South Indian Recipes

Rava Idli

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Rava Idli is a delicacy that was discovered in Bangalore during World War II. MTR, a restaurant chain famous in Karnataka for its classic South Indian food, started making Idli out of Rava/Sooji because there was a shortage of the rice required to make regular Idli.

Till this day, MTR is famous for its delicious Rava Idlis served with a unique style of Potato Saagu. My mom has created her own version of this classic combination that is absolutely mouthwatering. I have learned how to make it from her and am very excited to share the process with all of you! Check out how to make Potato Saagu here.

Ravi Idli is one of my favorite dishes to make for brunch when guests are visiting. It’s a classic South Indian brunch that most people love! Plus, it’s quite filling.

Rava Idli also tastes great with Coconut Chutney. Check out my version here.

Rava Idli
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Rava Idli

Recipe by Chaitra’s CreationsCuisine: Indian, South Indian
Servings

16

idlis
Prep Batter

15

minutes
Cook Idli

10

minutes
Calories per Serving

40

kcal
Let Batter Sit

15

minutes
Total Time

40

minutes

Steamed breakfast cakes made of cream of wheat (rava/sooji)

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Prep the Rava Idli Batter
  • Heat 4 tbsp oil in a wide, shallow pan at a low flame.
  • Add 2 tsp of mustard seeds to the oil.
  • Once the mustard seeds crackle, add 2 tbsp curry leaves, 2 tbsp chana dal, and 2 tbsp urad dal. Sauté for a minute or two. The dal should become slightly golden, but should not burn.
  • Then, add 2 cups of Rava/ Sooji. (Note: Use regular Rava/Sooji for Rava Idli and not Idli Rava. Also, it is best to roast the Rava as part of this process and not use pre-made Roasted Rava.)
  • Roast the Rava/Sooji for around 10-12 minutes at a low flame. (Note: Roasting the Rava properly is important to get the right texture of Rava Idli. The Rava should stay white and not turn brown.)
  • Take the roasted Rava off the flame.
  • Off flame, add 1/2 cup very finely chopped cilantro to the roasted Rava.
  • Also add 2 tsp salt.
  • Next, add 1/2 tsp baking soda.
  • Then add 2 cups of plain yogurt.
  • Whisk smooth and remove all lumps. The idli batter should be thick, creamy, and smooth. Let the batter sit for at least 15 min. (Note: The batter can sit outside, it doesn’t need to be in the fridge.)
  • Make the Rava Idli
  • Once the batter is ready, it is time to cook the Rava Idli. (Note: The batter should be thick and creamy but also should have a flowing consistency. You should be able to easily spoon some into the Idli molds. If not, and if it is chunky, add some more yogurt and/or a bit of water and let sit for a few more minutes.)
  • Boil 2 cups of water in an Idli Steamer. (Note: This is what works in my Idli Steamer. It may be different in yours. When you stack all of the Idli plates in the Idli Steamer, the water should just graze the last plate.)
  • While the water is boiling, use a brush to lightly grease the Idli plates you are going to use with a bit of oil. (Note: No need to grease the last plate.)
  • Place a few cashews (whole cashews sliced in half work best) and a bit of finely chopped cilantro on top of the oil. (Note: I place the cashews first and then add the cilantro so that the cashews are properly visible once the Idlis are cooked.)
  • Then, fill all greased/ decorated Idli Plates with Idli Batter. Fill up each Idli mold all the way, but don’t let the batter overflow.
  • Once you have filled all the Idli plates, stack them in an alternative pattern. (Note: The last Idli plate should be empty.)
  • Once the water in the Idli Steamer has come to a low boil, place the Idli stand in the water. (Note: Just a reminder that the last Idli plate should be empty and should be just grazing the water. The water should not come higher than that otherwise your Idlis will get wet.)
  • Let cook for 8-10 minutes. Poke one Rava Idli with a fork to make sure that it has cooked. The fork should come out clean.
  • Once the Rava Idli has cooked, take the steamer off the flame.
  • Let the Rava Idli cool for a few minutes. Sprinkle a bit of cold water on each Rava Idli. Then, use a flat spoon dipped in cold water to remove the Idli from the pan. Enjoy your Rava Idli hot with Potato Saagu and Coconut Chutney! 🙂

Notes

  • This recipe is based off 2 cups of Rava/Sooji and makes enough Rava Idli for one round of Idli in my Idli Steamer, which can hold 16 Idlis.
  • Use regular Rava/Sooji and not Idli Rava or Roasted Rava for this recipe.
  • Adding too much baking soda or roasting the rava for too long may cause the Rava Idlis to become brown.
  • Not roasting the rava properly may cause the Rava Idli to become too hard.
  • Not adding enough liquid to the batter will cause it to become chunky instead of smooth and will cause your Rava Idli to become too hard.
  • My Idli stand comes with 5 plates that each have 4 Idli molds. I don’t use the last plate on the bottom, as it becomes covered with water while steaming. My Idli Steamer requires 2 cups of water. This is what works in my Idli Steamer. It may be different in yours. But, I have linked the one I have here. When you stack all of the Idli plates in the Idli Steamer, the water should just graze the last plate. Make sure you stack the Idli plates in an alternate fashion.
  • In my Idli Steamer, Rava Idli usually takes 8-10 min to cook while regular Idli takes 10-12 min to cook.)
  • There are many versions of this recipe. This is my tried and true version that I learned from my Mother. I hope you love it!
  • Vegan Option: Use plain Vegan Yogurt for the Rava Idli batter.

Did you make this recipe?

I hope you all try this recipe out! I would love to see your own adventures in cooking! Please take a pic and share them with me on Instagram/Facebook @chaitrascreations.

 

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