Wash and soak the idli rice for 4 hours. Wash and soak urad dal for 2 hours.

Grind urad dal first by adding enough water in between. Make sure you add water every now & then so that the urad dal rises well and you’ll get a light, fluffy batter.

Please do not add all the water in the beginning. For grinding urad dal, you need 1.5 – 2 cups of water in total.

Grind till it comes out like a ball (should be a paste) (It takes nearly 15-20 mins in table-top wet grinder).

Now remove it. Keep it in a big vessel such that it can hold double the quantity of batter.

Now add the rice & crystal salt with 1/2 cup of water while the grinder is running.

Adjust the water quantity. Now remove the rice and put it in the same vessel.

Mix it thoroughly with your hand. (This helps for fermentation).

Let the batter ferments overnight or for 8 to 12 hrs based on the weather in your place.

The next morning, don’t mix the batter again. You can mix till half way through the batter if its too light.

Suppose if the batter is over flown, take the extra batter in a separate vessel.

Use a ladle, mix the batter till half the way. Quantity of batter reduces. Now add the overflown batter, mix well and keep it aside.

Start taking the batter from one corner and pour it into the idli mould.

Steam it in the idli pot for 10-15 mins and serve hot with sambar!!

If you want to make dosa with the same batter, take the required quantity of batter separately in a bowl and add little water (1/4 cup) to make it thin and make dosas. U'll get a crispy dosa for sure !!

NOTE: Poha/Aval is optional. U can use based on the quality of rice & urad dal. Add 1/4 cup of poha for the above recipe if you wish to use it. Follow this method and enjoy eating soft idlies:) Enjoy !