Soft Idli

Steamed rice-urad dal cakes — the foundational South Indian breakfast: raw rice and urad dal soaked separately, ground to a smooth batter (the urad dal to an exceptionally airy, light foam), mixed with salt, fermented overnight in a warm place until the batter doubles in volume and develops a slight sour tang, then poured into oiled idli moulds and steamed for exactly ten minutes. The quality marker is softness so extreme that the idli springs back when pressed and leaves no indent. The Tamil Brahmin approach prizes a lighter fermentation (not too sour) and a specific ratio: three parts rice to one part urad dal. Eaten with sambar, coconut chutney, and idli podi; the combination of all three at once is the standard Tamil Brahmin breakfast.