Rava Idli is a popular instant breakfast food from Karnataka. This is a little variation to the regular Idli recipe, made with semolina or sooji rava, curd/yogurt and some basic spices. Making Rava Idli is very simple and quick since it needs not soaking or fermentation, no pre-planning required. This fool-proof Rava Idli can be served with coconut chutney or peanut chutney or roasted chickpea chutney as a breakfast or lunch or dinner. This is a good lunch box option.

Idli recipes are very common in South Indian households. I try to make different types of idli recipes, some of them or instant and healthy version of Idlis without using any rice or dal.

Which rava suits best?

Rava Idli can be made with sooji rava or a little fine rava called semolina or fine wheat rava. I found rava idli tastes great using semolina and sooji.

What if I don’t have an Idli stand?

These idlis can also be made without any idli stand and you can use steel cups or dhokla plates to shape it and steam the idlis.

How to use this in a meal plan?

One more convenience with this rava idli is, we can make extra “dry rava idli mix” in bulk and keep refrigerated. So whenever you want to make rava idli, you can just mix some yogurt, ginger and chillies, and make idlis. This tip will be useful for the busy mornings, when you have guests coming over and also works best for meal plans.

Making Rava Idli Mix: Heat a pan with oil, add bengal gram, black gram, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, cashew(optional), curry leaves and red chillies. Then add rava and roast rava on med low until rava turns aromatic. Cool down this mixture and store it in an air tight bottle and refrigerate. It stays fresh for 2 or 3 days without refrigeration.

More Idli Recipes:

If you’ve tried this Rava Idli recipe or any other recipe on Siri’s Food Lab, then don’t forget to rate, like and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!

How to make Instant Rava Idli

PREP TIME: 10 MINS

COOK TIME: 16 MINS

TOTAL TIME: 26 MINS

COURSE: BREAKFAST/LUNCH/DINNER

CUISINE: SOUTH INDIAN

MAKES : 20-22

Ingredients

semolina or rava/sooji – 2 cups	oil – 2 tbsp
yogurt – 1 cup, well beaten	chana dal – 1 tsp
green chilli – 2, finely chopped	urad dal – 1 tsp
grated gingr – 1 tsp	mustard seeds – 1 tsp
salt – 1 tsp	cumin seeds – 1 tsp
cilantro	curry leaves – few
cashew – 1-2 tbsp (opt)	red chilly – 1
eno fruit salt – 1-2 tsp	hing
tomato slices, cilantro or cashew for garnishing	water – 1 cup

Instructions

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a kadai or a pan and splutter 1 tsp mustard, 1 tsp jeera, 1 tsp chana dal, 1 tsp urad dal, pinch hing, 1 dry red chilly, 1 tbsp cashew pieces and few curry leaves. sauté for a minute until the dals turn golden.
keeping the flame on low add 2 cups rava and roast well on med low flame until the rava turns aromatic.
Cool the rava and transfer to a bowl.
Add 1 cup beaten thick curd/yogurt, 2 tbsp coriander leaves/cilantro,1 tsp grated ginger, 2 finely chopped green chillies, few curry leaves, 1 tsp salt, add 1 cup water little by little and Mix well to form a smooth batter,.
Rest for 15-20 minutes or until the rava absorbs water.
Mix well and add water as required, to form an idli batter consistency batter.
Prepare Idli steamer or a pressure cooker by pre-heating water to a boil.
Grease the idli plate with oil/ghee or just rinse the idli plate under running water.
Just before steaming add a 1-2 tsp ENO (fruit salt), add little water on it and mix well till it turns frothy. Alternatively, add a pinch of baking soda.
For a prettier presentation, place tomato slice & cilantro or cashews at the bottom of each idli indention before pouring in the batter on top.
Pour the batter immediately into the idli plate. Do not rest the batter.
Steam the rava idli for 15-16 minutes on medium flame.
Serve instant rava idli with coconut chutney or roasted chickpea chutney or peanut chutney or/and sambar.

Tips

After ENO has been added, Idlis must be steamed immediately.
If you are making more than one batch, be sure to divide the roasted Sooji. Add the wet ingredients only to the amount which will fit in your Idli Stand at one time.
To save time for the future, you can make and keep the roasted, dry Sooji mixture in bulk in the refrigerator or freezer. Whenever you want to make, just add in the wet ingredients.
You can omit adding cashew if you are allergic to nuts.
You may add turmeric in the oil for yellow idlis.
You can add grated carrot in the batter.

Step by step photo instructions

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a kadai or a pan and splutter 1 tsp mustard, 1 tsp jeera, 1 tsp chana dal, 1 tsp urad dal, pinch hing, 1 dry red chilly, 1 tbsp cashew pieces and few curry leaves. Saute for a minute.

2. keeping the flame on low add 2 cups rava and roast well on med low flame until the rava turns aromatic.

3. Cool the rava and transfer to a bowl.

4. Add 1 cup beaten thick curd/yogurt, 2 tbsp coriander leaves/cilantro,1 tsp grated ginger, 2 finely chopped green chillies, few curry leaves, 1 tsp salt, add 1 cup water little by little and Mix well to form a smooth batter,.

5. Rest for 15-20 minutes or until the rava absorbs water.

6. Mix well and add water as required, to form an idli batter consistency batter.

7. Prepare Idli steamer or a pressure cooker by pre-heating water to a boil.

8. Grease the idli plate with oil/ghee or just rinse the idli plate under running water.

9. For a prettier presentation, place tomato slice & cilantro or cashews at the bottom of each idli indention before pouring in the batter on top.

10. Just before steaming add a 1-2 tsp eno (fruit salt), add little water on top and mix well till it turns frothy. Alternatively, add a pinch of baking soda.