|
The idli, also romanized "idly" or "iddly", is made by steaming batter — traditionally made from pulses (specifically black lentils) and rice — into patties, usually two to three inches in diameter, using a mold. Most often eaten at breakfast or as a snack, idli are usually served in pairs with chutney, sambar, or other accompaniments. Mixtures of crushed dry spices such as milagai podi are the preferred condiment for idlis eaten on the go. Although the idli is native to South India, it is a most common and tasty fastfood available everywhere in India especially in the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. Sri Lankan Tamils also have a traditional preference towards idli.
Preparation To prepare the classic idlis, two parts uncooked rice to one part split black lentil are soaked until they can be ground to a paste in a heavy stone grinding vessel, the attu kal. This paste is allowed to ferment overnight, until about 2-1/2 times its original volume. In the morning, the idli batter is put into the ghee-greased molds of an idli tray or "tree" for steaming. This typically has several metal trays in tiers on a central support, with three or four round indentations per tray. These molds are perforated to allow the idlis to be cooked evenly. The tree holds the trays above the level of boiling water in a pot, and the pot is covered until the idlis are done, in 10-25 minutes, depending on size. The idli's pancake-like cousin is the dosa. History The word idli originates from the two Tamil words - "Ittu" and "Avi" (To lay and steam). Although the precise history of the modern idli is unknown, it is a very old food in southern Indian cuisine. The first mention of it in writings occurs circa 920 A.D., and it seems to have started as a dish made only of fermented black lentil. One description circa 1025 A.D. says the lentils were first soaked in buttermilk, and after grinding, seasoned with black pepper, coriander, cumin and asafoetida. The king and scholar Someshwara III, reigning in the area now called Karnataka, included an idli recipe in his encyclopedia, the Manasollasa, written in Sanskrit ca. 1130 A.D. There is no known record of rice being added until some time in the 17th century. It may have been found that the rice helped speed the fermentation process. Although the idli changed in ingredients, the preparation process and the name remained the same. Contemporary Idlis and variations
| ||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||
 |
|
| |