Rava Oats Idli is an instant idli mix recipe made with a combination of semolina(sooji/rava), oats, yogurt, veggies, and spices. It's a healthy, nutritious, and low-calorie vegetarian breakfast or snack that doesn't need any soaking, fermentation or grinding. Make these delicious South Indian soft and fluffy idlis in 45 minutes.
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What is Idli
White-colored Idli is a simple steamed savory cake from South Indian cuisine. It's made with fermented rice and lentil batter. It's soft, airy, spongy, and fluffy in texture. If eaten by itself, it doesn't have much flavor. It's always accompanied by something like chutney, sambhar, rasam, or mulagapodi. Idli is considered to be very healthy and is served as a snack or breakfast across the world. Idli along with dosa is a healthy comfort food and can be had for breakfast, as a snack, or even as a meal.
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!
One dish with many variations
Over the years, Idli along with dosa (crepes made using a similar fermented rice and lentil batter) have gained immense popularity around the world and are now made in many homes. This has resulted in many variations of the original recipe. Nearly every home has its own idli/dosa variation recipe.
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.
What is an Instant Idli
The only thing better than regular idli is the instant idli! Instant Idli mix is exactly what the name suggests. It's instant! This means, no soaking, grinding, or fermentation is required. That means you can enjoy idlis anytime you want! Instant idli batter can be made last minute!! Rava idli is a type of instant idli, that is typically eaten for breakfast or as a snack. Unlike traditional idli, which is made with rice and lentils, rava idli is made with semolina (rava) and yogurt. But it is not as fluffy as the regular idlis!
How was it invented
While doing research on how instant rava idli was invented, I found out that it was first invented by the popular restaurant chain in Bangalore called Mavalli Tiffin Rooms (MTR). Rice was in short supply during World War II and since it was the key ingredient to making idli, they had to think of ways to substitute it. So their chefs swapped rice with sooji and it worked! They also realized that this idli version was also quicker because it was made without any fermentation. That is how rava idli was discovered! So fascinating!
My version
My homemade version of making easy hotel-style instant idli has rava along with oats instead of rice flour, and urad dal. This idli recipe with rava/suji is made with curd or yogurt along with Eno which is a fruit salt. This authentic South Indian instant rava oats idli recipe is fail-proof and it always turns out soft and fluffy if I follow all the tips I have learned along the way. I no longer need the MTR rava idli mix to come to my rescue! I make this idli from scratch. This recipe is also for those who hate oats because of their gooey texture. Roasting the oats will take care of this problem.
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.
Why make this
- An easy instant/quick authentic rava idli recipe
- No fermentation required
- This South Indian idli recipe is made without rice
- A low-calorie, fiber-rich snack or breakfast
- Oil-free or uses very little oil
- Great way to incorporate oats into the diet
- Steamed snack
- Vegetarian, nut-free, and soy-free
- Can be made in 30 minutes
Ingredients needed 🧾
Rava - Also known as sooji/suji, or semolina, it is one of the key ingredients in this instant idli recipe. The coarse or fine variety can be used. I have used a fine variety of rava here. Chirot rava is finer than that and can also be used. Bombay rava also works great here.
You can easily find rawa (unroasted and roasted) in Indian grocery stores or on Amazon. I have not yet tried making it with the Semolina flour that is available in non-Indian grocery stores. I use it also to make Onion Rava Dosa. Since it's made from wheat, rava is not gluten-free.
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.
Eno or fruit salt - It acts as a Leavening Agent and aids digestion. It's baking soda, sodium bicarbonate, and citric acid mixed together. It's added to aerate the rava idlis and make them light and fluffy. However, be careful not to add too much cooking soda as it can make the idlis taste bitter. If you want to make it without Eno, then add half a teaspoon of baking soda instead. You can find plain Eno fruit salt in Indian grocery stores or on Amazon. Just ensure that it is fresh/active and within its shelf period.
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.
Idli Cooker
Besides these ingredients, you will also need a steamer. I use the Indian Idli Cooker with a stand, but you can also cook the idlis in an Instant Pot or any other steamer using either the idli stand or any silicone molds. Some recipes that you can make with this steamer besides idli are Bafauri, Lentil Balls, Cabbage Fritters, Pathrode, and Dhokla.
How to make it 🔪
- Dry roast oats powder in a pan for 2 minutes on low to medium flame. Keep sauteeing to prevent it from burning and to ensure even roasting.
- In a mixing bowl, add the roasted oats powder.
- Similarly, dry roast rava in the same pan till it releases a nutty aroma. It could take 2-3 minutes. Keep the flame low to medium. Chef Tip - Keep stirring it to ensure even roasting. The color of the rava should not change though. This step helps to enhance the flavor of the semolina and also gives the idlis a nice texture. Skip this step if you use pre-roasted rava from the store.
- Transfer the roasted rava to the same mixing bowl. Let them both cool down.
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- Then add yogurt and salt.
