OATS AND RAVA IDLI (WITH COCONUT CHUTNEY)

TO PREPARE THE IDLI MIXTURE: In a large dry saucepan, roast oats on medium heat for about 1 to 2 minutes until slightly crisp. Do not let them brown. Remove from heat and let cool.

Blend the roasted oats to a coarse powder with roasted peanuts (leave some peanuts aside for garnish, if using).

In the same pan, heat oil and once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds. As soon as the seeds pop and crackle, stir in urad dal, ginger, green chilies, curry leaves and hing. Fry on medium low heat until the dal is light brown.

Immediately, add the semolina/suji and fry the whole mixture on medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes until the suji is hot to the touch, mixing and stirring continuously. Transfer the whole mixture into a large bowl to cool.

Once cool, stir in the oats-peanuts mixture to combine thoroughly. Add salt to taste and ½ tsp baking soda. Mix well. At this stage, you can bottle this oats-rava idli mixture and store for up to a week to make idlis later.

TO MAKE THE OATS-RAVA IDLI: Keep the idli steamer or cooker for steaming idlis. Grease the idli plates with oil. If you want to be fancy, place one roasted peanut into each idli indentation and sprinkle some grated carrot over it.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, stir together the yogurt and water and whisk to make a smooth mixture. Add this to the roasted suji-oats mixture and mix well until there are no lumps. If needed add a little more water.

Keep aside for 5 minutes. This will allow the suji and oats to soak up the water and swell. After 5 minutes, mix the batter well and add more water if needed to make a thick but flowing batter.

Once the cooker is ready for steaming idlis, pour a small ladleful of batter into each idli indentation allowing some space for the idlis to puff up.

Place the filled idli stand into the steamer and steam for about 10 to 12 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center of each idli comes out clean. Remove the stand from cooker and let cool for a few minutes.

TO MAKE THE COCONUT CHUTNEY: In a blender jar, make a smooth paste of coconut, chilies, tamarind and coriander seeds into a fine paste with a little water.

Transfer the mixture into a bowl, add required amount of water and salt to taste. Mix well.

TO MAKE TEMPERING FOR CHUTNEY: In a small saucepan, heat oil and once hot, add mustard seeds. As soon as they splutter, add hing, curry leaves and fry for a few seconds.