Whether a South Indian or no, an Idli is a favorite with most of us Indians. It is tasty, filling as well as the perfect dish when it comes to having just the right kind of nutrition. That’s why a favorite choice of breakfast, across the country too. On this post, I have shared one of my favorite idli variations, the Rava Idli. This Suji Ki Idli recipe gives incredibly light, soft and sumptuous idlis. For this instant idli recipe, I have found the perfect combination of ingredients that result in savory cakes that are fluffy, moist and delicious.
About Rava Idli
Being an idli and Dosa lover, I never say no to the different varieties of both these quintessential South Indian preparations. This recipe of Rava Idli is a tried and tested formula of making really good idlis from cream of wheat or semolina at home.
Also known as Suji Ki Idli (in Hindi) it is a soft, pillowy steamed savory cake made from rava or suji and is a popular variation of the traditional South Indian idli which is made with fermented rice and lentil batter.
‘Suji’ in Hindi, also referred to as ‘rava’ and ‘cream of wheat’ or ‘semolina’ in English, is basically ‘granulated wheat.’
Once you try this Rava Idli, you’ll know that it is equally fantastic and just as amazing as its classic counterpart.
Sometimes, I feel this one is actually better as it brings in a change from you regular idlis. It is always great to have something different, on a daily basis.
To elevate the nutrition quotient and make a more wholesome dish, I also add some grated carrots in the batter of this Suji Ki Idli.
It also makes the idlis look pretty with specks of orange in them after getting steamed. However, this is not essential and you can skip adding it, if you wish to.
In addition to the carrots, my recipe of Rava Idli also has fried cashews in it. I add a fried cashew in each compartment of the idli stand and then pour the batter in them.
Once steamed, the fried cashew gives a really earthy flavor and texture to the idlis and makes them even more delicious.
About Rava Idli Recipe
Rava Idli recipe is made by mixing ghee roasted rava or suji (cream of wheat) with curd (yogurt), spices, herbs, water and a leavening agent like baking soda or fruit salt (Eno) to make a nice batter of medium consistency.
The reaction of alkaline fruit salt or baking soda with the acidity of the curd helps in leavening the batter. Thereby, giving it a soft and fluffy texture. This flavorful batter is then steamed in an idli maker to make fluffy, pillowy cakes or Rava Idli.
Traditionally, idlis are made of rice and lentils, which involves soaking the rice and lentils for 4 to 5 hours as well as grinding them and then fermenting the batter.
As this recipe of Suji Ki Idli uses suji (cream of wheat), yogurt and a leavening agent instead, all that soaking or grinding time gets eliminated. Thus, making this an easy, instant recipe without any fermentation.
For that reason, I make Rava Idli when I want some quick and easy breakfast or snack. This idli batter gets done within minutes and then, as the idli is steaming, I prepare the coconut chutney, which is the traditional dip to serve with idli.
How to make Rava Idli
Fry Cashews, Spices & Lentils
1. Heat 2 tablespoons ghee in a pan. Keep the heat to low or medium-low and add 14 halved cashews.
2. Stirring often, fry the cashews till golden. Remove with a slotted spoon draining the ghee and keep aside. Reduce the heat to low or medium-low.
3. To the same pan, add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds. Let the mustard seeds begin to splutter.
4. Add 1 teaspoon husked and split Bengal gram (chana dal).
5. Stirring often, fry chana dal till golden and crunchy. Then, add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and fry for 4 to 5 seconds.
6. Now, add 10 to 12 chopped curry leaves, 1 pinch asafoetida (hing), 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger and 1 finely chopped green chili (about ½ to 1 teaspoon chopped).
7. Mix well and fry for about 10 seconds. Keep the heat to a low.
Make Rava Idli Batter
8. Now, add 1 cup rava or suji (finer variety of cream of wheat or semolina).
9. Mix the rava very well with the ghee and other ingredients.
10. Roast rava till it become aromatic, changes color a bit (but should not get browned or golden) and the grains look separate. Stir often.
Roasting rava takes about 5 to 7 minutes depending on the thickness and heaviness of the pan and the heat intensity.
Once the rava is well roasted, keep the pan aside. Let the rava become warm.
11. To the roasted rava, add 2 tablespoons finely grated carrots, 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves and ½ teaspoon salt or as required.
If adding any other grated vegetables or steamed green peas, then add them at this step.
12. Next, add ½ cup curd (yogurt) and ½ to ¾ cup water. Depending on the quality of rava and the thickness of curd, you can adjust the water.
Tip 1: If the curd is liquid and has whey in it, then add ½ cup water.
Tip 2: If the curd is very thick, then add ¾ cup water. Basically, you need to get a medium consistency batter.
13. Mix very well and let the batter rest, covered for 20 minutes. The idli batter is neither thick, nor thin in consistency. It has a medium consistency.
More Prep
14. Brush oil or ghee on the idli moulds. Place a fried halved cashew in the center of the moulds.
15. Before you add fruit salt (Eno) or baking soda to the batter, take 2 to 2.5 cups water in a pot.
Keep a small length trivet stand or a rack in the pot. Heat the water till it comes to a boil.
16. After 20 minutes, this is the consistency of the batter. In case the batter looks thick, add 1 to 2 tablespoons water to get a medium consistency.
Rava absorbs water. So, the batter might thicken after 20 minutes. If the curd is thick, then also you may need to add more water.
In case you have added more water in the beginning, you do not need to add any water at this step.
17. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon fruit salt (Eno) or ¼ teaspoon baking soda evenly over the batter. I have used Eno.
18. Mix very well, quickly.
Make Rava Idli
19. Pour the batter in the greased idli moulds.
20. Stack each idli plate and place them in the pot with the hot water. Cover with a lid and steam Suji Ki Idli for 10 to 12 minutes on medium heat.
