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Soft idli for babies
9m+ · Plain, fluffy steamed rice and urad dal idli from a salt-free batter, torn or mashed with ghee (plus soaking and overnight fermenting)
Idli is breakfast across Tamil Nadu, from Chennai's Mylapore tiffin rooms to village kitchens, and a fluffy, plain idli is one of the first finger foods many South Indian babies hold. Since family batter is salted, parents make a separate salt-free batch for babies under one, or steam a few from it before the salt goes in. The cakes are pillowy, faintly sour and melt under the gums, torn into pieces or mashed with ghee or thin dal. They contain no gluten, egg, nuts, soya or sesame; they contain milk only if served with ghee. Chef's tip: grind the urad dal with ice-cold water until it is light and foamy; air in the batter, not salt, is what makes idli soft.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Baby & toddler safety
- Age: from 9 months+.
- Allergens: none of the common allergens found in the ingredients. Offer one new allergen at a time, in the morning, so you can watch for a reaction.
- Texture and choking: purée or mash smoothly for 6–9 months, then soft, finger-sized pieces that squash between your fingers. Cut round foods such as grapes and cherry tomatoes into quarters lengthways, never give whole nuts, and always stay with your child while they eat.
- Under 1: no honey, no added salt or stock cubes, and no added sugar.
Every child is different. If you are unsure, especially about allergies, check with your health visitor or paediatrician.
Ingredients
For the batter
- 1 ¾ oz whole white urad dal
- ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 cup cold waterfor grinding, as needed
- 1 tsp neutral oilfor greasing
To serve
- 1 tsp ghee (optional)or a spoon of thin unsalted dal
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Rinse 7 oz idli rice (parboiled rice) and soak it in plenty of water. In a separate bowl, rinse 1 ¾ oz whole white urad dal and ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds and soak them together. Leave both for 5–6 hours.
5 minStep 2: Drain the dal and grind it in a blender or wet grinder, adding the 1 cup cold water a little at a time, for 8–10 minutes, until very smooth, white and fluffy. A spoonful dropped into water should float.
10 minStep 3: Drain the rice and grind it with a little more water to a slightly grainy batter, like fine semolina. Mix both batters together by hand for a minute.
8 minStep 4: Cover and leave in a warm place for 10–14 hours, until it has nearly doubled, smells pleasantly sour and is full of bubbles. Common mistake: expecting a salt-free batter to rise as fast as salted batter in a cool kitchen; put it in the oven with only the light on and give it the extra hours.
Step 5: Bring 3 cm of water to the boil in a steamer or idli pot. Brush the moulds with 1 tsp neutral oil and fill each three-quarters full with gently stirred batter.
3 minStep 6: Steam over a medium heat for 10–12 minutes, until the tops are glossy and springy and a skewer comes out clean. Rest for 2 minutes, then lift each idli out with a wet spoon.
12 minStep 7: Cool until just warm. Tear into pieces for baby-led eating, or mash with 1 tsp ghee or thin dal into soft lumps for spoon feeding.
Step 8: Cool spare idlis quickly and keep them covered in the fridge for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 1 month. Reheat only once by steaming until piping hot all the way through, then cool before serving. Keep leftover batter in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 75 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 15 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does soft idli for babies take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of idli rice (parboiled rice)?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of fenugreek seeds?
- Leave them out, or add a little extra mustard seed (you lose the slightly bitter, maple-like note).
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