Idli Recipe using Idli Rava - How to make idli with idli rava

Idli using Idli rava recipe – A huge pack of Idli rava was sleeping in my pantry.., guess it might be the same with many of you too. I couldn’t think of anything productive other than turning them to Hotel Idlis. Well, home made idlis with regular idli rice are whiter, spongy and soft. Whereas these Rava idlis…when steamed turn out to be pale white, bulgy and spongy. They turn out to be like the ones which we get in restaurants. Mostly these are kind of staple in many telugu households but to us or atleast me they remind me of hotel idlis.

Some recipes to try..

You don’t even need a grinder, a good heavy duty mixer should do the work for you. Exact measures will help u yield the best results, just blindly follow the steps and then reward yourself with a plate full of idlis with piping hot sambar over it.

Ingredients
2 cups	Idli rava
1/2 cup	Urad dal (whole)
2 teaspoon	Salt (preferably kosher)
½ teaspoon	Fenugreek seeds
2 cups	Water (for soaking rava)
1½ cup	Water (for grinding urad dal)

Lets see how to make this idli using idli rava…

You must plan ahead if you want to make these idlis. So, say if you want to have idlis for Saturday breakfast, then start on a thursday night. Soak 1/2 cup of urad dal with fenugreek seeds in enough water. Let it soak overnight.

The next day wash the urad dal and grind it in a grinder or mixie to a silky smooth consistency. When grinding urad dal, drain all water and let it run for 5 minutes then start adding water slowly inorder to make it run. On the whole you need about 1 to 1 1/2 cup water, do not add more. Let the grinder run for 15 minutes, it should reach the right conisitency by then. The batter should be fluffy 😆 and when you drop a sample over water… it should float!

Meanwhile lets work on the rava. Most Indian stores have these starting from 2 pounds. Take exactly two cups of idli rava in deep bowl.

Now warm up 2 cups of water in microwave or over the stove. Do not boil.. just warm it and mix 2 tsp of kosher salt.

Why Kosher salt ? This is pure iodine free salt and works well with fermentation. Not a must but recommended. Ok ok, I can see you scratching your head, never mind.. plain salt will also work.

Now add this salt water to the 2 cups of rava. Let it soak for 1/2 hour. The thirsty rava will drink up all the water and it will look like this.

Just a closer look.

Now mix the urad dal paste with this soaked rava and mix well. Fermentation takes about 8 to 9 hours. I usually keep the batter covered over the counter top until that evening.

Just before your dinner time, pre heat the oven, usually its a pre-set of 350F. Turn off your oven and place the batter covered in the oven. Use a oven safe bowl to be on the safer side. Close the oven door and go enjoy your favorite TV show. Let it ferment over night.

Saturday morning, you will end up having fermented batter which will look like this.

Slightly mix, you can add little water if its too thick. Pour them in idli plates about a ladleful in each cup. Let it steam for about 10 minutes in a idli cooker or regular steamer.

Once done, don’t rush and dig in to scoop the idlis. Allow the steam settle, otherwise the idlis will stick to the plates. After a while, just stick a spoon underneath and they will slide smoothly.