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rava idli - coconut chutney

How to make Rava Idli

Nayana
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.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Breakfast, Dinner-Lunch, Snack
Cuisine South Indian
Servings 10 Idli

Equipment

  • 1 Mixing Bowl
  • 1 Steamer
  • 1 Idli plates or steel bowls

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup Rava - semolina -1 cup
  • 1 cup Yogurt, a little sour is good
  • ½ cup Milk / water as needed.
  • ½ tsp Salt
  • ½ cup Carrot grated or finely chopped
  • ½ cup Green peas optional, cooked
  • 2 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped
  • 1 Green chili – chopped fine
  • 2 tbsp Coconut Freshly grated
  • ½ tsp Soda bi carb

Tempering ingredients

  • 1 tbsp Oil- 1 tbsp
  • ½ tsp Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
  • ½ tsp Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
  • 5-6 Curry leaves - chopped
  • 1 tsp Bengal gram dal chana dal – 1 tsp
  • 1 tsp Black gram dal urad dal- 1 tsp
  • 4-5 Cashew nuts chopped
  • 1 green chili optional, chopped

Instructions
 

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,

Making Rava Idli Batter

  • 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.

Notes

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.
Keyword breakfast, idli, rava, semolina, sooji, suji