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Food historian, KT Achaya’s speculation makes us believe that the idli might have its true ancestry in Indonesia. The present day Indonesia had a strong history of fermented food. Hindu kings of Indianised kingdoms there could have eaten the first modern recipe idli from the hands of their cooks in Indonesia. Achaya talks about the Indonesian dish Kedli, which according to him is akin to the present day idli. The history and origin of this potent sphere is still a bone of contention between the southern states of India. Karnataka thinks it’s their baby and Tamil Nadu lays its claim. There are rumblings from Gujarat as well. Lily tells us more about idli, in the weekly column, exclusively for Different Truths.
The fragrant aroma of the exotic tasting Sambhar with the perfect blend of oriental spices hits the senses as do the antics of the two spherical objects known as idlis wading in it. This is a scene in a busy Indian
A savoury cake hugely popular in India and neighbouring Sri Lanka, idli is made with soaked, fermented, de-husked black lentils and rice, which are later ground to a batter. It is then steamed. The fermenting process breaks down the starches and helps metabolism, besides increasing the nutritional
The history and origin of this potent sphere are still a bone of contention between the southern states of India. Karnataka thinks it’s their baby and Tamil Nadu lays its claim. There are rumblings from Gujarat as well! The word Iddalige finds mention in the Kannada language of Karnataka) writings of 920 AD. Sanskrit, The Manasollasa of 1130 AD refers to iddarika. Both these are made with urad dal flour. The Karnataka uddina idli is perhaps made from the same recipe as mentioned here. Tamil writings start referring to idli or Itali as they call it only in the 17th century. Kannada and Tulu texts may have mentioned idli in the 10th century AD, though there is no proof of that though those days there were separate preparations of black lentils and of rice. The modern recipe makes an appearance in Indian works after 1250 AD. The food historian K T Achaya feels that there seems to be no mention of three important and key aspects of idli making in the earlier texts mentioned. Firstly, no rice grits seem to have been mixed in the lentils, there was no fermentation and they were not steamed for its present fluffy avatar.
Achaya’s speculation makes us believe that the idli might have its true ancestry in Indonesia. The present day Indonesia had a strong history of fermented food. Hindu kings of Indianised kingdoms there could have eaten the first modern recipe idli from the hands of their cooks in Indonesia. Achaya talks about the Indonesian dish Kedli, which according to him is akin to the present day idli.
Another interesting thing that comes up is the mention in a Gujarati writing, Varanaka Samuchaya, of idari and its local adaptation idada, which is the fermented version of dhokla. This was 1520 CE. Maccapuranam, the Tamil work that mentions Itali or idli is from the 17th century.
Mothers in the southern states of India still lure their little ones at breakfast time by telling them to eat these soft as cotton balls and white as the pretty moon idlis. The reward often is the last one soaked in ghee and sugar.
So whether it is a Malligai idli, Kambu idli, Kanchipuram idli, Sago idli, Rava idli, Bullet idli, Cocktail idli, Button idli, Carrot idli, Vegetable idli, Ragi idli, Cornmeal idli or even if it is the upma made out of left over idli, this little sweetheart of a moon-faced baby is making waves the world over. It has a shot in the arm now as a health food that is super cool if you are trying to lose the pounds as it is steamed as well as nutritious.
So take a bite, roll your eyes and exclaim with an appropriate accompanying gesture, “Romba nandri!”
©Lily Swarn
Photo from the internet.