Idli Dosa Batter

Ingredients:

• 1 cup urad dal
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 4 cups idli rice
• 2 teaspoons rock salt

Method:

• Rinse the urad dal under running water. Then soak the dal in enough water (2-3 cups) for around 4-5 hours. Add 1 teaspoon methi seeds to the dal while it's soaking.
• Rinse the rice under running water until the water runs clear. Then soak the rice in enough water for around 4-5 hours, same time as the dal.
• After 5 hours, drain the water from the dal. Transfer the dal to the blender.
• Add 1 to 1.5 cups ice-cold water and grind the dal to a fine paste. I use my NutriBullet.
• Transfer the ground dal to the steel pot of your Instant Pot (if using IP to ferment the batter).
• Now drain the rice and add it to the same blender along with 1-1.5 cups ice-cold water. Grind the rice to a smooth paste. Do not add a lot of water to begin with. Start with a smaller amount and add more water as needed.
• Transfer the ground rice to the same pot as the dal. Add rock salt to the rice and dal mixture.
• Mix the salt and the batter very well for a minute. The consistency of the batter should be free-flowing but not runny.
• Cover the pot with a glass lid (if using Instant Pot) to avoid the Instant Pot lid from getting clogged and locked if the batter overflows.
• If using Instant Pot for fermentation, press the Yogurt button. Increase the time to 13 hours. The time will depend on where you live. It takes me about 13 hours here to ferment the batter.
• After 13-14 hours, the batter should be well-fermented. It will increase in volume and will be frothy and bubbly.
• You can now use this idli dosa batter to make soft idlis and crisp dosas!

To make idli: Grease idli plates and then fill them with the batter. Steam in a steamer for 10 to 11 minutes on high heat. Cool for a minute or two and take idlis out of the plates. Serve with sambar and coconut chutney. You can also make crisp dosas with the same batter!