Rava Idli Recipe | Sooji Idli - South Indian Breakfast Recipes

 Rava idli / Sooji idli /Semolina idli with step by step photos and Video ( Updated)
Rava idli ( Sooji idli/Semolina idli) is an easy, instant, Indian breakfast recipes that helps me whenever I run out of idli dosa batter. Very recently I started making this idli at home and I have made this 3-4 times so far.Sendhil loves this a lot.It comes out very soft and porous.I got this recipe from Aval vikatan’s restaurant style recipes supplementary book.Its cooking procedure is very simple.The softness of this idli lies in the consistency of batter, proportion of curd & ENO fruit salt or cooking soda.Please do not attempt this recipe without curd or Eno/Soda.To make a healthy breakfast recipe, my MIL adds vegetables like grated carrots, cabbage and cooked peas. So I too make this way sometimes. Rava idli tastes the best when served hot with coconut chutney.In some hotels, it is served with kurma. In Karnataka, rava idli is served with sagu or potato masala.Try this simple, easy, Instant rava idli recipe and let me know how u liked it.

Rava Idli recipe

Rava idli - Easy, Instant breakfast recipe

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Breakfast

Serves: 8-10 nos

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 10 Minutes

Total time: 20 Minutes

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

1 cup - 250ml Sooji / Rava – 1 cup Fresh curd – 1 cup ENO fruit salt – 1 tsp OR Cooking soda – 1/2 tsp Salt & water – As needed To temper Oil – 1.5 tsp Ghee – 1.5 tsp Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp Urad dal – 1 tsp Chana dal – 2 tsp Pepper corns – 1/2 tsp ( optional) Jeera/Cumin seeds – 1 tsp Finely chopped ginger – 1 tsp Finely chopped green chilli – 1-2 nos Cashew nuts – 5 nos Coriander leaves – few (chopped) Lemon juice – Few drops (optional)

METHOD

Dry roast rava for 5-6 minutes in low flame without changing its color. Set aside.In a wide kadai or cooker base , add oil and ghee. Temper mustard seeds , urad dal, chana dal,Cashews, pepper corns, jeera, Finely chopped ginger, green chillies and curry leaves. Saute well till pepper corns starts to splutter. Add the roasted rava , mix well. If using unroasted rava, roast it for 3-4 minutes in the kadai. Switch off the flame and allow it to cool.After the mixture cools down completely , add the curd, salt, coriander leaves, lemon juice and the required water. Mix well. The consistency of the batter should not be too thick or too thin. It should be pourable like idli batter.The mixture takes 1/2 cup – 3/4 cup of water to get the right consistency. Before making idli, add the eno fruit salt. Eno should be active such that as soon as u add ENO, u should see bubbles. Mix well and make idli immediately.Grease the idli plate and pour the batter.Steam it for 8-10 minutes.Remove and enjoy eating hot ! Enjoy !

Note

Adjust the quantity of water to reach the consistency. If using roasted rava, just mix well with tempered items. No need to roast it again. Please do not attempt this recipe without curd or ENO/Cooking soda. As this is an instant recipe, you should add ENO or soda to achieve softness. You can add grated carrots and cooked peas.

Enjoy Soft, spongy rava idli for breakfast with sambar or chutney !

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Cauliflower and Pea Curry

There is yet another new addition to my extensive cookbook collection and this one has quickly become one of those must-recommend books to my readers who are interested in Indian cooking. After reading an extensive review of the book by Sia of Monsoon Spice, I promptly ordered a copy and already I've been inspired to make a few dishes from the book.

Prashad — Indian Vegetarian Cooking by Kaushy Patel is the result of a lifelong journey of passionate cooking by the author. Focusing on Gujarati food, Ms. Patel moved to England as a young woman and soon after got into the food business beginning with a deli specializing in Indian street food that eventually blossomed into a restaurant that received high praise and recognition from Chef Gordon Ramsay — that's saying something because he is no vegetarian and his standards at times are nearly impossible to meet. Come to think of it, I do recall the episode of the Best Restaurant series when Ms. Patel and her family's business was featured and was quite charmed. Sia was blessed to eat at the restaurant in Bradford, England and I must confess I am burning with envy.

"None of the curries we ordered tasted the same or had just one ingredient overpowering the other. The food was hot, fresh, vibrant, and delicately spiced with different textures and flavours making it clear that none of the food served here was mass produced or doused in ready to use spice mixes or sauces."

