Idli - The hero of South-indian cuisine

India is known for its food and culture, especially South-India has so many dishes which are world-renowned. As an expat living in Germany, I encounter many people who convey their love for Indian food. I would like to take you all through a journey, featuring some of the famous south-indian dishes, via a series of articles which will give you, all the information from a new perspective. 

Image source: Google

To start with, I would like to take a simple and yet healthy dish called "Idli / Idly". Idli is nothing but a savoury-cake that is popular throughout India, even in neighboring countries like Srilanka. Idli is usually consumed for breakfast and sometimes for dinner also, it is widely famous due to its simplicity and nutritious value. 

I would like to introduce our "SOUTH-INDIAN HERO" as a fair-complexioned, soft-textured, oil-free, about four t0 five inches in diameter which is prepared by steaming a batter, made up of fermented black lentils (urad dal) along with rice. He is always healthy, full of nutrients and fresh. He is born with quite a lot hardships, by a process called Fermentation, where he breaks down the starch (rice and urad dal), rises from the steam, so that it will be easily metabolized by our body. 

Image source: Google

Our hero's origins dates back to early 900's, in a unknown region of now-called Karnataka. But, then he was born with only the urad dal and not with rice. Another reference states that, in the early 1000's our hero was raised by soaking black gram dal in buttermilk, the ground to a fine paste, later mixed with curd and other spices. There is another reference stating that, our hero originated in Indonesia, when the "Hindu kings" had a settlement and may have invented the steamed idli there.

Image source: Google

He is not only a rich man's ecstasy, but also an poor man's saviour. Starting from "Amma Mess" till "Le royal meridien", you can find 'him' in all restaurants, nevertheless it is a 5-star or road-side push cart. The main point to be noted is that, wherever you find "him", whether it is for One rupee  or Hundred bucks, he is always the same and not biased. He IS the saviour of the masses. He is not only a King's indulgence, but also a Farmer's paradise

Image source: Google

You can always find "him" romancing with his lead-ladies, the Sambar and different type of Chutneys. Whenever someone orders a plate of IDLI, there will be someone or the other accompanying him. He will always be seen always with at least one of these ladies or sometimes with two - three of them. 

Image source: Google

He is always in a relation with abundance of Sambar, it is said that 'she' brings the best out of him. He is never a 'loner', it is also rumoured that, our 'hero' is sometimes seen with Vadacurry, Kurma, Non-veg gravies and many others, depending on where he is raised, either the 5 star hotel or local shops. 

Image source: Google

He is so famous that, you can always see him in various different avatars. Some of them are sambar idli, ragi idli, mini idli, rava idli, kancheepuram idli, button idli, podi idli, muday idli, tatte idli, and the list goes on. He is so healthy, that the doctors recommend him instead of dosa, poori, pongal, etc., He is so attractive that, everyone irrespective of the age like him. He is everyone's favourite. 

Image source: Google

Sometimes he goes on stealth mode and disguises himself as idli upma, fried idli, masala idli, chinese idli, etc., He is already nutritious, yet some people are more health conscious that, they make oats idli, millets idli, ragi idli. 

Image source: Google

It maybe any director(cook), whatever role may our HERO play, he can please all the audience and he is always the box-office winner.  Without any further discussion, we can call him SUPERSTAR of our cuisine. 

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Have a idli-cious day!