The Internet is truly a weird place, especially after the advent of social media. Anything these days goes viral and becomes a trend, especially when it comes to weird food combinations. From Fanta Maggi to mango pani puri, people have come up with the most bizarre food combinations, uploaded videos, and gone crazy viral. The latest food trends are related to idli.
Video Credit: Chef Ranveer Brar/ YouTube
Who would have thought that a traditional South Indian dish could be associated with a viral food trend? However, this is not the first time that it has been making headlines because of a weird combination that people on the internet came up with. Here are a few trends that have gone viral in the past.
Matki Idli
The latest idli trend that has gone viral on the internet is matki idli. Lashay (@universal_exploring) shared a video on Instagram showcasing idli being cooked in an earthen pot in Sambar Pot, a Delhi restaurant serving South Indian delicacies.
Small pieces of idli are added to the pot along with sambar, coconut chutney, and tomato chutney. The chef gives all the ingredients a good mix, covers the pot with aluminium foil, and places it on the flame. The customers pour the ingredients into a shallow plate lined with banana leaves and enjoy the dish.
A person commented, “Bhai idli ko idli he rehne do, please (let idli be idli, please).” Another user pointed out, “Over-engineering of things is injurious to health.” One netizen asked why anyone would heat up coconut chutney.
Idli Ice Cream
In the first week of February 2024, idli ice cream went viral and shocked the internet. Teya Dora (foodb_unk) shared a video of a man making ice cream using idli and sambar. As weird as this combination sounds, he sells it by topping it with more crushed idli and sambar.
A user said that after watching this video, South Indians must be crying in the corner. One person said that God might forgive the person for this food invention but he won’t. A few users called it a crime to destroy idli, which is quite popular around India.
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Dunki Burger Idli
Ahead of the release of Shah Rukh Khan's Dunki on December 21, 2023, Avantika Chennai Cafe introduced Dunki Burger Idli. The concept of this dish was to stuff vegetables between two large pieces of idli.
The eatery served this unique desi version of a burger with coconut chutney, tomato chutney, and green chutney. Commenting on the reel shared by Bombay Foodie Tales (@bombayfoodie_tales), a user wrote why people have to ruin everything by adding cheese to it.
Nariyal Pani Idli
You must have seen and served idli and coconut chutney. Have you ever seen or heard someone making idli with coconut water or nariyal pani? If you visit Avantika Chennai Cafe in Kandivali West, Mumbai, you can find this variation of idli.
Disha & Vrunda Pansuriya (a_bite_of_yumm_) shared a reel in September 2023 that went viral and got nearly 7000 likes. A user asked what is wrong with people trying to make weird dishes with idli. Another person wrote, “Who eats this? Mad people.” One user pointed out that no matter what a person makes, everything sells these days.
Black Idli
In February 2022, black idli went viral. A user on Instagram shared this variation of idli on the social media platform. It garnered millions of views, but netizens were not happy to see it. You might be intrigued to taste it, but the internet will convince you otherwise.
A user asked the inventor to make new dishes rather than spoiling traditional recipes. Another user asked why we ever need black idli when people loved white ones floating in sambar. Joking about this variation, a user wrote, “Just looks like… Ambuja cement with splitter Vimal and Birla white wall care putty chutney!!”
Peppa Idli
You must have seen people making pancakes in the shape of cartoons or decorating cakes and confections based on the themes of animated films and shows. Have you heard of Peppa idli? Based on the popular children's show Peppa Pig, a person shared how to make Peppa Idli.
Aishu Prakash shared a reel on Instagram in which she added the pink colour to idli using beetroot paste. Using sesame seeds and dark pink batter, she made the eyes and nose of Peppa Pig. The video has garnered millions of views in less than a week, and people are finding this trend to be cute.