Rava Idli

            I realized late in life that I was a foodie.I found out my love for cooking and enjoying food is special and not everyone is so passionate about it as I am.Most often, I have to cook certain dishes a certain way or make all the side dishes that go together.I would look forward to a meal like some people look forward to a vacation.I am motivated when my husband says he can't wait to come home and eat what I had cooked for the day.My biggest triumph is my eldest son, I converted him from a picky eater to a kid who guesses what I made by the smells wafting from the kitchen.For a change, he says 'Amma, I can't wait to taste this'.
           During the snow storm, I was busy in the kitchen cooking up three different meals a day to keep occupied and also to enjoy being together at home with my family.Weekends are usually memorable because of the food and fun.I decided to make Rava Idlis for breakfast, something very easy to make but different from the regular breakfast of cereal and milk.After a little bit of snow shoveling, we all had hot steamy Idlis with coconut chutney and gunpowder.


Rava Idli makes 16 idlis

Ingredients:

Rava / Sooji / Semolina  2 cups
sour curd                        1 cup
(if the curd is not sour then add generous pinch of cooking soda to the batter )
mustard seeds                 1 tsp
urad dal                         3/4 tsp
chana dal/ kadala paruppu 1/2 tsp
cashews broken in half  16 at least
coriander leaves chopped a handful
green chillies(chopped)                   4
ginger finely chopped or grated 1 tbsp
ghee                          1 tbsp
oil                              2 tsps
salt to taste
adding grated veggies optional

Method:
1.Heat ghee in a saute pan, roast cashews, set aside and roast the rava till golden in color.Set aside.
2.Heat oil for tempering, add mustard seeds.After the mustard sputters, add the dals.Let the dals become golden brown.Add the green chillies and ginger
3.Switch off heat.Add the rava,curd and the tempered ingredients,salt and coriander leaves.
4.Only add enough water to bring the consistency to semi solid or that of thick but flowing pancake batter.
5.Let it rest for 10 minutes, as the rava absorbs the liquid and you may need to adjust the consistency with water.
6.Lightly smear the idli plates with oil,place one roasted cashew and pour the batter.One ladleful to just fill the well of the plate.
7.Steam in a idli cooker or pressure cooker without weights for 10 minutes of steady steam.
8.Take the idlies after they are steam subsides with a sharp edged spoon.The idlies should come out smoothly.
              Serve these idlis steamy hot with chutney of your choice or with spicy gunpowder(the edible one of course made with roasted,powdered dals,sesame seeds,red chillies and salt) or  this peanut-flax powder.I make my gunpowder at home with flaxseed instead of sesame seeds and the taste is the same,but it is heart healthy.Just store the powder in an airtight dark container in a dry place as it oxidizes easily. Susvaad.
               Day 3 Decluttered freezer.Used the frozen veggie patties to make lunch and threw out popsicles (left over,expired) and such.Also, tackled over the fridge clutter and outside the fridge clutter (too many magnets).Done.