How to prepare idly batter for soft and spongy idlys

Many of us experiment a lot to get soft idlys. But it results sometimes good and ok. Here is the all time success ratio and preparation method of those spongy idlys.

Ingredients:

Idly rice - 2 cups (200 ml)
Raw rice or sonamasoori rice - 1 cup (200 ml)
Whole Uraddal - 1/2 cup
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tspn
Channa dal - 10
Poha / Aval - 1/3 cup
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Measure the rice as shown in the picture.

2. Add the poha to the rice.

3. Add the fenugreek seeds, channa dal to the uraddal.

4. Rinse both separately three times and soak them in enough water for 6-8 hours.

5. In the wet grinder add the uraddal mixture with little water. Sprinkle ice cold water every 5 mins. Grind it for about 25 mins. It should be like a butter.

6. Remove the uraddal mixture into a bowl.

7. Add the rice mixture into the wet grinder. Grind it with ice cold water for about 20 mins. It should be like a fine paste.

8. Add this to the uraddal mixture and add salt. Mix well using your hands. It should be in the pouring consistency. Keep it for about 8-10 hours for fermentation.

9. After 10 hours it gets fermented nicely.

10. Steam the batter in idly moulds for about 10-12 mins.

11. Soft and spongy idlys are ready to serve with your favorite side dish.

Notes:

You can prepare dosas too with the same batter.
You can use either ice cold water or ice cubes while grinding. This will helps to get the uraddal mixture doubled nicely.
Adding poha gives the soft texture for idlys.
Adding fenugreek seeds and channa dal gives crispy dosas.
People living in colder places can do fermenting by keeping inside the oven after preheating. the oven must not be hot but it must be warm.
Another method is mix a cup of previous batch of your idly batter to the newones while mixing. This will also helps you to get good fermentation.