21. I have used the Instant Pot for steaming and had set the time for 10 minutes (check notes section in recipe card on finer details for steaming in the IP as well as pressure cooker and pan).
Keep a stop-watch or timer to check the time as Instant Pot does not beep in the steaming mode after the steaming time is over. It will continue to steam further.
You can even steam idlis in an electric cooker, pan or pressure cooker for 10 to 12 minutes.
22. To check the doneness, a bamboo skewer or a fork inserted in the steamed idlis should come out clean.
Remove the idli plates carefully and let them rest for 3 to 4 minutes. Then, with a spoon remove the idlis.
23. Serve Rava Idli hot with sambar, coconut chutney or coriander coconut chutney.
Serving Suggestions
Here are some of the common as well as some not so common ways that you can serve the Suji ki Idli. Check them out:
- Coconut Chutney: Rava Idli tastes the best with the classic coconut chutney or a Coriander Coconut Chutney too.
- Sambar: These idlis made with rava also taste good with a sambar – a traditional South Indian vegetable stew cooked with lentils, vegetables and tamarind.
- Potato Sagu: Rava Idli and potato sagu – a lightly spiced potato curry from the cuisine of Karnataka – is a great combination.
- Idli Podi: Idli podi makes for a fabulous side with Rava Idli. It is a dry powder made with lentils and dried red chilies and has a spicy, earthy flavor along with a slight crunchy texture. Sesame oil or ghee is mixed with the podi to make a yum paste that is served with the idlis.
Expert Tips
- Leavening Agent: 1 teaspoon of fruit salt (Eno) is perfect for the amount of rava and curd used in the recipe. Results in soft, fluffy idlis without the soapy aroma. If you use baking soda, add ¼ teaspoon (2 to 3 pinches) of it in the batter. The spices and herbs also add a lot of flavoring of their own in the recipe.
- Vegetables: I have added some grated carrots to the batter, which you can skip. You can even add steamed green peas. Just boil the peas beforehand and also grate the veggies ahead of time so they are ready to be added. You can also also include grated beets or finely shredded cabbage or finely chopped bell peppers.
- Curd (yogurt): I have used fresh curd. Both fresh or sour curd can be used to make the idli. Another variation of idli is this idli made with rice rava where cream of rice is used, instead of cream of wheat.
- Water: In case the curd you are using is thin and runny with lots of whey in it, add ½ cup water. If it is very thick, then add ¾ cup water. Adjust the quantity of batter to get a medium consistency batter.
- Idli pan: You will need an idli pan to make these steamed cakes. Idli pans are made to fit perfectly into a pressure cooker or steamer. If you can’t find an idli maker in the market, you can always order one online from Amazon.
FAQs
The fine variety of rava, not coarse. You can use Bombay or chiroti rava.
Eno or baking soda should be fresh and within their shelf period. If not fresh or active, they won’t leaven the batter, resulting in hard idlis. Also, the moment you mix in Eno, steam the batter immediately. If you keep the batter resting, the idlis won’t fluff.
Yes. Roasting rava coats the fine rava grains with ghee, which helps in giving a light texture to the idlis, without being sticky or gluey.
Yes. But add as much of it, till you get a medium consistency batter.
You can skip. But then the idlis won’t have a fluffy texture. They will be soft though, with a slight denseness.
Yes, you can. But add Eno or baking soda just before steaming. The batter will also thicken. So, add a few tablespoons of water and mix well before steaming.
No. Baking powder is not an alternative to baking soda or fruit salt. You will need to add more quantity of baking powder. This will result in metallic and bitter tasting idlis.
You can use a pan or bowl for steaming.
Adding more of the leavening agent gives a crumbly texture.
Not roasting the rava well and too much water can result in stickiness.
Less water and prolonged steaming will give a dry and denser texture.
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Rava Idli (Easy and No Fermentation)
Ingredients
For frying & roasting
- 2 tablespoons Ghee (clarified butter)
- 7 to 8 cashews – halved
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon chana dal (husked and split bengal gram or split & husked chickpeas)
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 10 curry leaves – chopped
- 1 pinch asafoetida – optional
- 1 teaspoon ginger – finely chopped or 1 inch peeled ginger
- 1 green chilli – finely chopped or ½ to 1 teaspoon, chopped
For batter
- 2 tablespoons carrots – finely grated, optional
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves – chopped, (cilantro)
- ½ teaspoon salt or add as required
- 1 cup rava – 175 grams (sooji, semolina, cream of wheat)
- ½ cup Curd (yogurt)
- ½ to ¾ cup water or add as required
- 1 teaspoon eno (fruit salt) or ¼ teaspoon or 2 to 3 pinches of baking soda
Instructions
Preparation
- Heat 2 tablespoons ghee in a pan. Keep the heat to low or medium-low. Add the halved cashews.
- Stirring often fry the cashews till golden. Remove fried cashews with a slotted spoon draining the ghee and keep aside.
- To the same pan add mustard seeds and let them begin to splutter. Keep the heat to low or medium-low.
- When the mustard seeds begin to splutter add the chana dal. Stirring often fry chana dal till they look golden and crunchy.
- Then add the cumin seeds and fry for 4 to 5 seconds.
- Now add the chopped curry leaves, asafoetida, finely chopped ginger and green chillies. Mix well and fry for 10 seconds. Keep the heat to a low.
- Next add rava (cream of wheat, suji, semolina).
- Mix well and stirring often roast the rava till they become aromatic, change color a bit (but should not get browned or golden) and the grains look separate.
- Roasting rava will takes about 5 to 7 minutes depending on the thickness and heaviness of the pan, and the flame intensity.
