I discovered the World Idli Day in 2020. Here is my post from last year – World Idli Day and the Idli-Snob. Amma’s family and Idlis have a very close connection. My great grandmother had setup a idli shop to sustain herself and bring up her only child, my maternal grandmother. She had bought a house in Tirunelveli for Rs. 100/- and paid for it in instalments !!
Tirunelveli “Vilayatu” Idli
I have very vivid memories of eating a dozen idlis when we visited Tirunelveli during my summer holidays. My maternal grandmother would keep making them and people would keep eating …. they melted in your mouth. The aroma of Paruppu Kozhambu (dal sambar 🙄) and the marachekku nallennai (cold pressed Sesame oil 🙄) is still clearly etched in my mind.
My father would call those idlis as “vilayatu” idli, meaning “fun” idlis because you just gobbled them up and never knew how many you ate.
Seenu Mama and the Idli connection
All my Mamas and Periyammas were Idli fans. I remember Raman Mama telling us that he went to some foreign country (he is ex-Navy) and asked for Idli-Sambar. My mother can eat Idli 365 days of the year and not get bored. Infact for her birthday, she made idlis to celebrate. Seenu Mama was the same. If he could get Idli every single day, he was a happy camper. So today’s World Idli Day is dedicated to him …
Seenu Mama had shared the recipe for making Javvarisi Idlis (Sabudana idlis). Amma made them last month but I never got to tell him about it. Here’s a pic of the Sabudana idlis that Amma made.
Today Amma made Mama’s favourite Paruppu Kozhambu to eat the Idli with. Just missing Mama’s phone call early in the morning to find out what we have made for breakfast ….
Am sure Seenu Mama is enjoying the “Vilayatu” idli that Pichamma Paati has made for him today.
For the weight conscious ones – 7 reasons why Idli is the best weight loss food. For us idli lovers, we need no reasons to enjoy this healthy, wholesome breakfast.