Is the fluffy South Indian idli a native invention or an Indonesian import?

Nature · Published 30 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The idli is a staple breakfast of fermented rice and lentil cakes, yet its origins remain a culinary mystery. While ancient Indian texts describe early versions of the dish, some historians suggest the modern steaming technique and fermentation process may have traveled from Indonesia to India centuries ago.

The modern idli, a steamed cake made from a fermented batter of rice and hulled black lentils, is a cornerstone of South Indian and Sri Lankan cuisine. Its preparation relies on a natural fermentation process driven by lactic acid bacteria, specifically Leuconostoc mesenteroides and Enterococcus faecalis. These bacteria, primarily introduced via black gram, multiply during the soaking and grinding stages. The heterofermentative L. mesenteroides is particularly vital, as it produces both lactic acid and carbon dioxide, the latter of which leavens the batter and creates the signature fluffy texture.

Historical records of the dish are complex. Ancient Kannada and Sanskrit texts, such as the 920 CE Vaddaradhane and the 1130 CE Manasollasa, describe early precursors like iddalige and iḍḍarikā. However, these early versions lacked the rice base, long fermentation, and steaming techniques that define the modern dish. References to the contemporary recipe only appear in Indian literature after 1250 CE. This gap has led to intense debate among food historians regarding the dish's evolution.

Food historian K. T. Achaya proposed that the modern idli might have been brought to India by cooks serving Hindu kings in Indonesian kingdoms between 800 and 1200 CE, citing a potential Indonesian dish called kedli. Yet, other experts like Colleen Taylor Sen argue that fermentation is a universal discovery, suggesting the process was likely developed independently in India. Adding to the historical depth, archaeologist Dorian Fuller notes that steaming techniques were already present in Neolithic South India as early as 2000 BCE. Today, the dish continues to evolve, with regional variations ranging from semolina-based rava idli to fusion recipes like idly manchurian, all celebrated annually on World Idli Day, established in 2015.

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