Step-by-Step Instructions

1. 1.Soak Rice and Dal

   Soak 4 cups of idly rice (parboiled rice) and 1 cup of urid dal along with 1 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds in separate vessels for 6 hours.

2. 2.Grind Urid Dal

   After 6 hours, drain the soaked urid dal and fenugreek seeds. Add them to a wet grinder with approximately 100ml of water. Start the grinder and gradually add more water, about half a cup at a time, as needed. Grind for 30 minutes. The batter should be thick, so avoid adding too much water. Check the consistency every 5 minutes.

3. 3.Check Urid Dal Batter Smoothness

   After 30 minutes of grinding, check if the urid dal batter is very smooth. You can do this by rubbing a small amount between your fingers or by dropping a small portion into a bowl of water; it should float if properly ground. Collect the smooth urid dal batter into a large, deep vessel.

4. 4.Grind Rice

   While the grinder is still running, add the soaked rice to the same wet grinder. Add water little by little as it grinds. Add 3 teaspoons of rock salt to the rice while grinding. Continue grinding for another 30 minutes, checking the consistency every 5 minutes.

5. 5.Combine and Mix Batters

   After 30 minutes, check the rice batter for smoothness. It should be smooth but can have a slight grainy texture. Pour the ground rice batter into the same vessel as the urid dal batter. Mix both batters thoroughly with your hand for 5 minutes. This helps in proper fermentation and results in soft idlis.

6. 6.Ferment the Batter

   Cover the vessel and allow the batter to ferment for 8 to 12 hours. The fermentation time may vary depending on the climate. After fermentation, the batter will have risen and become light and airy.

7. 7.Prepare for Dosa

   Once the idly batter is ready after 12 hours of fermentation, you can use it to make idlis. To make dosa, take a portion of the idly batter and mix in some water to achieve a thinner, pourable consistency. The batter can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week for making dosas.