A delicious breakfast or meal recipe; this Instant Ragi Idli needs only a handful of ingredients and comes together in under 30 minutes of active time.
Full of nutrients; this healthy recipe is a no-soak, no ferment idli recipe. Enjoy it with chutney and sambar for a fulfilling meal.
Breakfast and meals often overlap in the most way. There are so many recipes that fit the bill for both these and can be served throughout the day. And when we talk of Indian recipes that qualify for both; South Indian dished definitely top the list.
There are plenty of South Indian restaurants that serve these throughout the day. And folks enjoy it all along. Rava Idli, paniyaram, pesarettu upma, regular idli, dosa, lava idli and so on. While these are traditional, there are so many different grains that are now used to make these.
Oats, Jowar, barnyard millets, different dals, quinoa and so on. While these may taste and look slightly different based on what is added, they definitely make the meal healthier and nutrient dense.
One such add-in is Ragi. This grain has been in the food scene for a long time, but has been shining in the last couple of years. Earthy, delicious and full of nutrition, ragi is definitely a great addition to any meal.
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What is Ragi
Ragi or finger millet is a grain that is full of protein, fibre and calcium. Also known as nachni in Marathi, madua in Bengali or kezhvaragu in Tamil; this superfood is consumed throughout the country in different forms.
This grain has many health benefits. Here are some of the most known ones:
- Ragi is high in fiber and polyphenols which helps regulate insulin and blood sugar levels. It is great for those with diabetes.
- With over 7 grams of protein in every 100 grams of ragi; this grain is great to include if you are looking for a Vegan protein rich diet. Hence it helps to improve muscle growth.
- Full of nutrients, ragi is considered a holistic breakfast ingredient. Use it in porridge, idli, paratha, upma or dosa; it is great in every form.
- Ragi is a good source of iron, which can help treat anemia.
- This grain is organically gluten free. Thus, it is great for those who prefer a gluten-free diet.
- It can also help reduce cholesterol by preventing plaque formation and removing fat from the liver.
- Ragi is rich in protein and vitamins, including vitamin C, which can help produce breast milk. It is great to include for lactating mothers.
Given these benefits, it is great to include ragi in every ones diet. Whether you enjoy it for breakfast or include it in your meals, it is great either ways.
This Instant Ragi Idli recipe
While we see that ragi has multiple benefits for the body, it does have a rather earthy taste and flavor. This taste may be a little challenging to adapt to.
And while some folks enjoy the earthy flour by itself, more people need some additive to make it more palatable. This recipe of Instant Ragi Idli is just that.
We start with ragi flour and mix it with semolina to mellow down the flavors of ragi while still getting full benefits of the grain. Further, the tempering and vegetables help get other flavors and nutrition into to idli.
All together, this idli is a perfect package of nutrition, taste and flavors. And yet, we do not give up on the benefits that ragi has to offer.
Why this recipe works
- These idlis are instant and need no soaking or fermentation.
- The idlis are full of nutrition and good for you ingredients.
- We can enjoy these for breakfast or a meal.
- It pairs wonderfully with multiple chutneys and sambar.
- We can make the dry mix for these instant ragi idli ahead of time.
- The recipe needs only a handful of ingredients.
- We can put the recipe together in under 60 minutes of active time.
- It is easy to add in vegetables or make the idlis plain.
- This is a great recipe for the lunchbox.
- The recipe is easy to scale up or down.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Ragi Flour: Store bought ragi flour is great to use in the recipe. Moreover, it is easy to grind the ragi at home too. Simply make sure it is ground fine so it works in the instant version.
- Rava: Along with ragi, we add some rava or semolina. Roasted semolina will work well but I like to lightly roast raw rava to use in the recipe. Make a preference based on what you like.
- Yogurt: Plain yogurt is perfect to soak the rava and ragi. If it is slightly sour, it is even better. Make sure the yogurt is not flavored, just use the plain one. Greek yogurt is okay but needs too much water to dilute.
- Carrots and Cilantro: I like to add some shredded carrots and cilantro to the idli. Adding more vegetables is an option too. Or skip these if you like.
- Tempering: The tempering in the idli includes mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafetida and urad dal. Plus we add some green chili, cashew pieces and curry leaves to the tempering. Add some chana dal if you like.
- Spices: The only spice we need for the recipe is salt. This is important to make the idli savory.
- Ghee and Oil: I like to temper everything in ghee. Oil will work as well. Moreover, I grease the idli stand with an oil based spray. However, we can easily use ghee or oil for both.
