Taste of India

There’s nothing shy about Indian cuisine. It’s bold, varied, rich, complex and, sometimes, a little bit too much – much like the country itself. Whether it’s a pot of simmering spices or a dosa sizzling on a griddle, there’s no escaping the fact that it’s completely delicious and the perfect way to explore your inner glutton. Take a trip down any galli or through any market and you’ll find a variety of things just waiting to tickle your taste buds. So, for your eating pleasure, here are four popular destinations in India and the foods they are famous for…

Tamil Nadu

In a country that prides itself on being hospitable, Tamil Nadu plays the perfect host to all hungry travellers that come its way. Consisting largely of rice, legumes, beans and an assortment of spices, Tamil cuisine is an improbable balance between simple and rich. Meals can be as light as a serving of rice with sambar or as lavish as a feast consisting of vegetables, roti, rice, rasam and an assortment of fried starters and sweets. Snacks, or tiffin, often served for breakfast include the ever-popular idli, dosa, vadas (usually medu vada and paruppuvadai) and idiyappam, served with sambar, coconut chutney and milagai podi (mixture of ground spices and lentils). These are usually accompanied with a cup of the famous, piping hot South Indian filter coffee, made from dark, roasted coffee beans. Rice, of course, is predominant in Tamil cuisine and two dishes that you would find made regularly in households in the regions are curd rice and tamarind rice.

A far cry from the vegetarian meals of Tamil Nadu’s Brahmin community, the state is also home to Chettinad cuisine, reputed to be India’s most aromatic and spicy cuisine. The best known Chettinad dishes are non-vegetarian — two of the most popular Chettiar dishes are pepper chicken and varuval, a dry dish of chicken, fish or vegetables, fried with onions and spices. Stews like kuzhambu are popular as well.

Simple yet complex, understated yet delicious, Tamil cuisine, much like the people, is straight-forward and to the point. With a range of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, there’s something for everyone here.

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