Yummy Rawa Idlis!

Having lived in Mumbai, I had never tasted Rawa Idlis which is a very popular breakfast/snack item in Bangalore. It was only in the canteen at my workplace in Bangalore that I got to taste Rawa idlis for the first time. I must admit that I did not really love it the first time I had it. After marriage, we started preparing Rawa idlis quite regularly and now I love eating them. The credit goes to my hubby:)

You can prepare Rawa Idlis from the instant packs (MTR or Priya brand) and they come out very well. But ever since we've started preparing them from scratch ourselves, we've never bought the instant packs again. Here's the recipe for yummy Rawa idlis...

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups fine rawa (sooji/semolina).


2. 4 cups yogurt


3. 2 tsp chana dal


4. 1 tsp mustard seeds


5. 4-5 Curry leaves


6. 2" piece of ginger finely chopped


7. 1-2 finely chopped green chillies


8. lots of of finely chopped cilantro


9. 1/4 cup cashew halves


10. 1/2 tsp baking soda


11. 1 cup freshly grated carrot


12. salt to taste


13. 2 tsps oil or ghee

Method:

1. Take oil/ghee in a vessel.


2. Add the mustard seeds and once they start spluttering add chana dal, curry leaves, chopped ginger, chillies and cashew halves.


3. Now add the rawa and roast on low to medium heat for around 10-15 minutes until the rawa starts smelling good and isn't raw anymore.


4. Now add the baking soda and salt and roast for 5 more minutes.


5. Turn off the gas and empty this mixture into a deep bowl.


6. Add yogurt to the roasted rawa mixture.


7. Mix it thoroughly with a whisk.


8. If the mixture is too thick, you may add little water till you get a batter-like consistency.


9. Now add the cilantro and mix well.


10. Grease the idli moulds with oil/ghee.


11. Put some grated carrot into each mould.


12. Now pour the idli batter into the moulds and steam for 15-20 minutes.


13. Serve hot with plain chutney!

Chutney recipe:

1. Grind 1/2 cup grated coconut, 1"piece of ginger, 1-2 green chillies and pinch of asafoetida into a fine paste.


2. This chutney need not be seasoned and tastes excellent with the idlis.