Thatte Ghee Podi Idli Recipe

Soaking

Rinse the rice until water runs clear. Combine rice and fenugreek seeds in a bowl and add enough water to cover; soak 4–6 hours. Rinse urad dal and poha together and soak in separate bowl for 4–6 hours.

Grinding

Drain urad dal and grind with about 1/2 to 3/4 cup water to a smooth, slightly fluffy batter (use a wet grinder or high-power blender). Transfer to a large bowl. Grind rice and poha with remaining water (about 1 to 1 1/4 cups) to a slightly coarse, spreadable batter. Combine rice batter with urad batter; mix thoroughly with a spoon or whisk to incorporate air.

Fermenting

Cover bowl and ferment in a warm place 8–12 hours or until doubled and slightly sour. Once fermented, stir in 1 tsp salt. If batter is very thick, adjust with a tablespoon or two of water to get spoonable, thick-yet-flowing consistency suitable for spreading in thatte or pouring into idli molds.

Roasting dals & seeds

Heat a heavy skillet on medium. Dry-roast chana dal until golden and aromatic, about 4–5 minutes; remove to a plate. In the same pan, dry-roast urad dal until light golden, 3–4 minutes; remove. Add sesame seeds and roast 1–2 minutes until they pop and become fragrant; remove.

Roasting spices & chilies

In the same skillet, dry-roast coriander seeds and peppercorns 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Add dry red chilies and curry leaves and roast briefly (30–60 seconds) until chilies darken slightly but do not burn. Remove all roasted items and let cool completely.

Milling the podi

Once cool, place roasted chana dal, urad dal, sesame seeds, roasted spices, chilies, curry leaves, asafoetida, and salt in a spice grinder or small food processor. Pulse to a coarse powder — traditional podi is slightly grainy, not ultra-fine. Taste and adjust salt or chili heat. Finally stir in 2 tbsp melted ghee to bind and enhance flavor; reserve additional ghee for serving.

Prepare steamer

Fill idli steamer or large pot with about 1 litre water and bring to a simmer. Grease each thatte (flat idli plate) or idli mold cavity lightly with oil or ghee.

Assemble idlis with ghee podi

If using traditional thatte (flat steel plates) or idli plates: pour a ladleful of fermented batter into each greased plate or mold to make a thick round idli (about 3/4 to 1 inch thick). Drizzle about 1/2 tsp melted ghee over the top of each batter round. Sprinkle 1–1.5 tsp of the prepared ghee podi evenly over the top (press lightly so podi adheres). For individual idlis, you can alternatively layer batter, a thin drizzle of ghee, and podi, then cover with a little more batter so the podi is embedded.

Steam

Place plates or molds in the steamer, cover, and steam on medium-high for 10–12 minutes (if using thatte plates, check at 12–14 minutes): a toothpick inserted should come out clean. Do not over-steam or idlis get gummy. Remove from steamer and let rest 2 minutes.

Finish

Run a small spatula around the edges and gently invert or lift the idlis out onto a serving plate. Immediately brush each idli with a little fresh ghee (about 1/2 tsp each). Sprinkle a little extra podi on top if desired or serve podi in a small bowl on the side with remaining ghee for mixing.