Rawa Idly (Semolina or Cream of Wheat steamed cakes)

 Rawa Idly

Cream of Wheat or Semolina steamed cakes

     In southern India, it is very common to serve breakfast dishes as an evening snack or even as a light dinner. One such dish is Idly. The traditional idly is made from rice and lentil batter. Both the rice and black lentils are soaked in water for several hours and ground into a batter. This batter is fermented overnight or for at least eight hours, then steamed in idly molds. Since it is a lengthy process and need planning ahead of sixteen to twenty hours, rawa idly is the answer to sudden idly cravings. 

     Rawa Idly can be made in just forty five minutes. It is made with rawa also known as semolina and Cream of wheat. It is tasty and nutritious and goes well with chutney, sambar and kara podi. It can be served both as  breakfast as well as a light dinner. Unlike plain rice idly, we can add vegetables in rawa idly. Mostly green peas or grated carrots go well with rawa.

     Rawa Idly is always made with plain yogurt. Do not add flavored yogurt. This is a savory dish, therefore, flavored yogurt will ruin the taste. Baking soda is a must use ingredient in this recipe so do not skip it. Baking soda is what gives these idlys a fluffy texture. Otherwise you will end up with hard idlys. 

Ingredients:

•   Rawa , Semolina or Cream of Wheat 1 cup
•   Yogurt 11/4 cup
•   Baking soda 1/4 tsp
•   Salt to taste
•   Turmeric powder 1/8th tsp (optional)
•   Minced Ginger 1 to 2 tsps
•   Green chili 1(optional), chopped
•   Green peas 1/3rd cup
•   Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp
•   Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
•   Oil 1 tbsp
•   Cashews and curry leaves(optional)

Method:

• Heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet. 
• Add the mustard seeds to the oil and allow them to pop.
• Now add the cumin seeds, green chili and ginger. Fry for twenty seconds.
• Quickly add the turmeric powder, mix once and add the rawa, mix well and fry everything on medium heat until you get a nice roasted aroma from the rawa.
• Transfer the rawa mixture to a container from the hot pan.
• Allow the rawa to cool for five minutes.
• Add the yogurt to the rawa and mix well. Depending on the thickness of yogurt you can add a few tablespoons of water to make the mixing process easy.
• Allow the rawa and yogurt batter to rest for half an hour.
• After half an hour start boiling water in the idly steamer.
• Add the salt and baking soda to the batter and mix well.
• Add the peas to the batter and again mix well.
• Make sure the batter is at the right consistency. That is, the batter should not be too loose nor too thick. It should have the consistency of a brownie batter. You can add water to get the right consistency.
• Oil the idly mold and fill them with the rawa batter. Place the mold in the idly steamer, cover the pot tightly and steam the idlys for seven to ten minutes or until idlys are done.
• Take them from the mold and serve. 

Notes:

• Use only plain yogurt. Do not use flavored yogurt as this is a savory dish.
• Always allow the batter to rest so that the rawa can absorb the yogurt and become soft.
• The spices mentioned in the recipe can be adjusted to suit your personal taste.
• You can also avoid the spices and vegetables and make plain idlys.
• If using cashews and curry leaves add them to the oil when adding ginger and cumin seeds. Break the cashews into small pieces. 
• Just before filling the idly molds make sure the batter is of the right consistency. Use water if you need to loosen the batter. Do not add yogurt or rawa at the last minute to fix the batter.
• If the batter becomes too loose try making pancakes with it.
• If yogurt is not on hand, you can use buttermilk. You might need about the same quantity of yogurt.

Rawa Idly Cream of Wheat or Semolina steamed cakes Rawa Idly can be made in just forty five minutes. It is made with rawa also known as semolina and Cream of wheat. It is tasty and nutritious and goes well with chutney, sambar and kara podi. It can be served both as  breakfast as well as a light dinner. Unlike plain rice idly, we can add vegetables in rawa idly. Mostly green peas or grated carrots go well with rawa. Prep Time:50 mins Cook Time: 10mins Total Time: 1 hour Makes:2 to 3 servings Ingredients:   Rawa , Semolina or Cream of Wheat 1 cup   Yogurt 11/4 cup   Baking soda 1/4 tsp   Salt to taste   Turmeric powder 1/8th tsp (optional)   Minced Ginger 1 to 2 tsps   Green chili 1(optional), chopped   Green peas 1/3rd cup   Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp   Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp   Oil 1 tbsp   Cashews and curry leaves(optional) Method: Heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet.  Add the mustard seeds to the oil and allow them to pop. Now add the cumin seeds, green chili and ginger. Fry for twenty seconds. Quickly add the turmeric powder, mix once and add the rawa, mix well and fry everything on medium heat until you get a nice roasted aroma from the rawa. Transfer the rawa mixture to a container from the hot pan. Allow the rawa to cool for five minutes. Add the yogurt to the rawa and mix well. Depending on the thickness of yogurt you can add a few tablespoons of water to make the mixing process easy. Allow the rawa and yogurt batter to rest for half an hour. After half an hour start boiling water in the idly steamer. Add the salt and baking soda to the batter and mix well. Add the peas to the batter and again mix well. Make sure the batter is at the right consistency. That is, the batter should not be too loose nor too thick. It should have the consistency of a brownie batter. You can add water to get the right consistency. Oil the idly mold and fill them with the rawa batter. Place the mold in the idly steamer, cover the pot tightly and steam the idlys for seven to ten minutes or until idlys are done. Take them from the mold and serve.  Notes: Use only plain yogurt. Do not use flavored yogurt as this is a savory dish. Always allow the batter to rest so that the rawa can absorb the yogurt and become soft. The spices mentioned in the recipe can be adjusted to suit your personal taste. You can also avoid the spices and vegetables and make plain idlys. If using cashews and curry leaves add them to the oil when adding ginger and cumin seeds. Break the cashews into small pieces.  Just before filling the idly molds make sure the batter is of the right consistency. Use water if you need to loosen the batter. Do not add yogurt or rawa at the last minute to fix the batter. If the batter becomes too loose try making pancakes with it. If yogurt is not on hand, you can use buttermilk. You might need about the same quantity of yogurt. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------