Idly Pot with Steamer: The Smart, Healthy Way to Make Perfect Idlis at Home

If you love soft, fluffy idlis for breakfast — or want to adopt healthier cooking habits — a dedicated idly pot with steamer can transform your kitchen routine. Steaming preserves nutrients, gives a tender texture, and is oil-free. Our FourBrothers 3-Tier Stainless Steel Steamer makes the entire process easy, efficient, and ideal for Indian households.

Why Use an Idly Pot with Steamer

Using a purpose-built idly pot (or multi-tier steamer) comes with several advantages:

• Soft, fluffy idlis every time: Steam cooking results in idlis that are moist, light, and airy — much closer to restaurant-style idlis — because steam cooks evenly and gently, rather than drying out or overcooking the batter. 
• Healthy & oil-free cooking: Since steaming doesn’t require oil, idlis — and other steamed dishes — retain their natural nutrition and stay light on digestion. 
• Efficient & batch-friendly: A multi-tier steamer lets you cook many idlis at once — perfect for family breakfasts, gatherings, or meal-prep. 
• Versatile for more than just idlis: Beyond idlis, you can steam vegetables, momos, dhokla, idiyappam or other dumplings — making your steamer a multipurpose kitchen tool. 
• Durable, easy to clean, and kitchen-friendly: Stainless steel steamers are hygienic, rust-resistant, and simple to maintain — a practical addition to any modern kitchen. 

Given all this, our FourBrothers 3-Tier Stainless Steel Steamer isn’t just an idly pot — it’s an investment in healthy cooking and convenience.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Use the FourBrothers Steamer for Perfect Idlis

Here’s a detailed, easy-to-follow guide — from batter to plate — to help you get the most out of your idly pot with steamer.

1. Prepare Idli Batter

Idlis start with the right batter. Traditionally, you mix rice and urad dal (black gram) in a roughly 4:1 ratio. Soak them separately for 4–6 hours (or overnight), then grind — urad dal to a smooth paste, rice a bit coarser. Combine, add salt, stir gently, and ferment overnight (or 8+ hours) until the batter rises and becomes slightly airy. 

Once fermented, stir gently (don’t over-mix — you don’t want to deflate the air bubbles that give idlis their fluffiness). If batter seems too thick, you can add a little water, but avoid making it runny.

2. Grease the Moulds

Before pouring batter, lightly grease each mould in the idli plates using oil or ghee. This helps the idlis come out cleanly and prevents sticking. A light coating is usually enough. 

3. Fill the Idli Plates

Spoon the fermented batter into each mould — but fill only up to about ¾ full. Overfilling leaves little room for expansion, making idlis dense instead of fluffy.

Don’t pack the batter tightly — let it be airy, which helps steam circulate uniformly through the batter.

4. Add Water to Base, Insert Stand & Stack Plates

Pour enough clean water into the base pot so it generates sufficient steam — but make sure the water level stays below the bottom idli plate (so the batter doesn’t touch water directly). Place the idli stand (with filled plates) above, stack additional plates if needed (since this is a multi-tier steamer), and cover with the lid. 

Make sure plates are placed securely and level — unstable stacking can lead to uneven cooking or batter spill.

5. Steam the Idlis — Time & Heat

Place the steamer on medium heat. Once steam starts forming, steam for about 10–12 minutes for regular idlis; for larger idlis or denser batter, steam up to 15 minutes. 

To check doneness: carefully lift the lid (tilt away from your face to avoid hot steam) and insert a toothpick or knife into the center of an idli — if it comes out clean (no wet batter), idlis are done. If batter clings, steam 2–3 more minutes and check again. 

6. Let Them Rest, Then Remove Idlis

Once steaming is complete, turn off the heat and let the pot rest for 2–5 minutes. This resting period helps the idlis settle and firm up just enough to make removal easy without sticking.

Use a small spoon or butter knife (lightly wet or greased) to gently release each idli from its mould. Thanks to the greasing, they should slide out easily.

7. Serve Immediately — Enjoy!

Idlis taste best when hot and fluffy. Serve them with classic accompaniments like sambar, coconut chutney, or podi (spiced lentil powder), and perhaps some ghee for richness.

Bonus: If you have more batter, you can reuse the steamer immediately — or use it to steam other healthy dishes (vegetables, momos, etc.).

Tips & Best Practices for Great Idlis Every Time

• Don’t overfill moulds — allow space for idlis to rise.
• Keep water level proper — water should create steam, but must not touch batter directly.
• Grease moulds each time — even if your steamer is new, a light greasing prevents sticking.
• Stack plates properly — especially in multi-tier steamers, make sure plates are aligned so steam circulates evenly.
• Watch steaming time carefully — over-steaming can make idlis rubbery; under-steaming leaves them soggy or under-done. Use the toothpick test.
• Rest briefly before removing — this helps the idlis set and detach cleanly from moulds.

Also remember: steaming doesn’t just cook idlis — with a multi-tier pot you can steam veggies, dumplings, momos, idiyappam and more, making this steamer a truly versatile kitchen tool.

Why FourBrothers 3-Tier Stainless Steel Steamer Is Worth It

Our FourBrothers 3-Tier Stainless Steel Steamer — available on fourbrothers.in — is designed to make your life easier. Here’s why it’s a smart choice:

• Premium stainless steel build: Food-grade stainless steel ensures hygiene, durability and rust-resistance. Perfect for daily use and repeated steaming.
• Multi-tier design for larger batches: With three tiers, you can steam multiple idlis (or multiple dishes) at once — ideal for families or for cooking ahead.
• Versatile & multipurpose: Not just for idlis — great for steaming vegetables, dumplings, momos, idiyappam — making it a go-to for healthy cooking all around.
• Efficient heat & steam circulation: The design ensures even heat distribution and steam flow across all tiers, giving you consistently fluffy results.
• Time and gas saving: By cooking many idlis at once and using efficient steaming, you save on fuel, energy, and time — a practical benefit for everyday cooking.

In short — this steamer isn’t just cookware; it’s a kitchen upgrade for anyone who enjoys idlis, healthy cooking, or efficient meal prep.

Final Thoughts — Make Idli-Days Easy, Healthy & Delicious

If you’ve struggled with dense, soggy or inconsistent idlis — or you’ve been improvising with pressure cookers or makeshift steamers — switching to a dedicated idly pot with steamer can make a world of difference.

With the right batter, proper technique, and a dependable steamer like FourBrothers 3-Tier Stainless Steel Steamer, you can consistently enjoy soft, fluffy idlis — and also benefit from healthy, oil-free cooking.

Whether it’s daily breakfasts or weekend family meals, this steamer promises convenience, hygiene, and restaurant-style results.

So go ahead — bring one home from fourbrothers.in and transform your mornings (or weekends) into a delightful, delicious idli experience.