MAKING BATTER

HOW TO MAKE IDLI or DOSA BATTER 

This batter would be suitable for 2 people and can be used for a week. This can be used for both Idli and Dosa. It involves a min 2 days and max 3 days for the batter to be ready to use.

Ingredients:

1. Boiled rice (puzhangalari) - 2 & 1/2 cup
2. Raw rice (pachari) - 1/2 cup
3. Urad dal (uzhunnu) - 1 cup 
4. Methi seeds (ulluva) - 1/2 tea-spoon
5. Cooked rice (choru) - 2 table-spoon
6. Salt- to taste

Method:

• Wash and soak in sufficient water- the rice (both types rice) and urad dal separate for min 3-4 hrs. Soak the methi seed as well with the rice. For better results, soak overnight.
• Grind the urad dal first till it becomes a fine paste, and then the rice and methi seeds together with the cooked rice. The rice need not be ground to a fine paste, it can have few bits.
• Mix all of the ground mixtures with required salt till combined well . This shall be done in a bowl/ vessel where there is sufficient space for the batter to ferment and rise.
• Keep the batter closed overnight to let it ferment.
• Mix well and you're now ready to make hot idli or dosa and serve with chutney or chutney powder or sambar.

Tips:

* If making a separate batter for Idli, methi seeds need not be added.
* Cooked rice is not necessary, but added for better results of fermentation especially in locations like Sydney. 




HOW TO MAKE HOPPER (AAPAM) BATTER

This batter would be suitable for 2 people and can be used to make hoppers at least 2 times. 

Ingredients:

1. Raw rice (pachari) - 1 cup
2. Cooked rice (choru) - 1 cup
3. Grated Coconut - 1 cup
4. Yeast - 1 tspn
5. Sugar- 1 tspn
6. Salt- to taste

Method:

• Wash and Soak the raw rice for min 1 hr
• Grind the raw rice, cooked rice and coconut together to a fine paste adding only sufficient water. 
• Now pour this batter to a bowl and add in the required salt. 
• Fill 3/4th of a glass with warm water, stir in the sugar and then add the yeast and mix well till the sugar granules are dissolved.
• Keep this yeast mix aside for about 15 mins and you will find the water rising with a layer of foam on top. 
• Now add this yeast mixture to the batter and mix well.
• Let this batter rest for about 5 hrs allowing it to ferment and rise. 
• Now you are ready to make hot aapams (hoppers) and have them with chutney.

Tips:

* Use a big bowl giving sufficient place for the batter to rise and ferment.
* Pour the yeast mixture to the batter only 5hrs before you are ready to make the aapams otherwise the batter might rise too much and over flow the bowl.
* If you have added the yeast to the batter and you are making the aapams only the next day, then please do keep it in the fridge once the batter is fermented.