Idli/Dosa is a traditional breakfast in south India. It is one of the healthiest and popular breakfasts. In my school and college days, I love only dosa and don't prefer Idlis at all. However, I started missing my mum's softest Idli during my PG hostel days. She makes fabulously soft idli and serves it with runny coconut chutney tempered with small onions(shallots). She says the softness of the Idli mainly depends on the quality of the urad dal used. Also, she never soaks the urad dal for more than 30 minutes and she skips the fenugreek seeds to get pure white Idlis. I follow her measurements(4 cups idli rice: 1 cup urad dal) religiously when I was in Chennai and it gives amazing results.
After we move to Sydney, the quality of the urad dal we get here is different and I didn't get soft idlis with this measurement. After so much trial and errors, finally, I have settled with (2 cups idli rice:1 cup urad dal) and a handful of Poha(Aval). This failproof Idli & Dosa batter is giving me the perfect sponge idlis.
I will explain both the measurements in this post and you can choose anyone based on the type of urad dal. The good quality urad dal will give the fluffy batter.