Ramaserry Idli from Palakkad

Sometimes you don’t mind a delayed train, when instead of whiling time away at the train station; you get to try out something, very specific to the region. On the suggestion of our host and friend, we headed to a restaurant at Indraprastha hotel, located near the famous maidan (ground) or the Palakkad Fort (Tipu’s Fort) to try out the famous Ramaserry Idli. (Trivia about the fort : Our friend mentioned that an underground tunnel existed within the confines of this majestic fort; a tunnel that extended from Palghat till Mysore city! Mighty impressive!)

Ramaserry Idli is named after a village Ramassery in Palakkad district, Kerala. It almost looks like thattu-dosa, while its still idli! It is soft and almost melts in the mouth. I was curious and the blogger in me wanted to capture a video of this idli in making. However, the manager at the restaurant told me, that the Ramaserry idlis were prepared traditionally and sourced each day from the Ramaserry village near Elappully. On scouring the internet, I learnt that, Saraswathy Tea Stall is only one place in Ramaserry that sells Ramaserry Idli. The batter is prepared a day before like normal idlis. However, it is then poured into specially arranged clay ring and baked on top of a pot filled with boiling water. Idli is served with special chutney powder, along with sambar and coconut chutney. If you happen to be Palakkad region, do not forget to try out this delicacy.

Oh btw! Did you know that Idlis are celebrated world over on March 30, as World Idli Day? Idlis are popular, and why not? Idli is the safest dish to eat, even when you are unwell. It’s steamed, it’s wholesome and it’s nutritious. Despite the fact that Sacher Torte got originated and later patented in Vienna, some of us might have come across various recreated versions of Sacher Torte, during our travels. Just like that, Ramaserry Idli is recreated by various hotels, intended for customer delight, I suppose. Here’s a video from YouTube, which has been uploaded by one such hotel. It gives us a fair idea on how Ramassery Idli gets made.