South Indian
Restaurant Guide
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The Southern part of India is famous for growing spices and also spicy
foods. The Arabs, Dutch, French and English came to conquer the lucrative spice trade for
spices such as cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.
The foods of South India include readily available coconut, seafood, spices, rice and
coconut oil. Food is tempered with the perfect mix of oil, mustard seeds, curry leaves and
red chilies and seasoned with spices and herbs.
The State of Tamil Nadu has a culinary heritage of its own and
includes favorites like idlis, dosas, uttappam, rasam, sambar, vada, etc
The State of Kerala is the Venice of the East with its
waterways. Fish is the staple here accompanied with steamed rice. Banana trees and
jackfruit trees are very common in this region. The people here prepare special snacks
with these fruits such as banana and jackfruit chips.
The State of Andhra Pradesh has a noticible Mughal impact on the
cuisines of this state. The food here is quite spicy and hot. Signature dishes of this
state are grilled kebabs, kurmas and the delicious Hydrabadi Biriyani.
The State of Karnataka - Some typical dishes
include Bisi bele bath, Jola Rotti, Chapathi, Ragi rotti, Akki rotti, Saaru, Huli,Vangi
Bath, Khara Bath, Kesari Bath, Davanagere Benne Dosa, Ragi mudde, and Uppittu. The famous
Masala Dosa traces its origin to Udupi cuisine. Plain and rava Idli, MysoreMasala dosa and
Maddur Vade are from South Karnataka. The Coorg district is famous for spicy varieties of
pork curries while coastal Karnataka boasts of many tasty seafood specialities. Among
sweets, Mysore Pak, Dharwad pedha, Chiroti are well known.
South
Indian Restaurant Menu Guide
Special
South Indian Banana Leaf Thali
Rasam (soup), papad, masala dosa with sambar (lentils) and coconut chutney, Indian
roti, vegetable curry, masala (poriyals and kootus) vegetable, samosa, special rice,
raita, payasam, julab jamun and coffee/tea.
Appetizers
Idli - generally comes in two steamed dumplings or rice muffins served
with sambar (lentils) and coconut chutney
Vegetable Cutlet - served with salad
Rasa Vada / Medu Vada - lentil doughnut in spicy gravy/ plain
Dahi Vada - Lentil dounut in yogurt
Upma - cream-of-wheat cooked with nuts and seasoned
South Indian Bondas - Sautéed potatoes with spices and herbs, coated with chick pea
flour batter, deep fried to a golden brown, served with mint/yogurt chutney
Specialties
Rava
or Plain Dosa: Semolina or rice and lentil pancake
Masala Dosa: Rice/lentil pancake filled with potatoes and onions
Paneer Dosa: Rice/lentil pancake filled with spicy cottage cheese
Rava Masala Dosa: Semolina pancake filled with potato masala
Onion Rava Dosa: Semolina and onion pancake
Onion Rava Masala Dosa: Semolina and onion pancake filled with potato and onion masala
Paper Dosa: Paper-thin rice/lentil pancake
Paper Masala Dosa: Paper thin rice/lentil pancake filled with potato masala
Mysore Masala Dosa: Rice/lentil pancakes cooked with spicy chutney and filled with potato
masala
Onion Uthappam: Lentil pizza topped with onions
Tomato Uthappam: Rice-lentil pizza topped with tomatoes
Onion & Chilli Uthappam: Rice-lentil pizza topped with onion and chilies
Mixed Uthappam: Rice-lentil pizza topped with tomatoes, onion, green peas, capsicum and
chilies.\
South Indian Curries
Avial:
Rich coconut curry
Lamb Vindaloo: Spicy, hot, sharp & tangy, an irresistible preparation.
Fish Coconut Curry: A Northern delicacy. The most popular dish to entertain guests
with. Cooked with lots of yogurt, cream, coconut, rose-water and garnished with raisins,
almonds and fried onions.
