What is Idli?

Idli is the product of the same fermented batter as dosa — rice and urad dal soaked, ground, and left overnight — but instead of being spread thin and crisped, it's poured into round molds and steamed. What comes out is a white, pillowy cake about the size of a hockey puck, with a surface just tacky enough to catch chutney. The texture is soft without being mushy, and the flavor is gently sour in a way that your brain categorizes as 'light' even before you've thought about it. It's also legitimately good for you, which South Indian aunties will remind you of unprompted.

A fresh idli — warm from the steamer, served immediately with coconut chutney and sambar — is something that rewards eating slowly. A cold idli, eaten out of a dabba on a train or reheated from last night, is a completely different and slightly melancholy experience. South Indian households capable of good idli know that the fermentation time, the ratio of the grind, and the specific texture of the batter the morning after are variables you learn by feel over years. Some families still use a wet grinder that has been in the kitchen since the eighties.