South Indian cuisine

ladyvetphd

So just curious how many foreigners on this forum like South Indian food and what are the different varieties of south Indian dishes that you have tasted or are aware of?

I ask this Q because most foreigners rave about the North Indian food and really miss out on South Indian and other regional cuisines of India.

BaHaMo

I'm leaving Thursday for ten days in Tamil Nadu. Since I don't have much time on this trip I decided on that region for several reasons, one of the most important being the food! I have loved south Indian food ever since I first tasted it in Washington, D.C. around 1970. Ever since, I have been on the lookout for dosas as good as what Paru was making, but to no avail. The closest I have come was in London at a place which doesn't exist anymore. So I am really looking forward to tasting the dosas, idli, vada, and of course discovering many new dishes!

passingby

the only thing I really like in the South Indian cuisine is the dosa. I find South Indian cuisine to be quite spicy, that is why I don't funcy it as much as the North Indian cuisine. I do like the vadai you find in Keralla.

I like a few dishes from the Indian cuisine, but I think these are very general dishes that you find all over India, such as: channa masala or dal makani.

I was really happy that I took some cooking classes in McCleo Ganj and learnt how to make all my favorite Indian dishes including: dosas, malai kofta, channa masala, dal makani and even gulab jamun. great thumbs up to the cooking classes in McCleo Ganj!

ladyvetphd

Hi good to know your preferences. You should also ask for masala idli if you haven't tasted it. There are plenty of other dishes like, upma, adai, akki roti, shavage, chiroti etc that you can find in small restuarants/friend's homes. In kerala you can taste the iddi appam and puttu ( a bit bland for my taste)
In Karnataka make sure you taste the bise bele huli anna ( a spicy rice dish).

ladyvetphd

hi Passing by

Yeah you are right about south indian food being spicier, but you should alsk your Indian friends to go mild on the chillies and then you can enjoy. There are also several curd/buttermilk based south Indian curries that are very delectable-curries like Avial, Wolan, Majjige Huli etc. so don't hesitate to try

jyotirmoy

The stews of Kerala aren't that spicy at all...

cyberhippie

Yeah I had the same feeling jyoti, much of the south Indian food I've had was quite bland by comparison to North India/Punjabi food!!
Of Course I've not been to A.P. yet!!!!

marzoryy

mmm...I love south indian food..my vote for cabbage thoran.

vinatara

kandharappam, paal paniyaram, vellai paniyaram, ravappaniyaram, paal kozhukattai, ceeyam, appam (diff from aapam), ukkarai, manavalam, masala ceeyam - some of the south indian (non spicy) items u would usually not get in hotels but made in homes in chettinaad!

jyotirmoy

CH watch out the Andhra stuff... I had attented a marriage of my friend's son who hail from AP... the second day there was fire in me... I was glowing in the dark !!!!!!

ladyvetphd

Hi CH
Looks like you have not tasted south indian food in S.Indian homes. North Indian cuisines usually use garam masala which gives it a heavy flavor but not spicy to my tongue. I have not eaten much of Kerala food and what I have eaten in a resturant in Kumarakom was very bland- tho' I think Kerala food in Hindu households tends to be very spicy ( it does at least in my aunt's family!

cyberhippie

Yep that's probably it, so I'll drop by this afternoon (I love spicey, those Canacona chillies are HOT)

ladyvetphd

You are most welcome

BaHaMo

I would love to know what these are! Especially the difference between appam and aapam.

ladyvetphd

Here's a recipe for Adai for those who like to cook.

Adai is a spicy thick pan cake kind of dish made from rice and lentils.
Raw rice (1.5 cups)
100 gms of the foll:
Tuvar dal
Moong dal
Chana dal
Masoor dal
Clean the dal and rice and soak in sufficient water overnight.
Next morning drain the water and place the mix in a grinder. Add 3 red chillies or (5 green chillies) and a small piece of hing (asafoetida). grind by adding small quantities of water to form a coarse blend. DO NOT GRIND IT TO A Smooth PASTE!. Requires bit of practise to get it to the right consistency.
Remove coarse ground batter and add chopped cilantro, salt and 50 gms of freshly grated coconut. Heat a skillet with the gas on high. Then reduce heat and spread a thin film of vegetable oil on the skilled. Ladle a small amount of batter on to the skillet and spread it around from the centre to the periphery
in a circular manner not too thin and not to thick. Add little bit of oil to the sides. Let it cook for 7-8 mins, longer if you want it crispier. when it is cooked, flip it and let roast for a minute or so and then enjoy it with either curds or butter. It's really yummy.