Google celebrates Idli with Doodle; what you don't know about South India’s beloved breakfast and its variations

Hot idlis, sambar, chutney, and uzhunnu vada on banana leaves... Even Google lost control. Yesterday's Google Doodle was the popular dish from South India.

The doodle included making idlis with batter made from uzhunnu dal and rice and transferring them onto the leaf. The letter G was written with rice and uzhunnu dal.

Although idlis originated in India, it is also a favourite breakfast food in countries like Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Burma. Idlis have been popular in India since ancient times. The Kannada work Vaddaradhane by Sivakoti Acharya, written around 920 AD, mentions a dish called "iddalige," which is considered a precursor to the modern idli. The term is Iddarika in the encyclopedia Manasollasa, prepared in Sanskrit during the reign of Someshwara III, the Kannada king in 1130.

March 30 has been celebrated as World Idli Day since 2015. Iniyavan, a leading vegetarian food retailer in Chennai, set a record by introducing 2500 types of Idlis in 2020.

From Saada to Ramassery

Saada idli, rava idli, sambar idli, rasa idli, ghee idli... Idlis are available in various forms in Tamil Nadu. However, Ramassery idlis from Palakkad are unique. This idli was introduced by the Mudaliar families who migrated to Palakkad from Kanchipuram. The combination is chutney powder mixed with coconut oil. The tourism department organises the Ramassery Idli Fest every year.