Idli batter - how many hours maximum?

**RedPepper** · 29th January 2006, 10:09 PM

Hi all

How long do you wait for the idli batter to ferment/rise?
Normally mine rises within 10-14 hours, and if it didn’t I will make dosa out of it or refrigerate.
I made idli batter yesterday and this is the 21st hour it didn’t rise! I kept it at room temperature all this time. Since it’s been too long, is it safe to make dosa with it? It looks ok, no color change or anything. Anyway we are hungry and have nothing else ready to eat. So we are going to make dosa and eat it. If you don’t see me posting again, guess where I am!!

**Google Adsense** · 29th January 2006 10:09 PM

**Alan** · 30th January 2006, 02:19 PM

Well, Idli batter takes much longer to rise/ferment in winter than in summer. The room temperature itself must be very low at your place, right now. So that could be the reason.

Hope you didn't have tummy troubles afer eating unfermented dosas!

**kritica** · 30th January 2006, 11:42 PM

well i guess... the best way is to u a magic hand.... some of us have what i called hot body... dont get me wrong....human body radiate more heat.... just use ur hand and give a mix.... then it can ferment fast.......i usually dont get that good results... but i ask my hubby to do it ... its better........

**Nichiro** · 31st January 2006, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by Alan

Well, Idli batter takes much longer to rise/ferment in winter than in summer. The room temperature itself must be very low at your place, right now. So that could be the reason.

Hope you didn't have tummy troubles afer eating unfermented dosas!

Hello Alan,

Know all about Idly/Dosai batter fermentation by visiting the following link.

http://www.hemant-trivedis-cookery-c...m/reasons.html

Nichiro

**RedPepper** · 1st February 2006, 12:52 AM

Thank you Alan. We are safe. I was just worried about getting a food poison!!

Kritica, I do mix the batter with hands once right after grinding. Do we have to repeat this several times?

A printout of Hemantji's Idli/Dosa batter tips is in my recipe file for a long time now.

Normally the preheated oven with the oven light on (plus a green chilli with blackened stalk sometimes) work for me. But you know there are times nothing works!

My question was if it was safe to use that batter after leaving it at room temperature for about 21 hours. (My plan was to move it to the fridge after about 14 hours, but I forgot.) Anyway I experimented and proved that it is safe. But this is winter. In summer, I might not use the batter if I left it at room temperature for that long.

**Anoushka** · 1st February 2006, 04:34 PM

I keep my idli batter in the "hot press" or where the boiler is. Because that is warm all the time it ferments easily

**Nichiro** · 1st February 2006, 07:33 PM

Originally Posted by Anoushka

I keep my idli batter in the "hot press" or where the boiler is. Because that is warm all the time it ferments easily

Anoushka,
Very clever of you (Boiler room).
I think I am gonna add this idea of your's in my website.
Thanks,
Nichiro

**Anoushka** · 2nd February 2006, 12:19 AM

Nichiro: Thanks very much, I am glad I contributed something to your big bank of tips

**kritica** · 2nd February 2006, 04:06 AM

Hey Anoushka,
U mean the furnace i dont know what is a hot press or boiler.............
Redpepper
well i mixed it atleast 4 - 5 times.........

**kavikuil** · 3rd February 2006, 05:44 AM

This method works for me.

1. Mix the dal batter and rice batter with salt with clean hands and thoroughly mix it to get free flowing batter.

2. Preheat the oven to 375 F for 5 mins. Swith it OFF. Don't forget to switch it off.
(To clarify:I mean, the conventional oven not the microwave oven.)

3. Now cover the utensil with the idli batter, with a lid and keep it in the oven and close the door.

If you do this in the night, before you sleep, you'll have properly fermented idli batter in the morning.

I've always got good results with this method in cold areas like Michigan(US) during winter.

During summer, you can reduce the heating time.