- Once the rava is well roasted, keep the pan aside. Let the rava become warm.
Making Batter
- To the roasted rava, add finely grated carrots, chopped coriander leaves and ½ teaspoon salt or add as required.
- Next add curd (yogurt) and water as required. Depending on the quality of rava and the thickness of curd, you can adjust the water from ½ to ¾ cup.
- If the curd is liquid and has whey in it, then add ½ cup water. If the curd is very thick, then add ¾ cup water. Basically you need to get a medium consistency batter.
- Mix very well and let the batter rest covered for 20 minutes. The rava idli batter is neither thick nor thin in consistency and has a medium consistency.
- Brush oil or ghee on the idli pan moulds. Place a fried halved cashew in the center of the moulds.
- Also heat 2 to 2.5 cups water in a pot. Keep a small length trivet stand or a rack in the pot. Heat the water till it comes to a boil.
- After 20 minutes this is the consistency of the batter after resting. If in case the batter looks thick, rava idli batter looks thick, then add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to get a medium consistency.
- Rava absorbs water and so the batter might thicken after 20 minutes. If the curd is thick, then also you may need to add more water. If you have added more water in the beginning, then you may not need to any water at this step.
- Sprinkle 1 teaspoon eno or ¼ teaspoon baking soda evenly over the batter. Quickly mix very well.
Steaming Rava Idli
- Pour the batter in the idli moulds. Place them in the pot with the hot water. Cover with a lid and steam rava idli for 10 to 12 minutes on medium heat.
- To check the doneness, a bamboo skewer or fork inserted in the rava idli should come out clean. Remove the idli plates carefully and let them rest for 3 to 4 minutes. Then with a spoon remove the rava idli.
- Serve the steaming hot rava idli with sambar and your favorite coconut chutney.
Video
Notes
- Type of rava: Kindly use the finer variety of rava and not the coarser or bigger ones. You can use bombay rava or chiroti rava.
- Roasting rava: The rava has to be roasted well in ghee so that they do not become sticky after steaming.
- Leaving agents: Eno (fruit acid) and baking soda are the leaveing agents used in the recipe. You can add either of them. Do make sure they are fresh and within their shelf period. If they are not fresh or active, they won’t leaven the batter resulting in hard rava idli.
- Skipping the leavening agents: You can skip them, but the rava idli won’t have a fluffy texture. They will be soft though with a slight denseness in the texture.
- No idli pan, no problem: Use a cake pan or bowl for the batter and steam. Once steamed well, then slice in wedges or cubes.
- Steaming: Do not steam for a prolonged time as this will result in dense rava idli. You can easily steam in a pan, instant pot or a pressure cooker.
- Steaming in a pan: Heat 2.5 cups water in a large pot or pan. Place a small trivet stand. Then place the idli pan on the trivet. Cover with a lid loose enough to let the steam pass or with a vent. Steam for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Steaming in a pressure cooker: Heat 2.5 cups water in a 5 or 6 litre pressure cooker. Place the pressure cooker grid plate inside the water before heating it or a small trivet. Keep the idli pan. Remove the vent weight (whistle) from the lid. Seal the pressure cooker with its lid. Steam for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Steaming in Instant Pot: Add 2 to 2.5 cups water in the steel insert of a 6 quart IP. Place a small trivet in the water. Using the sauté option bring the water to a boil. Press cancel. Place the idli plates. Cover with the IP lid and keep the sealing position to vent (so that the steam is released from the vent during the entire process of steaming). Press the steam button on high and set the time to 10 minutes. Use a stop watch to check the time.
- Note that the approximate nutrition info is for 1 rava idli.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Rava Idli recipe from the archives first published in November 2013 has been updated and republished on February 2023.
Amazing..! Trying this recipe today!
Hope you like it.
Hi, is it possible to make this without yoghurt? I’m avoiding dairy completely and looking for alternatives.?
Yes, you can add 2 tablespoon of lemon juice to the batter and the same amount of eno or baking soda as mentioned in the recipe. You may need to add a few tablespoons more water if skipping yogurt.
Delicious, soft fluffy rava idli. Must try recipe.
Dassana Mam Can I steam the idli by making simple batter of rava and yoghurt(curd)?It means that can I skip mustard,cumin and all veggies?It means that can I skip this frying method?
Yes, you can do that. Generally the mustard, cumin and veggies etc add a lot of flavor, but you can make a simple version with just rava, curd and eno or baking soda. So you can skip the frying part.
Totally loved the idlis made by following your recipe. It was a great breakfast for us. Thank you!
Thanks for the lovely feedback and the rating as well. Glad to know. Welcome.
Thank u for the superb recipe mam
welcome shalini and thanks for this super feedback on rava idli.
Very nice recipe
I will try
Excellent recipe. Easy to follow. Steps very clear. Made my family very happy to eat fresh unfermented breakfast.
Love your karma tip 🙂
thanks a lot rukshna. glad to know. happy cooking.
Nice recipe. I tried it
thanks.
Good
Hello madam
First of all a big thank you for being a great reference point for people who are trying to find their way in the world of cooking.
I have tried so many of your recipes and I never came here to thank you when it all went well!!! Today I am here to seek your inputs to get better in the art of cooking.
I tried this recipe and the rava idli came out hard. I saw the photos on your post here and the rava idli I made did not look so different.
I guess that I did not add enough water but I am not so sure as cooking does not come naturally to me. Invariably I try to follow the recipe to the minutest of details and usually the results are excellent. There are always exceptions ….
If you can provide some inputs I would be so very grateful.
