling boil.
- Meanwhile grease your idly plates lightly. Mix the idli batter gently 1 to 2 times only. Do not over do as the aerated batter will turn flat. Fill the molds with batter.
- When the water begins to bubble and steam up, place the stand in the steamer. Cover and steam for exactly 10 mins on a high flame. If using Instant pot, when the water begins to boil, press CANCEL button. Keep the idli stand in the IP. Cover with the lid & position the steam release handle to venting . Then press STEAM button. Use an external timer to monitor & steam for 10 to 12 mins.
- Once done turn off and wait for 2 mins. Remove the idly stand. Set aside to cool down for 2 to 3 mins. When cooled, the idli must not be wet on top.
- With the help of a spoon remove the idlis to a plate. Serve idli with a chutney or sambar.
Notes
- Do not use air tight jars for fermenting.
- Use stainless steel or ceramic containers for fermenting.
- Avoid plastic jars. Never let your batter warm up while grinding, as it will make the idly harder.
- If using wet grinder, you can use 1½ cups rice for recipe one.
- For Recipe two you can use 2 cups rice.
- Use more water proportionately.
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes

Hi
Please clear my doubt on storing the batter. If I want to refrigerate the batter, the batter should be kept as it is fermanted and not mixed or we need to mix it and then keep in the refrigerator?
Please help!
Hi Mitika,
Yes I prefer to put it in the refrigerator without disturbing the batter. I have mentioned that in the post already. But then if your batter has over fermented, stir it once and then refrigerate. This reduces the batter from becoming too airy.
Wonderful recipe
I´m going to try out idly for the first time. I have rice and dal and an instant pot. I don´t however have methi seeds. I do have methi leaves. Can I use the leaves instead? and how much would I need for I cup rice? Tx!
Hi Sam,
Methi leaves cannot be used here. You need methi seeds. Idli won’t turn out fluffy without methi seeds.
Hi there,
I followed the recipe without any changes. Used idli rava but only the idli in the top mould looks to be very good. Others are more wet on the edges. Not anything like those in the first mould. Where did I go wrong?
Hi Yamini,
This is the indication that the flame was too high or the idli pot is too small for the size of plates/ moulds you have. Try steaming them on a medium burner or on a medium flame on the larger burner. If this doesn’t work out, use a wider steamer. Hope this helps
Swasthi, this time I tried onamedium heat and now I find only the last 2 molds are still wet. I think my plates are too big for my pot. I will try in a larger pot. Do you use Ip for steaming. I want to try that way too.TIA
Hi Yamini, I don’t use Ip for steaming. I have the same problem, like my plates are too large for the Ip. There isn’t much space around the idli stand and the steel insert. Our idlis turn out best in a regular Steel pot. It has a lid with a vent.
I used to follow this recipe. I always had good results. But I always get confused while reading this article. At different places the measurements are different. In the beginning, for method 2, its written 1 Cup rice, then in actual recipe its 1.5 cups.
Hi Dipika,
Pictures under Method 2 are for recipe 1, made with 1 cup idli rice. Recheck the recipe in the card. It is 1 cup idli rice (or parboiled rice).
1.5 cups rice is for recipe 2 & I have not shown any step wise pics for that.
To avoid confusion, decide your ratios – 1:2 or 1:3
If using rava use method 1 and if using rice use method 2.
Hope this clears.
One of the best recipes for Idli!
Idlies came out nice and soft. I fermented the batter in Instapot and the batter was ready in 10 hrs.
Thank you so much for sharing the recipe.
So glad to know Neelam.
Thank you!
Would you recommend using puffed rice for Poha. I have made this recipe a few times especially
Sanjitha
I don’t recommend puffed rice because the idlis take on a cooked rice flavor. You may try with a smaller quantity.
Very delicious idlis. Tried your recipes. Idli recipes was so perfect. Thank you very much for sharing your recipes.
Glad to know! Thank you so much
I am your big fan. All your recipes are awesome. Thank you so much for posting.
Useful tips and tricks
Glad to know Neelam
Thank you
Useful and helpful tips
Idli came out super soft. Also tried your coconut and tomato chutney. Everyone loved it. Thank you for detailed recipe
Hello Swathi..
Thank you you for the detailed recipe. However I do have a question about the fermentation process. You have mentioned not to use airtight container for fermentation process. What exactly should we use to cover the stainless steel container for fermentation? Should we leave it open in the oven or should I use a lid with holes to cover it?
Thank you in advance!
Hi Sheetal,
Just cover the batter bowl with a regular loose lid like a dinner plate. Hope this helps.
Hi there, my batter spilled a bit so I had to stir it, so now can I freeze batter for use after a week. My idlis came out soft but I have excess batter so can I freeze?
Hi,
Yes you can freeze upto a month. Thaw it in the refrigerator before use. You may need to a cook a little longer, 1 to 2 mins more.
Thanks for provided Very important and basic tips for Delicious Sambhar, Idli and coconut chutney. keep it up.
You are welcome Dr.Sharma
Idli came out super soft… Absolutely loved it..very easy step wise step explanation helped a lot. Thank you
Glad to know Charu
Thank you
Sounds and looks like experience assistance to beginners. Will surely try and give you feedback.
Hope you enjoy them
This is the first time ever that my idli’s came out awesome!!! I cant thank you enough. I have tried so many different recipes, but never got right texture. I used urad dal and idli rava combo. Perfect fool proof recipe! Thank you so much Swasti!!!
Thank you so much for the detailed description. I always follow you recipes.
very nicely explained
Thank you
Dear Swasthi,
Thanks so much for this incredibly helpful and detailed recipe – I’ve learned to make idli for the first time thanks to you. I have a question about using idli rava. I’ve typically used “Recipe 1” and I only use sona masoori rice – the idli have turned out really well every time. However, I recently came across idli rava at my local Indian grocery store, so I thought I’d give it a try. However, I think I misread “Recipe 2” and used the wrong proportion of dal to rava. I used 1/2 cup dal and 1.5 cup rava. Is this a fatal mistake? Should “Recipe 2” not be followed if using rava?
Many thanks,
Sheela Jane Menon
Hi Sheela
Welcome! Yes recipe 2 is only for rice and not for rice rava. The texture won’t be the same. Idli rava & urad dal are always used in 2:1 ratio. A few tablespoons more can be used if the batter is ground in wet grinder as it turns more fluffy. Hope this helps.
Mrs. Swasthi garu ,
Sorry for late response. Thanks a lot madam.
I have been benefited by interacting with you. You always clear doubts by providing appropriate potential answers and also relevant information.
Your suggestion ” soaking dal & rice for long hours ” worked wonderfully .
Keeping other things same, this time, only the soaking time is increased from 3 hours to 6 hours. Amazing ! Now got rised idlis ( earlier not so ) and compared to earlier idlis , now idlis are more fluffy , more soft, tastier by change in taste and also remained in the same state even after 6 hours. Almost like the idlis in the photos.
Now , supported by your suggestion, I say , without any doubt , proper following of each step is as crucial as ingredients and their relative quantities.
Madam, I do agree cuisine is team work of ingredients and stages of the methodology .
With regards.
Hello Srinivas garu
Glad the recipe finally worked out for you. Thanks for leaving a comment.