Contained within the covers are recipes ranging from starters and street snacks, mains, rice dishes and breads, soups and sides and desserts and sweets. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook, you will find plenty of inspiration for your own cooking experiences. Many of the recipes are Indian classics with a fresh look, and we are treated to some treasured creations that Ms. Patel has crafted, shared and served up to eager family and customers with great success. Plenty of vegan recipes are offered up too along with onion and garlic free delights.

Sia had done an excellent job discussing and reviewing the book, so do check out her review. I'll have more to say about this wonderful book as I continue to explore.

The key to this wonderfully flavorful dish is to cook the cauliflower until just tender and have a rather gentle hand with the spicing, though you will want some Indian heat.

Cauliflower and Pea Curry

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from Prashad — Indian Vegetarian Cooking Cuisine: Indian Published on March 26, 2013 Green peas and cauliflower cooked until just tender in gentle and fragrant Indian spices and seeds Print this recipe Ingredients: 4 to 5 fresh green chilies, partially seeded and chopped 1-inch piece fresh ginger, chopped 2 tablespoons oil 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds 1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds 1/2 teaspoon asafetida 1 medium cauliflower, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1 tablespoon ground coriander 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt 2 3/4 cup fresh or frozen peas 1 medium tomato, finely chopped generous handful of dried curry leaves, crumbled juice from 1 fresh lime handful of fresh parsley or coriander, chopped Instructions: Begin by making a coarse paste of the chilies and ginger in a mortar and pestle or blender. Set aside. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. When hot, add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds and stir for 30 seconds or until the mustard seeds turn grey and begin to splutter and pop. Toss in the asafetida and quickly stir once. Add the chili and ginger paste, cauliflower, turmeric, chili powder, ground coriander, salt and a few tablespoons of water, and stir well to coat the cauliflower with spices. Cover and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes or until the cauliflower is just tender, stirring often. Now add the peas, tomato and curry leaves, stir well, and continue to cook, covered, for another 5 minutes or until the peas are tender, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat, stir in the lime juice and fresh parsley or coriander, reserving some for garnish, and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Serve garnished with the remaining parsley or coriander with a dal soup, rice and homemade chapati breads for a comforting and complete meal. Makes 6 servings

More vegetable curries from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Aloo Gobi (Curried Cauliflower and Potatoes)
Mixed Vegetable Coconut Curry
Paneer Cheese and Vegetables in a Creamy Gravy

On the top of the reading stack: various selections

Audio Accompaniment: The Orb

This is my contribution this week to Ricki's Wellness Weekend.

Carrot Halwa Recipe In Pressure Cooker - Gajar Halwa - How To Make Carrot Halwa

Carrot halwa | Gajar ka halwa is the easiest and delicious sweet recipe that can be made jiffy.The best thing about this sweet is it takes very less ghee unlike other halwa recipes. I made this for my daughter’s birthday . This is one of her favourite sweets.We love to have it with vanilla ice cream.. Usually carrot halwa is prepared with khoya or condensed milk (milk maid). But I made it in a very simple way with milk using pressure cooker. I followed my cookbook recipe for the preparation and it came out very well. If u want, you can cook the carrots in milk in low flame in an open pan which gives more taste. As I wanted to make it quick I followed the pressure cooker version. For more rich taste , a paste of almonds and cashews can be added at the end..Try this easy version , u’ll love it for sure

INGREDIENTS
 1 cup - 200ml

Grated carrots – 2 cups (levelled) Milk – 1 cup Sugar – 1/3 cup Ghee – 2 tbsp Cashews – few Elachi – 3 nos powdered

METHOD

Wash & Grate carrots using a big size grater and set aside. Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in a pressure cooker base and roast the cashews till golden brown. Remove the cashews alone leaving ghee in the pan. Now add the grated carrots and saute till the raw smell of carrot emanates.. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Carrots will turn slightly pale orange in color.          Then add the milk and pressure cook in high for 2-3 whistles. Remove the lid and allow to boil for sometime till all the milk is absorbed by the carrot.         Now add the sugar and mix well till sugar dissolves.Then add the elachi powder and mix well.The halwa thickens and it starts to leave the sides of the cooker. Now add the remaining 1 tbsp of ghee & roasted cashews, mix for a minute and serve..Make sure the mixture has some moisture , do not make it dry else it will become very thick after it cools down..         It tastes the best when served warm with ice cream !!