Thanks once again
thank you joseph for this detailed comment. the texture has become hard due to less water in the batter and your guess is correct. you can easily add about ½ cup water depending on the quality of rava and the consistency of curd. if the curd is thick, then more water will be required.
i will update this rava idli post with better pictures and make it more detailed in some time. the batter has to have a medium consistency. for a soft texture, 1 teaspoon of eno or ¼ teaspoon of baking soda can also be added. hope this helps.
welcome and happy cooking.
Hello
I tried your recipe but mine were breaking
While taking it out from the mould .
I used eno
I had taken them out after cooling
Please suggest
did you add more eno. adding more eno can make the texture crumbly. breaking could also be due to more water in the batter, but in the case the rava idli would be sticky too. hope this helps.
Medam plz tell ur app info…in google play store
we do not any app for now.
In microwave how much time is given for rava idli
will take approx 3 mins for mini rava idli and approx 5 mins for medium-sized rava idli. but do keep a check. otherwise idli can become hard.
Thank you dassana. You have become a household name in India. Hope to see a cookbook or two from you soon. I would order a signed copy. I visit your website during happy days to bake a cake, surprise my kids with something out of the box. I visit your website on the sad days just to let go off the tension and cook something relaxing and beautiful. And it’s on those days I say a prayer for you and click on all the ads on your website hoping to give back something to you who so selflessly gives out to all who visit this site. You are shaping a whole new generation of good cooks. God bless your work.
i am so touched by reading your comment sudha. it almost brought tears to my eyes. hopefully, i do plan to work on a cookbook this year. let me see if i can manage. also there is no need to click on all the ads. trust me your love and prayers will bring more peace and prosperity in my life. wish you all the best.
Hi Dassana,
It’s very rare that I go wrong with dishes made fallowing your recipes.Today I made rava idli with onion tomato chutney and both came out excellent! Thank you for such good work.You are a saviour when it comes to veg recipes 🙂
Hi Dassana, this is Sara hope you are in a good state, Let me tell you, your recipes are amazing, you explain it in a very easy way, you make it so easy for us to understand the best part is that you show in pictures step by step which no other person does.. Thanks alot for sharing your amazing delicious recipes. I love Veg Recipes of India 🙂
yes i am good sara. hope the same for you. thanks for the sharing your views on the presentation of the recipes. i am glad that you are liking the recipes. stay blessed and happy cooking.
Hi Mam,
This blog is so insipring. Can we totally avoid soda in this receipe please? What’s the impact? Pls let us know
thanks. you can skip soda. but the texture won’t be fluffy and light. they will be soft but with a slight denseness in them.
These rava idlis turned out great. I tripled the recipe and added just 1/4 tsp baking soda to the tripled recipe. The rava idlis fluffed up nicely. My husband and kids loved these soft and yummy rava idlis and kids wanted to packed it in their school lunch box too. Next time, I plan to add grated carrots and other veggies.
The rava idlis I had tried to make in the past have never come out well and even the ones I have eaten outside were not to my taste. I would never have tried to make rava idlis if not for the fact that all recipes I have tried from your site have turned out so good. After using many recipes from your site, I have started to like so many dishes which I didn’t use to like earlier. And that has made me more adventurous in cooking and trying dishes which I had an aversion too.
You really have magic in your fingertips to bring forth the best with ingredients. Keep up the great work.
thanks deepa for this detailed comment. this recipe can be easily doubled or tripled. of course you can add some grated veggies. it tastes very good with some grated carrots, capsicum and peas.
usually whenever we have a dislike for some dish, its because we have not got the correct taste and flavor of that particular dish. had we eaten the dish the way it is made, one would not have a dislike or aversion. i knew someone who had an aversion to thai curries. but when i made it, he really liked it and said it was different than what he had eaten. if the recipe is made correctly and rightly with the correct method and technique, then the aversion or dislike won’t be there as you will get to have the authentic and real taste of the dish.
its the blessings of the goddess that gives the magic and helps me to create good recipes.
Thank you very much for the recipe. The idlis came out very well. I took a short cut by roasting rava along with the tempering. Thank you once again.
Welcome Rohini. Nice to know this.
Very soft and deliscious idlis. Thank you for sharing your recipe. I made it in the microwave and apart from it being very slightly crumbly, it was perfect.
Welcome Shruti. Glad to know this. Thanks for your positive feedback on rava idli.
Thank you for this recipe… The rava idlis came out really well.. One of those rare days when my son completed his tiffin and also told me he liked it… made my day!!! 🙂
welcome priya. nice to know that your son liked the idlis. thanks for sharing.
Hello, simple recipe, the rava idlis came out well! I added 1/4 tsp baking soda to the batter.
Thanks Binu. Good to know this.
tried this and it came out awesome !
I didn’t expect this much of softness with an instant idly not to forget that too with sooji coz my oats instant idly with cracked wheat always turns out awesome but when I substitute cracked wheat with sooji NOPE ..
Thanks for the wonderful recipe
Welcome Shobana. Rava Idli turns out soft, if made properly. Glad to know that you liked this idli recipe.
Very Excellent recepie rava idli
Thanks Rambabu
Hi Dassana,
How are you?. Wanted to ask that is it fine to add eno/baking soda when making this rava idli for 4 yr and 1.5 year old kids . I had sooji at home so got interested to make this idli but when I saw eno…i stopped there itself and didn’t go ahead with the recipe coz there’s no point in going through it if its not useful for kids…btw…why do we add eno?
teena, i am good. eno or baking soda is added to give some porousness, lightness and softness in the idlis. otherwise the idlis become dense and slightly hard. since i have made rava idlis without adding eno or baking soda, i know how the texture is. since the batter is not fermented overnight there is no leavening happening in it. for the leavening action to happen eno or baking soda is used. if eno is your concern, then you can still skip it but the idlis will have some denseness in them.
