South Indian cuisine
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| This article is part of the series Indian cuisine |
| Regional cuisines |
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Awadhi – Bihari – Bhojpuri – Kashmiri |
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Andhra – Karnataka – Kerala – Tamil |
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Goan – Gujarati – Marathi – |
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Indian Chinese - Nepali |
| Ingredients and types of food |
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Main dishes – Desserts – Bread |
| Preparation and cooking |
| See also: |
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History – Etiquette |
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South Indian Cuisine, also referred as Dravidian Cuisine[1], is a term used to refer to the cuisines found in the four southern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
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[edit] Similarities and differences in "Four states' cuisines"
The similarities in the four states' cuisines are the presence of rice as a staple food, the use of lentils and spices, use of dried red chillies and fresh green chillies, coconut and native fruits and vegetables like tamarind, plantain, snake gourd, garlic, ginger, etc.
The differences can be found below, but overall all the four cuisines have much in common and differ mostly in the spiciness or hotness of the food.
[edit] Andhra Food
Described as the spiciest of these four states' cuisines, there is a generous use of chilli powder (Guntur), oil and tamarind. The most famous food items are:
Vegetarian: pesarattu, pulihora (or pulihaara), Gongura, avakkai (cut raw mango) pickle.
Non-vegetarian: Kodi iguru( chicken stew), Kodi pulusu(chicken gravy), Chepa pulusu (fish stew) etc., Hyderabadi Biryani
The cuisine has a great variety of dishes, with the majority being vegetable or lentil based. Another factor to remember is that Hyderabad, being the capital of Andhra Pradesh, has its own characteristic cuisine considerably different from other Andhra cuisines. The Nawabs patronised the Hyderabadi cuisine, which is very much like the Lucknowi cuisine of the Avadh. The only difference is that the Nawabs of Hyderabad liked their food to be spicier, so was born the Hyderabadi cuisine which included the Kacche Gosht ki Biryani and the Dum ka Murgh, Baghare Baingan and Achaari Subzi during the reign of the Nawabs.
[edit] Karnataka Food
Described as the mildest (in terms of spice content) of these four states' cuisines, there is a generous use of palm sugar or Jaggery and sparingly used chilli powder. Since the percentage of vegetarians in Karnataka is higher than other southern states, vegetarian food enjoys widespread popularity. Udupi cuisine forms an integral part of Karnataka cuisine. Also, Karnataka cuisine is very diverse. Broadly, North Karnataka, South Karnataka also known as Bayaluseeme or the Old Mysore region, Coastal or the Canara cuisine, Coorgi Cuisine.
In north Karnataka the staple grains are Jowar and Bajra. Rottis made out of these two grains along with side dishes made of eggplant, fresh lentil salads, spiced and stewed lentils are popularly consumed. They also consume a variety of spicy condiments like Chutney Powders and pickles. Of all the other regional cuisines in Karnataka, this is known for its fiery spice level and heat. Eateries called Khanavalli often run by families serve inexpensive but tasty home style food. Most of them are run by Veerashaivaa are therefore vegetarian but Khanavallis serving non-vegetarian food are not uncommon.
Cuisine of coastal Karnataka is marked by wide spread use of seafood, coconut and coconut oil. Rice is the staple grain and is the center piece of every meal. Gravies called 'Gassi' made from chicken, fish, meats are served with rice. Lentils and vegetables cooked with coconut, spices and tempered with mustard, curry leaves, generous asafoetida called Huli also is served with rice. A Rasam like preparation is called Saaru. Which again is served with rice. The meal will also constitute vegetable side dishes called Palya. Other accompaniments include curd based Tambli,sweet tangy Gojju, pickles and Happala or Papads. Some of the distinct break fast foods served here includes Bun, Biscuit rotti, Goli Bajji, Patrode.
Coorgi cuisine is very distinct from the other regional cuisines of Karnataka much like their culture. The hallmark of Coorgi cuisine is their widespread use of Pork, game and meats. They also use kokum or Kachupuli generously in their cooking. While the staple food remains rice and rice based preparations like Kadambattu, steamed rice dumplings and rice Rottis, their expertise in cooking non vegetarian foods is unmatched.