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Greek Omelette

On the rare occasions that I go to a diner for breakfast, I'll most often order a Greek omelette … in part that's because it's usually one of the few omelettes in diners that doesn't have meat, but mostly because I love Feta cheese with eggs. Of course a Greek omelette from a diner doesn't usually seem to contain much more than onions, peppers and cheap salty cow's milk Feta. So when my husband suggested a trip to the diner on a cold winter morning that didn't make going outside very appealing, I thought that a homemade Greek omelette could be so much nicer and keep me indoors as well. So off to the refrigerator and cupboards to find the ingredients for a simple but terrific home cooked Greek omelette with a fair bit more of the ingredients and flair that you'd expect to find in Greek food — spinach, tomatoes, Kalamata olives, oregano, and of course some delicious imported sheep's milk Feta from the local delicatessen.

This colorful and delicious four-egg omelette easily filled both of us up — it could really have fed three people — and left us wanting to make our own Greek omelette again soon. It's also quite simple too. If I keep spoiling us with homemade omelettes, the local diners won't be seeing very much of us in the future.

Greek Omelette

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Greek Published on March 24, 2013 Simple, colorful and delicious four-egg Greek-style omelette with spinach, tomatoes, olives and Feta cheese — a wonderful breakfast or light lunch for two or three people Print this recipe Ingredients: large handful of fresh spinach leaves, trimmed and chopped 2 green onions, sliced 1 small jalapeño, seeded and chopped 4 eggs 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup Feta cheese, crumbled small handful of grape tomatoes (8 to 10), halved small handful of Kalamata olives (10 to 12), halved or chopped sea salt and fresh ground black pepper Instructions: Heat a large 9 or 10 inch non-stick skillet over medium-low heat and toss in the spinach leaves, the white parts of the green onions and the jalapeño. Add a few drops of water and cook, stirring frequently, for 8 to 10 minutes or until the spinach leaves are wilted. Add a few more drops of water if the pan becomes too dry. When the spinach has wilted, remove from the pan and set aside. Wipe down the pan with paper towel. Meanwhile, break the eggs into a bowl and add the green parts of the green onions and the dried oregano. Beat lightly with a fork. Return the pan to the stove, add the olive oil, and turn up the heat to medium. When the oil is hot, pour in the eggs and stir gently with the back of a fork for 30 seconds. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the eggs are almost set, loosening the edges occasionally with a spatula and tilting the pan to let the uncooked eggs reach the surface of the pan. Add the wilted spinach mixture, 1/4 cup of the Feta cheese, and the grape tomatoes and olives to the middle of the omelette. Let the eggs cook for another 20 to 30 seconds until they're set. Tap the handle of the pan sharply with your fist to loosen the omelette and then fold it over with a fork or spatula. Slide the omelette onto a plate, scatter the remaining Feta cheese over top, and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve right away. Makes 2 to 3 servings

Other breakfast ideas you'll enjoy from Lisa's Kitchen:
Greek Feta & Olive Frittata
Fennel and Grape Tomato Frittata with Goat Cheese
Greek Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes and Feta
Asparagus & Feta Cheese Scramble

On the top of the reading stack: RawEssence: 165 Delicious Recipes for Raw Living by David Cote and Mathieu Gallant

Audio Accompaniment: morning silence

No Croutons Required - Raw Soups and Salads

The challenge for March was to come up with a raw soup or salad to inspire us to eat more cleansing foods after such a long winter oftentimes dominated by rich foods. Thanks to everyone who found time to share their recipe. The roundup is rather short this month but I am sure you will agree that all of the submissions are lovely and, in this case, quality more than makes up for quantity. Please vote for your favorite dish in the comment section or via email so we can crown a raw winner. Note that neither my contribution nor Jacqueline's is in the vote. Here's hoping spring will finally arrive though I would be proud to serve and enjoy any of these dishes year-round. And now onto the entries...

Our first entry is this gorgeous Mango Gazpacho from Janet of The Taste Space. This chilled soup with summer salsa flavors certainly has me craving warm weather months. A Thai-fusion twist on a classic, here mango is combined with tomato, onion, cilantro, red pepper, garlic, chili flakes, fresh lime juice, chili powder, cayenne and parsley. The delightful concoction is then partially whizzed up in a blender and chilled. Surely a cleansing and purifying soup. Do check out Janet's menu selections to go along with this dish. Heavenly.

