Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 4 servings (16–20 idlis, about 4 cups sambar, 1 cup chutney)
Prep Time: 35 minutes active (plus 14–20 hours soak/ferment)
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 15–21 hours

Quick Ingredients

Idli batter: Idli rice 2 cups (400 g), whole urad dal 3/4 cup (150 g), fenugreek seeds 1 tsp, poha 2 tbsp (optional), non-iodized salt 1 1/2 tsp, water ~1 1/2–2 cups for grinding, oil for greasing
Sambar: Toor dal 1/2 cup (100 g), water 3 1/2 cups (830 ml) total, turmeric 1/2 tsp, onion 1 medium, tomato 1 medium, carrot 1 medium, drumstick/moringa 1 pod, small eggplant 1 (optional), tamarind pulp 2 tbsp (from 20 g tamarind + 1/2 cup hot water), sambar powder 2 tbsp, jaggery 1 tsp (optional), salt 1 1/4 tsp
Sambar tempering: Oil or ghee 2 tbsp, mustard seeds 1 tsp, cumin seeds 1/2 tsp, fenugreek seeds 1/4 tsp, dried red chilies 2, asafoetida 1/8 tsp, curry leaves 12, cilantro 2 tbsp
Coconut chutney: Grated coconut 1 cup (80 g), roasted chana dal 2 tbsp (20 g), green chili 1–2, ginger 1/2 inch (6 g), salt 1/2 tsp, water 1/3–1/2 cup
Chutney tempering: Oil 1 tsp, mustard seeds 1/2 tsp, urad dal 1/2 tsp, dried red chili 1, curry leaves 8, asafoetida small pinch

Do This

1. Rinse rice and urad dal separately. Soak rice + fenugreek 6–8 hours; soak urad dal 6–8 hours (soak poha for 15 minutes before grinding, if using).
2. Grind urad with chilled water to a fluffy paste; grind rice slightly coarse. Combine; add salt if warm climate (otherwise add after ferment). Batter should be thick but pourable.
3. Ferment 8–12 hours in a warm spot until doubled, airy, and bubbly.
4. Pressure-cook toor dal with turmeric and water until soft; mash.
5. Simmer vegetables in water, add tamarind, sambar powder, salt, jaggery; stir in mashed dal. Temper with mustard seeds, cumin, fenugreek, red chilies, curry leaves, asafoetida; add to sambar.
6. Blend chutney ingredients smooth; temper and pour over.
7. Grease idli plates, fill 3/4 full, steam 10–12 minutes. Rest 2 minutes, unmold, serve hot with sambar and chutney.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Reliable, fluffy idlis with a gently tangy, fermented flavor and cloud-soft texture.
Bright, vegetable-packed sambar balanced with tamarind, spices, and a classic mustard-curry leaf tempering.
Fresh coconut chutney in minutes with crunchy tempered spices for contrast.
Make-ahead friendly: batter keeps for days, idlis steam in minutes for easy breakfasts or dinners.

Grocery List

Produce: Onion, tomato, carrot, drumstick/moringa pod, small eggplant (optional), green chilies, ginger, curry leaves, cilantro, fresh or frozen grated coconut
Dairy: Ghee (optional, for serving/tempering)
Pantry: Idli rice, whole urad dal, toor dal, poha (optional), fenugreek seeds, roasted chana dal (dalia), mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dried red chilies, turmeric, asafoetida, sambar powder, tamarind, jaggery or sugar (optional), salt, neutral oil

Full Ingredients

For the Idli Batter

Idli rice: 2 cups (400 g)
Whole urad dal (skinned black gram): 3/4 cup (150 g)
Fenugreek seeds: 1 tsp
Flattened rice (poha), optional for extra softness: 2 tbsp (12 g)
Non-iodized salt: 1 1/2 tsp (or to taste)
Cold water for grinding: about 1 1/2–2 cups (350–475 ml)
Oil for greasing idli plates: 1–2 tsp

For the Sambar

Toor dal (split pigeon peas): 1/2 cup (100 g), rinsed
Water: 3 1/2 cups (830 ml) total (2 cups for dal + 1 1/2 cups for simmering vegetables)
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Onion: 1 medium (about 150 g), thickly sliced
Tomato: 1 medium (about 150 g), chopped
Carrot: 1 medium (about 100 g), diced
Drumstick/moringa pod: 1 (about 100 g), cut into 2-inch pieces
Small eggplant: 1 (about 100 g), cubed (optional)
Tamarind: 20 g (or 2 tbsp thick paste), soaked in 1/2 cup hot water and pressed for pulp
Sambar powder: 2 tbsp
Jaggery: 1 tsp (optional, for balance)
Salt: 1 1/4 tsp, or to taste

Tempering for Sambar

Oil or ghee: 2 tbsp
Black mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds: 1/4 tsp
Dried red chilies: 2, broken
Asafoetida (hing): 1/8 tsp
Fresh curry leaves: 12
Fresh cilantro: 2 tbsp, chopped

For the Coconut Chutney

Grated fresh or frozen coconut: 1 cup (80 g)
Roasted chana dal (dalia): 2 tbsp (20 g)
Green chili: 1–2, to taste
Ginger: 1/2 inch (6 g)
Salt: 1/2 tsp, or to taste
Water: 1/3–1/2 cup (80–120 ml), to blend

Tempering for Chutney

Oil: 1 tsp
Black mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Urad dal: 1/2 tsp
Dried red chili: 1, broken
Fresh curry leaves: 8
Asafoetida: small pinch

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Soak rice and lentils

Rinse the idli rice 3–4 times until the water runs mostly clear. Rinse the urad dal similarly. In one bowl, soak the rice with the fenugreek seeds in plenty of water for 6–8 hours. In a separate bowl, soak the urad dal for 6–8 hours. If using poha, soak it in water for just 15 minutes right before grinding.

