It won't be an exaggeration to say that South Indian cuisine has a huge fan following, not only in India, but across the globe. You will find host of eateries serving dosa, idli and more in almost every city you visit. That's not all. There are places that offer their unique touch to the recipes, making them stand out in the lot. Take Bengaluru's popular Mavalli Tiffin Rooms for instance. Popularly referred to as MTR, it was established in 1924, on Lalbagh Road in Bangalore. Today, you will find multiple MTR restaurants all across the globe. It is known to be one of the oldest and most popular vegetarian restaurants offering traditional South Indian meal, with their unique touch to it. And what remains the most popular on the menu are their idlis, served with coconut chutney and aloo sagu (South Indian aloo ki sabzi).
Also Read: 19 Best South Indian Breakfast Recipes | Easy South Indian Breakfast Recipes
Idli is a popular south Indian dish.
Photo Credit: iStock
What makes MTR restaurant's rava idli so famous?
As per historians, South Indian rava idli finds its origin in the kitchen of MTR Bengaluru. What makes it yet fascinating is the story behind the origin. According to MTR's official website, since there was a shortage of rice supply during World War II, MTR found it difficult to make idlis for their patrons. That's when they experimented with rava/sooji (instead of rice) and invented the soft and fluffy rava idli. MTR's rava idlis are "steamed semolina cakes made with a mix of yoghurt, coriander, cashew nuts, curry leaves and mustard seeds," reads the website. "Invented by MTR during World War II, when rice was in short supply, the Rava Idli remains our most popular dish to date," they added.
Sounds quite fascinating? Hence, we thought of looking for the recipe that could help us replicate MTR's special rava idli at home. And guess what? We found the recipe! It is shared by food vlogger Parul on her YouTube channel 'Cook With Parul'. So, without further ado, let's go through the recipe.
Also Read: Have Leftover Idli? Give It A Yummy Makeover With 5 Snacks Recipes Under 30 Mins
MTR-style rava idli recipe: How to make special rava kaju idli from Bengaluru:
Ingredients to make rava idli:
To make the dish, you need ghee, mustard, jeera, urad dal, chana dal, ginger, green chilli, curry leaves, cashew nuts, hing, rava/sooji, salt, coriander leaves and dahi.
Method: How to make rava idli:
- Start with heating some ghee in a kadhai. To it, add mustard seeds, jeera, urad dal, chana dal and saute. Next, add green chilli, ginger, curry leaves, kaju and hing to it. Roast everything well. To it, add sooji and roast again on low flame.
- Transfer the mixture to a plate, and let it cool. Add salt, chopped coriander, dahi and mix everything well. Cover the batter and let it rest for some time. Next, add baking soda and some water to the mix and prepare the idli batter.
- Take an idli mould, grease it, and place cashew nuts in each of the cavities. Then add the idli batter to it. Place the plates in a pan with boiling water in it. Close the lid and cook for 15 minutes. Check the idlis and serve them hot with nariyal chutney and sagu.
Parul further shared the recipes of coconut chutney and aloo sagu to pair with your rava-kaju idli.
Watch the detailed recipe video below:
(Also Read: What Makes Idli The Healthiest Snack We Know!)
Prepare the meal today and enjoy to the fullest. Do let us know how you liked it.