Next up is Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen with this stunning Persimmon and Paneer Salad with an Orange-Honey Dressing. Fuyu persimmon shines here along with ripe pear, tomato, orange, crumbled paneer, green onions, spinach, cranberries and cashews. Then to make the whole salad even more impressive, it is dressed with honey, orange juice, olive oil, red pepper flakes and fresh herbs. I never can resist paneer and adding it to a fresh fruit and vegetable salad would have made a fine birthday dinner - this a brilliant creation and from a woman who says she is not overly fond of raw salads. I feel healthier just looking at this dish.

Johanna of Green Gourmet Giraffe is back again this month with a refreshing and tangy Tomato Pomegranate Vinaigratte made of red wine vinegar, basil infused olive oil, pomegranate molasses, tomato, spring onion and garlic. The first night, it was used to dress up corn, snow peas, red pepper, feta and carrot - the second night, spinach, red capsicum, mushroom, raw corn, carrot sticks. This is surely a fine way to encourage us to eat more raw salads and as with most dressings, a snap to whip up. I'd enjoy this anytime of year, but especially when blazing hot temperatures hit as they did where Johanna lives.

My contribution this month is a Classic Greek Salad. Though it's been a rough and cold winter, I still require a frequent intake of fresh vegetables and this favorite of mine never fails to please. I've mixed things up here and loaded of the salad bowl with Belgian endives, radicchio, 3 kinds of peppers, leaf lettuce, cucumber, red onion, feta cheese and kalamata olives. All this goodness is then gently tossed and coated with a dressing of olive oil, red wine vinegar, white balsamic vinegar, fresh lemon juice and dried herbs. Greek salads from grocery stores and restaurants are always a disappointment as the vegetables never seem fresh enough and you get only a sprinkling of olives with pits and scant amounts of overly salty feta. Making your own at home truly takes this classic to a whole new level.

Lata of Flavours and Tastes treats us to this nutrient packed Sprout and Mixed Vegetable Salad. I adore sprouts, especially when sprouted at home and here they mingle with papaya, carrot, Chinese cucumber, tomato and fresh herbs. This cheering and colourful salad is then dressed with home set yogurt, dried herbs and seasoning. This refreshing dish would not last long at my house and just look at that cute presentation and her menu suggestions to go along with it, though it indeed is a meal in itself.

From Hetal who posts at Gujarati Zaika and specializes in Gujarati recipes, we have a colorful and refreshing Carrot and Pomegranate Salad. This raw delight will come together in no time at all especially if the seeds are already removed from the fruit. All you do is whisk together some olive oil, lemon juice, chili powder and then add some grated carrot, the pomegranate seeds, chopped tomato, toss well and garnish with some fresh cilantro. Seems like a fine way to enjoy the benefits of raw carrots and the goodness of pomegranate.

Ingrid of Kitchen Tales of Sugar and Spice has my mouth watering with this elegant Ajo Blanco. This is a raw version of a Spanish classic. Inspired by the challenge and then inspired further by a raw cookbook, the soup is made up of peeled almonds, almond milk, garlic, olive oil and sherry vinegar. After these ingredients are blended and chilled, the soup is served garnished with some halved white grapes and fresh chives. I have a fondness for fruit in soups and with the menu suggestions, or even without, I'd be a happy and healthy diner indeed.

Shruti of Part Time Chef enters this graceful Cabbage and Carrot Salad with Coconut Milk and a Chili Dressing. This inspired Indo-Asian dish is described as spicy, sweet, creamy, tangy and crunchy. An additional benefit is it's also easy to whip up and a pretty and healthy addition to your table. Julienne carrots and cabbage are dressed up with coconut milk, fresh lime juice, a bit of cane sugar and Thai red chilies and then garnished with roasted peanuts, fresh coriander, cherry tomatoes and some lime wedges. Now how refreshing and rejuvenating is that?

From my dear friend Jacqueline and co-host of No Croutons Required we have this luscious Avocado, Apple and Hazelnut Salad. Mixed salad leaves are topped with grated courgette and apple dosed with a bit of lemon juice, then some avocado, red grapes and hazelnuts. This powerhouse of goodness is then drizzled with a dressing of olive oil, red wine vinegar, apple juice, dill and lots of freshly cracked black pepper. A gorgeous presentation and a fun contrast of flavours and textures that won't tax your waistline either.

