“We get nearly 3,000 diners a day and for that… we use up 880 lbs (400kg) of rice for the batter.”
S. Manorahan, owner of Murugan Idli.

Murugan Idli started out as a small shack- nowadays, it is a vast empire that includes over a dozen outlets across the country, and even an outpost in Singapore. The secret of its success is a fierce commitment to quality at rock-bottom prices. It helps that the restaurant is located in a part of India where the fragrant curry leaf-the key ingredient for Murugan Idli’s signature chutney-grows in abundance. Wonderfully aromatic, it perfumes the entire banana leaf that it is eaten from.

Chutneys with idli are popular breakfast fare, so turn up early. It is best not to expect waiters to pull up chairs or even show you to a table: at Murugan, service simply means ensuring you get your banana leaf (there are no plates) within seconds of being seated at a shared table. By the time you have sprinkled water from your glass onto the leaf and gone through the motions of “cleaning” it, as is the custom, your food will have arrived.

First up are the four delicious chutneys: coconut, curry leaf, tomato, and tamarind will be expertly arranged on your leaf, without a drop being spilled. Then the idlis appear: savory cakes that serve as a base for the chutneys (and occasionally for other accompaniments). These idlis are what made the restaurant famous. A rice-and-lentil-flour batter is fermented just enough for the necessary aeration to take place, then the idlis are formed and steamed in order to reach the table hot, soft, and fluffy. Eaten on their own, they may not taste of much, but their purpose is to highlight the melange of sharp flavors in the various chutneys.

You might also wish to try the “country cousin” of the idli, the dosa, a griddle-fried crepe made out of variations of the same two flours, which tastes just as good with the chutneys as the idli Washed down with some freshly ground coffee, this is the ideal breakfast; hence, its immense popularity with the locals. MR