Idli
AI-drafted · awaiting admin review
Steamed cakes of fermented rice and urad dal, documented in Kannada and Sanskrit texts over a thousand years old.
Region: South India (Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and beyond)Occasion: BreakfastTime: 20 min + soaking and fermentingServes: 4Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 cups idli rice (parboiled)
- ½ cup whole skinned urad dal
- ¼ tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds
- 1½ tsp salt
- Water as needed
Method
- Soak the rice in one bowl, and the urad dal with fenugreek in another, for 5–6 hours.
- Grind the urad dal to a very smooth, fluffy batter with a little cold water. Grind the rice to a slightly coarse batter.
- Mix both with the salt. Cover and leave in a warm place for 8–12 hours, until the batter rises and smells pleasantly sour.
- Pour into greased idli moulds and steam for 10–12 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Rest for 2 minutes, unmould, and serve with sambar and chutney.
History
A dish called iddalige appears in the Kannada work Vaddaradhane (920 CE). The Sanskrit encyclopaedia Manasollasa (c. 1130 CE), compiled under the Chalukya king Someshvara III, describes iddarika.
Significance
Fermenting and steaming make idli light and easy to digest. It is a breakfast staple across South India.