- Fruit Salt: The batter raises well using fruit salt i.e. ENO. Plain Eno is perfect in the recipe as it does not add any additional flavoring. This is important to make the idli fluffy and soft.
See the recipe card for detailed ingredient information, measurements and nutrition.
How to make this recipe
1- Heat little ghee in a pan.
2- Once hot, add the rava. Lightly roast on medium flame till it is aromatic. Make sure it does not burn.
3- Then add the ragi flour and mix well. Turn down the heat and let the ragi and rava remain in the pan for a few minutes till it cools down.
4- In a tempering pan heat the remaining ghee.
5- Add urad dal and sauté till it is golden brown.
6- Then add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafetida and cashews.
7- Sauté for a few seconds and then add curry leaves. Let the leaves pop and turn down the flame.
8- In a large bowl add the ragi flour and rava.
9- Then add the tempering to it.
10- Also add the shredded carrots, cilantro and salt.
11- Add yogurt and water.
12- Mix well and set aside for 30-40 minutes.
13- After the time has passed, add more water if needed and make a thick batter.
14- Grease idli pans and keep ready. Also heat up water in the base of the idli pan. Then add ENO to the batter and mix gently.
15- Divide the batter into the idli cavities.
16- Steam on high flame for 3 minutes followed by medium flame for 10 minutes.
17- Turn down the flame and remove the plate. Let the idli rest for a few minutes.
18- Remove the idlis and serve it with Tomato Chutney, Cilantro Coconut Chutney or Sambar.
Expert Tips and Notes
- Fixing a thin batter: In case the batter becomes too runny after resting, it is easy to fix it. Add some ragi flour and mix well. In case you have roasted semolina, add that instead. Both work equally well.
- Use fresh ragi flour: Use ragi flour that is not too dated. Old ragi flour has a funny smell and that translates into the idlis. It is easy to lightly roast the flour before adding if you are not sure about how old it is.
- Get the right semolina: Semolina is available in various forms; super fine to coarse and roasted. Pick the coarse variety, roasted or not roasted is okay. We can use the roasted one directly but need to lightly roast the unroasted one.
- Adding more vegetables: I have used shredded carrots and cilantro here. However, adding more vegetables like peas, corn, beans or even onion is an option. Try not to overload the vegetables as they will make the batter quite moist and the idlis will not form well. Skip these and make plain ones if you like.
- Making Vegan Ragi Idlis: To make the recipe Vegan, simply make two changes. Add plant based yogurt instead of the dairy one and use oil to temper instead of ghee. Then the recipe is Vegan.
- Adjust the spice: Add more or less of the chili based on how spicy you want the recipe. It is okay to leave them out completely too.
- Using the right yogurt: Add slightly sour yogurt to the recipe to make the idlis. However, regular plain yogurt is okay too. Add a few drops of lemon juice to it. Greek yogurt works too, but needs more water to thin it out.
- Nut-free version: Skip the cashews for a nut-free version.
Making these in the Instant Pot
Grease the idli stand with oil or non-stick spray. Add in some instant ragi idli batter in each of the cavities.
Set the instant pot to 'Sauté' mode and add 1 cup water to the insert. Bring to a boil and then place the idli stand in it. Set the mode of the Instant Pot to Steam and vent to venting.
The time required to steam the idlis is 10 minutes. The timer has to be kept externally, once 10 minutes are up, open the lid carefully and remove the stand. The idlis are ready.
Serving Suggestions
These Instant Ragi Idli is easy to serve with so many sides. I often serve it with Tomato Chutney, Cilantro Coconut Chutney, dry Idli Dosa Chutney, Peanut Chutney or Sukha Coconut Chutney.
Plus either of Sambar or Rasam works well for the recipe.
If you are serving these idlis for breakfast, pair it with some chutney along with Masala Chai or Filter Coffee.
Recipe FAQs
This generally has to do with the fruit salt. Adding too little or using dated ENO tends to not work well and makes the idli dense and hard. Use fresh ENO and use the right quantity based on the batter amount. Plus, steam them right after adding the fruit salt.
No. Yogurt is an important ingredient in the recipe. It helps bind everything together, makes the idli moist and perfectly balanced in taste. We cannot make the idlis without yogurt, though we can use plant based yogurt to make it Vegan.
Using oats, jowar or just semolina in the recipe works. Pick and choose the ones to make the idli.
