Fermented idli-dosa batter, made into idli, uthappam and dosa

Rinse the idli rice thoroughly; rinse the urad dal and add the fenugreek seeds to it.

Soak both in water 4 to 5 hours.

Drain the dal and blend it, adding chilled water about a quarter cup at a time and scraping down often, to a smooth batter neither too thick nor too thin.

Drain the rice and blend it in batches with the cooked rice, adding a little chilled water at a time, leaving it slightly coarse, like sand grains between the fingers.

Combine the rice batter with the dal batter and mix very well by hand.

Ferment covered in a warm place (an oven or microwave turned off, with the light on in winter, or an Instant Pot on yogurt low or keep-warm, not with its own lid) until doubled, bubbly and airy: 12 to 18 hours or more.

Add salt after fermentation and mix very gently without overmixing; store airtight in the refrigerator 5 to 7 days.

Idli: grease the molds well, add water to the idli cooker and steam 10 to 12 minutes; switch off, rest a few minutes, then demould with a spoon dipped in water.

Variation, ramekin idlis: grease heatproof bowls liberally with oil, fill a third of the way, top with grated carrot, and steam on a stand over boiling water in a deep pot for 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean; loosen with a spoon.

Uthappam: take out some batter with a clean spoon and refrigerate the rest; thin with a few tablespoons of water if needed. On a non-stick pan at medium heat brushed with oil, pour small pancakes, top with chopped onions, tomatoes and grated carrots, cover and cook a few minutes until the sides set; flip several times, adding a few drops of oil.

Variation: for large uthappams use more spoonfuls of batter without spreading too much.

Dosa: heat the pan very hot, brush lightly with oil, sprinkle water to bring the temperature down, then spoon the batter around; serve plain or with the potato filling as masala dosa.