Chicken
Curry: Whole Chicken baked in day-oven Chicken cubes cooked in yogurt and tomatoes
South Indian Food Recipes
Avial -
Mixed Veggies Kerala Style
Carrot
Pachadi Kerala Style ,
Yogurt with Bananas
Raita - Yogurt Salad Recipe
Sambhar or
Lentil Vegetable Stew - South Indian
Shammi Kebab
Recipe
South
Indian Shrimp Curry in Coconut Milk
South Indian
potatoes with Mustard Seeds
Chicken
with Coconut Milk
Shop here for South Indian Food Ingredients
Curry
Leaves (Fresh) - ships Tues only , Ginger
Root (Fresh) - ships Tues only , Garlic
Cloves (Fresh) - ships Tues only , Green
Chilies (Fresh) - ships Tues only , Fresh
Mint Leaves - ships out only on Tuesday , Mace
Powder or Javentri , Whole
Nutmeg , Kasturi
Methi or Fenugreek Leaves (Shambalileh). , Fried
Onions , Panchpuran-
Indian Five Spice Blend - magical flavor for tomatoes, squash, zucchini, fish , Saffron
, Asafoetida
or Hing (Vandevi) , Mustard
seeds or Rai. , Black
Pepper (Ground) , Cardamom
Pods Green Whole , Red
Chili Ground , Turmeric
Ground or Haldi , Coriander
Seed or Dhania , Coriander
Ground , Cumin
Seed or Indian Jeera , Cumin
Ground , Fennel
Seeds or Saunf , Cloves
, Fenugreek
Seed , Amchur
- Green Mango Powder , Poppy
Seed or Khas Khas , Ajwain
Seed, Bishops Weed, Carom , Black
Salt - Rock Salt or Saindhav , Whole
Round Chilies , Garam
Masala (WholeSpices) Blend , Curry
Powder , Cinnamon
(Malabar Cinnamon) , Ginger
Ground , Black
Cardamom , Black
Pepper (Whole) , Sesame
Seeds Natural , Coconut
- Shreded and Unsweetened , Coriander-Cumin
Blend , Garam
Masala Powder , Cardamom
Seeds , Green
Cardamom Powder , Nutmeg
Powder , Spice
Box - Traditional Indian , Spice
Box with 7 Spices - Traditional Indian Masala Dubba , Fennel
Powder , Clove
Powder. , Tamarind
Paste - Tamarindo, Tamar Hind , Ghee
- Clarified Butter 64oz , Ghee
- Claified Butter , Ghee
- Clarified Butter , Jaggery
- Dried Sugarcane Juice , Ghee
- Clarified Butter , Ginger-Garlic
Paste , Garlic
Paste , Ginger
Paste , Coconut
Milk , Coconut
Cream Powder .
Kozhambhu-Another Traditional
Tamil recipe, also called Majjige Huli in Karnataka.
Yogurt/Curds- 3/4 Ltrs(Serves 4)
Coriander seeds 2 tsp
Cumin seeds 2 tsp
Red Chili powder 1 tsp
Chana Daal 1 tsp
Rice or rice powder 1 tsp
Coconut (grated) 2 tsp
Salt 2 tsp
Mustard 1 tsp
Turmeric a pinch
Red Chili 1
Fry Coriander seeds, Cumin seeds, Chana Daal, Red Chili in a little oil. Grind the mixture
with the coconut and add to the beaten yogurt. Add turmeric and bring to a boil.
Stir in rice powder, and heat on low until consistent texture is achieved. Heat oil and
mustard seeds and add to the mixture.
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Tomato-Onion Gojju Recipe - Traditional dish from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka
1/2 tbsp. tamarind paste or extract from a tamarind size marble, soaked
2 onions, chopped (if using little ones in a bag, about five)
2 ripe tomatoes, diced
6 hot green chilles, slit and cut into pieces
curry leaves
1 tsp. mustard
1/2 tsp. turmeric
garlic (optional)
salt to taste
3-4 tbsp. oil
Chop the tomatoes and onions into very tiny pieces. Heat oil, add mustard seeds, when
popping add curry leaves, chillies, onions and fry till onions become transcluscent. Add
tomatoes and fry for another five minutes. If using tamarind paste, add a cup and half of
water, or pour equal quantity of extract from fresh pulp. Toss in the turmeric, salt and
garlic. Let it simmer for a while until the gravy becomes a little thick. Remove from heat
and serve with rice.
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Pitla(Pitlai) Recipe
3 tablespoons besan (bengal gram flour)
1/2 tsp hing(asoefetida)
1 medium tomato chopped finely
1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
1 sprig curry leaves
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 small onion, chopped finely
1 tsp roasted cumin-coriander powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice/tamarind juice
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
Fry the besan in a little oil till it turns light brown. Set aside. Heat some oil and add
the mustard and curry leaves. When they crackle, add the onions and fry till they turn
brown. Add the cumin-dhania, red chili and turmeric and fry for a minute.
Now add the besan and keep frying for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the coriander and
some water to get a liquid consistency. Add salt to taste. Now add the lime/tamarind juice
and heat through till it boils. Add hing and serve hot with chapatis or white rice.
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Mixed Vegetable Curry Recipe
1 cup mixed vegetables sliced, boiled (use carrot, cauliflower, beans, peas, potato, etc.)
1 tomato sliced
1/2 coconut grated
1/2 tsp. ginger grated
1/2 tsp. garlic crushed
3 green chillies
1 tbsp. sesame seeds
1/2 tsp. each cumin, mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. red chilli powder
salt to taste
1 tsp.lemon juice
2 cloves
1" piece cinnamon
2 tbsp. butter
Drain the boiled vegetables, keep stock aside. Blend together, coconut, chillies, sesame
seeds, cinnamon, cloves in mixie. Heat butter, add seeds, allow to splutter. Add ginger,
garlic and paste. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes. Add vegetables except tomatoes. Add 1/2 cup
stock. Cover and simmer for five minutes. Add salt, chilli powder, tomatoes and cook till
gravy is thick. Serve hot with parathas or chappatis.
