The world of Indian cuisine is wide and diverse. There are so many options for making delicious and healthy Indian food that it can be hard to know where to start. South Indian cuisine is a great place to start if you find yourself swimming through the world of Indian cuisine without a bearing. Southern Indian cuisine is spicy and full of flavor. It is not for the faint of palette; it can burn. It is perfect for the adventurous palette.
South Indian cuisine is spread out amongst five states and four different regions. The major differences between each region has to do with the various levels of spiciness. The dishes themselves tend to be the same however. Below, are three of some of the best Southern Indian dishes to get started on your journey of learning Southern Indian cusine:
1. MYSORE MASALA DOSA
The dosa is one of the most iconic Indian dishes in existence. It is pretty much the ultimate breakfast food; it is a type of fried fritter or doughnut made from besan flour. You can make this dish in just a few minutes if you have the batter already made and ready to go. This Mysore masala dosa recipes combines the dosa with spicy chutney and potato masala to make a spicy and flavorful dosa. It’s basically the ultimate pick me up breakfast.
2. IDLI
Idli are another famous Indian breakfast food. They are a type of savory rice cake that is eaten all over the Indian subcontinent and other parts of Asia, especially northern Sri Lanka. These wonderful little rice cakes are made by steaming a batter made from fermented black lentils and rice. The unique fermentation process actually breaks down the starches so that they can more easily and readily be metabolized by the body.
There are several different variations of idli available for consumption. Many of them vary according to region, like sanna idli, Konkanand idli, Enduri idli, Pitha idli, or Odisha idli.
3. SAMBAR
Sambar is a lentil-based vegetable chowder or stew. It is primarily created using tamarind broth, and originates from the Indian subcontinent but is eaten throughout Asia, most noticeably Sri Lanka. Sambar is typically made using sambar powder, which is a type of coarse spice mix made with dried whole red chilis, roasted lentils, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, and curry leaves or asafetida.