The clash of cultures between north India and south India has been there for ages. Be it food, culture, traditions, or even movies both can never settle on one. Both the regions are different from each other and to experience it we don’t have to look at the major things it can be proved by the staple food which is wheat in the north and rice in the south.
Standing in the clashes there is no doubt that the south Indian idli will win over the north Indian chapati and parathas. Idli being prepared in steam is very healthy and some dieticians even prefer idli for weight loss whereas whole wheat chapatis or parathas prepared in oils and potato stuffing are very heavy and at some point unhealthy too. Idli, on the other hand, is prepared with a combination of rice and pulses which serves as a great source of protein and carbohydrates at the same time.
What is Idli?
Idli can be described as a rice cake. These are soft and fluffy cakes of rice prepared by fermenting and streaming the batter in a pressure cooker. It is enthusiastically eaten with sambhar (lentil vegetable soup), or coconut and tomato chutney.
Idli can be served as breakfast, lunch, or dinner as it is edible, soft, and very light with ingredients that can be easily digested. There are fewer calories in idli as compared to other rice foods.
Idli Variants:
There are mainly two variations of idli: Rava Idli and Rice Idli. Rava being great in taste is preferred over rice as it is also a source of Low GE Carbs whereas rice providesHigh GE Carbs.
- Rava Idli Batter: The preparation of batter for this variant is quick as there is no need to pre-soak and mash rava. Being already crushed it takes the batter to ferment in 30 minutes or an hour and can be used then.
- Rice Idli Batter: The preparation time for this can be as long as 24 hours as the rice needs to be pre-soaked for 6-8 hours and ground minutely. After it is ground the fermentation will also take an hour and then ready for use.
Recipe for Idli- Idli for Weightloss:
Most people do not prefer idli as for them it is very laborious to prepare a batter and then steam it. So, first things first let describe an idli recipe.
| Preparation Time | 30 Minutes |
| Ingredients | Chana Dal Mustard seeds Rice Rava Salt Curd |
- Preparation: For preparing ingredients the rice, rava and pulses need to be washed first and soaked for 6 hours, separately.
- Blending: After 6 hours, it is required to drain the water in a strainer and wash everything thoroughly. After removing the water completely, the dal and rice need to be a blend. To blend transfer everything to a blender, add salt and water to make a thick paste. It should not be runny.
- Fermentation: For fermenting, curd or ENO can be added. At this time mustard seeds boiled Chana dal, salt and spices can be put. It has to be kept apart for 1 hour in an open container with a lid. Do remember to not ferment the batter in an airtight container.
- Streaming: For steaming, a basic pressure cooker, microwave, or special idli cooker can be used. The base of the cooker should be filled with water, the idli plates should be greased with oil and put in the cooker. It will be done in 15 minutes.
Health Benefits of Eating Idli- Calories in Idli:
Idli offers numerous health benefits that is why it is considered to be taken for weight loss. It is very light being away from fats and cholesterol and its fermentation process makes it easy to digest. It has fewer carbs, more fiber, and more proteins. 1 idli calories can be counted as minimal as 39 only.
Nutritional Value of Idli:
Know about idli calories-
- Protein: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 7.2g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Fats: 0.1g
The food with the least side effects, alone fulfills the requirement of a balanced diet and can be eaten for all meals in various varieties can also be as little as idli.