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NCERT Solutions for Class 5th The World Around Us Chapter 3 How are Idlis made? — In-text Question

Book page 47 Updated on2026-09-19

Q1.
Disha watched her mother make idlis at home. Can you find out how idlis are made?
Answer

Idlis are made from a batter of rice and urad dal, which is left overnight to rise, and is then steamed.

Here are the steps, in order.

  1. Soak. Rice and urad dal (split black gram) are washed and soaked separately in water for four to six hours.
  2. Grind. Each is ground into a smooth, thick paste, and the two are mixed together with a little salt. This is the batter.
  3. Keep it aside. The batter is covered and left in a warm place overnight, or for about eight to ten hours.
  4. It rises. In the morning the batter has grown bigger, looks light and full of tiny bubbles, and smells slightly sour.
  5. Steam. The batter is poured into the round moulds of an idli stand and steamed for about ten to twelve minutes.
  6. Ready. Soft, white, fluffy idlis are taken out and served hot with sambar and chutney.
Why the batter must rest overnight: This is the most important step, and it is the one that needs time rather than work. During those hours the good microbes get busy in the batter. If the batter is steamed at once, without resting, the idlis come out flat and hard.
Warmth helps: in winter, families keep the batter near a warm place or wrap the vessel in a cloth. Microbes work faster in warmth — the very same rule that makes food spoil faster in summer.
Q2.
Is there something that makes the idli batter fluffy? Do you know what is it?
Answer

Yes — microbes. Microbes present in the air get into the batter and grow in it overnight. As they grow they give off a gas. The gas makes tiny bubbles all through the batter, and those bubbles make the idli soft and fluffy.

Finding #7: Microbes in the air help make idli batter rise.

Batter + good microbes + warmth + time
→ tiny gas bubbles → batter rises → soft, fluffy idlis

How you can see it for yourself:

  1. Mark the level of the fresh batter on the outside of the vessel with a piece of tape.
  2. Cover it and leave it overnight in a warm place.
  3. In the morning, look at the mark. The batter has risen well above it.
  4. Stir it gently. You will see small bubbles and hear a soft hiss.
Why this is the useful side of microbes: The same kind of tiny living things that spoiled Disha's uttapam also make our idli, dosa, dhokla, bhatura, bread, curd and cheese. This slow changing of food by good microbes is called fermentation. Here we want the microbes to grow — so we give them warmth and time on purpose.
Did you know? Fermented rice — called pakhala in Odisha and kanji in some other places — is eaten in many parts of India. Cooked rice is soaked in water overnight and eaten the next day. It cools the body in summer and is full of good bacteria.
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