In our house, we live on dosas and Idlis for breakfast. So anyday it’s either of these to kick-start our mornings. My kids love them instead of upma and poha. So I make these seasoned breakfast items only when I have a dosa batter in hand for them.

Mixed dal Idlis are very good for kids who don’t like dals in their “dal” form (like my kids). And it makes things easier when they love Idlis or dosas. High in protein and filled with nutrition, they are so soft and delicious that you will fall in love with them.

And this batter is very versatile. Apart from soft Idlis, you can make soft dosas or crispy dosas, the way your family likes them. That’s why these are my favourite. I grind the batter enough for two days. Make Idlis the first day and dosas the following day.

Hope you all try it too. Happy cooking!

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

1 Cup white Rice

1/2 Cup Urad dal

1/2 Cup Moong dal

1/2 Cup Toor dal

1/2 Cup Chana dal

Salt to taste

Oil to grease the idli stand

Note: Skip any dal if you don’t have. I usually don’t have chana dal. So I add 1 Cup Moong dal and 1/2 Cup Toor dal.

So basically 1 Cup rice. 1/2 Cup Urad dal and 1 1/2 Cups mixed dals.

Step by step recipe:

1. Wash well and soak the rice and dals together for 4 hours.

2. Drain the water and grind along with little water and salt to a fine paste.

3. Ferment this batter by keeping in a warm place for 8 hours or overnight. In cold places, it will take atleast 12 hours to ferment well to make soft Idlis.

4. Grease the idli plates very well with oil. Else the Idlis will stick to the pan since it’s a mixed dal Idli. Pour the batter into the plates.

5. Steam for 20 mins or till done.

6. Allow it to cool slightly before you remove the Idlis as else it will stick to the idli plates. Enjoy Idlis with chutney of your choice.

7. If making soft dosas, spread them thick and you will get dosas like these.

8. For making crispy dosas, spread them like regular dosas and cook till the underside turns brown and add ghee or oil to cook till it turns crisp.

Notes:

* As I mentioned earlier, if you don’t have any particular dal then just skip it and add 1 Cup of the other dal. Like

1 Cup Rice, 1/2 Cup Urad dal, 1 1/2 Cups of mixed dals.

This should be the ratio.

* For dosas, you need not ferment the batter so much. Even 6 hours will suffice but for Idlis, they should ferment really well for soft Idlis.

* I make Idlis the first day. Refrigerate the batter and make dosas the second day. So breakfast for two days sorted.

* Also, grease the idli plates well with oil before steaming and allow to cool a bit before removing the Idlis. Else they will stick to the plates.