Crispy dosa and spongy idly

Crispy dosa for breakfast.

We like to have spoongy, melt in your mouth idly and crispy dosas. The challenge is how to get both with same batter! Here you go, the trick is selecting best quality rice and fresh whole urad dal.

Idly/dosa batter preparation 

Ingredients

Idly rice/ ponni boiled rice - 4 cups
Whole urad dal - 1 cup
Methi seeds one tbsp

*Wash 3 times and soak rice and methi together for about 4 to 5 hours.

*wash 3 times urad dal and soak for about a 30 to 45 minutes. The dal should slightly open up.

*Grind urad dal by using the same water in which its soaked, for about 45 minutes till its fluffy and air bubbles should appear.  Remove from grinder.

* Grind soaked rice and methi seeds. Add a handful at a time in grinder, add little by little water, once it resembles rava, add urad dal batter. Add salt, let both rice and dal mix well together. It takes about 5 minutes. Remove batter in two containers, half and half. Allow it to ferment in normal temperature for about 6 to 8 hours.

I prefer to grind by evening and leave it to ferment night. Morning mix well and prepare idly. The rest of the batter will be kept in refrigerator.

To make dosa add little water to the batter, mix well, spread in heated iron tawa, pour oil, cook both sides till crispy. Fold and serve with coconut chutney, sambhar or molagai podi.