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Listed among the great breakfasts of the world, this steamed delight comes in nearly 15 variations, says M. Ananthakrishnan
But the idli is no stranger to fame. Two years ago, the BBC listed it among the Great Breakfasts of the World stating, "If you’re in the southern part of India, breakfast is typically idli. It’s like a rice pancake, except that it’s steamed as compared to typical pancakes, which are toasted. They’re eaten with some coconut paste and spiced up with chillies." The idli definitely deserves this kind of global recognition for a special kind of very fluffy idli is exported in hundreds of kilos everyday from Chennai and the goodies are available in Malaysian and Singaporean restaurants by noon the same day. What’s so special about these idlis? Well, the secret is in the batter which is fermented in tender coconut water, instead of the usual plain aqua. The result is super tasty idlis. Tracing the roots of this now-famous steamed delight, it is found that the word idli originates from the two Tamil words — Ittu and Aavi (to lay and steam). The first written mention of idli occurred in 920 A.D., when it seems to have been a dish made only of fermented urad dal. There is no known record of rice being added until some time in the 17th century, when it was found that the rice helped speed up fermentation. Over the years, the recipe has evolved, but the method of preparation and the name of the idli has stayed constant. In places like Mumbai’s Idli House, you’ll find that the idli comes in nearly 14 variations. From the plain idli to the kanjeevaram idli to the rawa idli to the curd idli and then, onto a whole range of stuffed idlis, containing small amounts of chutneys, sambars or sauces inside them. Another recent addition to the list of idlis is the Udipi khotu idli — an idli steamed inside a triangular cup made of jackfruit leaves. The two to three inch diameter, 50 gm idli is usually served in pairs with coconut chutney, sambar, or dry chutney made of dry, crushed spice mixtures known as milagaipodi (chilli powder). As one idli aficionado remarked, "The idli part of the meal is substance, the chutney part is pure flavor." According to sports nutritionist Sejal Mehta, "it is the healthiest fast food as a 100 gram idli has only 130 calories, whereas the plain dosa has 360 calories for the same weight and the paratha, well`85430 calories." For all its seeming simplicity however, the idli is not the easiest item to make. The ratio of urad dal to rice should not exceed 1: 2 by volume. Both should be soaked and ground separately to make a batter which is then left to ferment for at least 8 hours. If you don’t see tiny bubbles the next morning, the dough will not rise and you have to start all over again. Trying shortcuts like adding yeast won’t work well. Again using the chlorinated tap water available in metros and the iodised salt being sold now does not help the fermentation. Further, for the ultimate in idlis, you have to avoid using modern mixies which generate heat in the paste and this kills all the ‘wild yeast’. You have to use the old type of grinding stone, which has almost gone into extincion except in some rural parts of India. In some parts of Tamil Nadu, few weeks after the bride comes to the groom’s house, the matriarch of the family will either accord a distinction (for good fermentation) or an F grade (the batter does not ferment at all) to the bride’s cooking skills depending on how she handles the idli batter. These qualifications might be strange but it is still amazing how no two idli batters are the same. Then in the morning, gently scoop the top layer of the batter, pour it into the ghee-greased molds of an idli tray or ‘tree’ and steam it for the ambrosia. Ramasseri village, near Palghat, in Kerala is the most famous for its idlies. Every morning hordes of idli lovers rush to this village from the neighbouring towns to taste these Ramasseri idlis. The secret of these idlis is kept safe among the few families of the village. Once in a moment of lapse, one of the cooks confided that no gas stoves are used for making these delicacies and the taste was due to the fact that only tamarind tree logs are used to heat the water for steaming the idlies. — MF |
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FIRST,
it was the parantha from North India that got its own exclusive
restaurant chain — Only Parathas. Then, it was the turn of the dosa
from South India to inspire a dosas-only eatery — Dosa Hut. And now,
South India’s ultimate breakfast, the idli has earned its exclusive
space in the food world with restaurants like Idli House in Matunga,
Mumbai, solely devoted to these soft, steamed dal and rice
cakes.