Idli is a type of savoury rice cake, or rice dumpling originating from Indian subcontinent. These rice cakes are popular as breakfast food and made by steaming a batter consisting of fermented rice and dhuli urad.
History
A precursor of modern idli is mentioned in several ancient Indian works. Vaddarahane , a 920 CE Kannada language work by Shivakotiacharya mentions “iddalige” , prepared only from a black gram batter.
The Western Chalukya king and scholar Someshwara III, reigning in the area now called Karnataka, included an idli recipe in his encyclopedia, Manasollasa(1130 CE). This Sanskrit language work describes the food as iddarika. In Karnataka, the idli in 1235 CE is described as being ‘light, like coins of high value’. The food prepared using this recipe is now called uddina idli in Karnataka.
The recipe mentioned in these ancient Indianworks leaves out three key aspects of the modern idli recipe : the use of rice, the long term fermentation of batter and the steaming of fluffiness. The references to the modern recipe appear in the Indian works only after 1250 CE.
My story
I was really fascinated by idli and dosa when I was kid. I always wanted to try them because I was very curious to know that how it turns out in this shape and so fluffy and soft. Until I became chef , I was afraid to try this at home, because of its long fermentation process. I always thought, “ its such a long process, if I messed up .. then !!!” . But then after I joined South Indian section at my job, I came to know this is such simple recipe with wholesome meal on one plate.
Now I make these after every 10 to 15 days at home, and my family loved it. You can also add flavours or add filling to your idli. Like now a days hotels , restaurants experiment with oats idli, sprout idli, carrot idli, beetroot idli, spinach idli, semolina idli, and so on.
Recipe for Boondi ke laddu
- Course : Breakfast
- Prep time : 12hrs
- Cooking time : 20 min
- Serves : 30 pieces
Ingredients:
- Rice – 4 portion
- Dhuli urad (black lentil husked) – 1 portion
- Poha (beaten rice) – ¼ portion
- Salt to taste
Method:
- Soak every ingredient individually for atleast 2 hrs.
- Grind and mix it together, add salt and keep it for fermentation atleast 10-12 hrs.
- Heat water in steamer and add batter in idli moulds.
- Place moulds in steamer for 15-20min.
- Keep idlis at rest 4-5min ,then take it out of the mould.
- Serve with chutney and sambhar.
Tips:
- Portion should be measured in same cup or bowl.
- If you want to add flavours to idli, add it in batter after fermentation .
- Check the batter after atleast 10-12 hrs , it will risen after fermentation.
- If its cold season then keep the batter at some warm place otherwise it will not ferment after 12 hrs also.
- You will not need soda to make your idli fluffy, if batter is risen properly.
- Brush oil in moulds before adding batter to it.
Jamal's Corner 