Hi Dassana,
Last night I Just kept the mixture ready… Morning I added curd and followed ur
instructions.
Rava idli turned out super delicious… Thanks for the recipe… I made tomato chutney and peanut chutney too..
Appreciate your effort.
Thanks
Welcome Vidya. Glad to know that you liked the rava idli recipe and they came out super delicious.
Hi dasanna
Pls help my idly dint turn soft wat could have gone wrong
dipica, could be due two reasons. one is less water in the batter and second reason is baking soda/eno not fresh. you can also try increasing the baking soda than what is mentioned in the recipe. hope this helps.
I loved your recipe for instant rawa idli. I often make them in breakfast. They turn out really well as they are soft and fluffy. Thank you for this time saver and delicious idea.
Welcome Aarti. Thanks for your positive feedback.
Hi
This post comes really late but I cant thank you enough for your recipes .I have been using your site past 4-5 yrs probably more after my marriage because I get bored with routine food very soon and like making experiments,everytime I do a google search and there your website comes up in the list first .Whatsoever be the reason my food with your recipes have always turned out good.I follow your post dedicatedly with respect to measurements too.Its so much fun cooking and knowing that it wont fail because your recipes are always tried and tested ones .Even my yesterday s attempt at Rava Idli came out tasty and my hubby who said I dont want to eat Rava Idli , ate it admiring it that its so nice and soft.
Thanks Once Again and Keep your recipes coming.
Welcome Supriya. Thanks for sharing this awesome feedback. Glad to know that recipes are helping you in cooking.
You are doing an absolutely fantastic job at guiding all curious cooks Dassana Amit. All your recipes are easy to follow and explained in the most simplified manner even for amateur cooks. Keep up the great job.
Thanks Betty for your kind words and positive feedback. Loved reading your comment.
Idlis turned out very nice
Thanks Sweta
Hi Dassana,
Can this recipe be made without soda?
Sweta, without soda, the rava idli will not have soft and light texture. you can use Eno instead of soda.
Awesome recipe. Very easy to make. My idlis turned out very well. I did not add Baking soda. But the taste was absolutely wonderful. Thanks for the recipe.
Welcome Sowmya. Glad to know that rava idli came out well.
Hello dassana! I am grateful to you, so many times, I used to be helpless if any food item my hubby or son ask me to preparei used to feel hectic sometim in the past. When I came across this URL vegrecepicesofindia, after that everything changed. I got new ideas, tips. I started to love cooking, even my son say” amma prepare Google breakfast”. I am very happy, all the recipe I try from you lists comes out well.. thanks a lot
Welcome Nirmala. Thanks for your positive feedback and kind words. I am glad to know that website is helping you. happy cooking.
Hii ! I am your new fan 🙂 🙂
I have just downloaded VROI app. And I want to add some of the articles to my favourite list, but that is not happening. I darken the star button on the upper right corner for my fav recipes but again am unable to locate them. Plzz help 🙁
Thank Kkg for your kind words. The app is not very stable. I would suggest you to use the website which is much better.
Hey dassana, I prepared these idlis today for breakfast and they have became so tasty. The best part of these recipe is there is no longer fermentation required. I really appreciate your work and every recipe. Trust me, everyday Firstly I go through your app and start cooking. I am inspired by you and have started my own blog also. A lot of thanks to you.
welcome snehal. glad to know that you like the recipes. i wish you all the best for your blog.
Thank you for the prompt response, Dassana. I use a lot of your recipes and must say food is so yummy following your directions. My hubby has been advised not to have any fermented food or foods with tomato due to certain medical reasons at the moment. Have been trying to look up some recipes. Do you have any North Indian veggies/curries in mind?
welcome rachita. there are many north indian curries and sabzis i have posted.
Hello!
Can I make these idlis with buttermilk instead of curd? Will that make the batter too thin?
Rachita, if using buttermilk then add less or as required to give a medium thick batter consistency.
Idli did not rise after cooking. I used eno and kept for 20 mins.
What can be the reason?
Rutu, as soon as you mix eno, you have to steam the idlis. if you keep the batter for long then the idlis will not become fluffy.
Can i keep the batter in the fridge overnight n make idlis next morning?
Rutu, yes you can. but add eno or baking soda just before steaming idlis.
Hi made the instant rava idlis and they turned out beautiful. They went down a treat. Thank you
Welcome Shanta. Glad to know this.
Can I use idli rava ? Or uppittu rava ? Do we have to roast whichever rava we will be using?
deepthi, do not use idli rava. use uppittu rava. use rava which is meant for for making upma (upittu) and kesari. yes roast the rava.
Nyc recepies ……I love it soo much
thanks shiksha
I love this recipe and make it a lot. I add grated Carrots to the recipe to make them a little more healthy. I recently blogged about it and linked your blog to it thank you for your wonderful recipe. Love your blog.
Justagirlfromaamchimumbai.com
thank you bhavna. grated carrots are a nice addition. in fact any grated veggies can be added to make the rava idlis more nutritious. thanks again.
it tastes awesome dassana..I always used to depend on instant rava idli mix like ashirvad..believe me your recipe tastes better than instant mix…thanks for sharing one of the best breakfast recipe of karnataka..even I prepared karnata style kesari bath shared by you..waiting to see Karnataka temple style puliyogare soon..please do consider my request
thank you shree. homemade rava idli always tastes good. i also plan to add mtr style rava idli. and also i will add the temple style puliyogare after diwali.
Thank you sooo much dassana!!
It is very difficult for a person (who does not know how to cook) like me, to come up with such a yummy dish. Initially, I was very hesitant to try out rava idli. I was secretly hoping that it should not turn out into upma. But then I followed each n every step obediently and the miracle happened!! You are my secret! My mother in law is still wondering where I learnt it from. The dish turned out soo good that I have included it in my morning breakfast menu. You made my day! Wanted to upload the picture but couldn’t find the option. Anyways, keep up the great work sweetness. May God bless you!
