Rava Idli recipe South Indian

This Rava idli recipe is a south Indian steamed snack or breakfast recipe. It is easy to make. Rava or semolina idli is healthy as it doesn’t need a much oil. You can make it still healthier by adding vegetables such as grated or finely chopped carrots, french beans and green peas. It looks colorful too when you add vegetables.

In the recipe below I am using carrots and green peas. If you plan to use french beans, chop them and steam cook them till just done before adding to the batter.

How to make Rava Idli – photo instructions

Ingredients for making semolina – rava idli recipe

Rava – semolina – cream of wheat

Yogurt – curd – dahi

Tempering ingredients for rava idli

• Rava(semolina) -1 cup
• Yogurt(a little sour is good) – 1 cup
• Milk / water – 1/2 cup or as needed.
• Salt – 1/2 tsp
• Carrot – 1/2 cup grated or finely chopped
• Green peas(optional) – 1/2 cup cooked
• Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp chopped
• Green chili – 1 chopped fine
• Coconut – 2 tbsp, Freshly grated
• Soda bi carb – 1/2 tsp

Tempering ingredients

• Oil- 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves – 5-6 chopped
• Bengal gram dal (chana dal) – 1 tsp
• Black gram dal(urad dal)- 1 tsp
• Cashew nuts – 4-5 chopped
• green chili (optional) chopped – 1

Making rava idli

• Lightly dry roast rava for about 2-3 minutes.

Make tempering 

• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add mustard and cumin seeds to the oil. When they stop crackling, add chana dal and urad dal.
• Fry a little, do not let it brown.
• Add chopped green chili (if adding) and curry leaves.
• Add chopped cashew nuts .

• Add roasted rava and mix well.

• Add salt, chopped coriander, grated coconut, peas, carrots (if adding).
• Take off fire. Cool to room temperature.

After rava has cooled a little,

• Add yogurt and a little milk/water.
• Mix well to form a thick batter without lumps. Check consistency.
• Add a little milk/water if needed. The batter should be of thick pouring consistency.
• Keep aside for 15-20 minutes. Rava/semolina will absorb the liquid

• After 15-20 minutes, check the batter consistency. Add milk/water to get a thick pouring consistency, as shown in the image.

• Heat 1 1/2 cups water in a steamer or idli cooker. Bring to boil.
• Next, After the water starts to boil and just before making idli, add the soda bi carb to the batter and mix the batter well.

Steaming Idli:

• Add a ladleful of batter into idli plates as shown. If you do not have idli stand, you may add the batter to steel cups and place the cups in a plate.
• Steam in a steamer for 15 minutes.

• After 15 minutes, the done idlis will look like this. Just to be sure, insert a toothpick in the idli. if it comes clean, idli is ready.
• If some batter is still sticking to the toothpick, cover and steam for another 5 minutes.
• Switch the flame off and let the idlis rest for about 5 minutes.

• Serve hot with coconut chutney and/or sambar

Tips and variations

If any batter is left over, keep it in the fridge and use within next two days.

And also, You may add vegetables such as green peas, grated carrots, green beans etc.

For steaming idlies:

• If you have a steamer, use that.
• You may also use a pressure cooker without the weight for steaming idlis.
• Or you may use any large pot that will hold your idli stand and that you can cover.
• If you have a idli stand, use it or you may use small stainless steel bowls or small deep plates to put the batter in for steaming.

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