Idli, is no doubt one of the most commonly made dishes for breakfast at home here and is liked by both the young and the old. For Vyasarpadi, based Iniyavan, idli is not just a staple food for the mornings but also helps in his livelihood. The caterer hence decided to set a Guinness record in making what he does best — idli.
Iniyavan made a single idli that weighed about 128.4 kilos and exhibited about 130 varieties of idlis in different flavours, shapes and sizes. Hundreds of residents of North Chennai visited the exhibition.
However, despite Iniyavan being a caterer, it was not easy to make the 128 kilo idli. He said that he made 14 attempts and it was only in his 15 attempt, that he was successful. “I planned to make a 100 kilo idli six months ago. I ordered for a custom made utensil and stove. But every time I tried making the idli, it wouldn’t cook properly,” he recalled.
Changing utsensils and the stove several times, making batter with 75 kilos of rice and lentils and steaming it for over 28 hours, the caterer finally made the large, soft, fluffy, white savory cake. He also prepared idlis made of apple, orange, ragi, rava, greens and more, shaped like a fish, heart and others at the same event.
“I was once an auto driver in Coimbatore. I met an idli making lady and then started this on my own. Idli is the dish that helped me get out of poverty. So, I wanted to do something that can encourage others like me,” the caterer said.
Iniyavan, who has sent information about his attempt at setting a record to the Guinness World Records, had earlier made idlis weighing 30, 50 and 90 kilos.