Rava Idli Recipe (Restaurant Style)

Method11 steps · about 1 hr 4 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Split 4 whole cashews into 8 halves. Heat 2 tbsp ghee, fry these garnish halves until light golden, and remove to a plate. Keep the remaining ghee in the pan.

   Uses 2 tablespoon ghee · 4 whole cashews, split into 8 garnish halves

2. 2

   Step 2: To the remaining pan ghee, add ½ tsp mustard seeds, ¼ tsp cumin seeds, optional 1 tbsp chopped cashews and ½ tbsp chana dal. Fry until the dal is golden. Lower the heat and add 10 curry leaves, 2 chopped green chilies and ¾ tsp ginger.

   Uses ½ teaspoon mustard seeds · ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds · ½ tablespoon chana dal (/bengal gram) · 10 curry leaves · 2 green chilies (chopped (skip if making for kids)) · ¾ teaspoon ginger (grated or paste) · same measured ghee remaining after frying the cashews; quantity used for tempering is unmeasured · 1 tablespoon chopped cashews for the tempering

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Stir the aromatics for about 30 seconds, add the semolina (1 cup) and roast over low to medium heat until crunchy and aromatic, about 5 minutes. Cool completely.

   Uses Mustard, cumin, dal, cashews, curry leaves, chilies and ginger cooked in the same pan · 1 cup semolina (bombay rava/ suji/ chiroti rava)

   
4. 4

   Step 4: After cooling, add salt (⅓ teaspoon) and coriander. Choose either ¾ cup runny curd OR ½ cup thick/Greek yogurt diluted with its separate ¼ cup water. Add the separately listed ½ cup batter water, mix and rest for 30 minutes.

   Rest batter · 30 minUses Semolina roasted with the aromatics and cooled completely · ⅓ teaspoon sea salt (or use as needed) · 2 to 3 tablespoon coriander leaves (chopped finely) · ¾ cup runny curd, OR omit for the separate thick-yogurt route · ½ cup thick/Greek yogurt, only as an alternative to runny curd · ¼ cup to dilute the thick/Greek yogurt; separate from the ½ cup batter-soaking water · ½ cup initial batter water, separate from thick-yogurt dilution water

   
5. 5

   Step 5: During the last 5 minutes of the batter rest, grease 8 idli moulds with 1 tsp oil. Put one reserved fried cashew half into each mould and sprinkle with optional grated carrot (1 teaspoon).

   Uses Cooled rava batter after mixing with yogurt, salt, herbs and batter water · 1 teaspoon oil (to grease idli plates) · 1 teaspoon carrot ( grated optional) · 8 split halves from the 4 whole cashews fried in step 1

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a regular steamer, or 1½ cups in the Instant Pot using Sauté. Check the rested batter and add only 1–2 tbsp extra batter water if it is too thick.

   Uses Same resting batter; adjust with only 1–2 tbsp water if too thick · 2 cups regular-steamer water; use 1½ cups instead for the Instant Pot · only 1–2 tablespoons extra if the batter needs thinning; separate from the initial ½ cup · 1½ cups water for Instant Pot steaming; instead of regular-steamer water

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Keep the batter thick enough to drop from a spoon, not pour. Choose one leavening route: stir in lemon juice (1 tsp) and ¼ teaspoon baking soda, or use 1 teaspoon Eno and omit lemon juice.

   Uses Same rested batter at thick dropping consistency · 1 tsp lemon juice, only for baking-soda route · 1 tsp Eno, only instead of lemon plus baking soda · ¼ tsp baking soda with lemon juice, only instead of Eno

   
8. 8

   Step 8: Gently mix once and divide the same batter among eight prepared moulds without overmixing.

   Uses Batter with the selected acid and one raising agent

   
9. 9

   Step 9: Place the filled idli stand over the boiling steaming water. In a regular steamer, cover and steam over high heat for 10 minutes. In the Instant Pot, cancel Sauté, close the lid with the valve in VENTING, select STEAM and time 11–12 minutes separately; leave the vent open throughout. Check that a tester inserted into an idli comes out clean.

   Steam rava idlis · 10 minUses Eight portions of batter in greased moulds · same single selected steaming-water stock brought to a boil in step 6

10. 10

    Step 10: Cool the steamed idlis for 3–4 minutes, then demould them with a wet spoon.

    Uses Eight idlis steamed until a tester comes out clean

11. 11

    Step 11: Serve the idlis warm. Ready coconut chutney or potato sagu are optional accompaniments.

    Uses Same idlis after a 3–4 minute cooling rest