Instant Semolina Idli/ Rava Idli

EVENT: FOOD BLOGGERS RECIPE SWAP

THEME: JANUARY 2019 SWAP 

RECIPE: INSTANT SEMOLINA IDLI/ RAVA IDLI

Instant Semolina Idli/ Rava Idli is a soft, fluffy and moist steamed breakfast or snack option. Healthy, filling and nutritious, it is so easy to make semolina, rava or sooji idli. Add vegetables of your choice. Can also add a bit of turmeric powder to make yellow idlis. Have a sudden craving for idli and cannot wait for the batter to ferment. Then the best option is to try out this instant semolina idli/ rava idli.

Food Bloggers Recipe Swap Group

After a long lull, the gentle storm has come back. Food Bloggers Recipe Swap has been revived by fellow blogger Mireille who blogs at The Schizo Chef. Her blog has taken on a new avatar and is called Global Kitchen Travels. Mireille’s blog is truly like a virtual world tour through food from different countries. I’m actually so intrigued that one can make a cake from fresh cassava. I want to try out Mireille’s Bojo recipe. It’s a Suriname Style Gluten free Cassava Cake.

My Partner

Mireille decided that instead of just having the partners cook from each others blog, she mixed us all up. For example though I have to cook a recipe from Renu’s blog, Cook With Renu, she cooks from someone else’s.

Actually I’ve been partners with Renu before and had learnt to make bajra idli from her blog. Incidentally, bajra Idli is a big hit with my friends and family.  If I’m inviting them home for a meal they want me to make the idlis. In fact this time round I wanted to try Zhingyalov Hats, but had to shelve the idea as I didn’t get fresh herbs. Instead I settled for her Instant Carrot Semolina Idli Recipe. 

Instant Semolina Idli/ Rava Idli

The reasons for making these idlis were, one I wanted to make some travel food and secondly though I simply love rava idli, I had not tried making them at home. Her recipe just attracted me to try and I’m so glad that I did. Simple, easy and so delicious. The other charming thing about this recipe is that one can add any vegetables to the idli batter. I tweaked her recipe a bit by also adding some boiled peas. It took me hardly 20 minutes to make them. As I made them to enjoy them on our first train journey on the new SGR from Mombasa to Nairobi, I didn’t make any sambhar. Take it from me the cold idlis with the chutney just tasted awesome. A hearty breakfast on the the train.

Do check out the other delicious recipes from this month’s Recipe Swap!

Recipe Swap Recipes

• Kerala Curried Rice by Priya
• Cantaloupe Carrot Beet Smoothie by Jayashree
• Pumpkin Chia Popsicles by Seema
• Green Apple Mocktail Martini by Jagruti
• Double Bean Sriracha Hummus by Rafeeda
• Homemade Rice Flour by Sasmita
• Vegan Pumpkin Falafel by Lathiya
• Instant Ragi Idli by Renu
• Blueberry Cardamom Lemon Muffins by Ali
• Chocolate Bread by Nayna
• Fresh Chickpea Salad – Hara Chana Chaat by Archana
• Garlic Chutney Powder by Sandhya
• Githeri – Kenyan Vegetable Bean Stew by Mireille

Ingredients Required For Instant Semolina Idli/ Rava Idli

• Semolina – rava, rawa, sooji. Best to use the medium grain one and not the fine semolina.
• Green Chillis – finely chopped. If making for kids then add chilli paste.
• Fresh Ginger – grated
• Carrot – grated
• Peas – boiled or steamed
• Plain Yogurt – dahi, thick and not watery. Best to use yogurt that is a bit sour.
• Water – tap or bottled water
• Salt – adjust according to your taste
• Eno – Fruit salts, as the leavening agent
• Ghee or Oil – to roast the semolina. I prefer using ghee as it gives a lovely aroma to the idli.
• Oil – for tempering and greasing the idli mould
• Urad Dal – split black gram lentil
• Roasted Chana Dal – split chickpea. Usually available ready roasted in most Indian Stores.
• Fresh Curry Leaves – 1 sprig or a few leaves
• Mustard Seeds – rai. 
• Fresh Coriander – cilantro, chopped
• Asafetida – hing. Optional.

For Serving:

Sambar

Chutney

Dietary Tips:

• This is NOT A GLUTEN FREE RECIPE
• For Vegan version replace dairy yogurt with a vegan yogurt
• Healthy
• Ideal for the aged and toddlers as its easy to digest and is soft to chew

INSTANT SEMOLINA IDLI/RAVA IDLI

mayurisjikoni

Instant Semolina Idli/ Rava Idli is a soft, fluffy and moist steamed breakfast or snack option. Healthy, filling and nutritious, it is so easy to make semolina, rava or sooji idli. 

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

RESTING TIME: 10 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine Indian, South Indian

Servings 20 IDLIS

Ingredients

  

FOR THE SEMOLINA IDLI:

• 1 cup semolina
• 1-2 green chilllis finely chopped
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• ½ cup grated carrot
• ½ cup boiled peas
• ¼ cup sour plain yogurt
• ¾ - 1 tsp salt
• 1½ - 1¾ cups water
• ¾ - 1 tsp Eno plain fruit salt
• 1 tsp ghee

FOR TEMPERING:

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp urad dal
• 1 tbsp roasted chana dal
• 7-8 curry leaves chopped
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander
• ⅛ tsp asafetida
• extra oil for greasing the idli mold

Instructions

 

PREPARATION OF THE BATTER:

• Add ghee into a wide pan. Heat it over low heat.
• Add semolina and roast it for about 2 minutes.
• Take the pan off the heat. Let the semolina or sooji cool down completely.
• Add the semolina to a bowl.
• Add chopped chillis, ginger, salt, vegetables, water and yogurt.
• Mix well till the mixture has no lumps.
• Heat the 1 tbsp oil in a small pan over low heat.
• Add chana dal and roast it till it begins to turn light brown in colour.
• Add the urad dal and roast till it changes colour.
• Add mustard seeds, curry leaves and coriander. Mix and let it sizzle for a few seconds.
• Add asafetida and immediately pour the tempering into the batter.
• Mix well. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.

STEAMING SEMOLINA IDLI/RAVA IDLI

• Prepare the idli steamer, add water for steaming. Grease the idli molds with oil.
• When the water begins to boil, add Eno to the batter and give it a good mix till its appears fluffy.
• Using a ladle, fill the idli molds or cavities with the batter.
• Steam the idlis for 10 minutes.
• Remove the mold from the steamer. Let the idlis cool down a bit about 5-10 minutes.
• Using a butter knife or a thin spatula, carefully remove the idlis from the mold.
• Serve the idlis with your choice of chutney and sambar or vegetable stew.

Notes

• The batter should not be too dry or too watery.
• Add vegetables of your choice like finely chopped French beans, corn, finely chopped spinach etc.
• Use medium coarse semolina.
• Add nuts if you like.
• For travel purpose I chopped the idlis into quarters which was so much easier to enjoy with a fork.  
• I highly recommend that you add the tempering as that makes the idlis taste completely different.
• Many people presume semolina is gluten free, but its not.
• For vegan option omit dairy yogurt and replace it with vegan yogurt.
• If you don't have an idli mould, steam the batter in small heatproof bowls or in silicon moulds.

Keyword instant semolina idli, rava idli, sooji idli recipe

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If you do try this recipe then please either

• add a comment below,
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