Oats - Rava Idli with Ground Nut Chutney

Oats Rava idli is a main course dish and it is prepared using Oats, Rave (Semolina) and curd. Rava idli is a variation of the popular South Indian breakfast item "idli". Idli is prepared with medium size rava normally.

Rava idli is a speciality of the state of Karnataka in India and mainly popular dish in Udupi restaurants. The story behind the invention of Rave Idli is very interesting. One of Bengalooru's famous hotels, Mavalli Tiffin Rooms (MTR) claims to have invented this Rava Idli. According to Mavalli Tiffin Rooms, during World War 2, when rice, which is the main ingredient used in idli was scarce, these hotels used semolina instead of rice and that was a great success. Even now Mavalli Tiffin Rooms Rava Idli is very famous and maintains the same good standard.

Rava is a popular ingredient in Asian cuisine and popular in Western Cusine too. Semolina is made from durum wheat and its high gluten content. It is digested slowly and helps us from over eating.
Some of the benefits of Rava are that

• Rava contains potassium and improves kidney function. 
• Semolina is a good source of two vitamins (E and B). 
• Semolina helps us to lead an active lifestyle. 
• Semolina is a quick and nourshing source of enegry. 
• Semolina contain phosphorus, zinc and magnesium are beneficial for the bones and nervous system.

Oats are source of dietary fiber - A few important points about Oats are

• This fiber contains a mixture of about half soluble and half insoluble fibers. 
• Soluble fiber helps in lowering the blood cholesterol. 
• Oats also contain iron, magnesium and vitamin B1. 
• Oats enhance immune response to infection. It stabilizes the blood sugar.

Here is a recipe of Oats Rava idly 
Oats adds softness to rava idly and in this way we can use oats and get the benefits from it. Oats Rava idli is soft and tasty. It can be prepared for breakfast, as snack or even for dinner too. You can have Oats Rava idli with Sambar or Sagu (thick vegetable curry with spices), or any kind of chutney, chutney powder or even pickle.

I am sure all age groups will definitely enjoy eating this idli.

Ingredients :

Rava (Semolina) : 2 Cups
Oats : 2 Cups
Curd : 1 Cup
Salt : to taste
Eno Salt: 1 Tea spoon
Curry leaves : 1 handful
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Table spoons
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon
Urid dal : 1 Tea spoon
Oil : 1 Tea spoon
Green chilly : 1
Water : Required
Coconut:  2 Table spoons (optional)
Carrot : 1

Method

1. Wash and cut green chilly, curry leaves and coriander leaves. Grate carrot.

1. Dry roast Oats for 3 to 4 minutes and allow it to cool and dry grind it.

1. Now keep a pan on the fire and heat.
2. Add oil, mustard seeds and urid dal.Add curry leaves and green chilly.
3. Add rava and fry for 3 to 4 minutes.

4. Put all the ingredients (green chilly, coriander leaves, carrot, curry leaves) together and add salt.

5. Add ground oats, roasted rava and salt, mix it well.

6.  Add Curd or Butter milk 

7.  Wash and apply oil to all the idly plates.

8.  Keep a pressure cooker or Idly cooker on the fire and put 2 glasses of water. 

9  Now add a tea spoon of Eno to the rava idly dough and mix it nicely. 

10. Put a spoon of idli batter to all the idly plate immediately and cook idli for 8 to10 minutes.

 

Serve hot idli with the favorite Chutney or Sambar you have prepared.

Put a spoon ghee on HOT OATS-RAVA IDLI before serving (optional).

Note :

Must roast the rava till the raw smell disappear. Roast on medium flame and be careful not to burn the rava. The curd should be savour to get the best result. Do not use lot of water to dilute the curd. You can also use coconut, grated carrots and peas. Mix it at the end and put the batter to the plate.Do not keep the batter after adding Eno salt. (Idli turns hard).

