Did You Know Rava Idli Was 1st Made During World War 2 By MTR?

Indian cuisine has no bounds. The recipes are known to be most flavourful and unique. When it comes to South Indian cuisine, the first thing that comes to our mind is idli which brings along the instant feeling of love and belonging to the heart. But did you know the actual origin of the rava idli and that it is actually associated with World War II? That’s right, the popular breakfast dish was created in the iconic Mavalli Tiffin Rooms of Bengaluru less than a hundred years ago.

Mavalli Tiffin Room, famously known as MTR, was founded by Parampalli Yagnanaryana Maiya and his brothers in 1924. Rava idli is one of the sought-after breakfast delicacies in Bengaluru and is easily available in eateries.

While it is often categorised under the umbrella of idli, the rava idli has one big different feature that makes it stand apart. Unlike the regular idli, it is actually made of semolina and not rice. It is not only lighter on the stomach but is even a healthier option compared to the regular idli.

But how is it associated with World War 2? During the war, a shortage of rice was brought about by Japan’s invasion of Burma, the largest rice producer in the sub-continent and the invasion also led to a huge rise in its prices. This impacted the rice-loving South Indians. With no rice idlis possible, they started looking for alternatives.

This also came to be the biggest obstacle in the production of idli for MTR. The only way was to experiment and find an alternative to keep their business running. Fortunately, the brothers came up with the recipe for the famous Rava idli.

In an interview with The Hindu, Managing Partner at MTR, Vikram Maiya revealed that his grand-uncle, Yagnanarayana Maiya had created the recipe that worked wonders in the hearts of people and is still ruling. He made rava idlis by mixing curd, cashews and seasoning.

Read all the Latest Lifestyle News here