South Indian Food

 South Indian cuisine includes the cuisines of the five southern states of India—Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana—and the union territories of Lakshadweep, Pondicherry, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands

South Indian food has earned much fame across the globe, particularly for scrumptious dishes like Dosa, Vada, Idli, Uttapam and Sambar.

Owing partly to the migration of around two million Tamils during the second half of the 20th century to the West, the cuisine of South India has become one of the most popular around the world. Still, the food of the Tamil community, which is typically vegetarian and serves as most people’s introduction to South Indian cuisine, doesn’t necessarily represent the region as a whole.

Unlike the North Indian states that rely heavily on dairy and livestock, South Indian cuisine is marked by the heavy use of curry leaves, coconut milk (yes, vegan!), tamarind, and black peppercorns.

Tampering of different South Indian dishes remains almost the same with primary ingredients being mustard seeds, red chillies, curry leaves and oil among others. Availability of different root tubers, coconut and huge variety of fish has witnessed use of such items in various regional dishes. 

Ingredients like chana dal, urad dal, plantain, tamarind, ginger, garlic, coconut and snake gourd along with fresh green chillies and dried red chillies are used extensively in preparing South Indian cuisines.  

Ragi (Eleusine coracana) also forms a staple diet in southern Karnataka while in northern Karnataka and Telangana, jowar (Sorghum) and bajra (Pearl millet) are consumed widely.

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