Friday, May 1, 2009

Cilantro Rava Idly and Potato Saagu...reposted!!!

Thinking what cilantro is doing with rava Idly??

The answer is simple, if you would have ever tasted Rava Idly in Bangalore(Adigas and other joints) you would be knowing why i called it in that way..and there is no cilantro(coriander) paste added to rava idly, it is just that coriander is used in a large amount in this idly to give its unique color and fragrance to the idly.The color of the Idly is slight greenish in color as they use lots and lots of coriander in it.If the coriander does not loose its colour after steaming,then your idlies are perfect and soft,else if it fades or changes the colour it will result in harder idlies(this is the hint i got from my experience).
One can get to taste the best rava idly in MTR,Bangalore,after all they are the creators of these wonderful idlies.Even Adigas in Bangalore serve very nice and soft rava idlies.Infact,the size of the Idly is twice the ones we generally prepare at home and one Idly itself is so filling.This is a fool-proof recipe i got to learn from my mom and aunts. The Idlies comes out so soft that it just melts in the mouth.The best combination that goes with these soft-soft idlies is potato saagu.


Rava Idly:

Ingredients:
2 Cups Rava/Semolina
1 1/2 Cup Sour Curd
1 cup chopped coriander
1/4 cup grated coconut(optional,i did not use in this)
8 green chillies finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped curry leaves
3 tbsp Cashews roughly chopped
6 whole kajus(later slit into two)
1 inch ginger finely chopped
1 tbsp Chana dal
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp jeera(optional)
3 tbsp Oil
1 tsp ghee
1/2 tsp Baking/cooking soda(soda bicarb) or 1 heaped tsp Eno
salt



Method:
Heat ghee in a small pan and fry kaju's until red in color.
Heat oil in a wide pan,crackle mustard seeds,add chana dal,kaju pieces and fry until its light red in color,add jeera,ginger and green chillies chopped and fry till its crisp,add chopped curry leaves and rava and fry until the aroma starts and turn off the stove.Let it cool to the room temperature.This process can be done in advance.I generally prepare double the quantity and freeze it for later use.
Beat the curds(it should be sour),add salt and coriander to it and mix,now add rava and mix to it(the consistency is to be very thick,thicker than the normal idly batter) and let it sit for 10 mins.In a ladle mix soda bicarb with a spoonful of water and mix with the remaining batter thoroughly(it will form yellow spots if the soda is not mixed properly).Now,if the mixture is completely dry,add a ladle of curd to it and mix.
Grease the idly plate with oil and place a kaju in center with the smooth surface facing downwards and pour batter over it and steam for 12-15 mins.
I sometimes add 1/2 tsp of eno(fruit salt) along with soda in order to avoid hard idlies.
Serve hot with ghee and potato saagu or coconut chutney.

Note:
For beginners use Eno to get softer idlies .

Potato Saagu:



Ingredients:
3 Big alu(potatoes)
1/2 cup fresh green peas(optional)
1 Big onion sliced
3 green chillies chopped
2 tbsp chopped coriander
2 tbsp potato saagu masala(i used MTR)
5-6 curry leaves
1 tbsp chana dal
1/2 tsp urad dal
1/2 tsp jeera
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 lemon squeezed
2 pinches of turmeric
salt
oil

Method:
Pressure cook potato for 3 whistles or microwave it until soft.
Heat oil in a pan,crackle mustard seeds,add jeera,urad dal,chana dal and fry for a minute,add curry leaves and green chillies and fry for a minute.Now add sliced onions and fry till translucent,add peas and fry,add potato and mash it a bit,add turmeric and some water to it to get a thick gravy consistency,add MTR potato saagu masala,salt and cover it and cook for 2 mins.
Squeeze the lemon,add coriander leaves and mix and serve with rava idly.

I am sending this Cilantro Rava Idly to the event JFI-CILANTRO hosted at CILANTRO and was originally started by Indira of Mahanandi.





51 comments:

  1. Cilantro Idlies look wonderful. Great entry! :)

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  2. Idlis looks fabulous with light green color..ususally i dont make idlis becoz i dont like them..but after seeing yours..want to make idli for tomorrows breakfast :)

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  3. gorgeous dear.... I love rava idli very much that too saagu and cilantro coco chutney divine. Out of world ..Pictures are cool and looking soft too..

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  4. Nice photos...the rava idly looks so colorful and yummy. The conbimation of potato sagu with rava idli is new to me...got to give it a try :)

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  5. soft and delicious idlies Pratibha.

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  6. Both looks yummy..perfect! Great entry for the event :)

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  7. Wow! Rava Idli! Looks tempting and delicious! So fluffy and healthy with cilantro! I love sagu! Nice combo!

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  8. Lovely. those idlys look so soft and yumm. Send me some right away :)I've book marked this recipe.Have to try it.

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  9. rava idlis are looking gorgeous and very yummy... love the color nice one Prathibha nice potato saagu very delectable...

