The Indian fermented breakfast food consisting of steamed cakes made from rice and black gram is idli.
Idli batter is traditionally prepared from soaked rice and dehulled black gram, also called urad dal. The ingredients are ground, mixed, and allowed to ferment before the batter is poured into molds and steamed. The finished cakes are soft, pale, and usually served with sambar or coconut chutney.
Idli is especially associated with South Indian cuisine, although it is now eaten throughout India and in many places abroad. Fermentation gives the batter a slightly tangy flavor and helps produce the characteristic light texture.
Dhokla is another steamed fermented food, but it is generally associated with Gujarati cuisine and may be made from chickpeas or other flours. Appam is a lacy fermented rice pancake, while puttu is steamed rice flour layered with coconut. These foods differ in shape, batter, and preparation.