Mosaru Idli | Curd Idli
By Leena Hegde, Puttanamane
Mosaru is curd and the idli made with curd is Mosaru Idli. This is also known as rava Idli or masala Idli. These soft, savory steamed cakes are made with Kesar rava (semolina or cream of golden wheat), curd (yogurt), spices, cashews, and vegetables.
The batter is made with tempering the spices and then mixing with curd and roasted rava. These idlis are steamed in jackfruit leaves kotte or cups. These idlis are soft and light with flavour and aroma of the jackfruit leaves.
Prep time
30 mins
Cook time
25 mins
Cool off time
5 mins
Total time
1 hour
Course
Breakfast
Diet
Vegan, Vegetarian
Difficulty level
Moderate
Servings
5 kotte
Ingredients
- 1 cup Kesar rava
- 2 cups curd
- 1 small or medium size carrot
- 2 tablespoons fresh green peas
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves-chopped
- 5 curry leaves
- 2 green chillies
- 10 cashews
- 2 teaspoons husked and split Bengal gram (kadle bele or chana dal)
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon oil or ghee
- Salt as required
Cookware / Utensils
- 30 to 35 jackfruit leaves
- 50 coconut leaf sticks or bamboo sticks
- Steamer
- Pan
- Bowl
- Spoon
Instructions
Instructions
Making jackfruit leaves kotte (cup)
- Pick fresh jackfruit leaves.
-
Wash the jackfruit leaves very well with water. If you want you can dry them with a clean cotton kitchen napkin.
When making the cups make sure to use leaves which are of the same size. - Cut the coconut leaf or bamboo sticks to about 2 inches each, and wash them with water.
- Take two leaves. Place one leaf overlapping the second leaf with the stem part facing outwards.
- Join the two leaves using a thin coconut stick.
- Place a third leaf on top of the joined leaves.
- Place a fourth leaf on top of the third leaf.
- Now join all four leaves using a coconut stick.
- Back view of the four leaves. This is how it looks after joining four leaves.
- Take one leaf upright making an L shape.
- Take the second leaf next to it making an L shape. Let the one leaf overlap on the second by about 1 inch.
- Then slid a coconut stick to secure both the leaves.
- Now take the third leaf upright overlapping the next leaf and join them with a coconut stick.
- This way, join the fourth leaf as well.
- Cut off the stem for each leaf.
- This way, make the kotte or cups with all the leaves or as required.
- Place all the cups in a wide pan or steamer bowl.
Making Idli batter
- Take 1 cup Kesar rava in a thick pan and fry on a low to medium flame.
- Roast the rava till it become aromatic and the grains look separate while stirring continuously.
- Once the rava is roasted well switch off the heat. Let the rava cool down.
- Rinse coriander leaves, and carrot well with water.
- Grate carrot and chop coriander leaves finely.
- Rinse 2 tablespoons fresh green peas and keep aside.
- Rinse and chop green chillies, and curry leaves.
- Now, take a thick pan and heat 1 tablespoon oil or ghee on a low flame.
- Add 2 teaspoons husked and split Bengal gram. Stirring often, fry for few seconds.
- Halve or chop the cashews and add to the same pan. Fry the cashews till golden.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds. Let the mustard seeds begin to splutter.
- Add chopped green chillies and curry leaves. Mix well.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder.
- Mix well and fry for about 10 seconds and switch off the heat.
- Take 2 cups curd in a bowl.
- Add grated carrot, chopped coriander leaves, and fresh green peas. Mix well.
- Add roasted spices, nuts, and herbs. Mix well.
- Now, take the roasted rava and rinse with water 2 to 3 times or until clean.
- Strain the water by squeezing the rava in your palm, in portions, and add to the curd.
- Mix well.
- Add salt and mix well.
Make / steam Idli
- Add enough water to a steamer and heat it on high flame.
- Fill the idli batter in the jackfruit leaves cups using spoon.
- Place the jackfruit leaves cups in the steamer.
- Close the lid and steam idlis for 15 to 25 minutes as per your steamer type on high flame.
- Switch off the heat and wait for 5 minutes. Then remove the lid.
- Then remove each kotte or cup.
- Gently remove the stick and leaves.
