Instructions

1. Soak the black gram and idli rava separately in 1.5 cups of water for 4 hours.
2. In the morning, drain the water. Wash and rinse both couple of times to clean them.
3. Grind black gram to a smooth and fuffy batter.
4. Take the batter into a big bowl and add the idili rava to the batter by taking portions that fit in you palm and squeeze it off all water. Add this to the batter and mix well.
5. Cover the batter and leave it overnight. In the morning, add the salt and mix well.
6. Before making the idlis, rinse and clean the leaves with water. Dry the leaves using a cotton cloth.
7. When making the idli moulds out of the leaves, use same sized leaves for a mould.
8. Take two leaves, place one leaf overlapping the second one with the stem part facing outwards.
9. Use a thin coconut stick, join the two leaves.
10. Now place third leaf on top of the joined bamboo leaves.
11. Place a fourth leaf on top of the third leaf.
12. Use the coconut stick secure the four leaves.
13. Take one leaf and join it with a second leaf with one leaf overlapping the second one.
14. Slid a coconut stick on both the leaves.
15. Repeat the same by joining each leaf overlapping the next leaf and with the coconut stick joining them.
16. Do make sure that they are joined well or else the idli batter will leak out from the gaps if there are any. Cut of the stem parts from each leaf.
17. In a large pot, take 2 to 2.5 cups water and heat it on a low to medium ame.
18. Place the leafy moulds in the steamer pan.
19. Gently pour the idli batter with a spoon into the leafy moulds.
20. Place the steamer pan in the large pot and cover with a lid.
21. Steam the idlis for 15 min over medium heat. Check with a skewer to see if the idlis are cooked. If not, keep it for 2-3 minutes more.
22. Server hot with coconut chutney and sambar.