- Add 1 cup water and give it all a mix using a whisk. Ensure there are no lumps. Let it sit on the counter for 15 minutes. Letting the batter rest for at least 10-15 minutes after mixing is important as it allows the semolina to absorb the moisture and makes the idlis soft and fluffy. The longer you soak the better. Meanwhile, prepare the tadka.
- To prepare the tadka, in a pan heat oil. Temper mustard seeds and once they crackle, add the urad dal and curry leaves. Roast till the lentils turn light golden. You can also add grated ginger here.
- Then add the green peas. Saute for a minute or two. Add the chopped cilantro (coriander leaves). Give it all a mix.
- Pour this tadka over the rested batter. Mix it into the batter. If the batter is too thick, add the additional ¼ cup of water to loosen it and get the desired idli batter consistency.
- Then add Fruit salt. Quickly mix it well ensuring there are no lumps without beating the air out of the batter. The idli batter will be of thick flowing consistency and also light and airy due to the soda. Do not add more than required as it can make the idlis crumbly.
- To prepare the steamed cakes, grease idli molds or plates with oil or cooking oil spray to prevent the idlis from sticking to the molds.
- Fill each mold with the batter. Chef Tip - Do not overfill the molds. The idlis will rise on cooking. Fill up to ¾ of the mold. Steam the suji idlis for 12-14 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Keep the flame medium. Oversteaming can make the idlis hard and dry. But if they are not done, increase the cooking time by a minute or two.
Microwave instructions
If you don't have an Idli cooker, you can steam the idlis in many other ways. To make rava oats idli in the microwave, fill a microwave-safe container with a cup of water and heat it for a minute. Fill the batter in microwave-safe molds. Place the idli mold in that microwave-safe base container, cover it, and microwave it on HIGH for 2-3 minutes. Covering the molds is important as that traps the moisture and prevents the idli from becoming dry. Do the toothpick test to check if it's fully cooked. Keep increasing the cooking time by 30 seconds if still not done.
Instant Pot instructions
Similar to the microwave method, here is the recipe to make rava idli with oats in the Instant Pot. Fill the inner steel pot with a cup of water. Turn on the saute mode. Fill the idli molds with batter and place the molds in the steel pot. Close with the lid. Select the steam option and ensure that the valve is in the venting position. Then put a separate timer for 12-14 minutes. It should be done by then. Wait for the pin to drop so that any pressure is released, and then open the instant pot.
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.
Serving suggestions 🍽
Open the steamer after 10 minutes. Demold the Idlis carefully using a spoon or a knife. If you try to demold them immediately, they may break. Serve them along with Tea, Coffee, or Dalgona Coffee. It is a perfectly filling and tasty dish that is also very nourishing.
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.
Top recipe tips 💭
Feel free to add more veggies to the batter like grated carrots, beets, cabbage, broccoli, corn, finely chopped green beans, spinach, fenugreek leaves, baby kale, etc. If you are adding veggies, I would suggest you saute them a bit till they turn soft and then add them to the batter. You can also make the rava oats idli plain (without any tempering or veggies). Instead of oats, you can use quinoa, jowar, urad dal, or poha. The idli batter ratio is very important. So be wary of that.
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.
Recipe FAQs 📖
I have used fine rava in this recipe. If you get roasted rava from the store, then you can skip the roasting part. Roasting the rava is an essential step if you don't want your idli to become hard and sticky. While roasting rava, you can add a teaspoon of ghee to give it a nice aroma. You can also substitute semolina with the same amount of idli rava, (similar to this idli recipe) if you looking for a gluten-free version.
Here are some tips to make soft rava idli. Don't skip Eno or baking soda. That will make the suji idlis fluffy and prevent them from becoming hard. Just ensure that it is fresh/active and within its shelf period. Another thing to remember is to add it to the batter just before you pour it into the steamer. The batter will immediately start bubbling, and become frothy. Mix it lightly till the batter appears airy and frothy.
Important note - If you rest the batter for a long time after adding Eno, then the idlis will not become fluffy. They will turn out hard. The other reason could be that the batter is thin and too watery. This could happen if the curd is watery or if you have added more vegetables. Make sure that the batter has medium-thick consistency like normal idli batter.
If they are sticky, it means that you added more water to the batter than required. It also could be because you didn't roast the rava properly. If you add more than the required amount of leavening agent (Eno), it could make the idlis crumbly. If they become very dry, then it means that the water in the batter was less than required, and/or you let it steam longer.
A substitute for Eno fruit salt is baking powder. Add half a teaspoon of baking soda along with a teaspoon of lemon juice instead of Eno. You can also add a pinch of baking powder with it.
If you don't want to add any soda, you will have to leave the batter overnight or for a couple of hours to ferment. It will not double up as a regular batter would, however, fermentation will still happen and the batter will be lighter. Temper the batter and then go on to make the idlis. This will however not be an Instant recipe and may not get the fluffy texture.
Cooked idlis stay good for 4-5 days when stored in the fridge. They will become a little harder. Just reheat them in the microwave and serve. They can be kept in the freezer. Thaw and reheat as and when needed.
