Top 5 South Indian Dishes

1. Vada

Vada is fried dish mostly consumed during breakfast. The dish is made using paste of legumes like piegon pea, chickpea, vigna mungo, etc. Medu vada, masala vada, and keera vada are some of the different types of vada that are served with coconut chutneys and Sambar.

MEDU VADA

The term ‘medu vada’ means ‘soft’ in Kannada. These vada are usually soft inside and crispy outside, made in the shape of a doughnut using black lentils batter.

RECIPE

Black lentils are soaked in water for several hours before frying so that it gets fermented. These vadas can be flavoured by adding black pepper, methi seeds, curry leaves, green chilli, etc and then the batter is given a doughnut shape and deep fried in oil. Medu vada are served hot with sambar and coconut chutney.

MASALA VADA

Masala vadas are also called as “aamai vada” in Tamil. These masala vada are prepared using whole lentils (toor dal)

RECIPE/PREPARATION:

Masala vadas are made with a batter of soaked toor dal (whole lentils) added with different vegetables like onions, chilli, coriander, mint leaves, spring onions, etc. They are shaped roughly like a flying saucer and then deep fried. It is served with coconut chutney or green mint chutney.

KEERAI VADAI

Keerai vadai are similar to masala vadai and are very famous in small tea stalls. These keerai vadai are very healthy and nutritious as it has a lot of spinach in it.

RECIPE/PREPARATION:

A mixture is made by grinding finely soaked chickpeas and whole lentils. Chopped spinach leaves are added to the mixture and for more flavours onions, green chilli, grated ginger, etc can be added. After mixing the ingredients with a considerable quantity of water, salt and turmeric powder, they are also shaped roughly like a flying saucer and then deep fried in oil. It is served with dry chilly chutney.

2. Masala Dosa

Masala dosa is the most popular South Indian dish loved by people across world. It is found all over India and in few overseas countries. The dish is listed as number 49 on “World’s 50 Most Delicious food compiled by CNN Go in 2011”.

RECIPE/PREPARATION:

Dosa batter is made by soaking rice, urud dal and lentils overnight and then grinding the same to form a batter. The fermented batter is spread in a pan with a thin round layer, and oil/butter is added to make it crispy. Once the dosa is ready the stuffing inside is filled in the centre. The stuffing is made with boiled potatoes with a seasoning of mustard seeds and green chilli. Further for garnished one can use coriander leaves and lemon juice. This masala dosa is served hot with sambar and different types of chutney.

3. Rasam rice

Rasam is not only popular for the delicious taste, but also health benefit it has to offer. The major benefits come from the ingredients used in Rasam such as tomato, tamarind, and black pepper, which are good for digestive system and overall health. It can be taken as a soup or as a side dish with rice. Hot Rasam is medically prescribed for sore throat and cold. Nowadays, all the seasonings required are combined and ground beforehand into Rasam powder, which is available in almost all the supermarkets.

RECIPE/PREPARATION:

Heat a pot with oil, add mustard, cumin and fenugreek seeds and stir until cooked. Add finely chopped tomatoes, turmeric, salt and fry for few minutes until tomatoes become soft. Pour water, tamarind pulp and black pepper and bring it to boil. Serve hot with rice or as soup.

4. Uttappam

Uttappam is a very special dish of Tamil Nadu, which is found all over India. It is the ticker version of dosa topped with onions, green chillies, capsicum and tomatoes. Ready batter and instant mixes are also available in market.

RECIPE/PREPARATION:

Prepare dosa batter using lentils and rice (soaked overnight and grinding). Chop all vegetables and add it to the prepared batter. Add one tablespoon of oil in the batter before spreading it on the pan. Take pan/tawa and pour a thick layer of batter in round shape. Cook both the side and serve hot with samber, red and coconut chutney.

5. Rava Idly

Rava idly is mostly prepared for breakfast using semolina as main ingredient. It is one of the best variant of idly found all over South India.

RECIPE/PREPARATION:

Heat 2 tsp ghee/oil in a pan, add rava/sooji and roast it until aromatic. Keep this aside, and pour another tsp oil in the same pan to fry some cashew nuts. Add fried cashew nuts to the roasted rava. Now in the same pan, add one tsp oil and sprinkle some mustard seeds, once start cracking, then add curry leaves, few chana dal and asafoetida, fry all things for few minutes. Add this mix to the prepared rava, to form a smooth paste add yogurt with green chillies, salt and ginger for flavour. Keep it aside for half n hour and prepare idly in the steamer by greasing idly mould beforehand. Cook for 10 minutes and serve hot with coconut chutney and sambar.