rava idli recipe with step by step photos – one quick, easy and instant idli recipe which was missing on my space. being an idli and dosa lover, i never say no to the different idli varieties out there.
rava idli gets made at home when we want some quick and easy idlis. so i make the idli batter within some minutes and when the idli is steaming i prepare the coconut chutney.
to make rava idli, no grinding and fermenting is required. the idlis are made with rava which is also known as sooji or fine semolina (cream of wheat). this is my version of making instant rava idli. i have not added any grated vegetables or boiled peas in the idlis. if you want you can easily add them. just boil the peas beforehand and also keep ready the grated veggies.
you can use both fresh or sour curd to make the idli. this recipe of rava idli is different from the idli made with rice rava. whereas this one use wheat rava or cream of wheat. the other one uses rice rava or cream of rice.
rava idli goes well with coconut chutney and vegetable sambar. i had served the idli with coconut curry leaves chutney.
if you are looking for more breakfast recipes then do check:
- rava dosa
- ragi idli
- rava upma
- besan chilla
- pongal recipe
- collection of 37 dosa varieties
- collection of 35 paratha recipes
rava idli recipe
ingredients (1 cup = 250 ml)
ingredients for rava idli
- 1 cup rava (sooji or semolina or cream of wheat)
- ½ cup dahi - fresh or sour (yogurt or dahi)
- 1 generous pinch baking soda * check notes
- 2.5 to 3 tablespoon water or more - add accordingly and as required to get a medium consistency batter - which is neither thick nor thin.
- 1 green chili, chopped (hari mirch)
- ½ inch ginger, finely chopped (adrak)
- 10 to 12 cashews, chopped (kaju)
- 2 to 3 teaspoons ghee or oil for roasting the rava
- 1 teaspoon oil for frying the cashews
- salt as required
for tempering rava idli
- 1 to 2 teaspoon oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds (rai)
- 1 teaspoon chana dal (split and husked bengal gram)
- 10 to 12 curry leaves, chopped (kadi patta)
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
how to make rava idli recipe
roasting rava to make rava idli
heat 2 tsp ghee or oil in a pan.
add the rava (sooji) and roast in the ghee or oil till they become aromatic and change color.
keep on stirring often when roasting them.
remove the roasted rava in a mixing bowl and keep aside.
making tempering for rava idli
- in the same pan, heat 1 tsp oil again and fry the cashews in the ghee.
- remove and add the fried cashews to the rava in the mixing bowl.
- in the same pan, add 1 tsp oil more and heat it.
- splutter mustard seeds. then add chana dal, curry leaves & asafoetida. fry till the chana dal become golden.
making rava idli batter
then add this whole mixture to the roasted rava.
add curd (yogurt) along with chopped ginger, green chilies and salt.
- add water as required and make a batter which is neither thin nor thick.
keep aside covered for 20-30 minutes.
after 20-30 minutes, if the batter looks thick, then add a few tablespoons of water to get a medium consistency. rava absorbs water and so the batter might thicken after 20 to 30 minutes.
steaming rava idli
- heat water in a steamer, electric cooker or pressure cooker.
- just before steaming, add baking soda in the batter and mix well.
- pour the rava idli batter in greased idli moulds.
place the idli stand in the electric cooker, steamer or pressure cooker.
steam the rava idli for 10 to 12 minutes or more till a tooth pick inserted in the idlis come out clean.
remove the rava idli from the mould and serve the steaming hot rava idli with idli podi or with your favorite coconut chutney and sambar.
recipe notes
- you can easily add upto ¼ tsp of baking soda. since i don't like the soapy aroma of baking soda, i have added a generous pinch.
- you can also add eno or fruit salt in place of baking soda. add ½ to ¾ teaspoon of eno or fruit salt.
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how to make rava idli
1. heat 2 to 3 tsp oil or ghee in a pan. add 1 cup rava/sooji and roast till they become aromatic and change color. keep on stirring often when roasting them. remove the roasted rava in a mixing bowl and keep aside.
2. in the same pan, heat 1 tsp oil and fry 10-12 cashews till light golden. remove and add the fried cashews to the rava in the mixing bowl.
3. in the same pan, add 1 tsp oil more and heat it. crackle 1 tsp mustard seeds. then add 1 tsp chana dal, 10-12 curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida. fry till the chana dal become golden.
4. add this whole mixture to the roasted rava along. add ½ cup curd/yogurt & salt along with ½ inch chopped ginger and 1 chopped green chili.
5: add water as required and make a batter which is neither thick nor thin in consistency. keep aside covered for 20-30 mins. after 20-30 minutes, if the rava idli batter looks thick, then add a few tablespoons of water to get a medium consistency. rava absorbs water and so the batter might thicken after 20 to 30 minutes.
steaming rava idli
6. just before steaming, add a pinch of baking soda in the batter and mix well. you can also add ½ to ¾ tsp eno/fruit salt in place of baking soda. pour the rava idli batter in greased idli moulds. i do not prefer the soapy smell of baking soda, hence i have added a pinch. you can add upto ¼ tsp of baking soda, if you are fine with it.
7. steam the rava idli in an electric cooker, steamer or pressure cooker for 10 to 12 minutes or more till a tooth pick inserted in the idlis come out clean.
8. remove the rava idli from the mould and serve the steaming hot rava idli with idli podi or with your favorite coconut chutney.
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 idlis won’t be fluffy and light. they will be soft but with a slight denseness in them.
These idlis turned out great. I tripled the recipe and added just 1/4 tsp baking soda to the tripled recipe. The idlis fluffed up nicely. My husband and kids loved these soft and yummy 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 🙂