Soft & Colourful Chana Dal Idli
Softand fluffy Chana Dal Idlis made with chana dal, rice and urad dal, beautifully topped with grated carrot, beetroot and fried cashews. Served with a fresh coconut-coriander chutney, this colourful idli recipe makes a wholesome and delicious breakfast.
Ingredients
Idli
- 1 cup Chana dal
- 1 cup Rice
- 1/3 cup Urad dal
- 1/8 tsp Fenugreek seeds
- 1 tsp Green chili and ginger paste
- 1/4 tsp Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp Sugar
- Water as required
- Grated carrot
- Grated beetroot
- Fried cashews
- Oil or ghee for greasing
For the Coconut Chutney
- 1/4 cup Fresh coconut
- 1/4 cup Fresh coriander leaves
- 1 no Green chili
- 1 small piece Ginger
- 6 nos Cashews
- Salt to taste
- 1/4 tsp Sugar
- 1 tbsp Curd
- Water as required
Instructions
Soak the lentils and rice
- In a large bowl, combine chana dal - 1 cup, rice - 1 cup, urad dal - 1/3 cup, fenugreek seeds - 1/8 tsp.
- Wash everything thoroughly 2–3 times with water.
- Now add enough water to soak the mixture completely.
- Let itsoak for 4–5 hours. This soaking step helps create soft and fluffy idlis.
Grind the batter
- Once soaked, drain the water and transfer the mixture to a mixer jar.
- Add a little water and grind into a smooth, fine batter. Then transfer the batter to a large bowl.
- Whisk it well for a minute or two to incorporate air.
- Cover the bowl and let it ferment overnight or for 7–8 hours in a warm place.
- This fermentation step gives the idlis their soft texture.
Prepare the batter for steaming
- The next morning, check the batter — it should look slightly risen and airy.
- Now add green chili and ginger paste - 1 tsp, sugar - 1 tsp, turmeric powder 1/4 tsp and salt as per taste.
- Mix everything well.If needed, add a little water to adjust the consistency.
- The batter should be smooth and similar to regular idli batter — thick yet pourable.
Prepare the idli moulds
- Grease the idli moulds lightly with oil or ghee.
- Now add a little grated carrot and grated beetroot in the centre of each mould.
- Place one fried cashew in the middle. This makes the idlis look colourful, festive, and beautiful.
Fill and steam
- Mix the batter once again. Pour the batter into each mould, covering the vegetables and cashew.
- Place the moulds into a preheated steamer.
- Cover with a lid and steam for 15–20 minutes.
- To check doneness, insert a toothpick — it should come out clean.
- Once done, let the idlis cool for a few minutes before demoulding.
Now Prepare Coconut Chutney
- While the idlis are steaming, prepare the chutney.
- In a mixer jar, add fresh coconut - 1/4 cup, coriander leaves - 1/4 cup, 1 green chili , 1 small piece ginger, cashews 6, salt as per taste, 1/4 tsp sugar and add 1 tbsp curd into.
- Add a little water and grind into a smooth chutney.
- Now transfer it to a bowl.
- For extra flavour, you can optionally add a tempering of: mustard seeds , curry leaves and red chili. This gives the chutney a lovely aroma.
Video
Notes
For soft idlis, do not skip the soaking and fermentation steps. The batter should be thick but pourable. During cold weather, keep the batter in a warm place to help fermentation. Allow steamed idlis to rest for a few minutes before demoulding for the best results.