Oats Idli

Nutrition

Ingredients

• 1 cup rolled oats (dry roasted and ground)
• 1/2 cup curd (yogurt)
• 1/2 cup grated carrot and chopped coriander
• for tempering mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chilli
• 1/2 tsp eno or fruit salt
• to taste salt
• 1 tsp oil

Instructions

1. Dry roast and grind the oats to a coarse flour. Mix with curd, carrot, coriander, salt, and a little water into a thick batter.
2. Heat the oil, crackle the mustard seeds, curry leaves, and chilli, and stir this tempering into the batter.
3. Just before steaming, mix in the eno. Spoon into greased idli moulds.
4. Steam for 10-12 minutes until set and a toothpick comes out clean. Serve with chutney or sambar.

Why this is weight-loss-friendly

Oats idli is steamed, not fried, and uses very little oil, so it is light and high in fiber. It is gentle on calories, though light on protein, so pair it with sambar or curd.

Substitutions

• Use a thick plant-based yogurt to make it vegan.
• Add finely chopped spinach, peas, or capsicum for more vegetables.

Variations

• Serve with a protein-rich side like a bowl of curd or sambar to raise the protein.

Storage & meal prep

Best fresh. Keeps a day refrigerated; steam briefly to refresh.

Roast and grind a batch of oats ahead so the batter comes together quickly.

Common mistakes

• Watery batter: idlis turn flat. Keep the batter thick, like a regular idli batter.
• Skipping a protein side: oats idli alone is light on protein. Serve with sambar or curd.

FAQs

Is oats idli good for weight loss?

Yes. It is steamed and low in oil with good fiber from the oats, which makes it light and filling. Pair it with sambar or curd to add protein.

Do I need to ferment oats idli batter?

No. Oats idli uses curd and eno (fruit salt) for softness, so there is no overnight fermentation needed.