Explore the sumptuous fare and unique tastes offered by the sourthern states

By Rashmi Hemrajani

Indian cuisine offers a plethora of flavours. Each region has a rich and diverse culinary taste. In North India, we see more of Amristari, Punjabi dishes, West is full of Gujarati, Rajasthani thalis, which brings out sweet as well as salty tastes in a single dish. South India too has its unique rasams, chutneys and dosas, and spicy Chettinad curries (a speciality in restaurants in the Gulf). East India comprising West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha offers momos, thukpa (a clear soup), tomato achaar, machcher jhol, jhaal-muri (a spicy snack made with puffed rice and mustard oil) and desserts such as Sandesh and Rasgulla. Also rice and pork are their staples. So, pack up and head to taste India!

Tangy spicy cuisine Region: South India

Tamil Nadu: The food of Tamil Nadu boasts of heavy local spices like star anise, kalpasi (stone flower) and maratti mokku (dried flower pods), freshly ground spices including cumin, fenugreek, fennel, clove, bay leaf, turmeric and tamarind. Meats, seafood, vegetables, grains and fermented rice are known to be part of the staple diet.


(Indulge in the various Idli in Chennai, Image Courtesy: BCCL)

Kerala: The food of Kerala is as beautiful and refreshing as its mountains, backwaters and ayurveda. It’s simple, zesty, flavourful and offers a combination of potent spices. Tourists can feast on chicken, mutton, pork, beef and a thrilling range of seafood — mussels, crab, tiger prawns, king prawns, tiny prawns, oysters, sardines, mackerel, tuna and gorgeous red lobsters. Some of the popularly used ingredients in Kerala’s cuisine are pepper, cumin, chillies, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, turmeric and of course coconut. Tamarind, unripe mango, lime juice, vinegar and curd are also used extensively.

Andhra Pradesh: Try the Pachchadi (chutney) with rice and rasam, it will leave you panting, gasping for air.

Traditional Andhra Pradesh food includes hot and spicy dishes like tamarind rice (Pulihara), Pappadams, Pesaratu, Pulusu, Avakkai Pickles made of raw mango, seasoned eggplant (GuttiVankaya Kura) etc. Hyderbadi dishes such as Nawaabi kebabs, saffron-smelling biryani, creamy haleem and crumbly keema — they’ll put you in a delicious state of trance.