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Potato White Stew Recipe (Kerala)
4 potatoes
1 piece large ginger
Curry leaves
1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
3 pieces cardamom
2 onions
3 green chillies
1 small coconut
4 small piece cinnamon
6 pieces cloves
Oil 2-3 tbsp.
salt to taste
Cook potatoes and cut them into small cubic pieces. Cut onion ginger, chillies thin and
lengthwise. Grate coconut and make a thick milk using 2 1/2 - 3 cups of water. Heat two
tbsp. oil, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, Onion, green chillies, three cardamom,
cinnamon, cloves and ginger. Fry slightly, add potatoes, a pinch of salt and coconut milk.
Cook for 5-10 minutes. When the gravy becomes thick , remove from the flame. Serve hot
with chapatis, dosas or rice.
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Pineapple Gojju Recipe
1 canned (small) crushed pineapple
1 tbsp. sesame seeds
1 tbsp. urad dhal
1 tbsp. channa dhal
3 red chillies
2 green chillies
1 tsp chick peas
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
1/2 tsp tamarind paste
a small piece of jagerry OR 1 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 cup grated coconut
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
4-5 tbsp. Oil for frying
1 tsp mustard seeds
Fry sesame seeds, urad dal, channa dal, red chillies and asafoetida till they all turn
roasted. (Frying time 5-6 mins)
Grind the fried ingredients with green chillies, chick peas, tamarind paste, jaggery (or
brown sugar) and grated coconut to a smooth paste (add little water while grinding).
In the meantime, keep oil in a kadai and let it heat for a minute. Then put mustard seeds
and turmeric powder and allow mustard seeds to pop. Then put the canned crushed pineapple
to it and fry the pineapple for about 15 mins. Later, add the ground paste to the fried
pineapple and fry further 10 mins.Add salt according to taste
Remove kadai from the heat. This goes well as a side dish with chapatis or rice &
rasam and can be eaten hot or cold.
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Katirikka Rasavangi Recipe
One eggplant
1/2 tbsp. tamarind paste
1 1/2 tsp. coriander seeds
1 tsp. chana dal
3-4 dried red chillies
4 tbsp. coconut (dry will do but fresh is better)
1/2 cup cooked toovar dal (with turmeric)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
a pinch asafoetidacurry leaves
A little oil for roasting and seasoning
salt to taste
Cut the eggplant into cubes. In a cup of water, dissolve the tamarind-coriander paste. Set
on stove, add eggplant to tamarind water, a little turmeric, salt and let cook until
eggplant is done but has not lost its shape. In a pan with very little oil roast red
chillies, coriander seeds, chana dal and asafoetida. When you can get the aroma of roasted
coriander or the red chillies have turned a dark, dark red remove from heat and let cool.
Throw into blender with coconut, add three tbsp. water and grind slowly into paste. Add a
little water if blade gets stuck. Remove from jar and wash it out with water and save
this.
Mash cooked dal with a spoon until blended and add to cooked eggplant. Now add the coconut
paste and its water. Keep on low heat till it starts to simmer a little. Take off heat.
Season with spluttering mustard seeds and curry leaves. Variations: You can throw in a
handful of chick peas from a can into this, thin it out somewhat and have it as katirikka
sambar. Alternately, you can make the cooked dal with half toor and half chana dal, in
which case you should not cook until mashed. Remove a trifle before it gets fully done.
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Vazai Thandu Curry(Banana Stem curry) Recipe
Vazai Thandu(Banana Stem)Washed and finely chopped
Moong dhal 2 t.spoon
Urad dhal 1/4 t.spoon
Red chilli 2
Mustard 1/4 t.spoon
Hing a small pinch
Ginger a small pinch
Green chilli 1
Grated coconut 2 t.spoons
Butter milk 1/4 cup
Cooking oil 2 t.spoon
Salt 1/2 t.spoon
Soak vazai thandu, moong dhal, butter milk and salt together for 15 minutes.Fry mustard,
urad dhall, red chilli, hing, green chilli, and ginger in oil.Squeeze the butter milk out
the soaked vazai thandu, and addthe vazai thundu to the above
pan. Let it cook for 10 minutes,and then add the grated coconut to the above.
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Pepper Rasam Recipe
1 small tomato, chopped into small cubes
1 1/2 tsp peppercorns
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
2 tsp thick tamarind juice
1/2 tsp sugar or jaggery water
1 tsp chopped coriander leaves
A pinch of hing(asoefetida)
Salt to taste
2 tsp ghee(clarified butter)
6 cups of water
Powder the peppercorns in a peppermill or coffee grinder to get a very coarse powder. Mix
together the water, tomato, pepper,salt sugar(jaggery) and tamarind juice. Bring it to a
boil on a low flame. Season with mustard, hing, curry leaves and cumin in ghee. Garnish
with chopped coriander. Eat when hot with plain rice.
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Knowledge.
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