Instant Pot Idli
Instant pot idli is the easiest version of making the fluffiest South Indian idli. The instant pot version cuts down the fermentation time and makes the best batter. Presenting my version of pressure cooker idli.
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Servings: 6
Cost: $4
Equipment
- Instant pot
Ingredients
- 3.5 cup Idli rice / parboiled rice soaked
- ½ cup idli sooji / rava/ semolina
- 1 cup skinned black gram lentils/urad dal soaked
- 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds/ methi dana soaked
- 2 teaspoon sea salt
- Water as needed
- Oil – 1 tbsp for greasing the moulds
Instructions
Making Batter
- Step 1 – Soaking
- Rinse and soak rice and dal in separate bowls as both require different grinding times and consistency. The batter won’t be smooth if both of these soaked together. So it’s important to soak rice and lentils in different bowls.
- Add fenugreek seeds to the bowl of dal for soaking. Let it soak for 6 – 8 hours or overnight.
- Step 2 – Blending
- Remove from water and transfer rice to a high speed blender. Add little cold water (~ ½ cup). Cold water is necessary to prevent the heating of dal batter which may hinder the fermentation process. Blend it to smooth consistency.
- Repeat the same with urad dal. Add little water to the blender and blend to smooth batter.
- Now pour the batter into a large bowl and mix the batter well. Give it a nice stir. Add non-iodized salt (rock salt) for better fermentation. If the mixture is too thick add ¼ - ½ cup water more for a thick flowing consistency.
- For a better fermentation process, mix the batter well in a spatula which incorporates more air into the batter for a natural fermentation process.
- Step 3 – Fermenting in the instant pot
- Transfer the batter to a large bowl and place it near warm place for fermentation. Cover it with a lid.
- In normal or warm climate/ places, you can ferment the batter on the countertop. It can take anywhere from 8 – 12 hours to ferment the batter. It also depends on the outside temperature.
- Fermenting batter in cold places or cold weather is difficult than warmer ones. But with help of instant pot or oven this is much easier than the traditional way.
- To ferment the batter in instant pot, transfer the prepared batter to the instant pot steel insert. Place it inside and start with yogurt mode. Set timer for 12 hours. Cover instant pot with a glass lid and let the batter ferment.
- After 12 hours, when the batter is fermented well, remove and store the batter in another air-tight container. The idly batter is now ready to make idli. Also, you may refrigerate this for up to a week.
Making Instant Pot Idli
- Keep the instant pot on sauté mode and add some water. Bring it to a boil.
- Simultaneously, grease the idli moulds with little oil. Add a tablespoon of batter in each mould. Don’t over-fill the moulds. There needs to be room for idli to expand while cooking.
- Place the idli stand in the instant pot. Close lid. Keep it in steam mode in venting position.
- When instant pot is in the venting position, the timer won’t work. So manually keep track in 10 – 12 minutes. Check after 12 minutes.
- Remove the idli stand and allow it to cool naturally for some time. Then scrape out the idli from the mould with help of a spoon.
- Enjoy instant pot idli with chutney and sambar!