The Iconic Bidadi Thatte Idly ….soft,bisi (hot) disc-like and large….soaked in coconut
chutney, sambhar, or vegetable sagu makes a perfect breakfast any day. It was way back in
1950, that Bidadi, a small village on Bangalore -Mysore expressway started selling these
idlies in a tiny village eatery and today these carbohydrate-protein discs have captured a
unique place on our food map.
Thatte in Kannada refers to a plate and since these idlies are steamed on flat large plates the
Thatte Idly has derived its name. These idlis are unique to Kannadiga cuisine and are prepared
with the usual combination of rice and urad dal. Poha/beaten rice/rice flakes or Sabudana or
sago is also added to make the idly super soft and porous.
Featured here is the Thatte idly with a dollop of butter, prepared by Anitha Sudha a home
chef in Bangalore whose cooking skills are unsurpassable. The Idly Podi doused segments of
Thatte Idly is of course a Tamil fusion commonly seen at the Chennai airport’s ID lounge.
Ingredients for Bidadi Thatte Idly:
- Idly rice – 1 kg-5 cups
- Urad dal – 300 gms-1.5 cups
- Tapioca pearls (Sabudana) – 100 gms-1/2 cup
(Or) - Rice flakes/Poha 100 gms
Preparation Method:
- Soak all three items individually for 3 hours prior to grinding.
- Grind all the 3 ingredients together coarsely. Batter needs to rest outside for 8 hrs/overnight to ferment.
- Steam the batter for 20 minutes in Thatte idly moulds similar to a plate.
(The choice of the plate is key and a major difference between the conventional idly mould. You could use a dhokla stand or plate)
Coconut Chutney Recipe:
Ingredients for Coconut Chutney
- Finely grated coconut – 1 large cup
- Cashew nuts – 30 gms
- Green chilli 2
- Ginger 10 gms
- Salt to taste
For the tempering
- Oil 1tsp
- Mustard seeds 1tsp
- Asafoetida ½ tsp
- Curry leaves few
Preparation Method:
- Take all the above ingredients in a mixer jar and make a smooth paste using water.
- Temper with mustard seeds, asafoetida, and curry leaves.
Karnataka Special Bidadi Thatte Idli is Ready 🙂
