Healthy Suji Idli Recipe ｜ Instant Crispy Idli Recipe without Eno ｜ Idli with Vegetables

Healthy Suji Idli Recipe ｜ Instant Crispy Idli Recipe without Eno ｜ Idli with Vegetables

Summary

This Suji idli recipe is easy to make. Idli is a healthy & famous South Indian dish, usually eaten with coconut chutney and sambar. I will show you how to make idli with grated vegetables, to make them extra healthy. I like to pan-fry the idlis after steaming, which gives them nice and crispy surface on top, with awesome flavors of spices popping through. This dish lends itself to lot of options for customizations; you can fry them, add masalas, sauté with vegetables, eat with lentils and soups. This is one amazingly easy and flexible dish that a lot of us love.

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 20 Minutes

Servings: 16 Idlis 

Ingredients                                            

  • 1 & ⅓ Cups Semolina Flour (Suji or Rava)(Coarse)
  • 1 & ⅓ Cups Plain Yogurt (Curd or Dahi)
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • ⅓ Cup Water (For Batter)
  • 1-2 Green Chilis (Seeds Removed & Finely Diced)
  • 1 Teaspoon Ginger (Grated)
  • 2 Tablespoons Carrots (Grated)
  • 1 Tablespoon Cilantro (Finely Chopped)
  • ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 3 Cups Water (For Steaming)
  • 1 Tablespoon Oil
  • 1 Teaspoon Brown Mustard Seeds (Raai)
  • 1 Teaspoon Sesame Seeds (Til)
  • 1 Teaspoon Dried Fenugreek Leaves (Kasuri Methi)

Instructions

Prepare idli batter

  1. In a large bowl, add semolina, yogurt, salt, and mix well.
  2. Cover and let it rest for 20 minutes.
  3. Add green chilis, ginger, carrots, cilantro, and mix well.
  4. Add ⅓ cup of water to the idli mixture and stir well. It is critical to have the right consistency, the batter must not be too thick or runny. If it is too thick, then slowly add water to make it of slightly pourable consistency. 

Steam the idlis

  1. Grease the idli molds with 1 teaspoon oil.
  2. Simmer 3 cups of water in a steamer, pressure cooker, or idli cooker.
  3. Just before steaming the idlis, add baking soda to the batter and gently mix. Make sure there are no lumps.
  4. Pour the idli batter immediately into the greased molds. Do not overfill, and leave room for idlis to rise.
  5. Place the idli trays in the idli stand and place the stand in the idli cooker. Make sure to adjust the water level in the cooker appropriately to prevent idli trays from submerging under water.
  6. Steam the idlis on medium flame for 12 -15 minutes.
  7. Insert a toothpick in the center of an idli. If it comes out clean without any batter sticking to it, then the idlis are ready. If there is wet batter sticking on the toothpick, then they need to be steamed for a few more minutes.
  8. Allow the idlis to cool down for 5 mins before scooping them out of the tray. This prevents idlis from breaking, as they are very soft when just steamed.
  9. Soft idlis can be served now, or you can follow the additional (optional) steps for crispy idlis. 


Pan Fry the idlis

  1. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil on an iron skillet.
  2. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, once they crackle, add ½ teaspoon sesame seeds and ½ teaspoon fenugreek leaves.
  3. Pan fry 8 idlis (flat side down) on the skillet for 1 to 2 minutes. They should be nicely golden brown on the flat side.
  4. Repeat the same pan frying steps for the next batch of 8 idlis.
  5. Serve them hot with coconut chutney, cilantro chutney and/or sambar.

Tips

  • To make idlis soft always steam on medium heat.
  • After mixing baking soda into the idli mixture, make sure to immediately pour it into moulds and steam. Otherwise idlis won’t be soft and spongy.
  • You can also add grated vegetables of your choice.
  • 1 Teaspoon Eno fruit salt can also be used instead of baking soda