Rinse the lentils with enough water and soak it along with rice flakes for at least 4 to 5 hours. Use sufficient water for soaking.

Similarly rinse and soak rice plus sago pearls separately with sufficient water. Let them soak for at least 4 to 5 hours.

After good hours of soaking, take the lentils and rice flakes in a mixer jar. Grind them together to fine, pluffy and light batter. Add water as needed while grinding. Then transfer the batter in to a large vessel.

Next take soaked rice and sago pearls in a mixer. Grind them together in to little coarse paste. Add little water for ease of grinding.

Mix both the batters together in a large vessel and keep it covered in a warm place for about 10-12 hours. This resting time helps the batter to ferment properly.

After fermentation, the batter would have raised up. Next take idli mould and pour a ladle full of batter in to each of the mould. Steam such idli moulds in a steamer for about 10 minutes.

After steaming, the idli would have puffed up. You can check for the done-ness by inserting a toothpick. If it comes out clean the idli would have steamed to the perfection. Using a spoon, carefully remove idli and serve.

Very very soft mallige idli is ready to serve with chutney and sambar of your choice.

If you have a wet grinder, use the same to grind lentils. Because grinder gives fluffy batter with good volume.

Do not add too much water to grind lentils and rice. Idli batter has to be little thicker than dosa batter.

Do not reduce soaking and fermentation time. If so, the sago wouldn't grind smoothly and idli wouldn't be soft.

In warm place the fermentation time can be reduced to 7 to 8 hours but cold places need more time for the same.