Serves :  4 to 5

Time : 20 minutes

  Ground Nut Chutney :

Roast 2 to 3 table spoons of ground nuts and green chillies and leave it for cooling. Grate coconut (1 cup) and mix roasted ground nuts, green chilly, a small marble size tamarind and 2 green chilly. Use little water and grind it nicely till paste. Shift the chutney to a serving bowl. You can also add spurt mustard and curry leaves to the chutney.
Note : Do not remove the outer skin of ground nut after roasting. Adding more chilly is your option.
Adding coconut is also left to the option. You can also use coriander leaves and curry leaves while grinding.

Time : 5 minutes.
Serving : 4 to 5 

Roasted Ground Nuts and Green Chilly

Fresh Coconut and tamarind

Ready to Serve Chutney

Here are some of the other recipes for Chutneys 

Banana Rasayana

Banana Rasayana or Banana Payasa is very famous dish in Dakshina Kannada. (Southern Part of Karnataka). It is also called as Seehikarane (Sweet dish).

Bananas, coconut milk, jaggery and cardamom is normally used to prepare this Rasayana. A little twist in this recipe is, using honey instead of jaggery and fresh milk instead of coconut milk.

Fresh, delicious bananas are available year around and also it is one of the cheapest fruits. 
Banana fruit is one of the high calorie tropical fruit. It contains good amount of health benefiting anti-oxidants, minerals and vitamins. The fruit contain a good amount of soluble dietary fiber that helps normal bowel movements and helps to reduce constipation problems. Fresh bananas provide sufficient level of minerals like copper, magnesium and manganese. Copper is required in the production of red blood cells and Magnesium is essential for bone strengthening. It is also rich in pottasium which helps to control heart rate and blood presure.

Honey is a healthier substiture to sugar. Its a source of energy. Good for digestion and is known to be useful for the skin because of its moisturizing and nourishing properties. The wonderful healing qualities of honey have been known since ancient times. Honey is an excellent first aid remedy as it is has natural antiseptic qualities. Honey helps to reduce cough and throat irritation. It works as Anti-bacterial and anti fungal. Honey reduce ulcers and other gastrointestinal disorders. Honey is remedy for burns and cuts.

Banana Rasayana can be used as a desert too. This sweet dish is a side dish, goes very well with Dosas, Neer dosas (Dosa prepared with raw rice and little coconut or without coconut), Chapati or even Poories.

Things needed :

Banana : 4 to 6
Honey : 2 to 3 table spoons
Fresh Milk : 1 Cup
Cardamom : 3 to 4 pods
Fresh Coconut : 1 Table spoon
Cashew Nuts : 2 Table spoons

Method : 

1. Powder the cardamom and keep it aside.

2. Remove the skin of bananas and cut it into small pieces. (According to your wish).

3. Now take a big bowl. Add cut bananas, honey and coconut.

                                 

4. Add milk and cardamom.

5. Mix all the ingredients nicely and shift it to a serving bowl. Top up with cashews.

6. Serve with dosa or chapatis or pooris.

Note :

Do not add water. No need to add ghee or any other oily stuff. You can also add honey according to your wish. (more or less). You can also add dry fruits to this mixture. You can also prepare Banana milk shake with same ingredients. (Do not add coconut if you are preparing Banana milk shake).
Time : 10 minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3 

Recipe for Neer Dosa:

Wash and soak 2 cups of raw rice (dosa rice) for 4 to 5 hours and grind it nicely with very little water till paste. Remove from the jar add 4 to 5 cups of water and salt to the dough and mix it nicely and prepare Neer dosa. (Sprinkle oil before you put dough on the pan). 10 to 12 Dosas can be prepared.

Note : 

Must add sufficient water. Do not spread the dough with the spoon. Put a spoonful of dough and turn the pan little round. Since the dough is watery it spreads like dosa. Cover the lid and cook on medium flame.No need to turn the dosa. Must cover since it gets the white patch other wise.
Time : 20 minutes
Serves : 3 to 4