HELP: I'm looking for 'food destinations' in South India

TheLil'Indian

Hi All

I'm a young Indian South African Chef. I am heading off the India mid-September and i'm looking for some help in discovering some of the 'food distinations' in South India. It could be anything from a spice plantation or a really good Sweet Meat stall etc.
I love to hear from anyone who has any ideas or been to place that a young food fundie like myself would enjoy.

Best wishes,
The Lil' Indian

Selkie

You're going to the right place for great food! Although touristy, Kovalam is good for excellent fresh seafood, from kingfish to huge prawns, delicious.
Thekkady has spice gardens that you can visit, and little shops selling bags of spices.
Of course Kochi (Cochin) is famed for its spice trade, and still has spice warehouses and trading halls - I'd think that Kochi would be well worth a visit.

And dont forget to look out for typically south Indian dishes such as masala dosa, uppam, iddli, and the different Keralan fish curries...

Oooh yummy, just the thought is making my mouth water; I love south Indian cuisine.

Selkie

Of course, I am just speaking of the places that I came across in Kerala; I'm sure other people on here will be able to suggest other places of foodie interest across other parts of South India.

When you do your foodie South India trip, please do come back on here and write an account of it for us...I'm sure it will make great reading! Have a great trip.

abracax

Paradise, Secunderabad.

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n kumar

Hi,
South india is really a foody place. Chettinand cuisine is a very popular in south especially in tamil naduand you have the very famous ambur motton biryani.
Bangalore is famous for its masala dosa, mysore pak and offcourse the ragi rotti, akki rotti and pork fry in coffee growing areas, coastal cusiene in mangalore.

santos_g15

Karaikudi in tamilnadu is place where you can taste authentic chettinadu, spicy.

Anywhere in tamilnadu-idly,sambar,vadai,dosa,pongal all breakdfast items.even our curd rice tastes excellent.take a south indian meal in Saravana bhavan chain of restauarants in chennai.

sweet-sakaraipongal and kesari.

kerala -Fish and meat.

brishti

kerela has 3 distinct types of cuisine -
the malabar coast - beef / fish - not sure if they have pork though
the malayali christian cuisine - their dry fish pickle... mmm + chilli beef
the malayali hindu cuisine - vegetarian and fish curries
luckily enough - most places serve a combination of all them regions.
the roadside hole-in-the-wall joints are more-often-than-not where you'll be served the most tasty authentic food... both vegetarian and non-vegetarian fares.
[punjab + kerela - two states which rate as my personal top for wayside 'meals']

tamil nad of course is famous for its chettinad cuisine.

karnataka again has cuisine which is distinctive according to the region.
the konkan fare [coastal areas - which again has the mangalorean christian fare - and the saraswat brahmin fare]
the coorgi fare - the way they cook their pork is to kill for!
udupi - is famous for its vegetarian fare of the state
the maharastra/karnataka border region again has its own specialities.

andhra pradesh has the typical spicy, pungent andhra cuisine.
then again - hyderabad has its distinctive muslim fare.

you'd best do some online reading lilindian - you'll then be able to familiarise yourself with the regional specialities.
there is a history, a story, a reason why food is cooked the way it is in specific regions.
that, i think would be as interesting as tasting the food, no ?

what is fascinating is - the same basic 5 spices give way to such distinctive flavours in every region [not state] in the country.
would be a real shame to club it all together and label southern fare = idli dosa rasam sambar




:brishti

de_cooky

shouldnt miss the hyderabadi biryani..havent had anything like it ever since I left hyderabad..4 years ago..when ever I go to any new place to eat , without fail , I order the biryani. A little hope that someday I would find the hyderabadi biryani kind of stuff up here in the north..Alas.. no success

ashwinnaagar

I've found andhra food really interesting- spicy.hot and tangy..

TheLil'Indian

Hi all,

Just thought i'd let you all know that I have implamented all your suggestion, expect the Tamil Nadu one, sorry did'nt make it to the east coast at all.

But i've had both homemade and Paradise biryani, I wet the Author of an Andra Pradashie cook book.
I've have stuffed clams in Mangalore, and chicken 65....


I'm sure you all get the point.

I have another question though, I hit Mumbai on the 15th November and i'm looking for the best hang outs, ie. good food that mainly local know about, oh an a good pan shop...any suggestions?

Regards and happy eating
The Lil' Indian
(in Jaipur at the moment)