This morning, I wanted to make idlis for breakfast, though when I checked I realised there wasn’t enough batter for even one idli. My little daughter was hungry, so I had to come up with something quick. Outcome? Oats Idli and Tomato Chutney!

It turned out to be as good as the regular idlis.

This dish is a saviour when you want to cook something really quick and healthy. Do give it a try.

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🕒 Preparation time: 5 minutes

🕒 Batter resting time: 10 minutes

🕒 Cooking time: 15 minutes

🕒 Total duration: 30 minutes

Serves 2 persons

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Ingredients for making Oats Idli:

1. Powdered oats: 1/2 cup
2. Semolina / sooji / rava: 1/2 cup
3. Curd: 1.5 cups
4. Water: 1/4 cup
5. Salt: as per taste

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Instructions for making Oats Idli:

1. Add 1/2 cup of powdered oats and 1/2 cup rava in a bowl.
2. Beat the curd so that there are no lumps and add it in the bowl.
3. Add salt and 1/4 cup water and mix all the ingredients well. The batter should be thick. Adjust water accordingly.
4. Let the batter rest for 30 minutes.
5. Apply gingelly oil / ghee (clarified butter) on the moulds before pouring the batter. Pour the batter carefully on the idli stand and keep it in the cooker for 12 minutes without a whistle.
6. Soft and tasty idlis are ready to be served.

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Notes:

1. Adjust the proportion of the ingredients based on the number of people you are cooking for.
2. In case you are looking for gluten free options, then you can replace rava with rice flour or ragi. Alternatively, you can use poha. Soak poha for 5 minutes till it becomes soft. Then grind it to a fine paste and add it to the batter.

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Ingredients for Tomato Chutney:

1. Tomatoes: 4 (finely chopped)
2. Onion: 1 (finely chopped)
3. Cumin seeds (jeera): 1/2 tsp
4. Split black gram (urad dal): 1 tsp
5. Split bengal gram (chana dal): 1 tsp
6. Green chilli: 2 / Red chilli: 4
7. Asafoetida (hing): 1/4 tsp
8. Curry leaves: 8-10 leaves
9. Coriander leaves: 1/2 cup
10. Salt: as per taste
11. Oil: 1 tsp

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Instructions for making tomato chutney:

1. In a saucepan, add 1 tsp oil. Once the oil gets hot, add 1/2 tsp cumin seeds. After the cumin seeds sputter, add 1 tsp split black gram, 1 tsp bengal gram and 1/4 tsp of asafoetida.
2. Once the lentils turn golden, add the finely chopped onion, 2 green chillies / 4 red chillies and cook it till the onion turns pink. Adjust the chilli based on your spice levels. Adding red chilli will give your chutney a bright red colour.
3. Add the finely chopped tomatoes, coriander leaves and curry leaves and cook it till the tomatoes are soft.
4. Let the contents cool down completely. Add salt and grind it to a fine paste.

Tomato chutney goes really well with idlis because of the tangy taste and is healthier than coconut chutney.

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Bon Appetit!