While South Indian cuisine is making waves worldwide for its rich history, you would be surprised to know that a few iconic delicacies are pretty recent creations. Take the Rava idli, for instance; that’s right, this popular breakfast dish was created in the iconic Mavalli Tiffin Rooms of Bengaluru less than a hundred years ago. Mavalli Tiffin Room, or MTR as everyone calls it, was founded by Parampalli Yagnanarayana Maiya and his brothers in 1924. It has been one of Bangalore’s most sought-after eateries ever since. They also expanded their business later by selling packaged masala premixes and chutneys.
But it hasn’t been all hunky-dory for the South Indian restaurant. The restaurant had to battle severe resource crunch during the second world war and later on during the emergency.
History Of Rava Idli
The second world war accounts for one of the most gruesome chapters of Modern history. Countless people laid their lives, several million were left homeless, unemployment was at its peak, and the food sector was not spared either.
During the second world war, Karnataka was met with an acute shortage of rice which forced MTR to experiment with new ingredients to keep the business going. In one such fine experimentation, the traditional rice batter of idli was replaced with a semolina batter, which in turn gave birth to our beloved Rava Idlis.
Rava Idlis, like typical idlis, are puffed, steamed cakes. However, they are much chunkier, and the addition of nuts, mustard seeds, and curry leaves makes it one memorable fare. It is served with a portion of Sambhar and a choice of chutneys. It turns out they are way healthier than the rice idlis too. So if you happen to be a weight-watcher, Rava idlis could help serve up a range of flavours without toppling your calorie load for the day.
If you cannot go to MTR to savour their Rava idlis, well, then you can surely try making some at home. We have brought you the perfect recipe, have a look.