Instant Recipes: How to Make Flattened Rice Idli (Poha Idli)
An Instant Breakfast For All
Idli is a very popular breakfast dish in India. Typically making the regular rice and white lentil idli requires the batter to be made a few hours before, and the batter has to be fermented. But, this flattened rice idli can be made instantly.
Flattened rice idli is very soft, porous, spongy, and tasty. It took me about 35 minutes to make it for four people. Flattened rice, rice rava (idli semolina), curds, and cooking soda are the main ingredients used here.
I served hot idlis with a spicy red onion-coconut chutney. You can serve it with any other spicy sauce, sambar, or chutney too. This idli remains soft and spongy even when cold. You can pack it for the lunch box too.
Now, let me share the recipe of flattened rice idli/poha idli.
Flattened Rice Idli/Poha Idli

Cook Time
Ingredients
- 1 cup flattened rice, extra thin variety
- 1 1/2 cups rice rava/idli rava/rice semolina
- 2 cups curds/yogurt, moderate sour
- 1/4 tsp salt, or as per taste
- 1/2 tsp cooking soda, or fruit salt. I used Eno fruit salt
- oil to grease idli moulds

Step-By-Step Instructions and Images for Making Flattened Rice Idli (Poha Idli)
- Soak flattened rice in one cup curds. Set aside for 15-20 minutes.
- Wash rice rava(semolina). Soak it in remaining curds. Set aside for 15-20 minutes.
- Next, mash the flattened rice. It will look like thick batter.
- Also, whisk soaked rice rava-curd mix. Add mashed flattened rice to it. Add salt.
- Mix them together. This is the batter. If the batter is thick, add some water to bring it to idli batter consistency.
- In the mean while, grease idli moulds with some oil. Arrange the steamer for making the idlis.
- Add cooking soda or fruit salt to the batter. Gently mix it. Quickly pour 2-3 table spoons of this batter into each greased mould.
- Heat the steamer. Arrange the stand inside and close the lid. If you are using a pressure cooker to make this, no need to place the weight.
- Steam-cook on medium high heat for 10-11 minutes. Turn off the heat.
- Open the lid after 2-3 minutes. Take out the moulds. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool down a little.
- Separate the idlis with the help of a spoon handle. Arrange them on a plate.
- Hot and spongy flattened rice idlis are ready to serve! Serve 3 of them in a plate with a spicy onion-coconut chutney or any other hot sauce/sambar/chutney.
- Enjoy eating these soft and fluffy idlis for the breakfast!













Nutritional Information of Flattened Rice Idli/Poha Idli
Nutrition Facts | |
---|---|
Serving size: 1 | |
Calories | 88 |
Calories from Fat | 9 |
% Daily Value * | |
Fat 1 g | 2% |
Saturated fat 0 g | |
Carbohydrates 18 g | 6% |
Sugar 0 g | |
Fiber 1 g | 4% |
Protein 1 g | 2% |
Cholesterol 0 mg | |
Sodium 6 mg | |
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. |