Alma Bax 
The idli is a popular South Indian breakfast staple. It is made of fermented rice batter, and is the most popular breakfast in South India. To make an idli, the batter is fermented for 12-24 hours. For idli sooji (also called idli rava ), the batter is fermented for a day before cooking. The batter is then cooked like a dosa, but with the addition of the sooji (a kind of whole-grain semolina).
The idli. It’s a sweet-and-sour snack that is as much part of Indian culture as the kite-flying festival, cricket matches and Bollywood movies. Its origins are debated, but one thing is certain—these savoury cakes can be found all over South Asia, and they even have their own name in many Indian languages.
Every Indian household is a member of the idli-pav Bhajiya family. And that is the only family that makes idli and vada (unleavened bread) every morning as a part of their daily routine. But not every Indian household is a member of the idli-pav Bhajiya family. And if you are not a member of the idli-pav Bhajiya family, idlis and vadas, despite coming from the same family, might not come as naturally to you as they do to your ma, who makes them every morning.
Idli is a morning dish from South India. One of my all-time favorite dishes is idli. Idli may be eaten as a tiffin or as a snack. Idli rava (or idli sooji) may be used to make idlis. It’s simple to prepare and ground in a blender. It’s supple and silky.
It is suitable for consumption at any time. It’s often accompanied with sambar (lentil/dal) and chutney. But tangy fish curry, egg curry, egg korma or chicken korma, kara kuzhambu are my favorites (tangy and spicy curry). Even the idli podi may be eaten with idlis.
Idli is prepared using a paste made from idli rice and urad dal. Idli rava (or sooji) may be substituted for idli rice. When we use rice or rice rava, however, the ratio changes. Idli rava is used at my grandmother’s home, and the proportion is 2:1 (idli rava:urad dal), with a quarter cup of cooked rice added during the grinding process. Before creating idlies, add soda to the batter when it’s ready. My mother, on the other hand, does not use soda. While grinding, you may also add a few methi seeds. It is simple for those who do not have access to a grinder. Only urad dal has to be pounded, and unlike rice, it grinds readily. This rava-based idli is soft and delicious, as well as simple to prepare.
Ingredients
- rava idli 2 cups soaking in water overnight or for 4 to 6 hours in the morning
- 3/4 cup or 1 cup urad dal (whole) steeped in water for 6 hours in the morning or overnight
- Rice flakes (poha) 1/2 cup rice, washed and soaked in water for 1/2 hour OR 1/2 cup cooked rice
- Add salt as needed.
- 3/4 teaspoon methi seeds (optional)
- 170 ml to 200 ml water
Method
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- Idli rava and urad dal should be washed and soaked in water for 4 to 6 hours.
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- Remove the water from the urad dal and save it for grinding. It will aid in the fermenting process.
- In a food processor, combine urad dal and cooked rice to make a paste. Pour in enough water to make a paste.
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- If desired, grind the idli rava to a fine pulp or just combine it with the urad dal paste as is. Squeeze the water out of the idli rava and place it in a basin before combining it with the urad dal paste. That water may also be used to crush urad dal paste.
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- After grinding both, combine them in a large mixing bowl, season with salt, and stir thoroughly. There should be no lumps at all. Half of the bowl should be filled, leaving some room on top. This is for post-fermentation volume increase. It has the ability to rise to the top of the bowl, as seen in the photos. Place the fermenting batter in many half-filled boxes.
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- After heating the batter for 1 1/2 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius, put it near a heater or even in the oven to speed up the fermentation process. Ideally, it should be kept in a warm environment (as in the UK or other countries where the climate is cold, its difficult to ferment). The batter may even be kept near the boiler.
- By keeping it in a warm location over night, it should be fermented by morning.
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- After the fermentations, stir the batter gently to avoid losing volume. In idli plates, pour the batter and steam it. This will take between 8 and 10 minutes.
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- You may use a stick or a knife to see whether it’s done. It is raw if the batter clings to it. If the idlis are cooked, the knife or stick should easily and cleanly come out.
- When it’s done, let it aside for approximately 5 minutes before removing the idlis using a larger spoon.
- The rest of the batter may be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- With korma, sambar, chutney, or idli podi, serve the idlis.
- This batter may be used to make dosa, however it will result in a thick dosa when cooked. With this batter, we won’t be able to create thin dosas.
Notes
- I seldom crush idli rava because I like a gritty texture in my idlis.
- It’s important that the batter isn’t too thick or too thin. It should have the consistency of condensed milk or custard.
- It will be extremely light and fluffy as it ferments, with a lot of air in it. If you overmix the batter, the airy bubbles will pop, and you won’t be able to make lovely soft idlis.
- You may utilize the soaking water to add to the grinding process.
- Cooked batter does not cling to your hands as raw batter does.
- I also use methi seeds from time to time to provide a wonderful flavor. Simply add 1 teaspoon of methi seeds and soak them in the urad dal.
- The idlis will come out easily after they have been cooked if you lubricate the idli plates with oil. Simply drizzle a drop of oil over the idli dish with your fingertips, then pour in the batter and steam.
- Some folks add soda, but I stay away from it. It is added half an hour before the end of the cooking time.
- Allow the urad dal to ground in a mixer for a few minutes until the mixer becomes hot. If you don’t have a grinder, grind the urad dal well in a mixer.
- Some people soak idli rava for just one hour, but I usually soak it for four to six hours, or even overnight.
Idli is a popular South Indian breakfast dish, and I’ve been making it every morning for years. It is made by making a batter of wheat flour, water, and sometimes yogurt or coconut milk. The batter is then poured into a cooking vessel, usually a stainless steel perforated idly pan. When the batter is poured into the pan, the batter is immediately cooked by steaming. The cooking is then stopped by placing a cloth over the top of the pan.. Read more about rava idli recipe without curd and let us know what you think.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is idli sooji and idli Rava same?
Yes, they are the same.
Is rava and idli Rava same?
No, they are not the same.
Which is better rice idli or Suji idli?
Suji idli is a type of savory Indian crepe made from rice and lentils. It is often served with chutneys or sambar. Rice idli is a type of South Indian dosa, which is made from rice and black gram lentil batter.
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