The south Karnataka or the old Mysorecuisine is dominated by Ragi or finger millet and Rice. Ragi in the form of Ragi Mudde of dumplings or steamed rice is the center piece of a meal; often served with these two dishes are vegetable sides or Palya, Gojju, pickles, Tovve- mildly spiced lentils laced with Ghee,Huli - the lentil curry and Tili Saaru, a peppery thin watery curry almost like Rasam. Certain preparations like Bas saaru, which is a spiced vegetable or greens' stock along with seasoned vegetables or greens, Upp Saaru which is another lentil stock based accompaniment to rice or mudde, Mosoppu, which is mashed spiced greens,Maskai, which is mashed spiced vegetables are typical home style food from this region. Avare Kal or Indian beans is a popular vegetable consumed during winters. They are used in a variety of dishes like Usali, Upma, Huli, Hitakida Bele Saaru etc.Rice preparations usually served as the second course of a traditional meals include Bisi bele bath,Chitranna, Hulianna etc.
Some typical Breakfast dishes include Masala Dosa, Ragi rotti, Akki rotti,Vangi Bath, Khara Bath, Kesari Bath, Davanagere Benne Dosa,Uppittu,Plain and Rave Idli, Mysore Masala Dosa, Kadubu, Poori etc.
Yogurt is typical part of every meal in all the regions of Karnataka and probably the most popular dairy product. Generally yogurt with rice constitute the final course of a meal. Buttermilk laced with spices and curry leaves is also a popularly served with meals especially during summers. Ghee and butter are also popular cooking mediums for those who can afford it, and most reserved for festivals and occasions.
The credit of popularizing these foods else where in India undoubtedly goes to Upudi hotels. In fact in north India Udupi hotels often are synonymous with south Indian food, even though the range of foods they serve is mostly restricted to the Karnataka cuisine. These small establishment served inexpensive vegetarian breakfast dishes mentioned above through out the day, all over India. These were mostly run by people native to the Canara region. The famous Masala Dosa traces its origin to Udupi cuisine and subsequently popularized by Udupi restaurants.
People from Karnataka are also notorious for their sweet tooth. Mysore Pak, Obbattu/Holige,Dharwad pedha, Pheni, Chiroti are popular sweets. Apart from these sweets there are other lesser known sweets like 'Hungu', Kajjaya, Coconut mithai, Rave Unde, Pakada Pappu, Chigali, a variety of Kadubus, Tambittu, Paramanna, Hayagreeva. Most of these sweets are not milk based unlike the popular sweet making tradition else where in India.Most of these sweets are made using Jaggery and not refined sugar.
[edit] Kerala Food
Kerala cuisine is quite diverse. The diversity is best classified on the basis of the various communities. The Hindus, especially the Namboodris and Nairs have a predominantly vegetarian cuisine, whilst the Christian and the Muslim communities have a largely non-vegetarian cuisine. OF that syrian christian dishes and malabari muslim dishes are famous.Since Kerala's main export is coconuts, almost all of the dishes, irrespective of the variety in the cuisines of the different communities, have coconuts associated with them, either in the form of shavings or oil extracted from the nut. Seafood is also very popular in the coastal regions and eaten almost every day.
Vegetarian: olan, paalpradaman, nendarangai chips, aviyal,pulissery, erucherri, sambar, rasam, kalan,upperis,pachady, kichadi,
Non-vegetarian: shrimp coconut curry, fish curry (various versions depending on the region), fish fry, kerala beef fry, chicken fry with shredded coconuts,beef ularthyathu,fish pickle, pork masala, podimeen fry, meen thoran(fish with coconut),Karimeen(pearl spot fish)pollichathu,shrimp masala,chicken stew, mutton stew,duck curry, malabari fish curry, kakka(shells)thoran, kalllumekka, crabs, malabar biriyani, thalassery biriyani,pearl spot fish, jewel fishes, mussels, squid, kappa boiled, kappa(tapioca)vevichathu with non vegiterian curries, etc Snacks:upperi,payasam, banan fry (ethaykkappam or pazham pori),ullivada,kozhukkatta,avalosunda,unniyappam,neeyyappam,unnaykka,thira,churuttu,boli,modhaka
m,paal vazhaykka,cutlets,halwas,cakes,vattayappam,kinnathappam,irattymadhuram
Breakfast:Puttu (wth banana or, kadala curry, egg curry, or beef fry)
Appam(velayappam,palappam) withg curry, vegitable stew,fish molee,chicken or mutton stew,beef
curry,duck roast,pork masala,. Idiyappam also with same curries
Pidi with mutton curry or chicken curry
Porotta with beef fry, chicken curry, mutton curry or pork
Idli,dosai with chuttney
Kanji withe dry beans, pickle, pappad and chammanthi made with coconut
Typical Indian masala dosa (Kerala style): It is a combination of shredded cooked and fried vegetables with Indian sauce and a lot of spices as the basic stuffing, enveloped by a thick brown dosa made out of a dal and rice batter. To add to this unique preparation it is served with hot sambhar and coconut chutney.