Regards,
Rucha
thank you much rucha. nice to read your comment. no need to tell your mom in law where you learnt the recipe from 🙂
there is no option of uploading a picture right now. but in the future we may add this option.
also thanks for your kind wishes.
Thanks!
Pls. tell me with this one cup how many idlis can be made approx and is it ok if we rest the batter for more time say 3 to 4 hours will this affect the taste…thanks…
the recipe yields around 10 to 12 rava idlis. you can keep the batter for some more time. no problem. but add eno or baking soda just before steaming the rava idlis.
Thanks a lot for this recipe.., I could never make this soft idles. Everyone loves them. Very clear explanation . Cooking simplified. We are fond of South Indian food . But I am not perfect. Also tried ur khaman dhokla recipe. It came out awesome. 🙂
welcome reetika. nice to know. if you try some south indian recipes often, you will become perfect in preparing them. they are not difficult. in fact i find south indian recipes more easy to prepare, then north indian ones.
A big shout out to you, Dassana Amit! Your recipes are just too easy to follow! Great job!
God bless you! 🙂
thanks a lot kriti.
Awesome reciepe turned yummy
thansk firdos for positive views.
Can baking powder b used instead of baking soda or fruit salt?
baking powder cannot be substituted with baking soda or fruit salt. too much needs to be added and the bitter taste of baking powder will be felt in the recipe.
Amazing rawa idli!! Whole family loved it. Thanks.
thanks for the feedback geeta.
Hi
That’s a quick breakfast to lean on.Could you please tell me if we could prepare the batter a day before and store in the fridge.Will there be any changes in texture
you can store in the fridge for a day. add eno or soda just before making the rava idlis. the consistency of the batter can thicken, so you can add a few tablespoons of water and mix well, before preparing the rava idlis.
hi,
any way to skip baking soda or fruit salt ? i tried about thrice making it without either the soda or the salt – the rava idlis tasted nice but were kind of hard in texture and not fluffy at all. any solutions for this please ?
TIA.
sushma, they will be dense in texture without baking soda or fruit salt. there is no alternative. at the most you can add drinking soda.
I totally love @vegrecipesofindia.
The recipes are so simple to try.
Also i have started to like cooking just because of you ?
thats nice to know shibi and thanks a lot 🙂
Thanks
welcome puja.
Hello mam, I am fond of ur site. Whenever I m in delima about how to make a new recipe, I always trust ur method. It’s easy to understand and gives me hidden tips of making a particular recipe. Really, I am very grateful for ur guidance. Keep it as such please.-Seema Janve, Sirohi,Raj.
thanks a lot seema. wish you a happy new year 2015.
Thank u so much for the recipe… Its just awesome dear…my hubby liked rava idlis too much….now for my relatives I’m preparing them 🙂
pleased to know this vrushali 🙂 thankyou for your kind words and god bless you.
your recipes are very useful
the photos of preparation make easy to understand the recipe quickly
thank you………………
thankyou haritha for your positive words 🙂
The idly was awesome, Thanks!
thankyou and you are welcome meenakshi 🙂
I used to buy MTR brand rava idli mix. But decided to make at home this time and I came to see your recipe. I am making it first time. Looks very easy and tasty. Thank you.
surely try ashmi 🙂 and let us know how they were? you are welcome.
What type of rava has used for ravaidli
fine rava.
Can you please post kodubale recipe. .
shaima have added your request in our list thanks.
thanks I am planning to make one by one to all the recipes soon and thanks again it is very good for a diabetes person like me because not with rice.
Welcome Dr San
Excellent
thanks vijayalakshmi
Followed the receipe and made the rava idlis. thanks, Dassana. But unfortunately, the texture was hard. What might have gone wrong? I have not added the soda.. Is that the cause?
yes. soda is required. without the baking soda, the texture will not be soft.
Hiii…dassana..
Thank u so much for a great recipe..i loved it and i made rava idili first time in my life and i never know that it is very easy but now off course it is with the help of ur recipe….n the picture also helps me a lot…
welcome ankita. nice to know this.
You solved one of my early morning quick breakfast problems! Thanks Dassana, the rava idlies turned out great, looking forward to more recipes under the breakfast section!
welcome priyanka. glad to know this.
Hey Dassana, The recipe was quite easy and the idlis turned out a Hit and I made tomato Onion chutney as well which was awesome too. The best thing of your blog is pictures. Keep it up. Thanks
welcome anita. glad to know this. thanks for sharing positive review on rava idli.
Hello Dassana, I am a big fan of your food blog. I tried instant rava idly following all instructions -taste was very nice but didn’t rise. What could have gone wrong?
thanks vinita for your kind words. either the water was less…. or Eno or baking soda must have expired.
I tried this n it came out well. pl.share if you have the recipe of onion n alu sagu type which they gave along with rava idly in bangalore.
thanks sandhya. good to know this. i don’t have this recipe.
Can I bake these in the oven? If so, what temp? I was thinking I could add a pan of water on the lower shelf to put more steam in the oven. Thoughts? I love your blog!
thanks julie, i will not suggest to bake in the oven.
Dear Dassana,
You know what’s the best thing about your blog? The pictures……. !!!! So clear and lovely pics make you get into the kitchen right away. I love the MTR readymade Idli mix and didn’t know if that can be replicated. So, I googled it and as always, yours recipe was the top most. As soon as opened the link and saw the first picture, I said, “Aaha, that’s exactly what I was looking for.”
