To get perfect idlis, the black gram and idli rava must be separately soaked.

Take a bowl, add black gram (urad dal) , fenugreek seeds and 3 cups of water. Soak it for 6-7 hours.

Take one more bowl and soak 2 cups of idli rava in 4 cups of water for 1 hour. Remember to soak idli rava only when the black gram is soaked well and ready to use. Else you can also soak the idli rava in water during the last soaking hour of black gram.

Once both are soaked well, take a blender / grinder and blend the batter to a thick and soft consistency. The batter should not be too watery. Add salt once the batter is blended well. Mix well.

Now that the batter is ready, take the idli plates. Grease the hollow space of the plates with oil.

Pour the batter onto the idli plates.

Take a pressure cooker, fill it with little water.

Place the plates into the cooker. Close the lid and cook it for 15-20 min on a medium-high flame. DO NOT put the whistle. To test whether the idlis are cooked well, take a knife and inject the tip into one of the idlis, if knife comes out clean, it indicates that the idlis are perfectly cooked. They are ready to serve.