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  10. wah..wat a colorful idli..Cilantro gives a nick kick na..:)..n that sagu looks so yum..my fav..:)

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  11. this looks so soft prathibha. very very tempting. last week i made, but without soda.. so it was not as soft as this one. :)

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  12. the rava idlies look great, Pratibha! Perfect with potato saagu!

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  13. Thank you all..

    @smitha plz give a try and lemme know how it turned out.

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  14. Cilantro in rava idlies sound flavorful! Perfect breakfast!

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  15. woooo those idlies looks yum yum....nicely flavored too. Saagu is new to me will surely try that.

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  16. these look wonderful...sounds like a great combination...will try it out soon...

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  17. I can't stop drooling at your cilantro rava idlis .I'm gonna try this for sure..

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  18. Thank you divya, sangeetha.

    @phanita and @madhu..gals plz give a try, u will definitely love it..

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  19. wow very intresting recipe and avery helthy entry looks so yum

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  20. Yummy idlis Dear..When i was in B'lore Adigas was my fav restaurant..Its from there i tasted rava idli for the first time,the big rava idli..colorful idlies..

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  21. cilantro idlies look so inviting. Rawa idlis are ones that I make very rarely it is mostly the rice idlis. This is so tetping that I hae to make them soon.

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  22. idli's looks delicious Pratibha. I love any kind of idlis. Curry also looks delicious

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  23. Thank you Rekha,vrinda

    Thank you Vandana,Trupti and Ramya for visiting my blog.

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  24. Once during our degree college days our class was taken to some excursion, to a remote place and there we were given these Idlis at breakfast.We thought that they are fooling us by shaping some leftover upma (since the idlis were roughly shaped, and we later learned that they steam idlis in banana leaves and thats why the shape is not perfect round)as idlis and serving us with sambhar...lol
    Thanks for reminding me of those beautiful days with these lovely idlies :-)

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  25. Hello Prathibha, I'm Alisa from Foodista.com and this is my first visit to your blog!Your idlies look so good!Hope you wont mind but I'd love to guide Foodista readers to your site, just add this little widget here to this post and it's all set to go, Thanks! - Alisa@Foodista

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  26. OMG, wonderful idlis. Looks so gorgeous, soft and yummy :) Potato sagu us so mouth-watering Prathibha!

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  27. wow! these idlis look xo fresh, appetizing and soft!! Wish I could grab some!

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  28. @ALKA Thank you so much for visiting my blog and sharing your wonderful experience with us...

    @uma Thank you for your lovely words

    @kitty Thanks for visiting my blog and for ur lovely words gal..Wish to see u often..:)

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  29. hi, my first time here..lovely rava idlis and saagu...lovely pics..real nice blog

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  30. Thank you Arch for visiting my blog..keep visiting..

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  31. Cilantro in idlis sounds great Prathibha....Love the idli and saagu combo...Nice clicks.

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  32. Wonderful rava idlis. Potato saagu looks yummy. Great entry.

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  33. Hello Prathibha - Thanks for visiting our blog. You have a lot of lovely delcious recipes! Just saw the magic dosa batter as well! Adding you blog to the list I follow! Keep them coming!

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  34. That is one yummy platter!Lovely idlis .

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  35. Cilantro idlis look wonderful..i loved the combo..will definately be making these :)

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  36. This idli is awesome... I have to try it..

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  37. looks so delicious. i want to try tomorrow. if i am putting eno salt only ( no soda), how much should i put for 2 cups of rava

    thanks in advance

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  38. Hi seetha,
    I am glad that u liked it...
    U just put 1+1/2 sachets of plain Eno or 1 tbsp eno to the rava idly batter..it will work..remember the curds should be sour enough..Do lemme know if you have any queries..
    Lemme know how it came out.
    rgds,
    prathy

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  39. Hi, I tried this awesome idles..They are just perfect.. they really melts in the mouth..every body in the house liked it..Today I'm going to try rava dasa. Thanks for the wonderful breakfasts.

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  40. Hi,
    Should we roast the rava before adding it to the batter? which kind do we use,the chiroti or the medium rava?

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  41. @Ashwini..In the method I mentioned that rava is to be added after you fry the ingredients for tadka,hence it is roasted in that process.You can use regular sooji/upma rava for this idli

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  42. is their any substitute for potato sagu masale,...

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  43. hey Prathy,
    I tried the rava idli exactly the way its mentioned but mine turned out bit hard & not soft & the color was not pleasing like your..... do you know why?

    But you site is awsome & appreciate your passion for cooking.
    Cheers
    Hema

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  44. @M Dimple..you can avoid the sagu masala and follow the same process.

    @hema raghunathan....try adding eno for better results..the idlis will turn pout softer with eno....the color of the coriander turns dark sometimes in idlis(especially when they turn hard)...try it with eno,I m sure you will get better results..also use sour curds..

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  45. Dear please tell me how to get and what actually makes this idli grainy grainy..?

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  46. Could u please tell me what makes idlis grainier and soft in the recipe?

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Hugs,
Prathy