Idli Waffles with Instant Pot Sambar

And a Quick Coconut Chutney!

How cute are these Idli Waffles??!! 

Idli Waffles

I really wish this was another quick and easy weeknight dinner option, but it just wasn't as quick as I like my usual recipes to be! But it is worth testing out for the change in textures you get with these idli waffles! It falls somewhere in between a crispy dosa and a super soft and fluffy idli. You get a crisp outer surface from the waffle iron but the inside of the waffle is still very fluffy! And I still make these on a weeknight when I have a little extra energy and time, so it's definitely worth a try!

I employed as many shortcuts as I could though to cut down on the time. I used ready-made batter. You know the kind that you can buy in tubs from your local Indian grocery store! This batter is actually pretty amazing! No fermenting time, no wait time! Just pop open one of these tubs, add a little water to get to a consistency you like. My trick is also to add a teaspoon of Eno to every 1 cup of batter I use. I find it helps to amp up the fluff factor! Stir it up and get your waffle iron ready!

Another trick I learned about making idli waffles is that you have to allow for the batter to set even after its poured into the griddle. So pour the batter and keep the waffle iron open for about 2 minutes. If you don't do this, the idli batter expands too quickly and burns right on to the iron (yikes!). Once you're able to close it, cook for another 2 minutes and they should be able to pop right now!

Instant Pot Sambar

For the sambar, I tried to make it as quickly as possible without one of those pre-made mixes (you know one of those just add water mixtures!). So I used my ever-trusty Instant Pot!! In order to get a nice texture on the sambar, I did have to break it up as a two-part recipe though. If you throw all of the ingredients for the sambar in at once (dal, veggies, seasonings). You will be end up with a lumpy sambar. I prefer a nice smooth dal as the base, with the perfectly cooked veggies still intact.  

So I cooked the dal first in the Instant Pot. Once the dal is cooked, blend it with an immersion blender and set aside.

For the veggies, set the Instant Pot to saute and start adding the cut up veggies you are planning on using. For me, I just so with the simplest of veggies: onions, tomatoes, tomatoes, and that's about it!  I know you can add a whole garden full of other vegetables to your sambar, but I like to keep the textures simple because the seasonings is pretty complex! 

Here's the another shortcut with the sambar, just buy a sambar seasoning masala! Add a couple of tablespoons of this and some salt and that may be the only seasoning you will need to add, well that and the tamarind water.

Then just combine the seasoned veggies with the dal and the tamarind water. 

Quick Coconut Chutney

The easiest part of this meal is this amazing coconut chutney. I know most recipes for coconut chutney call for (or sometimes even demand!) freshly grated coconut which I'm positive will give you a nice flavor boost. But when you're trying to get an amazing chutney done in 5 minutes, you will have no problem using the frozen grated coconut!

Like I do with my chutney's, just get out your blender and add  your ingredients! For this one, add frozen grated coconut, ginger, green chili, yogurt, water, salt. Blend. The trick to making this chutney really shine is the seasoned oil drizzle (tarka/vaghra). The simple technique of frying whole spices in heated oil allow for the flavor the spices to bloom intensely. But adding this seasoned oil to the chutney, it really takes the flavor to another level! 

I know it seems like a lot, but most of the steps you can do simultaneously and with little attention, after all the sambar is coming together in the instant pot and the idli waffles are crisping up in the waffle iron!

You might also like: Everything Naan with Cilantro Chutney Cream Cheese, Mango Lassi Parfait

📖 Recipe

Idli Waffles with Instant Pot Sambar and a Quick Coconut Chutney

a delicious twist on a classic South Indian snack!

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Course Main Dish

Cuisine Indian

Ingredients

  

Instant Pot Sambar

• 1 cup oily toor dal
• 4 cups water divided
• 2 tomatoes quartered
• 1 tablespoon jaggery or gur
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 2 teaspoons salt adjust as needed
• ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
• pinch asafoetida
• 10-14 curry leaves
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 potato peeled and diced
• 2-3 tablespoon sambar masala
• 1 tablespoon tamarind soaked in ¼ cup warm water

Idli Waffles

• 1 container of idli/dosa batter
• water
• Eno

Quick and Easy Coconut Chutney

• 1 cup frozen grated coconut
• ¼ cup yogurt
• 2 tablespoon chana dal
• 1 small green chili
• ½ teaspoon grated ginger
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1-2 tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoon oil
• 6-8 curry leaves
• ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
• ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
• pinch asafoetida

Instructions

 

Instant Pot Sambar

• Combine tamarind and ¼ cup warm water in a small bowl and set aside.
• Rinse dal a few times. Add dal, 3 cups of water and quartered tomato to the instant pot.
• Set instant pot to pressure cook for 12 on high, allow natural pressure release for at least 5 minutes. Carefully let the pressure release.
• Add grated ginger, salt, and jaggery. Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. Remove the pureed dal from the Instant Pot insert and set aside.
• After returning the insert to the instant pot, set the instant pot to the saute on High.
• Add oil to the instant pot, once the oil has warmed, add cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Once the seeds start to crackle, add the curry leaves and asafoetida.
• Add chopped veggies (onions and potatoes) to the seasoned oil. Add sambar masala and 1 cup of water. Stir to combine.
• Set Instant Pot to pressure cook for 8 minutes, let natural pressure for at least 5 minutes
• Manual pressure release before opening Instant Pot. Stir tamarind and water mixture, strain (to remove any pulp) add to the veggies. Add in the reserved dal.
• Stir the dal, veggies and tamarind until combined. Taste for additional salt or sambar masala. Once it is to your liking, set Instant Pot to keep warm and until ready to serve.

Idli Waffles

• Pour 1 ½ cup of batter from container into a liquid measuring cup. Add about ¼ - ½ cup of water. Stir to combine.
• Heat up your waffle iron, once it is ready, spray with non-stick spray. Add 1 teaspoon of Eno to your idli batter right before.
• Pour some idli batter into the waffle iron. Make sure not to fill all the way up. Leave the iron open for about 2 minutes. This is to allow the batter to start cooking on the iron and rising. Once the batter starts to dry out a bit, close the waffle iron and continue to cook the idli waffle for another 2-3 minutes.
• Idli waffles are ready once they are golden brown on the bottom and have a slight crust on the top.
• Remove from the waffle iron and repeat for the next set of waffles!

Quick and Easy Coconut Chutney

• Dry roast chana dal for about 2-3 minutes, until the lentils start to pick up some color, but do not burn!
• Add frozen grated coconut, yogurt, green chili (cut off stem), grated ginger, salt, water and roasted chana dal to blender. Blend until combined. Add more water if needed for smoother consistency. Once desired consistency is reached, transfer chutney to a bowl.
• Add oil to a small saucepan, add cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Once seeds start to crackle, add curry leaves and asafoetida. Let cook for about 1 minute.
• Add seasoned oil to the chutney, stir to combine. Serve with idli and sambar!

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