It is easy to prep the dry mix ahead of time. Add the tempering to the ragi semolina mix and cool completely. Transfer to a bottle and store. To make idlis, add the vegetables and yogurt and make the idlis.
Yes certainly. It is easy to steam these in greased steel katoris or glass. Moreover, make these in a plate and cut into pieces before serving. They can be steamed in a large pan filled with water and the plate placed on a trivet.
Recipe Pairings
More Idli Recipes
Love this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card below & if you REALLY like it, consider a review in the comments whilst you are there, thanks!
Instant Ragi Idli
Ingredients
For the Idli Mix
For the tempering
- 1½ teaspoon ghee
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- ⅛ teaspoon asafetida
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon cashew pieces
- 4-5 curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon urad dal
Instructions
- Heat the ghee in a pan.1½ teaspoon ghee
- Once hot, add the rava. Lightly roast on medium flame till it is aromatic. Make sure it does not burn.1 cup rava
- Then add the ragi flour and mix well. Turn down the heat and let the ragi and rava remain in the pan for a few minutes till it cools down.½ cup ragi flour
- In a tempering pan heat the remaining ghee.1½ teaspoon ghee
- Add urad dal and sauté till it is golden brown.1 teaspoon urad dal
- Then add the remaining ingredients except curry leaves.1 teaspoon mustard seeds, ⅛ teaspoon asafetida, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 tablespoon cashew pieces
- Sauté for a few seconds and then add curry leaves. Let the leaves pop and turn down the flame.4-5 curry leaves
- In a large bowl add the ragi flour and rava.
- Then add the tempering to it. Also add the ginger and chili.1 teaspoon ginger, 1 medium chili
- Also add the shredded carrots, cilantro and salt.1 medium carrot, 3 tablespoon cilantro, 1 teaspoon salt
- Add yogurt and water.¾ cup yogurt, 1 cup water
- Mix well and set aside for 30-40 minutes.
- After the time has passed, add more water if needed and make a thick batter.
- Grease idli pans and keep ready. Also heat up water in the base of the idli pan. Then add ENO to the batter and mix gently.1 teaspoon ENO
- Divide the batter into the idli cavities.
- Steam on high flame for 3 minutes followed by medium flame for 10 minutes.
- Turn down the flame and remove the plate. Let the idli rest for a few minutes.
- Remove the idlis and serve it with coconut cilantro chutney, tomato chutney or sambar.
Video
Notes
- Fixing a thin batter: In case the batter becomes too runny after resting, it is easy to fix it. Add some ragi flour and mix well. In case you have roasted semolina, add that instead. Both work equally well.
- Use fresh ragi flour: Use ragi flour that is not too dated. Old ragi flour has a funny smell and that translates into the idlis. It is easy to lightly roast the flour before adding if you are not sure about how old it is.
- Get the right semolina: Semolina is available in various forms; super fine to coarse and roasted. Pick the coarse variety, roasted or not roasted is okay. We can use the roasted one directly but need to lightly roast the unroasted one.
- Adding more vegetables: I have used shredded carrots and cilantro here. However, adding more vegetables like peas, corn, beans or even onion is an option. Try not to overload the vegetables as they will make the batter quite moist and the idlis will not form well. Skip these and make plain ones if you like.
- Making Vegan Ragi Idlis: To make the recipe Vegan, simply make two changes. Add plant based yogurt instead of the dairy one and use oil to temper instead of ghee. Then the recipe is Vegan.
- Adjust the spice: Add more or less of the chili based on how spicy you want the recipe. It is okay to leave them out completely too.
- Using the right yogurt: Add slightly sour yogurt to the recipe to make the idlis. However, regular plain yogurt is okay too. Add a few drops of lemon juice to it. Greek yogurt works too, but needs more water to thin it out.
- Nut-free version: Skip the cashews for a nut-free version.
- Making these in the instant pot:Grease the idli stand with oil or non-stick spray. Add in some instant ragi idli batter in each of the cavities. Set the instant pot to 'Sauté' mode and add 1 cup water to the insert. Bring to a boil and then place the idli stand in it. Set the mode of the Instant Pot to Steam and vent to venting. The time required to steam the idlis is 10 minutes. The timer has to be kept externally, once 10 minutes are up, open the lid carefully and remove the stand. The idlis are ready.
Cutie says
instead of eno baking soda can b added. a pinch
Smruti says
Yes a pinch of baking soda and some lemon juice can be added instead of ENO. In this case, whip the batter well till it is fluffy. Then make the idli.