
As I started compiling all the 21 varieties of Idlis for this post, I got nostalgic and went back to the memories of my first few months here in Qatar when I hardly knew to cook nor to make idlis. I only made dosas or upma for breakfast and idlis were a luxury when we visited any South Indian restaurants (I remember I used to crave idlis so badly π).
So the next time when I visited my parents in Kochi, my dad took me to Broadway ( a place known for its large collection of utensil shops and all kinds of shops that you can think of π). There he bought me this small Idli steamer or Pedavan as called in Konkani and since then, this Pedavan has been my true friend in the kitchen. π

It was in 2012 that my dad gifted me this steamer and I never thought that in 2021, I would be compiling 21 varieties of Idli recipes in my blog. What a wonderful coincidence there! β€οΈ
This post was long pending and I am happy that finally today I got the time, mood and energy to complete it. Hope you all have a great time making these idlis. Happy and healthy cooking! β€οΈ
* Click on the images or the names for the recipes. *
Varieties of Idlis:
Instant Idlis – Idlis that can be prepared instantly without the need of soaking or fermentation.
1. Instant Poha Idlis – These idlis taste as good as regular white idlis but can be made instantly with very few ingredients. A kind of magic idlis these are! π

Recipe here – Instant Poha Idlis
2. Instant Rava Idlis – Rava Idlis were among the first idlis that I learned to make in my cooking journey. Before trying these, I had thought rava idlis were made only in restaurants and now, I laugh at my thought then. π Very quick to make yet comes out so delicious, these idlis definitely can be made quite easily at home.

Recipe here – Instant Rava Idlis
3. Instant Oats Idlis – These idlis are a regular at my place as my kids love it a lot. Great way to add oats in our diet. So soft and tasty idlis, you can never say it has oats it it.

Recipe here – Instant Oats Idlis
4. Instant Ragi Idlis – A variation from the oats idlis above. Yet another favorite when I have forgotten to soak for regular idlis.

Recipe here – Instant Ragi Idlis
5. Instant Vermicelli Idlis – When you wish to make something unique, these idlis are for you. A variation from the Rava Idlis, love how colourful they turn out and a great idea to add carrots in our kids’ diet. Don’t they look beautiful too? π

Recipe here – Instant Vermicelli Idlis
6. Instant Cucumber Idlis – Traditional Konkani style idlis which can be made both sweet and savory. The aroma when these idlis steam are heavenly. Best part is these can be prepared instantly too.

Recipe here – Instant Cucumber Idlis
7. Instant Drumstick leaves spicy Idlis – Also known as Sannamudhos in Konkani, you can make these idlis with any kind of leaves like spinach, Methi leaves or drumstick leaves. Traditionally enjoyed as an accompaniment in rice meals, I also enjoy to eat them soon after it’s steamed, hot with a drizzle of coconut oil. Tastes like a bite of heaven! π

Recipe here – Drumstick leaves spicy Idlis
8. Broken wheat sweet Sannan – Sweet Konkani style idlis, they are steamed in a vessel and cut into pieces like a cake. Tastes too delicious for words. Learned it from my friend Sreeja and this is her mother’s recipe. β€οΈ

Recipe here – Broken wheat sweet sannan
9. Instant Pumpkin Idlis – Also known as Dudhe Kadamb in Konkani, love the aroma of pumpkin in these idlis. Can be made both sweet or plain ones.

Recipe here – Instant Pumpkin Idlis
Millet Idlis – Idlis with millets or millet flours
1. Jowar Idlis – A regularly made idli at my place and trust me, you will not miss rice at all in these idlis and can definitely not say it is made of Jowar flour. Very tasty idlis! π

Recipe here – Jowar Idlis
2. Barnyard millet or Varai Idlis – Yet another regular at my place, tastes too delicious for words, you can never say it has millet in it. One of my favorite idlis too. β€οΈ

Recipe here – Barnyard Millet Idli or Varai Idlis
3. Ragi Urad Idli – Right from when my kids’ were babies, I have always made these idlis instead of Ragi porridge. They loved it’s flavour ad soft texture. They used to and still call it “chocolate idlis” π

Recipe here – Ragi Urad Idlis
4. Instant Ragi Idlis – An instant version of Ragi Idlis which can be made within 30 mins, yet comes out soft and very tasty. Idlis for those quick hunger times. π

Recipe here – Instant Ragi Idlis
Other Idli varieties
1. Mallige Idlis – If there is a way I make regular white idlis, it is this way. Mallige Idlis are so soft and delicious even when ground in the mixie. So, for those who want super soft idlis like restaurant ones, these idlis are for you. β€οΈ

Recipe here – Mallige Idlis
2. Urad Moong dal Idlis – Diabetic friendly idlis as they don’t contain rice, yet comes out very soft. These idlis are traditionally made in Konkani households like ours on fasting days when we don’t consume rice for breakfast. One among the most tried recipes from my blog among idli recipes apart from Mallige Idlis. You can make crispy dosas with this batter too.

Recipe here – Urad Moong dal Idlis
3. Mixed dal Idlis – Protein rich idlis as they combine a variety of lentils in them, these can be made either as idlis or dosas.

Recipe here – Mixed dal Idlis
4. Horsegram Idlis – A traditional Konkani idli which was regularly made by my grandmother and steamed in the big Pedavan or steamer. Tastes too delicious for words and a must try idli if you have not tasted it yet. β€οΈ

Recipe here – Horsegram Idlis
5. Whole Moong Idlis – My way to feed whole Moong or green gram to my kids in the way they love the most – the idli/ dosa way. π

Recipe here – Whole Moong Idlis
6. Kanchipuram Idlis – Can’t explain in words as to how much I love these idlis. The seasoning in the idlis take it to another level completely. β€οΈ

Recipe here – Kanchipuram Idlis
7. Broken wheat idlis – One of my experiments but came out so well that I have been making them regularly now. Very tasty and soft idlis.

Recipe here – Broken wheat Idlis
8. Urad Rava Idlis – Yet another Konkani style idli made on fasting days where Rava or semolina is added to Urad dal batter instead of rice. Delicious idlis and so pretty too π

Recipe here – Urad Rava Idlis
9. Split green moong Idlis – These idlis are similar to Urad Moong dal Idlis but I have used green split Moong dal instead of yellow ones. The colour change in idlis excites my kids π

Recipe here – Split green moong Idlis
So here are all the idli recipes that I have shared till now on the blog. Hope you all have a great time trying these idlis. Happy and healthy cooking! β€οΈ

A compilation of all my “no rice” dosa recipes in one page. Both instant and regular ones. Thought it’s high time I make this as it has been the most requested by my readers who want to avoid rice in their diet due to health reasons or during fasting/pooja days. Hope this is helpful to atleast some of you. β€οΈ