What is the oldest sophisticated dish in Indian Cuisine?
Perhaps Idli is the most sophisticated dish of its times uninfluenced by any foreign invasion. It originated in South India. The Rice and Urd Dal (Black beans) are soaked overnight, ground and let the mixture ferment during day. In the evenings, dumplings from this fermented mixture are cooked in steam. According to age old myths, heavens send blessing through the Palm trees to the hands of the woman, these blessings induce fermentation. Now, we know the fermentation is the result of air-born wild yeast, and has nothing to do with the Palm trees.