Unlock Soft, Spongy Idlis: Essential Tips for Perfect Batter and Steaming

• Add a spoonful of soaked poha to the idli batter for lightness and better fermentation, creating air bubbles for soft idlis.
• Maintain a rice to urad dal ratio of 3:1 or 4:1; soak urad dal for 4-5 hours and rice for 6 hours.
• Achieve a ribbon-like consistency for the batter – not too thin to stick, nor too thick to harden.
• Ferment batter for 8-10 hours in a warm place; use a pinch of sugar or curd if fermentation is slow.
• Steam idlis for 10-12 minutes on medium heat in pre-boiled water, avoiding frequent lid opening to retain steam.