The batter can be made and stored in the fridge for 4-5 days. It will thicken as it cools. Gradually add water to adjust the idli batter consistency. If you plan on storing the batter for a couple of days, don't add soda to it. Take the desired batter for that time and add soda to it. Then make the steamed cakes using that batter. Take it out of the fridge and bring it to room temperature before adding the soda and steaming them.
To save on prep time, you can also mix all the ingredients (including the tadka) except the yogurt and water and store them in an airtight container, in the fridge. When you want to make them fresh, add the liquid ingredients, rest, add the soda, and then steam.
You can steam the idlis in many different ways. You can steam them in the Instant Pot, Microwave, or even a regular Pressure Cooker using silicone molds or steel cups. You can also use the same batter to make rava dhokla. For that, pour the batter over a dhokla plate then steam, cut into pieces, and serve.
You can totally skip adding oats and make this healthy idli recipe with just rava. You can also add semiya, broken wheat, poha, besan, quinoa, and millets like jowar, or ragi along with sooji.
Oats idli can also be made without rava or sooji. You can use urad dal instead. This recipe is diabetic-friendly and also good for heart health. Grind 1 cup of oats powder and ¼ cup of urad dal to a fine powder. Then add yogurt and water to make the batter. Let it rest for an hour. Do the tempering, add the soda, and prepare the idlis as shown in this recipe.
To make it vegan, skip yogurt and add more water to the idli batter. You can also use vegan yogurt instead like cashew yogurt along with a teaspoon of lemon juice to give it a slight sourness.
It is possible to make rava idli without curd/yogurt. You will need poha or flattened rice (thick or thin variety). Rinse poha and grind it to a smooth paste. Add this to the batter along with water instead of yogurt or curd to get the desired consistency. Then follow the rest of the recipe. However, please remember that curd along with Eno are the key ingredients to make soft and fluffy idlis. Skipping them will not yield the same results.
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Recipe 📖
Rava Idli | Instant Oats Rava Idli
Equipment
- 1 Idli Cooker or Steamer
Ingredients
To prepare the idlis
- 1 cup oats powder
- ½ cup rava
- ½ cup yogurt
- 1 cup water
- salt
- 1 teaspoon Eno fruit salt or ½ teaspoon baking soda
To prepare the tadka
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 tablespoon urad dal
- 7-8 curry leaves
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- ⅓ cup green peas
Instructions
To prepare the instant idli batter
- Dry roast oats powder in a pan for 2 minutes on low to medium flame. Keep sauteeing to prevent it from burning and to ensure even roasting.
- In a mixing bowl, add the roasted oats powder.
- Similarly, dry roast rava in the same pan till it releases a nutty aroma. It could take 2-3 minutes. Keep the flame low to medium. Chef Tip - Keep stirring it to ensure even roasting. The color of the rava should not change though. This step helps to enhance the flavor of the semolina and also gives the idlis a nice texture. Skip this step if you use pre-roasted rava from the store.
- Transfer the roasted rava to the same mixing bowl. Let them both cool down.
- Then add yogurt and salt.
- Add 1 cup water and give it all a mix using a whisk. Ensure there are no lumps. Let it sit on the counter for 15 minutes. Letting the batter rest for at least 10-15 minutes after mixing is important as it allows the semolina to absorb the moisture and makes the idlis soft and fluffy. The longer you soak the better. Meanwhile, prepare the tadka.
To prepare the tadka
- In a pan heat oil. Temper mustard seeds and once they crackle, add the urad dal and curry leaves. Roast till the lentils turn light golden. You can also add grated ginger here.
- Then add the green peas. Saute for a minute or two. Add the chopped cilantro (coriander leaves). Give it all a mix.
- Pour this tadka over the rested batter. Mix it into the batter. If the batter is too thick, add the additional ¼ cup of water to loosen it and get the desired idli batter consistency.
- Then add Fruit salt. Quickly mix it well ensuring there are no lumps without beating the air out of the batter. The idli batter will be of thick flowing consistency and also light and airy due to the soda. Do not add more than required as it can make the idlis crumbly.
- To prepare the steamed cakes, grease idli molds or plates with oil or cooking oil spray to prevent the idlis from sticking to the molds.
- Fill each mold with the batter. Chef Tip - Do not overfill the molds. The idlis will rise on cooking. Fill up to ¾ of the mold. Steam the suji idlis for 12-14 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Keep the flame medium. Oversteaming can make the idlis hard and dry. But if they are not done, increase the cooking time by a minute or two.
- Open the steamer after 10 minutes. Demold them carefully using a spoon or a knife. If you try to demold them immediately, they can break.
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Ashish says
If you're using yogurt then it isn't vegan. Is there a truly vegan version of this recipe?
Priya says
Hi Ashish, this is a vegetarian recipe. I have mentioned in the FAQs how you can make it vegan. Hope this helps. Thank you.
A.S. RAMAKRISHNAN says
A very tasty preparation with the accompaniment of coconut chutney.
Priya says
Thank you so much.