Idly or Dosai Mavu (Batter)

Ingredients:

1. Idly Rava - 5 cups OR Idly rice (parboiled rice) - 4 cups
2. Urad Dhal whole - 1 cup
3. Salt to taste

Procedure:

• Soak the rice and dhal separately for 8 hours (or overnight) in USA. In humid places like Madras, India, 2 hours of soaking is sufficient
• Wash the grinder well
• URAD DHAL GRINDING: 
• Wash the urad dhal 3 or 4 times to get rid of the dirt and load it in the grinder
• Grind it for 10 minutes initially with very little water (1/2 cup of water)
• After 10 minutes add another half cup of water
• The texture should be very soft and puffy
• After 10 minutes add another half cup of water and grind it to a spongy texture
• Remove the urad batter
• IDLY RAVA / IDLY RICE GRINDING:
• Wash the idly rava 3 or 4 times to remove the dirt
• Now load this in the grinder to a very soft consistency. No need to add water to this unless it is required (e.g. grinder does not grind)
• Grind it for 20 minutes and remove the batter
• Before adding salt, wash the grinder with quarter cup of water and add this water to the idly rava batter.
• Add salt and mix thoroughly with urad dhal batter
• Ferment it overnight (Use a large sized vessel)
• STEAMING IDLY
• Next day use this batter to load a idly mould/stand
• Steam for 15 minutes without the weight in the idly stand
• Same batter can be used for making dosas