Due to its reputation for producing spices, southern India has always been a stop on old trade routes. These spices have been mixed in various ways to create some of the most mouthwatering cuisines for us today. Be it the ubiquitous Masala dosa, the biryani from Hyderabad, the Chettinad from Tamil Nadu, the Mysore Pak from Karnataka, or the prawn curry from Kerala, these well-known dishes from South India all hit your palate in a similar yet different way. Here is a list of some South Indian Food You Must Try Once –
South Indian Food You Must Try Once
1. Dosa
Dosa is a traditional South Indian breakfast consisting of crispy crepes cooked from fermented rice and lentil batter.
It is typically put onto a thin crispy crepe and served with mashed spicy potatoes, lentil stew known as sambar, and coconut chutney.
2. Idli – Idly
Idli or idly is a type of savory rice cake, originating from the Indian subcontinent, popular as a breakfast food in Southern India and in Sri Lanka.
The cakes are made by steaming a batter consisting of fermented black lentils and rice. Each region traditionally has its unique version, which is typically served with coconut chutney and sambar (a spiced lentil stew).
Button, tatte, sanna, rava, and masala idlis are a few examples of innovative modern varieties.
3. Vada
Vada is a type of savory fried snack that originated in South India. Vadas are also known as fritters, cutlets, or dumplings. Other names for this dish are vadai, vade, and bada.
Vadas are generally served with chutneys and sambar and are often packed with veggies.
The diverse varieties of vadas are produced with various components, ranging from legumes to potatoes. They are frequently used in other meal preparations as well as breakfast or snack items.
4. Malabar Parota
Parotta, also known as Malabar Paratha or Kerala Paratha, is unleavened layered flatbreads from Kerala that are crispy, flaky, and soft. This Parotta recipe is also free of eggs and yeast.
A traditional Malabar Paratha is prepared entirely of all-purpose flour, often known as Maida. Using all-purpose flour gives the Paratha a terrific texture and flakiness. The dough is rested several times during the production procedure to make this flatbread.
5. Appam
Appam is a thin pancake that originated in South India. It is traditionally prepared in an appachatti, a deep pan shaped like a wok, using fermented rice batter and coconut milk.
This traditional South Indian dish goes well with curries and chutneys. It is popular in Kerala and Tamil Nadu cuisine.
6. Pongal
Pongal is an Indian rice dish that is also known as pongali or huggi. “Pongal” means “boil” or “bubbling up” in Tamil. Pongal is classified into two types: sweet chakarai pongal and savory venn pongal produced with clarified butter.
It is a traditional dish served at the Pongal festival in Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, and Kerala, as well as the Sankranthi festival in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
7. Konju Varutharaccha Curry
This prawn recipe is a seafood lover’s dream, packed with delicious and aromatic spice flavors. Serve this rich and scrumptious Kerala Prawn Curry with roti or rice at dinner parties. A delectable dish that all of your guests will enjoy.
8. Andhra Chili Chicken
The renowned chicken appetizer known as “Andhra chilli chicken” is exclusively available at namma Bengaluru restaurants and is not available anyplace else in the state of Andhra.
RR, Nandini, and Nagarjuna, three well-known Andhra restaurants in Bangalore popularized the dish. It’s a quick and easy meal that only requires a few ingredients.
9. Paal Payasam
Paal payasam, a form of kheer from south India, is a delectable, creamy rice and milk dessert enhanced with the benefits of cashews and raisins and served on special occasions like onam. It is a straightforward dish that has milk’s health and almonds’ richness.
Throughout the nation, payasam is frequently provided as “prasadam” in a variety of temples and pujas. Payasam comes in a variety of flavors, including coconut and moong dal.
10. Ada Pradhaman
With rice ada, coconut milk, and jaggery, Ada Pradhaman is a classic Keralan ada payasam recipe. Rice Ada is essentially a thick, dough-like batter made with rice flour that is dried out to form thick, long ribbons.
The payasam has a delectable flavor since it is rich in jaggery and coconut milk, two ingredients that go along perfectly. Although Ada Pradhaman is typically offered as part of the Onam Sadhya, it can be eaten at any time as a dessert.
So do try these must-have dishes and let us know your favorites.