Dosa
A Dosa is a delicious crepe-like pancake made from risen rice batter. Cooked with dollops of clarified butter, and served with multiple condiments like Sambar (lentils cooked with spices and assorted vegetables). And some wet chutney made either with grated coconut, lentils, green chillies, mint or onions, tomatoes and red chillies. Not to forget the deliciously fiery Gunpowder or Mulgapudi.
Although it originated in South India, it’s popularity has surged throughout the country. Each stall sells many different varieties, the most common being masala dosa, stuffed with fried potatoes. City vendors usually have plenty of cheese-based options which are to die for!
Dosa (Picture Credit: Awesome Cuisine)
Idli
Idli is a steamed savoury cake that is made from fermented rice batter and is normally served in pairs or triplets. You can serve it with the same chutneys as dosas, but usually with a little extra sambar for the idli to soak up. In some cities, they might throw some butter on top of the idli to make it tastier.
Idli (Picture Credit: Foodie Trail)
Puttu
Puttu is a breakfast dish of steamed cylinders of ground rice layered with grated coconut. It is served with side dishes of chickpea curry or banana. Also, it is usually spiced with cumin, among other spices.
It is made by slowly adding water to ground rice until the correct texture is achieved, then spiced, formed and steamed with layers of grated coconut.
Puttu (Picture Credit: Archana’s Kitchen)
Curd Rice
Moving on from breakfast, we come to this staple South Indian comfort food, ‘Curd Rice’. The word ‘curd’ as used in India usually refers to sour, unsweetened yoghurt. It is most popular in Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
In Tamil Nadu, it is called ‘dadhiannam’/ ‘dadyodanam’. Various spices can be added to the basic curd rice combination. It’s often eaten accompanied by South Indian pickles such as mango or lime.
It also aids digestion and is eaten post every meal. Some also eat it as the main course itself.
Curd Rice (Picture Credit: Sharan-India.org)
Rasam
Rasam is a South Indian soup which is prepared using tamarind juice as a base. Tomato, chilli pepper, pepper, cumin and other spices as also used as seasonings. Steamed lentils are added along with any preferred vegetables and finally chopped coriander leaves and grated coconut are used for garnishing. Rasam is different from sambar in its seasoning ingredients and is usually fluid consistency.
Rasam (Picture Credit: Untold Recipes by Nosheen)
We at India Someday are big foodies so if you’re ever visiting India and want some suggestions on where to grab good South Indian food don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dosa is very famous in South India, served with a coconut chutney, tomato chutney and sambar. Other dishes like Idli, Pongal, Curd Rice, Vada, etc, are a must try when visiting South India.
South India is known for its natural beauty and different styles of architecture. You can enjoy the scenic views and see different architectural styles, and understand the history.
In South India, till 11 am, all breakfast items are served in small restaurants. These breakfast items include pongal, upma, idli-sambhar, dosa, puttu, vada, etc.
About Harsh Sonawala
Harsh Sonawala is the co founder of India Someday and since his childhood, he has travelled to different parts of India and the world. The thrill of travelling and sharing his experiences with others was the reason behind starting India Someday. Other than the office where he is conjuring up marketing ideas, he can be found scuba diving in the Andamans or relaxing in a chalet in the Himalayas.
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