The Idli Project
Thatte Idli
Regional & Traditional

Thatte Idli

also called Plate Idli

A wide, plate-sized Karnataka idli with sago in the batter - porous, spongy, and built to drink up sambar.

Bidadi & Tumakuru, Karnataka

Image: AI generated · Unverified

Thatte means plate in Kannada, and this idli is named after its wide, flat, plate-like shape. It is associated with Bidadi - a town along the Bengaluru–Mysuru highway - and Tumakuru, about 70 km from Bengaluru. Each thatte idli is large enough to equal two or three regular idlis.

The signature move is adding tapioca pearls (sabudana / sago) to the batter; the pearls produce a porous, spongy crumb that drinks up sambar and chutney like a sponge cake. It is traditionally served with hot spicy coconut chutney and a small dollop of fresh hand-churned butter melting on top.

The Recipe

Yield · ~4 servings (large, plate-sized idlis)

Effort profile

Soak4–5 hours (rice + sago); 1–1½ hours (urad + poha)
Ferment10–12 hours
Steam10–12 minutes
Steps8

Each axis is scaled against the longest example in the archive.

Soak4h 30mFerment11hSteam11mSteps8

Ingredients

Batter

  • 4 cups raw rice / idli rice
  • 1 cup whole urad dal
  • 1 cup thick beaten rice (poha)
  • ½ cup sabudana (sago)
  • ½ tsp cooking soda (optional)
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil for greasing

Method

  1. 1.

    Wash and soak rice + sabudana together; soak urad dal + poha separately.

  2. 2.

    Grind soaked urad dal to a smooth fluffy paste, gradually adding water.

  3. 3.

    Add the rice, poha and sabudana and grind everything together to a smooth batter - finer than regular idli batter.

  4. 4.

    Add salt, mix, ferment 10–12 hours.

  5. 5.

    Mix the fermented batter gently; consistency should be slightly thin (not watery).

  6. 6.

    Bring water to a boil in a steamer; if using soda, stir it in now. Grease wide thatte plates (small thali plates work).

  7. 7.

    Pour batter into the plates and steam 10–12 minutes on medium flame until a toothpick comes out clean.

  8. 8.

    Cool slightly; remove with a greased spoon.

Serve with

hot spicy coconut chutney with a dollop of fresh buttertomato chutneysambarchutney pudi

Notes

Sabudana is the secret ingredient - it produces the characteristic porous, spongy texture that holds sambar. Use a wide flat plate rather than a domed mould.

Adapted from smithakalluraya.com.

Where it's from

Bidadi, Karnataka · 12.80°N, 77.39°E