One of the things I miss the most about being gluten-free is sourdough bread! There's something about the dense texture, little air pockets, and fermented taste that just makes my heart sing. I have tried to make gluten free sourdough on multiple occasions, but never seem to be able to replicate the flavors that I used to love so much. A few years ago I worked with a large population of people from South Asia. They introduced me to a variety of new foods, and helped me find brand new favorites! The first time I saw Idli, pronounced eedillee, I was at a lunch buffet at an Indian food restaurant. At first, I was unimpressed with the white round discs, but one bite changed my attitude! It was, for the first time in over 5 years, the closest thing I had tasted to sourdough bread! It took me sometime after that to find anyone who would even attempt to teach me how to make my own at home, but eventually I found someone who was was willing to teach me her ways, take me shopping, and help me get the required materials. Traditionally, these are eaten for breakfast in Southern India, but I can personally eat them any time of the day or night. Finding a really good Indian grocery store is imperative! If you do not have one nearby, Amazon does carry a number of the things that you need, but to get the most fresh and delicious end product, you will want to find a store that has good turnover. I happen to live in an area with a lot of people from South India, so there are a number of stores for me to choose from, and I have been able to find brands that I like better than others. As for the Idli stands, at the time, they were only available at an Indian Grocery store. They come in 2 sizes, regular and mini - I prefer the regular size because it means less work - I have a Hawkins brand and another that was a gift from a friend whose mother had an extra set, but the stainless steel Tabakh brand is also really good. It is important to note that Idli are a fermented food, in the same vein as sourdough, kombucha, or kefir. Therefore it is not something that can be whipped up in an hour. Instead, give yourself 16-24 hours in the summer months, and longer during the winter. The reason for this is that the warmth of the environment has a direct impact on the speed of the fermentation process. One of the reasons it is so hard to find a recipe for this dish that is straight-forward, is because there is so much waiting time between steps, and specific reasons for how and why things are done. There are no hard and fast rules with regards to timing because often it's about how it looks, smells, and feels. The process is not at all like cooking a box of store-bought mac and cheese. There is a lot of nuance to the dish. For instance, when soaking the rava and dal, they need to be in separate bowls,. Then when they are in the food processor, they again need to be separate. Ingredients
Equipment
preparation
Podi
**Being unable to get the podi ingredients in the past, I have substituted pesto, chimichurri, or other forms of chutneys. Technically a lentil dish called sambar is the accompaniment to idli. |
AuthorI'm Michelle, and I've got a full plate! As a full-time dietetics student, step-mom, wife, study coach, and tutor in my late 30's, some days I'm barely scraping by. But, no matter what is on my plate, it's always gluten free! Categories
All
Archives
August 2020
|