Dosai/Idli Maavu (Batter)

• Dosai is generally called Dosa and I am going to give tips as to how to make the basic batter or maavu.

• Dosai is made out of Rice and Urad dal.

• At home, the Maavu is same for Idli and Dosai and normally the first two days idlis are made and then dosai is made with the same batter .

• If you have a typical Idli Grinder:

• Soak 4 cups of rice for 6 hours. 1 cup of urad dal for one hour.
  

• For this raw rice can be used. if you need good idlis it is better to use idli rice which is boiled rice which is specially used for making idlis and dosas.
  

• For best results use 3 cups of idli rice and 1 cup of raw rice.

• Soak 1 cup of urad dal just one hour prior to your grinding time.

• Grind the rice into a nice batter in the grinder keep aside and then grind the urad dal separately.

• While grinding the urad dal keep adding little water so that you get a fluffy smooth batter.

• Add 1 and half table spoon of salt and mix both the batters thouroughlly with hands and keep for the maavu to raise. (yeast is formed which makes this dish very healthy)

• Normally it is kept over night at normal temperature. (around 30 degree C).

• This can be stored in the fridge for upto 10 days.

• Before making idlis, keep the batter out side the fridge for some time. Just mix the maavu lightly and make idlis for the first two days so that you will get soft idlis.

• Then onwards mix the maavu thoroughly and make dosas.

• Dosas can be made from first day also after mixing the maavu nicely.

• One table spoon of vendhiyam (fenugreek seeds) can be added to the urad dal and ground together for better results and healthier idlis and dosas.

• One table spoon of 'aval' or rice flakes can be added to the rice while grinding it so that you get crispier dosas.

• If you don't have a grinder and you have only the normal mixer here is what should be done:

• Soak 3 cups of Rice and 1 cup of urad dal. the soaking time for urad dal is same . (just one hour )

• Use only raw rice as it is tough to grind the boiled idli rice in the mixer.

• While grinding the dal use ice cold water for fluffy batter.

• Alternately you get what is called 'idli' rava in the stores and you can buy it and just mix some water with it and make it into a batter , just grind the urad dal and mix both adding salt.

• This batter will be nice only for idlis as the idli rava is coarse and dosa will not come out smooth.

• The best and easiest method to make dosa while you have only the mixer:

• Just soak 2 cups of raw rice and one cup of urad dal together for around 4 to 5 hours. you can add some fenugreek seeds and also a little rice flakes.

• Grind them into a paste using cold water. add salt.
  
• Keep it outside the fridge for about 6 to 8 hours and you can make crisp nice dosas with this batter.