Instant Rava Idli Recipe/ Semolina Idli Recipe

Rava idli/ Semolina idli is the most common and famous breakfast recipe in south India. It is a fulfilling dish. Rava idli can be paired with sambhar in the northern region whereas it is paired with saagu (sabzi) and coconut chutney in southern India.

Rava idli is also termed as semolina idli in South India. It's said that; Rava idli is invented by Mavalli Tiffin Room (MTR) during world war II. Due to the shortage of Rice, cooks at MTR replace rice with semolina or Rava and served to the customer.

Instant Rava idli does not require and grounding of batter or fermentation process. Its batter is prepared within 10-15 mins. So without stretching description lets jump to the recipe.

Instant Rava Idli Recipe/ Semolina Idli Recipe:

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 20 mins

Servings: 5-6 idlis

Ingredients: (1cup: 200 ml)

Idli sooji/ coarse Rava or sooji: 1 cup
Curd: 1/2 cup
Freshly chopped coriander: 1/4 cup
Water: 1/2+1/4 cup
Eno: 1 pouch

For tadka:

Oil: 2-3 tsp
Rai (Mustard seeds): 1/4 tsp
Hing (Asafoetida): 1/8 tsp
Chopped Cashews (Kaju): 4-5
Curry leaves (Kadi Patta): 5-6
Chopped green chillis: 2
Haldi (turmeric powder): 1/8 tsp (optional)

Method:

Step 1:
Take a bowl, add sooji idli, and curd. Mix well.

Step 2:
Now, take a tadka pan, heat some oil. When the oil is heated, add rai to it. When rai begins to splutter, add hing, Kadi Patta, cashews (Kaju), haldi (optional).

Step 3:
Now add the tadka to the sooji-curd mixture bowl. Add Green chillis, salt, freshly chopped coriander leaver, and 3/4 cup of water and mix well.
Cover the bowl with lid/ plate and let it rest for 10 mins.

Step 4:
After 10 mins, we can see that Rava/ semolina has absorbed a good amount of water, so add 1/4 cup water more to the batter. Give it a good mix. Now add Eno pouch to it and mix well till it becomes frothy.

Step 5:
Grease the idli plate with oil, pour the idli batter to the plate. Put the idli plate in the idli maker.
Let it steam for 15 mins on medium flame.

How to check that our Rava idli is done??
take one knife, insert it into the idli in idli plate. If the knife comes out clean then our idli is ready.

Step 6:
Take out the idli plate from the idli maker. Let it cool down for 1-2 mins and take out the idlis. Our Instant Rava Idli is ready. Serve hot with coconut chutney, saagu or sambhar.

Notes:

Always use the coarse sooji, fine sooji may result into chewy texture.
Don't use baking soda or cooking soda, it may react with turmeric.
Add Eno right before keeping plate to idli maker. Don't let it rest.
Instant Rava Idli Recipe tastes best when it serves hot, and you can pair it with coconut chutney or sambhar.