And that concludes the March roundup. Jacqueline will be hosting the April edition of No Croutons Required. Check back at the beginning of the month for the theme.

Spring Onion Chutney Recipe ( For Idli Dosa )

I adapted this recipe from tarla dalal’s site .I made few changes in the original recipe. We liked it very much. It was a nice combo for idli, dosa..I’ve given the variations for this chutney in ingredients list.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 200ml

Spring onion – 1 cup (chopped) Tomato – 1 no Green chillies or red chillies – 4 - 6 nos Chana dal or urad dal – 1 tbsp Grated coconut – 2 tbsp Tamarind – 1 small piece Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp Salt & water – As needed Cooking oil – 1 tbsp To temper Cooking oil – 1 tsp Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp Urad dal – 1/2 tsp Hing – A generous pinch

METHOD

Chop the spring onions , tomato. Grate coconut..Soak tamarind in little water. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a kadai and roast the dal with hing. Remove the dal alone and keep it in a plate.. In the same oil , saute the spring onions , tomato , chillies , Grated coconut and salt.. Saute well till the onion shrinks and tomato mushes.. Cool & grind it to a smooth paste adding the soaked tamarind with water.. Make a paste.. Finally add the coriander leaves & grind again to a paste.. Temper with the above ingredients..Add to chutney Serve with idli , dosa  topped with sesame oil !!

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Vazhaithandu Thayir Pachadi | Banana Stem Raita

I love to eat all the vegetables. But Sendhil & Raksha run miles away when i prepare certain dishes using some vegetables..One such vegetable is banana stem / vazhaithandu. I have to think a lot before cooking these vegetables as how to make the dish appealing and make them eat. Last time when i went to salem my FIL bought me a tender banana stem.. When i was hitting my mind to try something new , my neighbour suggested this recipe.I tried it keeping my fingers crossed .To my surprise , sen said this is the second best recipe among the vazhaithandu dishes..I asked , which is the first one then ? He said its Vazhaithandu juice .. I must thank my neighbour for teaching me such a quick , easy n tasty dish. I started making this very often as this became my hubby’s favourite and an easy to prepare dish for me .There is no need to cook the banana stem.It has a crunchy taste.So this recipe can be made instantly.Only the cutting part takes some time.I used to cut it the previous day night & keep them immersed in buttermilk & refrigerate it till use . If u dont like to eat raw banana stem , pressure cook it for one whistle and proceed.Make sure u use a tender , fresh stem.This dish will be helpful for people under diet as the fiber content of banana stem helps to reduce the weight.It is very filling too.Try this recipe and let me know how u liked it ..

INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 200ml

Tender Banana stem | Vazhaithandu – 1 cup (finely chopped) Fresh thick curd – 1 cup Green chilly –  1 - 2 nos ( Slitted or finely chopped ) Ginger – 1 inch piece (optional) Salt – As needed To temper Cooking oil – 1 tsp Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp Urad dal – 1 tsp Hing – 2 generous pinches Curry leaves – few Coriander leaves – few

METHOD

Discard  the outer cover of banana stem and take the inner part separately. Cut into discs and remove the threads that comes in between the discs.Now chop them finely. Mix 2 tsp curd or a tbsp of  buttermiik in a bowl of water & immerse the chopped vazhaithandu pieces till use. ( This helps to avoid discoloration) Now heat a tsp of oil in a a kadai and temper mustard seeds , urad dal , hing and curry leaves , green chillies & ginger.saute well. Take the chopped banana stem pieces from the buttermilk , squeeze them well and add the tempered items .Mix well , add salt & coriander leaves..Before serving add the fresh curd & mix well and serve immediately.. Enjoy with dal rice or eat as it is !! The curd mixture tastes & smells more like thayir vada curd as the ingredients used for both are same

NOTE

Curd should be fresh and thick.This is very important for this dish. Squeeze the banana stem after taking out from buttermilk else it will leave the water and makes the pachadi watery.Banana stem pieces should be added just before serving , remember .. Adding hing and coriander leaves gives the flavour. Addition of ginger is optional . I have tried without adding ginger too. It tasted good.. If u want , u can make a paste of ginger & green chilli  & little coconut and add to curd..

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