Thanks to these instant mixes, Rava idlis are just two steps away. Whisk in some curd and steam away! We reviewed four popular brands of Instant Rava Idli Mixes – MTR, Gits, Tops, and Aashirvaad to see which one gave us the tastiest, fluffiest rava idlis. After steaming over a dozen idlis and a gratifying taste test, we decided that the idlis made using Aashirvaad Rava Idli Instant Mix (Top Pick) are the tastiest and fluffiest. We also recommend the MTR Instant Rava Idli Mix, which gave us satisfying results as well. Here is why we chose these instant mixes as our winners.
Table of Contents
The Best Instant Rava Idli Mix is…
The Best Instant Rava Idli Mix is…
Top Pick
Recommended
Reviewed
Reviewed
Mishry Top Pick – Aashirvaad Rava Idli Instant Mix
Why did we choose Aashirvaad Rava Idli Instant Mix as our Top Pick?
From the beautiful mix of mustard seeds, curry leaves, and the crunchy bits of carrots and Bengal gram dal, the Aashirvaad Instant Rava Idli Mix aces taste and texture, which is why it is chosen as our Top Pick. Even after getting cold, the Aashirvaad Rava Idli made using its instant idli mix did not flatten or lose out on its rava plumpness or fluffiness.
Top Pick
Aashirvaad Rava Idli Instant Mix made a batch of fresh-tasting fluffy idlis that were extremely flavorful.
MRP – Rs 110/-*
Net weight – 500 grams
*Price at the time of review
During our dry inspection, we could see a lot of mustard seeds, dried carrot bits, and dal. The curry leaf aroma was very dominant which did not fade post-cooking as well. Visually (post-cooking), the idlis made using this instant idli mix looked the most appealing.
The instructions given on the pack are easy to follow and requires curd for the batter making procedure. No extra salt, spices, or vegetables are required. A 500-gram pack of the Aashirvaad Rava Idli Instant Mix is priced at Rs 110/-.
Also Recommended – MTR Instant Rava Idli Mix
Why do we also recommend MTR Instant Rava Idli Mix?
We also recommend MTR Instant Rava Idli Mix because it gave us tasty, fluffy idlis. The curry leaf, mustard seed flavor was extremely beautiful throughout the entire batch of idlis. Bits of cashews and the Bengal gram dal add a layer of crunch which is appreciated.
Also Recommended
MTR’s Instant Rava Idli Mix also gave us tasty results, but the fluffiness was a tad bit less than our Top Pick.
MRP – Rs 205/-*
Net weight – 1 Kg
*Price at the time of review
The only reason MTR was not crowned as our Top Pick was because of the texture. The texture of these rava idlis was a little bit on the drier side in comparison to the Aashirvaad rava idlis.
The instructions given on the pack are extremely easy to follow. The batter making only requires sour curd and the idlis cook well within the mentioned time frame. A 1 kg pack of the MTR Rava Idli is priced at Rs 205/-.
Why did Gits and Tops Instant Rava Idli Mixes not win?
Our two main parameters for this review were taste and texture. Gits and Tops fell short in both these departments as compared to the Top Pick.
The Gits Rava Idli Instant Mix did not have any distinct aroma or taste of mustard seeds, and curry leaves. The seasoning was also very low and these tasted bland. Texture-wise too, the idlis made using Gits Instant Mix was very squidgy and did not plump up as per our expectations.
Even though the idlis made using the Tops Instant Rava Idli Mix were fluffy and had a lot of mustard seeds, they were very dry from inside. In fact, they almost had a stale aftertaste which ruined our experience.
Our Review Process
Rava, sooji, suji, or semolina are used widely to make a number of dishes like idli, kheer, dosa, uttapam, halwa, upma, and dhokla. Quick to make, rava idlis are widely popular in the entire country. The plump, soft rava idlis make for an excellent breakfast option with a bowl of sambar and a side of coconut chutney. Here is all you need to know about how we landed on our winner for our review of the best instant rava idli mix.
Difference Between Rice Idlis And Rava Idlis
Idlis can be of two types depending on the core ingredient used – rice idlis and rava idlis. Apart from the fact that the core ingredients are different, rava idli and rice idli differ on the following points as well.
- Rava idlis are much easier to make as there is no grinding involved.
- Rava idlis usually consist of black mustard seeds, curry leaves, Bengal Gram dal, and even nuts like cashews sometimes while rice idlis don’t.
- Furthermore, the texture of the idlis is vastly different. Rava idlis are much softer and fluffier than rice idlis.