Step 2: Grind a fluffy batter

Drain the urad dal. Grind it with 3/4–1 cup cold water until very light and fluffy; the batter should form soft peaks and feel airy. Transfer to a large bowl. Drain the rice (and poha, if using), then grind with 3/4–1 cup water to a slightly coarse, smooth-grit texture (like fine semolina). Fold rice batter into urad batter thoroughly.

Adjust consistency with a splash of water to get a thick yet pourable batter. If your kitchen is warm, mix in the salt now. If it is cool, add salt after fermentation to encourage a stronger rise.

Step 3: Ferment until airy and bubbly

Cover the bowl, allowing headspace for rising. Ferment in a warm spot (75–86°F / 24–30°C) for 8–12 hours until doubled, bubbly, and slightly tangy. In cool climates, try the oven with the light on, or an Instant Pot on Yogurt-low for 8–10 hours (lid set on, not locked). If you withheld salt earlier, stir it in gently after the batter has risen.

Step 4: Cook and mash the dal

Rinse the toor dal. Pressure-cook with 2 cups water and turmeric until very soft: 8 minutes on High Pressure (Instant Pot), natural release 10 minutes; or 6–8 whistles on a stovetop pressure cooker; or simmer 25–30 minutes in a pot. Mash the dal until smooth and set aside.

Step 5: Build and temper the sambar

In a pot, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add onion, carrot, drumstick, and eggplant (if using). Simmer 10–12 minutes until just tender. Stir in chopped tomato, tamarind pulp, sambar powder, salt, and jaggery; cook 6–8 minutes. Add the mashed dal, thin with a little hot water if needed to a pourable consistency, and simmer 3–5 minutes.

For tempering, heat oil or ghee in a small pan. Add mustard seeds (they will crackle), cumin, fenugreek, dried red chilies, curry leaves, and asafoetida; fry 20–30 seconds until aromatic. Pour the tempering over the sambar and finish with chopped cilantro. Keep warm.

Step 6: Blend and temper the coconut chutney

Blend coconut, roasted chana dal, green chili, ginger, salt, and 1/3–1/2 cup water to a smooth, spoonable chutney. For tempering, heat 1 tsp oil; add mustard seeds, urad dal, dried chili, curry leaves, and a pinch of asafoetida. When urad dal turns golden, pour the tempering over the chutney. Adjust salt and consistency with a splash of water if needed.

Step 7: Steam perfectly soft idlis and serve

Bring 1–1 1/2 cups water to a simmer in your idli steamer. Lightly grease idli molds. Stir the fermented batter gently (do not knock out all the air); if very thick, add 2–4 tbsp water. Fill molds 3/4 full. Steam over medium-high heat for 10–12 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean and the idlis spring back.

Let rest 2 minutes. Slide out with a wet spoon. Serve hot, with warm sambar and coconut chutney. A drizzle of ghee over the idlis is lovely but optional.

Pro Tips

Grind urad dal very fluffy; this is the backbone of soft idlis. Use chilled water to avoid warming the batter during grinding.
Fermentation cues matter more than the clock: look for a doubled, bubbly, and gently tangy batter.
Do not overfill idli molds—3/4 full leaves room to rise and keeps tops smooth.
Use idli rice (parboiled short-grain) rather than basmati; it hydrates and ferments more predictably.
Let sambar rest 10 minutes before serving; the spices bloom and the texture settles.

Variations

Mini idli sambar: Steam mini idlis and serve dunked in sambar with ghee and chopped onions.
Rava idli (no fermentation): Swap batter with a mix of 1 cup fine semolina, 1/2 cup yogurt, 1/2 cup water, salt, and a tempering; rest 15 minutes and steam 10 minutes.
Chutney swap: Try tomato-onion chutney or peanut chutney if coconut is unavailable.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Batter keeps 3–4 days refrigerated; it may sour slightly each day. Steam idlis fresh and refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months; reheat by steaming 3–5 minutes until soft. Sambar keeps 3–4 days refrigerated or 2 months frozen; reheat gently with a splash of water. Coconut chutney is best fresh; refrigerate up to 2 days. If it thickens, thin with warm water and re-temper for freshness.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate: 460 kcal; Carbohydrates 66 g; Protein 14 g; Fat 15 g; Fiber 9 g; Sodium ~680 mg. Calculated for 4 idlis plus about 3/4 cup sambar and 2 tbsp chutney; values vary by ingredients and salt level.

Fluffy Idli with Sambar and Coconut Chutney