All of your recipes I tried were a huge success. Yesterday I made onion-tomato chutney and my husband loved it. So, thank you for being so good and sharing your skills 😀
thanks reet for sharing positive feedback on recipes. good to know that pictures helps in cooking as well as inspires to cook. glad to know this.
very easy to cook recipes
thanks perveen
Hi,
Do I need to use some particular variety of rava for idly or fine semolina is ok..?
Bhavana, fine semolina is OK. i use fine semolina only.
Very interesting recipes
thanks goorah
Hi Dassana. Thank you for a lovely website and blog. Really enjoyed reading through your writings. May I wish you and your family, a belated, Happy New Year for 2015.
Since most commentators, below, are short and terse and to the point, and since the blog space is virtually (a pun !) limitless and free, I am going to make a loong comment. I live with my wife in Cleveland, Ohio, USA and we are pretty much alone – my two kids have grown up and flown the coop and are in different cities. Any food I prepare – yes, the man of the house does all the cooking in our house – so any food I prepare last for days and days until we get sick of the same- the- same, and throw it out. Bad behavior, please excuse.
Anyway, we are still recovering from our post holiday blues, and yesterday, Friday, we normally order out for pizza, but we were tired of pizza, so I decided to make some mung dal/Urad dal dosas – the jhat-pat kind. About a cup of Urad dal and Mung Dal, soaked and ground. For quick fermentation I use half cup of soaked Poha ( beaten cooked rice) and/or qtr, cup cooked rice PLUS I add five seeds of fenugreek (methi seeds) and two slices of cut up sourdough bread, one teaspoon of dry yeast, qtr. teaspoon of sugar ( to feed the bacteria – ! ) and a tablespoon of beer – which has a lot of bacteria. Since I don’t normally drink beer or liquor, this means ‘borrowing’ from my next house neighbor. ( ;-D) ) Anyway, I grind up everything and the resultant devil’s brew can be made into anything – even dosas. ;-D)
However, last night’s dosas were a disaster – and my wife had the temerity to accuse me of try to poison her !!! So, this morning I came to your website and I tried to remedy the situation with one cup of rava roasted with cashew nuts and kaddi patta and mustard and everything else. The dough was still too thin, so I had to repeat your recipe two times !! But I finally made some urad dal/mung dal/rava and god knows what else idlis. My wife ate three and a half idlis, and is now purring like a cat – so I should be grateful to you. I also added half a bottle of beer, so the flavor was like an Appam. Maybe next time I should get my wife completely intoxicated before I try out any new food on her. ha, ha LOL.
Don’t bother trying to include my recipes in your general website, you may get sued for malicious information. ( Just a joke – ! ) Good luck for the future.
thanks girish for this lovely feedback. your writing is interesting and not everyone has a good sense of humor. such comments lighten up the post and i am sure many readers will enjoy reading your thoughts. you have created new recipes and that shows your untapped genius. thanks for sharing this positive feedback.
Dasana, …. wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles ! I am truly surprised that you did not delete my post right away. I immediately rued sending you this irreverent and somewhat irrelevant article – but the blog had disappeared and I could not delete it (!) I’m so glad you decided to post it because I have always felt that one life is too short, and mild, inoffensive humor is the very spice of existence.
A short note on the use of beer and some wines in Indian and Chinese cooking. I lived for 20 years in erstwhile Bombay, about 40 years ago – so I know that most indian people don’t drink beer or wine as a matter of religion ( especially, muslims etc.) or as a matter of culture, habit or cost. First of all, the alchohol in liquor is very volatile and evaporates very quickly, so no alchohol remains in the final cooked dish. Only some flavor remains, and of course it is highly fermented.
Secondly, beer has only 5%, 3% or even 0% achohol and even port wine (which has been distilled – ) has17% alch. – if you add it to dosas or idlis then there is no alchohol in the final product. It all flies away and evaporates. Nobody is going to get drunk (!) However beer and especially port wine add their own unique flavors, from the sediments likes lees, which are indescribable. After all, what is the process of fermentation but the creation of alchohol and carbon dioxide by bacteria ? If however, your readers are averse to using any beer, it is perfectly optional and can be omitted.
I have made rava idlis using corn meal of the same grain size as regular rava. The idlis were a little yellow, and somewhat sweeter but in perfect taste. I am now going to try to make rava idlis with Moriyo – Vrat Rice – since we haven’t ‘fasted’ in the last 25 years. ;-D)
With best wishes and kind regards,
girish, if you had written second comment asking to delete both of them then i would have done that 😉 . normally we don’t delete any comment unless it is rude or spam or makes no sense at all. your comment was very well written and in good humor… and makes for an interesting read. thanks for sharing this info on use of beer and wine in cooking. i am aware of the alcohol getting evaporated in baking because i make rum and wine cakes at times. but i was not aware of adding it to dosa. however in goa there is a idli variety called as ‘sanna’ which is fermented with toddy. in kerala also the appams are fermented with toddy.
thanks for the wonderful recipe, my family loves rawa idli and now i know how to make one
welcome
Awesome website and off course recipe also
Just love it. Idli is my weak point
thanks manasi
I included Rava Idlies in the spl Christmas Breakfast for my family today. Though I made little variation, but the recipe has really made a super breakfast. Thanks, and keep it up. God bless.
welcome maninder. thanks for sharing your positive feedback and for your blessings.
Hi Dasaana,
I follow your blog and recipes. I haven’t commented before. But today I am making rava idli. I had to come to your blog and say Hello and thanks :).
Thanks for Delicious recipes you doing for us.
