I finally made my own idli paste…this is how u do it
take 5 portions of rice (boiled rice). The portions can be in anything…cups, tumblers…anything.
Boiled rice is better than normal rice. But do not get the long one…get salem boiled…
the rice is small small….witish and off witish…
if it is the normal rice also it is ok but take only 3 portions…
soak it in water for about 4 to 5 hours
take urad dal (ulundhu in tamil) 1 portion. add a handful of methi seeds (vendhayam in tamil, menthya in kannada). soak in water for about 1 hour.
optionally take sabu dana (jevvarussi in tamil) and soak it in water for 2 hours.
after the soaking time is over….wash each of the soaked items separately about three to 4 times and starin the water.
Me being a slight environmentalist….I advice you to collect the water that comes out of washing these ingrdedients into a bucket and keep it for drinking for your pet (as it does have nutrients) or atleast pour it for plants and not to waste the water…
if you dont have plants then please get some…
put the urad dal into grinder and por water a little and grind into fine paster for about half hour. The paste will keep fluffing time after time and water must be poured now and then during the grinding so that the paste does not get too thick and dry.
after this, add the rice (and jevarussi if that has been soaked) to the urad dal paste and let the grinder further grind for anotherhalf hour to 45 mins…
keep adding little water at a time so that the grinder does not get stuck and the paste is not too thick.
finally add about 1 to 2 handfuls of rock salt and grind for sometime.
now take out the paste and keep it aside in a vessel till it ferments (it will raise if left for sometime in warm conditions).
then store in refrigerator.
note:
1. The same flour can be used for idli and dosa
2. if you want flour only for dosa you can add a little lesser urad dal. (1 urad dal portion for 8 portions of rice)
3. the grinding can also be done in mixie….but this is not as good as grinder
