Instant Stuffed Rava Idli

Rava Idli, is a steamed cake made from semolina. It is made in a special mold and eaten with chutney. These small treats are a great snack and can also make a good light dinner night. With each Idli cake just under 70 calories and no added oil, they are a good source of fiber, protein and just the right amount of carbs. They are pretty much fat free. Each cake of rava idli packs almost 3 gm of protein which is great for a light snack.

The rava idli ready to use mixture is readily available in any Indian grocery store. My fav brand is MTR Rava Idli. The mixture can be made at home in no time and stores well in the fridge for months (**recipe below). To make the Rava Idli more interesting for a light dinner night, I like to stuff them with vegetables. This modified version not only makes it wholesome but gives a nice spin on regular idlis.

Recipe
1 cup **rava idli mix
1/2 cup yogurt
3-4 Tbsp of water, if needed
1 cup frozen peas
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup spinach (optional)
1.2 cup carrots, finely chopped (optional)
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp red chili powder
salt to taste

• Mix the rava idli mix and yogurt and keep aside.
• To prepare the stuffing, heat a pan on medium high with 1-2 tsp of oil.
• Add cumin powder and red chili powder to hot oil. Now add onion and cook until translucent.
• Add remaining vegetables and salt. Cover and cook for 10 mins.
• Meanwhile, check in the rava idli yogurt mix. The batter should be pancake consistency. Add few Tbsp of water if needed.
• In the Idli mold, pour 1 Tbsp of rava idli mixture and top with some stuffing. Cover the stuffing with another Tbsp of rava idli mixture.
• Repeat this for every idli cake.
• In a pasta pot, boil 1-2 cups of water. Place the prepared Idli mold and cook in high steam covered for 12~15 mins.
• Remove from the pan and let it sit at room temperature for 5-10 mins.
• Serve hot with your fav chutney.

**Rava Idli Mix Recipe

1 cup semolina (rava)

2-3 green chili, finely chopped

1/2 cup broken cashews

8-10 curry leaves

2 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp chana daal

1-2 tsp oil for tempering

• Heat the oil in a pan.
• Add all the above ingredients EXCEPT semolina. Cook to hear the mustard seeds crackle.
• Now add the semolina and dry roast of low medium for 10-15 mins.
• Let the mix cool at room temperature.
• This stores well in an air tight container in fridge for 2-3 months.