- Serve curd idli hot or warm with chutney or butter.
Step by step guide
How to make Mosaru Idli
Making jackfruit leaves kotte (cup)
1. Pick fresh jackfruit leaves.
2. Wash the jackfruit leaves very well with water. If you want you can dry them with a clean cotton kitchen napkin.
When making the cups make sure to use leaves which are of the same size.
3. Cut the coconut leaf or bamboo sticks to about 2 inches each, and wash them with water.
4. Take two leaves. Place one leaf overlapping the second leaf with the stem part facing outwards.
5. Join the two leaves using a thin coconut stick.
6. Place a third leaf on top of the joined leaves.
7. Place a fourth leaf on top of the third leaf.
8. Now join all four leaves using a coconut stick.
9. Back view of the four leaves. This is how it looks after joining four leaves.
10. Take one leaf upright making an L shape. Take the second leaf next to it making an L shape. Let the one leaf overlap on the second by about 1 inch. Then slid a coconut stick to secure both the leaves.
11. Now take the third leaf upright overlapping the next leaf and join them with a coconut stick.
12. This way, join the fourth leaf as well. Make sure to secure all four leaves well, else the idli batter will leak.
13. Cut off the stem for each leaf.
14. This way, make the kotte or cups with all the leaves or as required.
Place all the cups in a wide pan or steamer bowl.
Making Idli batter
15. Take 1 cup Kesar rava in a thick pan and dry fry on a low to medium flame. Roast the rava till it become aromatic and the grains look separate while stirring continuously.
Once the rava is roasted well switch off the heat. Let the rava cool down.
16. Rinse coriander leaves, and carrot well with water. Grate carrot and chop coriander leaves finely.
17. Rinse 2 tablespoons fresh green peas and keep aside.
18. Rinse and chop green chillies, and curry leaves.
19. Now, take a thick pan and heat 1 tablespoon oil or ghee on a low flame. Add 2 teaspoons husked and split Bengal gram. Stirring often, fry for few seconds.
20. Halve or chop the cashews and add to the same pan. Fry the cashews till golden.
21. Add 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds. Let the mustard seeds begin to splutter.
22. Add chopped green chillies and curry leaves. Mix well.
23. Add 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder.
24. Mix well and fry for about 10 seconds and switch off the heat.
25. Take 2 cups curd in a bowl.
26. Add grated carrot, chopped coriander leaves, and fresh green peas.
27. Mix well.
28. Add roasted spices, nuts, and herbs.
29. Mix well.
30. Now, take the roasted rava and rinse with water 2 to 3 times or until clean.
31. Strain the water by squeezing the rava in your palm, in portions, and add to the curd.
32. Mix well.
33. Add salt and mix well.
Make / steam Idli
34. Add enough water to a steamer and heat it on high flame.
35. Gently fill the idli batter in the jackfruit leaves cups using spoon.
36. Place the jackfruit leaves cups in the steamer. Close the lid and steam idlis for 15 to 25 minutes as per your steamer type on high flame.
37. Switch off the heat and wait for 5 minutes. Then remove the lid.
38. Then remove each kotte or cup.
39. Gently remove the stick and leaves.
40. Serve curd idli hot or warm with chutney or butter.
Notes
- Number of Idlis or servings depends on the size of the jackfruit leaves kotte or cups.
- Curd Idli batter consistency is neither thick nor thin. It has a medium consistency. Adjust the consistency adding less or more curd.
- Curd: Use fresh homemade curd. If you are fine with faintly sour taste to idli, you can use sour curd to make the idli batter. But do not use curd that is too sour.
-
Making jackfruit leaves kotte: You can make jackfruit leaves kotte or cup beforehand and keep, i.e. a day before. Do not keep it for too many days as jackfruit leaves become dry, especially in dry weather, and it will get spoiled in humid weather.
To join the leaves you can use coconut leaf sticks, bamboo sticks, or dry tulsi plant sticks. When using the coconut leaf sticks use the thinner part of the stick. Bottom or thick stick may break the leaves. - Steaming time: With jackfruit leaves cup, kadbu or idli takes slightly longer to steam than regular idlis. So steam really well. Steaming time depends on size, thickness of the steamer used and the heat applied.
