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close-up of rava idli waffles on the plate
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5 from 1 vote

Rava Idli Waffles (Indian Savory Semolina waffles)

Rava idli waffles(semolina waffles) are a fun spin on a South Indian savory steamed idli cake. It has a lovely, delicate texture and is seasoned with whole spices, ginger, chili, and cilantro. It’s an amazing savory breakfast served with chutney, Indian pickles, or sambar(split pea stew)
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: South Indian
Keyword: rava idli pancakes, rava idli waffles
Servings: 4
Author: Vegan Richa

Equipment

  • waffle maker optional

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 6-8 curry leaves , fresh or frozen or dried
  • 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
  • 1/2 green chili, such as serrano or Indian chopped
  • 3 tablespoons chopped cashews
  • 3/4 cup coarse semolina or rava
  • 1 tablespoon shredded coconut

Rest of the Dry Ingredients

  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • 1/4 cup carrots and peas
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 2 tablespoons almond flour
  • 1 teaspoon sambar powder or garam masala or another spice blend of choice
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour, optional

Wet Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup non-dairy yogurt
  • 2 teaspoons lime juice
  • 1/2 - 1 cup water
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Roast the semolina: Heat a medium to large-size skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds and mix well. Cook until they change color significantly.
  • Add in the ginger, curry leaves, green chili, cashews, semolina, and shredded coconut and mix well. Continue to roast for 4-6 minutes or until the semolina starts to look very fluffy and has changed color just a little bit. Switch off the heat and transfer the mixture to a bowl. (You can refrigerate this mixture for up to 2 weeks and use it later. Or freeze the mixture for months)
  • Make the batter: Add the rest of the dry ingredients: baking soda, baking powder, salt, cilantro, veggies, almond flour, and onions, and mix well. You can also add other veggies, like chopped bell peppers, grated cauliflower, or other quick-cooking vegetables.
  • Add in the wet ingredients: the yogurt, lime juice, and 1/2 cup of water, and mix well. Depending on your semolina, you will need 1/4 cup or more water to make a stiff batter. Add just a few tablespoons and let it sit for 5 minutes for the semolina to absorb some of the liquid and then add 1-2 tablespoons of water at a time until you get a batter. Add more water if needed right before making the pancakes or waffles.
  • To make waffles: Preheat your waffle iron and brush or drizzle some oil on both plates then spoon some of the mixture into the waffle iron, close the lid, and cook. These waffles are going to take much longer to cook than what your waffle maker will indicate. Cook them until they are nicely golden otherwise, they will stick badly to the waffle iron and break apart.
  • To make pancakes: Heat a large skillet over medium heat and drizzle some oil. Once the skillet is hot, add the batter and form your pancakes. If the batter is too thick you can add another tablespoon or so of water and mix in. Let the pancakes get golden and the edges are almost cooked. When the middle is about to set flip them and continue to cook them on the other side. Make smaller size pancakes because these will be delicate. Repeat with the rest of the batter.
  • Serve with Indian pickles or sambar. It is delicious with coconut chutney, tomato chutney, or mint chutney!

Video

Notes

To make it gluten-free you can use rice rava (cream of rice) but the taste does vary and the amount of water you will need will vary as well.
Soy-free, choose a soy-free non-dairy yogurt.
You can change up the flavors. If you don’t have curry leaves or mustard seeds. You can use only cumin seeds and add some garam masala. You can change the veggies as well.
Semolina makes them quite delicate, so to make them more sturdy you can add 2-3 tablespoons of regular all-purpose flour.

Nutrition

Calories: 125kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 393mg | Potassium: 153mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 904IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 1mg