Soak chickpea lentil in water for about 20 minutes. Finely chop coriander leaves and keep it aside.

Heat a pan adding cooking oil and cashew nuts. Saute till the cashews turn slightly brown and transfer it to a bowl.

Add mustard seeds, lentils and curry leaves to the same pan, keep stirring till the mustard seeds pop up, then include grated carrot and turmeric powder, continue sauteing till the carrot shrinks a bit losing it's raw smell. Include rava to this seasoning and roast it till rava turns aromatic. Do not leave the pan unattended and ensure it's not burnt. Let the rava cool down to room temperature..

Take a wide bowl, add yoghurt, finely chopped cilantro, salt and roasted rava. Combine all these together in to idli batter consistency. Add some water if needed to obtain the desired consistency.

Grease the idli moulds and place a roasted cashew in each mould. Keep cooker with water on stove and let it start boiling.

When everything is ready, include baking soda to the prepared rava idli batter, give a quick mix. Pour idli batter in to greased idli mould and steam it in already set cooker for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Once done, loosen the idlis using a knife and remove from moulds. Serve them hot with potato sagu and chutney.

Never let the idli batter to rest after adding baking soda. It is always best to keep the cooker ready and then include baking soda to the batter. Once done, immediately steam the idlis.

You can omit baking soda, in that case use 1.5 cups of curds to prepare the batter. Keep the cooker ready and then start mixing roasted rava with curds, steam immediately. Do not let the batter to rest.

You can skip carrot but don't compromise with cilantro which should be added in generous quantity.

You can include finely chopped green chillies and ginger too in the seasoning.