[edit] Tamil Food
The Tamil cuisine or the Tamil food is often served in a marriage function or any festival/auspicious occasion. This meal consists of nearly 20 or so items, including the side dishes such as curry, appalam, pickle. A typical meal consists of many spicy/non-spicy dishes and is predominantly vegetarian. Many of these dishes are typically mixed and eaten with steamed rice, which is the staple food of the region.
Tamil cuisine groups dishes under four slightly overlapping categories. First are the dishes that necessarily are mixed with rice; various Kuzhambu, Sambhar, Paruppu, Rasam, Thayir, Kadaiyals and the likes belong to this category. The second are the side dishes that accompany such mixture; Kootu, Kari, Poriyal, Pickles, Papads fall into this category. Third are the short snacks and their accompaniants; vadai, chips, bonda, bajji, soups, various chutneys, thayir pachadi and the likes belong to this category. Fourh category is usually the rich, sweet dishes that serve as desserts; Payasam, Gheer, Kesari and plethora of Indian sweets belongs to this category.
An everyday Tamil meal consists of at least three to four courses, with steamed rice serving as staple: The food usually starts with some paruppu (steamed, mashed lentils in a gravy) and ghee; this mix is eaten with rice and serves as an appetizer. The second to follow would be a kuzhambu or sambhar; mixed with rice, this usually is the main course. On leisure/festive days, there would be a least two such main courses with one Kuzhambu (Puli Kuzhambu, Vatha Kuzhambu and the likes) variety and one Sambhar variety. Third to follow will be the Rasam; again, mixed with rice, one usually eats this accompanied by crisps. The last of the courses will invariably be rice with curd or yoghurd; this is usually taken along with pickles. All along, the side dishes are served and are eaten with the courses, depending upon one's taste/choice; sides dishes are constantly replenished during any meal. As a last course or as a last before course, the desserts are served. Finally retires to living room and concludes the meal with banana and freshly made paan consisting of betel leaves, betel nuts and lime. paan is considered a digestion aid.
The situation is similar with Tamil non-vegetarian meal, except that the first and second courses are usually replaced by various Biryanis and non-vegetarian gravies.
In either case, a typical meal (Lunch or Dinner) will be served on banana leaf. Meals are often accompanied by various pickles and appalams.
Vegetarian: idli, sambar, vadai, rasam,dosa, thayir sadam (yogurt rice), thayir vadai (yogurt-soaked fritters), kootu/kari (vegetables in wet style), poriyal (vegetables in dry style), murukku, uthappam, idiappam, appalam (deep fried lentil-flour crisps) and papadum (baked lentil-flour crips), freshly made thayir pachidi (yogurt mixed with fresh vegetables).
Non-vegetarian: karuvattu kuzhambu (salted, dried fish in wet sauce), chettinad pepper chicken, Fish Fry
Food is generally classified into six tastes - sweet, sour, salt, bitter, pungent and astringent and traditional Tamil cuisine recommends that you include all of these six tastes in each main meal you eat. Each taste has a balancing ability and including some of each provides complete nutrition, minimizes cravings and balances the appetite and digestion.
Sweet (Milk, butter, sweet cream, wheat, ghee (clarified butter), rice, honey) Sour (Limes and lemons, citrus fruits, yogurt, mango, tamarind) Salty (Salt or pickles) Bitter (Bitter gourd, greens of many kinds, turmeric, fenugreek) Pungent (Chili peppers, ginger, black pepper, clove, mustard) Astringent (Beans, lentils, turmeric, vegetables like cauliflower and cabbage, cilantro)
Chettinad cuisine is famous for its use of a variety of spices used in preparing mainly non-vegetarian food. The dishes are hot and pungent with fresh ground masalas, and topped with a boiled egg that is usually considered essential part of a meal. They also use a variety of sun dried meats and salted vegetables, reflecting the dry environment of the region. The meat is restricted to fish, prawn, lobster, crab, chicken and mutton. Chettiars do not eat beef and pork.
Most of the dishes are eaten with rice and rice based accompaniments such as dosais, appams, idiyappams, adais and idlis. The Chettinad people through their mercantile contacts with Burma, learnt to prepare a type of rice pudding made with sticky red rice.
Chettinad cuisine offers a variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Some of the popular vegetarian dishes include idiyappam, paniyaram, vellai paniyaram, karuppatti paniyaram, paal paniyaram, kuzhi paniyaram, kozhakattai, masala paniyaram, adikoozh, kandharappam, seeyam, masala seeyam, kavuni arisi and athirasam.
