Fluffy snow white......IDLY!!

To counteract the freezing cold fluffy white snow outside my Dad made hot fluffy snow white idlies today! My Dad's idlies are really soft and perfect. We relished them with yennai milagai podi and sambar. There are a few things I really look forward to when visiting my parents in Toronto, and one of them is my Dad's oorakai (hot mango pickle), and another is his idly. Anyways, father and daughter have been having fun together. Yesterday we went to the local Saravana Bhavan and gorged on delicous Onion Rava Masala Dosai with coconut chutney and hot Madras coffee. Today was home cooked yumminess. I've been spoiled with my family competing with each other to feed me all these dishes. I think Savithri will be putting up a post soon with the recipe for her awesome Paneer Achari.

I seem to have problems with yogurt and idly/dosa batters rising in Michigan as my oven doesn't have a light, nor is my toaster oven big enough. But I make them anyways, they rise about a few centimetres and still taste good. In the summer they rise like crazy though! Any uselful tips are welcome!

Idly
1 part par boiled rice (puzhungal arisi), 2 parts urad daal, 6 parts patna rice

1. Soak the combined rices in a bowl. Soak the urad daal separately in water for appoximately 12 -16 hours. Do not strain the water afterwards. Just barely cover the rice and lentils with water at all times. Do not soak for too long or else it will STINK.
2. Very finely grind the urad daal separately into a fine paste.
3. Coarsely grind the rice.
4. Mix the ground rice and urad daal paste together. Add salt, and mix it thoroughly (like 40 times!) to incorporate the ingredients.
5. Place this into the oven with just the light on for 12 hours for the batter to rise.
6. As soon as it rise, remove from the oven, and stir the mixture.
5. Grease the idly molds and fill them with the batter.
6. Steam these in a rice cooker, or in a large pot with a some boiling water for 20-25 minutes.
7. You could also pressure cook them for about 10-12 minutes.
8. Unmold the idlies with a plastic knife and serve immediately.