Harry
welcome harry. good to know this.
regards.
dassana
This is the third or fourth time I am making rava idlys. Everytime it used to turn out hard and it was quite disappointing. This time I followed your exact instructions and changed the brand of soda….the idlys were soft and yummy…..it reminded us of Kamath restaurant idlys in Bangalore….my hubby was delighted!!
thanks for the feedback. if the soda is out of its shelf life then it does not work. so whenever making anything that requires addition of soda, its always better to use one which in its shelf period.
Now I can keep my wife happy..
Why no measurements? Please add .
measurements are right below after the step by step pics end.
Thank you dassana it is an amazing recipe it came out the same way as u guided we had it along with onion tomato chutney it was an awesome combination ty for sharing ur recipies and i truly adore ur blog
thanks shilpa for the feedback. welcome 🙂
As I hv less time in morning,can I prepate the mixture and keep it overnight?also plz mention if I need to store the mixture in freeze?
you can. just refrigerate. no need to freeze. but don’t add soda or eno. you add them just before you steam the rava idlis.
Awesome recipe very easy to cook.thanks.
welcome rubika
Very good recipes and thanks for the same
thanks.
Its very easy and tasty thanks for wonderful recipe.
welcome ayesha
hi Dasana,
Thanks for recipe, it has come very good:-)
welcome rakesh
hi dassana
i tried ur many recipes all came out gud, thank u
welcome sowmya
Hii…its Manu Thakur..i tried this recipe…rava idli were so tasty….i enjoyed so much ..thanks a lot…
welcome manu
Hi dassanna,
i love the way you explain the recipes..simple and easy.
I tried this recipe. Turned out well,still i have few things to ask you:
what kind of semolina you have used in this recipe( fine/small or normal/big) because i used fine/small semolina. For few minutes idlies were good..later they became little hard. Is it because of type of semolina,i have used or the time constraint. please tell me if i am using microwave to steam the idli, how much time i should give them to be prepared.
Thanks
thanks shubhi. i have used the small variety which we use to make halwa. did you keep the rava idlis in a casserole or an air tight container. if you keep them out, then they will dry out. hardness can also be due to over cooking. again, if you have microwaved the idli, then if not done correctly, they will become hard on cooling. generally, when using a microwave, remember the food cooks, even after you remove from the microwave. when i used to make rava idlis in the microwave, the mini rava idlis would be done in about 3 mins and the medium sized ones, would take about 4 mins. however, the time will vary from oven to oven. i would microwave on full power. you can cook for 2 or 2.5 minutes and then check.
Perfect pictures I like rava idli thanks
Please visit my blog when you get chance
fine 🙂
Hi Dassana
can we replace cashew nut? or is it compulsory?
no need to add cashews.
Hi Dassana,tried rava idli in pressure cooker.They came out very hard and didnt even take shape. What could gone wrong.? Pls advice. Thanks vinita
must be due to less water or the baking soda has expired. i guess it less water. the consistency is important and depending on the quality of rava, more or less water is absorbed by the rava.
Hi,Dassana.M a dr.so m always very busy.I stared cooking only 4yrs back when my Mummy passed away.Before that i never cooked.My Mummy was a very good cook,she loved cooking.i usually try to follow my Mummy’s recipes.But whenever i feel to try something new,i always try to find the recipe on your website.Now i can say that m learning cooking with vegrecipesofindia. All recipe are tested by yourself,and step by step.i have made so many dishes as per your recipes.alway i got the perfect result.Rava idli as you posted is absolutely prfect.but i confused in the batter consistency.but m sure next time i can make perfect batter.last bt not least i will say after my Mummy i am learning to cook through my sister Dassana☺☺☺
thanks asiya for commenting again. i am sorry in replying late as somehow the comment system had become messy as we had transferred the server. i am really sorry to hear about your mom. it makes me feel good that you are learning to cook and the blog recipes are helping you. and the fact that you call me sister… i appreciate it. you are most welcome to try as many recipes as you like. thanks once again.
Hi.. I want to try this recipe but I don’t have a idli maker here in South Africa so can I use a food steamer?
you can use a steamer pan and once steamed well, then slice it like a cake.
this is very good breakfast recipe for make and get less time to make. its lite to eat. I will try this recipe becouse i like Rava idli.
What a yum recipe. First time I tried making it And my five year old who hates anything non-roti at dinner time gobbled it up. My hubby was shocked I made it. Lol. Thanks for posting. Took me almost 25 min to roast rava since I was afraid to burn it and have it still be kaccha.
welcome rina. keep going and make some delicious recipes for your family.
Can u pls post peanut chutney recipe?
peanut chutney is already on the blog. you can search in the google search tab right on the top.
Wonderfully and patiently explained recipe! Tried this for dinner and they came out awesome!! Family loved them. Thank you so much for this step by step explanation.
welcome shamala and thanks for the positive feedback.
This recepie is really yummy ….my husband enjoyed it a lot….thanks a ton!!!
welcome garima
Brilliant, this is soooo good. Thanks.
welcome jean
Hai dassanna
U r reciepes are just awesome..I have one doubt the eno salt which u have mentioned is this the same one which is used as antacid. .being from south I do have suggestion..we generally make rava idli by soaking rava in curd for about 5 to 6 hours which gives a good taste
hi raji, its the same eno that we use as antacid. thanks for the suggestion. i will try making rava idli next time by soaking in curd. am sure the taste would be good.
I noticed that your Rava Idli recipe has yoghurt in it. It is the same as curds. Is it not? I’m a bit confused when you replied to Raji saying that you’d soak the rava in curds next time as she has suggested! Did I miss something?
Keep up your good work! I enjoyed following your recipes and making wonderful dishes. Thank you!
It is curd. I do write yogurt since many of the blog’s western readers are familiar with the word yogurt instead of curd. In India both curd and yogurt words are used interchangeably. But abroad both are different.
great
i love your blog a lot.
your recipes are awesome 🙂
thanks priti