Ingredients needed 🧾
How to make it 🔪
More South Indian snacks
Recipe 📖
My fridge is stocked with either Idli or Dosa batter most of the time. Making the traditional idli (steamed cakes) is divided into four parts - soaking, grinding, fermenting, and steaming. These steamed cakes are very simple and easy to make. However, the soaking and fermentation process takes time (8-10 hours each). This is why you can’t just get up one day and decide to make idli that day. It needs time and some planning. But once the batter is ready then making idlis just takes 15 minutes! Some batter variations include adding different vegetables or vegetable purees to make colored idlis, rice swapped with millet or other grains to make them even more healthy (Teff Beet Leaves Idli, Ragi Kale Idli, and Quinoa Dosa), as well as greens mixed into the batter to make them wholesome. Of course, there is also an instant version to cater to the sudden idli cravings.
Is it healthy
It is also very healthy and can keep you full for a long time besides keeping you energized. The ingredients that I have used are packed with dietary fiber and vitamins that help promote weight loss and aid digestion. It also has fewer calories as compared to regular idlis because there is no rice used in the recipe. If you are very cautious about your weight, and you like to eat food that has a good amount of protein, fiber, and other vital nutrients, then Oats Idli with rava (I call it diet idli), is a good option for you. Also, please note, do not get mixed up between rava and idli rava. They are not the same. Idli Rava is made with whole rice that’s soaked, dried, and ground. It is only used to make idli. Regular rava or semolina (also known as Upma rava or Bombay rava) is made from Durum Wheat and is used in many different recipes like Instant Idli, Rava dosa, Upma, and other snacks. Rava or suji ki idli also has a distinct yellowish color due to the color of semolina and has a grainier texture than regular idli. Oats Powder - I have used rolled oats here. You can also use steel-cut oats, quick oats, old-fashioned oats, or instant oats in this idli recipe. Rolled oats have a better texture and give a nice nutty flavor to the idlis. To make oats powder, coarsely powder 1 cup of quick-cooking oats. You can make this in small batches and store it in the pantry. Oats powder can be added to doughs, batters, Dals, porridge, etc. Oats are high in fiber and low in fat, which makes them diabetic and weight-loss-friendly. This sooji idli recipe is a great way to include oats into the diet. You can also use readymade oat flour if it has no other additives added to it. If you want to incorporate oats in Indian recipes, then do try Carrot Oats Dosa or Oats Upma. I feel oats work wonderfully in Indian recipes. Curd or yogurt - Any kind of fresh or sour curd/yogurt can be used - full-fat, low-fat, Greek yogurt, or homemade curd/dahi. If using yogurt, please ensure it’s plain and unsweetened. You can also use Indian buttermilk. If doing so, add additional water only as needed. Tadka ingredients - mustard seeds, urad dal (can also add chana dal with it), curry leaves and cilantro are the essential ingredients that you will need in this instant suji idli batter recipe. They provide crunch, aroma, and flavor to the otherwise plain idli. A tablespoon of grated/crushed ginger can also be added to the tadka. Veggies - I have only added green peas this time. But I also add whatever veggies I have at hand like grated carrots, chopped green beans, chopped spinach, and even grated beets to this instant oats rava idli batter recipe.
If using a traditional Indian Pressure Cooker, follow the same steps as above. Close the lid and do not put the whistle on. Steam it for 2-14 minutes. Once the steam releases open the cooker.
As an additional step, you can cut each suji idli into 4 pieces. Then heat oil in a pan and temper black mustard seeds. Once they begin to splutter, add sesame seeds, and curry leaves. You can also add some turmeric powder and molagapodi at this point. Then add the cut idli pieces. Toss them all together and garnish with chopped coriander. Serve this delicious masala idli as a hearty snack between meals.
The best time to serve masala oats rava idli is for breakfast or an evening snack. It also can be packed in lunchboxes. If you want to follow a low-calorie diet, then include this instant vegetable idli for lunch or dinner. If you have made it ahead of time, store the idlis in a casserole to retain the softness. It contains all the required nutrients we need while staying light. We pack these steamed cakes also when traveling. It’s great for travel.
These hotel-style vegetable sooji idlis are also great for the Jain diet because they don’t contain onion and garlic. If you love idlis, then do give this healthy variation and alternative to rice idlis a try! Leftover oats rava idli batter can be used to make dosa, Waffles, Dhokla, or Rava Paniyaram. In fact, if you have a mini idli stand, you can also make Mini Idli Masala fry.
What to serve it with
Serve oats rava idli with accompaniments like coconut chutney, sambhar, kurma, potato sagu, molagapodi, or rasam. Some other chutneys that can be served as a side dish with these instant rava oats idlis are Cilantro Mint Chutney, Lettuce Chutney, Andhra Peanut Tomato Chutney, and Tomato Almond Chutney. My dad would drizzle some hot ghee on top before eating it. You can try that. Kids like to eat it plain with sugar and ghee. To add more spice, you can also add one or two chopped green chillies either to the batter or to the tadka. Add half a teaspoon of turmeric powder to the batter to give the rava idli a yellow color. Yogurt can be full-fat or low-fat. If you want to keep the batter overnight, then don’t add Eno fruit salt before. Add it just before you make the idli. Add cashews in the tadka to give it some crunch. You can also mix some coconut in the batter. You may skip adding Eno if making this for babies and toddlers. The consistency of the batter is crucial in making rava idlis. The batter should be thick but also pourable. If the batter is too thick, the idlis will be dense and heavy, while the idlis will not hold their shape if it’s too thin. Be careful when demolding them. It should not break. When demolding while they are still hot, sprinkle water on top and then demold using a spoon or knife. You can also dip the spoon in cold water. Also, grease the plate with oil spray or oil before filling it with batter. That helps too. Like this recipe? Please show your love by leaving a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest to see more delicious vegetarian and vegan recipes and what I’m getting up to.
