What better way than to start your day with a plate full of Idlis with coconut chutney and the tangy sambar. Being a foodie myself, I just can’t imagine my life without Idlis? I mean I savour these soft and fluffy, round, steamed cakes almost every day.
While all my life I thought that Idlis are from South India and the staple food of the South Indians, I almost suffered a heart attack when I first came to know that Idli is NOT FROM INDIA.
Yes, you heard that right, Idli is not from India. KT Achaya’s theory suggests that Idli is introduced in India by the Hindu Kings from Indonesia. So, is Idli Indonesian?
Well, Achaya further notes that the word might be derived from ‘iddalige’, first mentioned in a Kannada work (Vaddaradhane) of 920 AD and some references are also found in Sanskrit Manasollasa of 1130 AD which has ‘iddarika’ but again made from urad dal flour only.
Indonesian Kings used to travel a lot to India and the cooks with them suggested the dish. As Indonesia has a long tradition of Fermented foods, Idli seems to be one of them.
Talking about Idlis, the breakfast item is savoured all over India with great relish. There have been many varieties in making the idlis but the use of fermented rice and urad dal and the process remains the same.
Unless and until it is served in every part of India, foodies like me will never dig deep for the information of where exactly Idli was invented.
I am heading for my plate of Idli, are you?