Idli batter is a fermented rice and lentil mixture used to make steamed, soft, savory cakes. Originating from South India, these are a staple breakfast item enjoyed across many homes for their light and fluffy texture. It is traditionally served warm with flavorful coconut chutneys or spicy lentil stews.
Nutrient score: Very good
Goodness for its calories, 25 to 100.
How is this worked out?
The nutrient score shows how much goodness a recipe gives for its calories, from 25 to 100. Every recipe gets at least 25. It is the same for everyone.
It adds up how much of 11 nutrients people need the recipe gives for its calories: protein, fibre, vitamins A, C and E, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, folate and zinc. Each counts up to a full day’s worth for the calories. It then takes points off for saturated fat, added sugar and sodium above a fair share for the calories.
75 and over: Excellent. 60 to 74: Very good. 45 to 59: Good. 35 to 44: Fair. 25 to 34: Low.
The formula (from the recipe’s values per 100 g):
- Share of the day: the recipe’s kcal per 100 g ÷ 2,000 (under 40 kcal per 100 g, such as a herb or tea, counts as 40 kcal).
- 11 nutrients to encourage: protein (50 g), fibre (28 g), vitamin A (900 mcg), vitamin C (90 mg), vitamin E (15 mg), calcium (1,300 mg), iron (18 mg), potassium (4,700 mg), magnesium (420 mg), folate (400 mcg) and zinc (11 mg). For each: amount ÷ (Daily Value × share), at most 1. Add them up.
- 3 nutrients to limit: saturated fat (20 g), added sugar (50 g) and sodium (2,300 mg). For each: amount ÷ (limit × share) − 1, only when above 0 and at most 3. Add them up.
- Result = 100 × (step 2 − 2 × step 3) ÷ 11, kept between 0 and 100.
- Score = 25 + 0.75 × result, rounded. The scale runs from 25 to 100 instead of 0 to 100: every edible recipe gets at least 25, and the order doesn’t change.
It follows the Nutrient Rich Foods index (NRF 9.3) with the U.S. FDA Daily Values for a 2,000 kcal day. Different from the published index: folate and zinc are added (11 nutrients instead of 9), the nutrients to limit count double and each at most three times its share, the 40 kcal floor, and the 25 to 100 scale. When some of the values it needs are unknown, the score is shown as “about”.
A recipe’s values are worked out from its ingredients, whose values are estimates.
Sources: Drewnowski A. Defining nutrient density: development and validation of the Nutrient Rich Foods index. J Am Coll Nutr. 2009;28(4):421S-426S; U.S. FDA, Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels.
A low score doesn’t make a recipe bad: treats and festive dishes have their place. Use the score to compare similar recipes. In the GapPlate app you also see how much of the gaps in your day a serving fills.
Units:
Ingredients
- 3 cups Parboiled rice (uncooked) (603 g)
- 1 cup Urad dal (whole skinned) (237 g)
- 0.5 tsp Fenugreek seeds (2 g)
- 3 cups Water (710 g)
- Salt, to taste
- Ingredients in total: 1.55 kg
- Weight gained in cooking: 848 g (water soaked up)
- Net weight (cooked): 2.4 kg · 12 servings of about 200 g
Method
- Rinse the rice and dal separately until the water runs clear, then soak them in bowls with plenty of water for at least 6 hours.
- Add the urad dal and fenugreek seeds to a blender, adding a small amount of cold water as needed, and grind until the mixture is smooth, light, and airy.
- Transfer the ground dal into a large, deep bowl.
- Grind the soaked rice with a little water until it reaches a slightly coarse, semolina-like consistency.
- Combine the ground rice with the urad dal mixture in the large bowl and mix thoroughly with your clean hand to incorporate air, which aids fermentation.
- Cover the bowl with a lid and place it in a warm, dark corner of your kitchen for 8 to 12 hours until the batter has risen and looks bubbly.
- Add salt to the fermented batter and gently stir it, ensuring the consistency is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 254 kcal | 127 kcal |
| Protein | 8.74 g | 4.37 g |
| Water | 138 mL | 68.9 mL |
| Sodium | 10.1 mg | 5.06 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 51.4 g | 25.7 g |
| Total Fat | 0.69 g | 0.34 g |
| Sugar | 0.64 g | 0.32 g |
61 more nutrients
Carbohydrates
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Added Sugar | 0 g | 0 g |
Minerals
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | 2.34 mg | 1.17 mg |
| Calcium | 39 mg | 19.5 mg |
| Magnesium | 81.7 mg | 40.9 mg |
| Potassium | 294 mg | 147 mg |
| Iodine | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Phosphorus | 148 mg | 74.1 mg |
| Zinc | 1.49 mg | 0.75 mg |
| Chloride | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Selenium | 9.22 mcg | 4.61 mcg |
| Copper | 0.3 mg | 0.15 mg |
| Fluoride | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Manganese | 1.07 mg | 0.53 mg |
| Molybdenum | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Chromium | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
Fats
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Trans Fat | 0 g | 0 g |
| Saturated Fat | 0.14 g | 0.071 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 0.2 g | 0.1 g |
| Omega-3 Fatty Acids | 0.045 g | 0.023 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.26 g | 0.13 g |
| Omega-6 Fatty Acids | 0.22 g | 0.11 g |
| DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid) | 0.026 g | 0.013 g |
| Arachidonic Acid | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Medium-Chain Triglycerides | 0 g | 0 g |
| Omega-9 Fatty Acids | 0.23 g | 0.11 g |
Fibre
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber | 4.34 g | 2.17 g |
| Soluble Fiber | 0.87 g | 0.44 g |
| Insoluble Fiber | 3.98 g | 1.99 g |
Vitamins
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin B12 | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin D | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin C | 0.005 mg | 0.002 mg |
| Folate (B9) | 50.7 mcg | 25.4 mcg |
| Niacin (B3) | 2.55 mg | 1.28 mg |
| Vitamin A | 0.049 mcg RAE | 0.025 mcg RAE |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.21 mg | 0.1 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.18 mg | 0.091 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.07 mg | 0.035 mg |
| Pantothenic Acid (B5) | 0.69 mg | 0.35 mg |
| Vitamin E | 0.22 mg | 0.11 mg |
| Vitamin K | 0.96 mcg | 0.48 mcg |
| Biotin (B7) | 2.37 mcg | 1.18 mcg |
| Beta-Carotene | 6.33 mcg | 3.16 mcg |
Others
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Choline | 26.2 mg | 13.1 mg |
| Leucine | 704 mg | 352 mg |
| Lysine | 461 mg | 231 mg |
| Polyphenols | 31.1 mg | 15.6 mg |
| Methionine | 148 mg | 74.1 mg |
| Oxalates | 3 mg | 1.5 mg |
| Threonine | 326 mg | 163 mg |
| Tryptophan | 101 mg | 50.4 mg |
| Valine | 461 mg | 230 mg |
| Flavonoids | 6.46 mg | 3.23 mg |
| Histidine | 256 mg | 128 mg |
| Lutein / Zeaxanthin | 0.029 mg | 0.015 mg |
| Lycopene | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Phenylalanine | 471 mg | 236 mg |
| Purines | 38.5 mg | 19.2 mg |
Proteins
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Isoleucine | 384 mg | 192 mg |
Worked out from the ingredients with the GapPlate food library, per 100 g of the cooked dish. Estimates, not medical advice.
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