Which one do you prefer? Rice idlis or Rava idlis?
Who Is This Review For?
Making Rava Idli at home from scratch is a pretty easy task in itself, but the convenience a packaged instant mix provides is even better. This review is for everyone who is looking for that hassle free experience while making some rava idlis at home. This review is also for those who would rather make a steaming batch of idlis at home instead of ordering out!
How We Picked Brands
We picked four popular brands of instant rava idli mixes that are easily available in local grocery stores and online shopping portals as well. For the brand to be selected for our review it had to be labeled as a rava idli instant mix with a substantial semolina percentage. We did not consider idli mixes with additional masalas for our review.
Brands We Picked
Our contenders for the best instant rava idli mix are –
The Parameters
Our review was based on two prime parameters – Taste and texture.
Taste – How nice do the idlis taste? How balanced was the seasoning? Was the seasoning balanced or were the idlis oversalted? Are there any other dominant flavors coming from the mustard seeds, curry leaves, and other additions? If yes, are these tasty with/without accompaniments? Does it have an aftertaste?
Texture – Texture is of great importance when it comes to rava idlis. We gauged how fluffy and plump are the idlis. Are they dry or plump? Does the texture change once they are cold?
We also considered factors like pricing, and how easy or tough is the procedure to make the batter. These did not directly influence the results but did affect our overall experience.
How We Reviewed
We divided our review process into two stages –
- Dry inspection
- Taste test
Stage 1 – The dry inspection stage included what we could see in the dry instant mix and check if the instant idli mix had any dominant aroma. After this, we moved onto our prepping stage for the taste test.
Stage 2 – Our review process included a tasting session that lasted a whole day. We made idli batters as per the instructions given on the back of the pack. Apart from Gits Instant Idli Mix, all the brands used sour curd to make the batter. Gits Rava Idli Instant Mix required mixing in water. At this stage, we also noticed how easy or complicated the instructions were to follow which does affect the overall experience.
Traditionally, idlis are steamed in cookers with a lid on, but without a whistle. Idlis can also be steamed in idli steamers and rice cookers. We steamed all the idlis in a traditional round shaped idli stand. We greased the idli stand with vegetable oil and added the batters to all the plates and steamed them in the Bajaj Rice Cooker (Top Pick from our rice cooker review). Even when we reviewed rice idli instant mixes a while back, we noticed that unlike traditional idli steamers, the idlis steamed in the bottommost idli plate did not get soft or mushy. We did not add any herbs or spices of our own.
All the idlis cooked within the mentioned time frame of 10-12 minutes. We tasted them as it is, without any accompaniments like coconut chutney because we wanted to gauge the seasoning and the flavors of added spices or herbs like curry leaves and mustard seeds.
Quick Comparison – Best Instant Rava Idli Mix
| Brand | Aashirvaad | MTR | Gits | Tops |
| Price | Rs 110/- | Rs 205/- | Rs 120/- | Rs 65/- |
| Net Weight | 500 grams | 1 kg | 500 grams | 200 grams |
| Shelf Life | 12 months | 12 months | 12 months | 12 months |
| Semolina Percentage | 83.7% | 84% | 65% | 76% |
| Batter consistency | Thick | Thickest | Thin | Thick |
| Texture |
– Fluffiest – Soft |
– Fluffy – Soft |
– Squidgy – Soft |
– Fluffy – Dry |
| Taste Test |
– Tastiest idli – The mustard seeds, curry leaves can be tasted. – Seasoning is on point. – Crunchy bits of dal and carrots are a nice addition. – Fresh flavors. |
– Flavorful and fresh – Tasty – Mustard seeds, curry leaves can be tasted. – Salt levels are balanced. – Cashews and Bengal gram dal add a nice crunch. |
– No distinct aroma or taste of mustard seeds, or curry leaves at all. – Very bland |
– The idlis do not taste fresh and had a sour aftertaste. |
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Results Of Our Review
After diligently tasting all the rava idlis side-by-side throughout our day, we chose Aashirvaad Rava Idli Instant Mix as our Top Pick for its tasty and plump idlis. We also recommend MTR’s Instant Rava Idli Mix as the taste and texture was comparable to our Top Pick.
* If you do agree with our review, please give it a thumbs up! And, tell us which one is your favorite from this list. If you don’t, please tell us why!
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* Our reviews are unbiased and all samples used during the reviews were paid for by us. Read our entire ethics statement here.
* No part of this review is sponsored by any brand. All expenses were borne by us.