Brain and Belly's Gyan
South Indian Cuisine
The south India is famous for the availability of coconut, a wide variety of fishes and root tubers. The south Indian food is mainly rice, which the south Indian people love to have with a combination of Sambhar or curry. Besides its rich cultural past it reminds us that unique taste of yum cuisines such as Idlis, Dosas, Uttappam, Rassam, Sambhar and Vada etc, which are extremely popular here and throughout the world as well.
South Indian cuisine is rice based. Rice is combined with lentils to make wonderful dosas, idlis, vadas and uttapams. These items are delicious besides being nourishing and digestible (due to the fermenting process). They are combined with sambar (dal), rasam (tamarind dal), dry and curried vegetable and pachadi (yogurt). Their rice preparations are also masterpieces like the Biryani from Hyderabad, lemon rice and rice seasoned with coconut peanuts, tamarind, chilies, curry leaves, urad dal and fenugreek seed south Indian chutneys are made of tamarind, coconut, peanuts, dal, fenugreek seeds, and cilantro. Meals are followed by coffee. South Indian dals and curries are more soupy than North Indian dals and curries. South Indian cuisine is also hotter.
Popular South Indian Dishes
Idli is a typical south Indian savory cake, although it can be found across India. Formed by steaming a fermented combination of rice and lentils, these white spongy breakfast cakes serve as a starch. They are generally presented alongside sambar, curries, and other sauces. Most often eaten at breakfast or as a snack, they can be dipped into these sauces, sprinkled with spices, or eaten alone.
Rava Idli is a specialty breakfast item in Karnataka.To make Rava Idlis you don't have to plan ahead soak,grind and ferment.You can make them instantly if you have all the ingredients.
Rava Idli was invented by
Mavalli Tiffin Rooms(MTR) a famous restaurant chain in Bangalore. During World War II, when rice which is the staple item used in idli was in short supply, Mavalli Tiffin Rooms experimented in making idli using semolina and hence Rava Idli was invented. In the restaurants in Bangalore,Rava Idli's are served with vegetable sagu,chutney and a small cup of ghee.
Dosa is a fermented crepe or pancake made from rice batter and black lentils. It is indigenous to and is a staple dish in the southern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
It is common as breakfast or dinner and is rich in carbohydrates and protein.
The most popular ones are:
- Plain Dosa
- Masala Dosa
- Rava Onion Masala Dosa
- Set Dosa
Medu Vada is a traditional South Indian recipe that is eaten for breakfast. At Bangalore restaurants, this is served along with warm idlis and accompanied with sambhar and coconut chutney. This combination is a match made in heaven and the taste is simply divine.
Uttapam dosa-like dish that is made by cooking ingredients in a batter. Instead of making it like a crispy crepe, uttapam is a thick pancake, with ingredients cooked right into the batter. Uttapam is traditionally made with tomatoes or an onion-chilli mix; other common ingredient choices are coconut or mixed vegetables. Uttapam is sometimes called an Indian pizza or pancake. It is often eaten with sambar or chutney.The outer suface is crispy and the inner layers are like idli.
The most popular ones are:
- Onion Uttapam
- Vegetable uttapam (onion, tomato, capsicum, chilli)
- Rava uttapam
Vegetable Uppama is an ideal snack from South Indian cuisine. It is colorful and tasty recipe with lot of nutrition value. Since different vegetables are used while cooking the veg Uppama its an ideal tiffin option for children.
