WorldPhoto: Deccan HeraldAntique Idli Makers Reveal Coastal Karnataka's Culinary History
Antique idli makers in coastal Karnataka trace the origins of idli, a steamed rice cake, back six generations. Though often associated with Tamil Nadu, idli likely originated from Indonesia, introduced during the Chola empire. The 9th-century Kannada text Vaddaradhane first references idli as 'iddalige,' describing a flattened steamed rice cake made in banana leaf molds with medicinal properties.
Deccan Herald··Kundapur



