Though originated in the southern states of India, idlis and dosas are no longer restricted to those regions. You’d find them across the country.
Now, if you’re someone with the cooking + flipping skills, but lack the patience needed to let the batter ferment, a ready to use batter may be just the solution. In this review, we tested three idli dosa batter brands in India- iD, Rishta, and Amma, to find the best.
Put on your aprons, its time to start cooking.
Our Review Factors
1. Taste
Idli dosa batter is nothing but fermented rice and dal mix. This process of fermentation creates a pleasing, subtle sourness that pairs well with a variety of condiments.
We checked these ready to use batters for the salt content, freshness, and overall flavor.
2. Texture
As the batter used for idlis and dosas is the same, it needs to be versatile. Sure, the texture primarily depends on the cooking technique, but we looked for soft, fluffy idlis, and crisp dosas.
This aside, we gauged the consistency of the batter. Was it too thick, did it need to be mixed with some water, or was it just right?
3. Other Crucial Parameters
Here, aspects like quality and quantity of ingredients, shelf life, yield, and packaging were noted.
Idli and Dosa Batter Brands – Review Process
Next, we ordered another batch of all three batters, on a different day, at a different location to check the batch-wise consistency.
Batch one was at our HQ in Gurugram and batch two was New Delhi.
Idli and Dosa Batter Brands – Detailed Review
1. iD Fresho Idli & Dosa Batter – Mishry Top Pick
Our Experience
iD batter had the best texture of all contenders. The splitting difference of texture was noticed when we tested idlis.
First off, the flavor was quite good. This batter was salted adequately and had a subtle sourness, owing to fermentation. The prepared idlis and dosas were quite good to taste, on both days. The balanced salt goes well with sambar, coconut chutney, and podi masala too.
The batter was not too thick. It was fairly smooth and flowy. As for texture, iD batter resulted in the softest, fluffiest idlis. On day one, we prepared 5-6 dosas with this batter but the results were average. It may be due to some drawback on part of the cookware. That said, the characteristic sourness was noticeable. Day two, the batter spread like a dream, and resulted in soft dosas with crisp edges, just like we expected.
Do note that the dosa spreading-skill plays a huge role in how the final result would be.
Product Details
This comes in a white-green pack which is resealable. 1 kg is priced at Rs 110/- The shelf life isn’t mentioned, but we received our pack on 20th June and the expiration is 24th of June.
The ingredients are RO purified water, Rice (34%), Urad dal, Fenugreek and Iodised salt.
Why does my idli batter have fenugreek? Won’t it turn bitter?
Fenugreek or methi seeds contain a compound called beta-glucans. They help with the process of fermentation, hold and retain carbon dioxide, which in turn gives that cloud-like fluffy softness to idlis.
- Clean ingredients
- No additives
- Resealable packing
- Fresh, natural flavor
- Crisp dosas, fluffy idlis
For the simplest South Indian preparations, we recommend iD idli dosa batter.
2. Rishta Specialty Idli Dosa Batter
Our Experience
Idlis made with Rishta batter were also soft and fluffy. That said, they were slightly less thick than iD. Balance of flavor and freshness were intact. That sourness we seek was present here.
Now, for preparing dosas on day one, we switched tawas as we suspected that impacted the spreadability. The batter spread almost effortlessly, and the result? Thin, crisp, well-cooked dosas.
On day two too, the spreadability was as good as day one. And so was the flavor. The crispness, on the other hand, had diminished a bit in comparison.
Product Details
A white-green pouch holds 1 kg of the batter and is priced at Rs 132/- It has a shelf life of one week. The ingredients are Water (Purified), Rice (single polished), Urad dal (unpolished), Salt (rock salt), and methi.
- Additive-free ingredient list
- Unpolished dal added
- Staple sourness in flavor retained
- Effortless spreadability
- Idlis were slightly thinner/flatter
This is best recommended for preparing dosas but in a quantity where you use up the entire pack.
3. Amma’s Special Idli Dosa Batter
Our Experience
While the taste wasn’t an issue, the texture of idlis and dosas made with Amma’s batter was definitely problematic. Before delving into details, this was the most economical of all contenders.
While steaming to make idlis, this batter took the longest. Regardless, the idlis weren’t as soft, thick, or fluffy. They had a denser bite, almost like a gloppy center.
Dosa- the batter spread seamlessly, uniformly, and was thin (thinner than pancakes, thicker than crepes. However, the dosas were not as crisp as the two other contenders.
In terms of the taste, this batter was well-salted, had the sourness too. No complaints here.
Product Details
Amma’s idli batter comes in a white-orange pouch. This was not resealable. 1 kg of this batter is priced at Rs 85/- with a shelf life of four days. Rice (34%), Urad dal, Purified water (50%), Edible common salt, Active culture are the ingredients used.
Our Top Picks & Recommendations
The texture made the difference!
Of the three brands we reviewed, iD won primarily because of the beautiful texture of its idlis. These idlis were the softest and fluffiest. Yes, the dosas were crisp too but the other two also did not perform so badly in that segment.
Other than this, the freshness and sourness of Rishta and Amma batters were comparable as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is the idli dosa batter made from whole grains or refined flours?
Idli dosa batter is made using rice and dal, no refined flours.
2. Does the batter require any additional ingredients to be added before use?
Some brands may require for some water/salt to be added before use.
3. Does the batter have a smooth consistency without any lumps?
Yes, the batters were smooth and easy to spread.
4. Does the batter yield soft and fluffy idlis?
iD batter had the softest idlis. Those made with Amma’s batter were slightly dense.
5. How long does it take for the batter to ferment and be ready for use?
When made from scratch, the batter needs to be fermented overnight or for eight hours, at least. The batters we reviewed are ready to use.
Final Verdict
Do you use a batter or an instant powder mix for idlis, dosas and uttapams? Tell us in the comment section below.
