Tamil Nadu Cuisine - by food author Howard Hillman

Tamil Nadu Cuisine

Indian
regional cuisine
Tamil Nadu

a concise guide
for diners & travelers

Why Tamil Nadu
cuisine is special

Tamil Nadu cooks produce some of the world's tastiest vegetarian dishes - and, for meat eaters, there's the highly touted Chittenad cuisine.

Famous specialties
of Tamil Nadu

The top three are:

Masala Dosa

Idli

Chettinad Fried Chicken

Each is discussed separately below.

Masala Dosa

Creating one

A Masala Dosa is a thin crepe like bread made of a batter of ground fermented rice and lentils that - after being cooked on a griddle - is topped with a filling, then folded vaguely burrito style.

Huge size

Masala Dosas are typically about 40 centimeters (12 inches) wide, though giant versions are more than double that size.

Accompaniments

Masala Dosas are traditionally served with a fresh coconut chutney condiment and a spicy, soupy sambar made with yellow split peas.

Idli

Description

This is a steamed bread of fermented ground legumes and rice.

How it's eaten

An idli is eaten primarily for breakfast. Because it has a light, spongy texture, it's ideal for sauce dipping.

Chettinad Fried Chicken

Provenance

This is the best known dish of the distinct local Tamil Nadu cuisine of Chettinad city.

Chettinad cuisine

This cuisine veers sharply from the vegetarianism that is well entrenched nearly everywhere in the state of Tamil Nadu. In Chettinad cuisine, meat plays a major role and the seasoning is spicier and more garlicky. Indian gourmets give the Chettnand cuisine high marks.

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