The Most Delicious South Indian Dishes That You Must Try

Posted by Michael Griffin on October 19th, 2019

India’s diversity is translated very well in its cuisine. Every street has a new dish or two to offer. This cultural diversity becomes even more prominent when traveling to the Southern peninsula. If you thought that the southern states were slightly different from northern states, going south in India is almost like entering a different country. North Indian dishes have a lot more in common with Pakistan and Bangladesh than the south. And with the land of spices Kerala, South India has a lot of variety to offer. If you get the chance, you must try some South Indian Food in NYC:

Hyderabadi Biryani
Every state has its version of biryani but the Hyderabadi biryani is undisputedly considered the best. This dish is considered the mother of all biryanis across India. Once served to Hyderabad’s royalty, this blend of Iranian and Mughal recipes is the most sought after. Chicken, mutton or beef is cooked in a huge cauldron with some ghee (clear butter) before being added to semi-cooked rice. Various spices and vegetables are also added to add color and taste. It tastes best with curd.

Masala Dosa
This list would be incomplete without the most well known South Indian dish. The dosa is prepared with a batter of fermented rice and gram that is fried upon a flat skillet. This gives dosa a crispy texture similar to a crepe. This thin flatbread is wrapped around mashed potatoes, chopped onions, chilies, and peas, and served with some sambar (a lentil-based dish) and coconut paste.

Idli
Idli is another dish that needs no introduction. It is served at breakfast and as snacks. These fluffy rice cakes are fermented and steamed. It is easy to digest and goes along with coconut paste and sambar.

Chicken Chettinad
Created by the people of the Chettinad district in Tamil Nadu, it is perhaps the most popular non-vegetarian dish in the south. The cook marinates chicken with yogurt, pepper, curry leaves, ginger, chilies, spices, and garlic until it becomes tender. This hot and spicy dish creates a nice aroma that will leave you salivating.

Chicken 65
It takes a true soldier to finish this item. The cook marinates chicken with garlic and ginger, then fries it in oil until the meat turns brown. Then hot chili is added for some spiciness. It used to be the 65th item of a menu in a South Indian military camp, thus the name.

Fish Molee
A legacy of the Portuguese influence, this Keralite dish is no ordinary fish curry. The dried fish is cooked with coconut milk and many spices to make it spicy. This delectable fish dish is best served with appam.

Appam
It is a flat lacy pancake made with a fermented batter of coconut milk and rice. This pancake is fluffy in the center and crispy on the sides. People like having it as breakfast with coconut paste or other gravy.

Uttapam
It’s similar to appam but the edges are thicker and vegetables are added to the lentil or rice batter. This gives the soft pancake a little crunch that complements coconut paste and sambar.

Rasam
If you like starting your dinner with some soup, rasam is your starter. It is made with tamarind juice, tomato, cumin, pepper, and other spices. This mixture gives the soup a unique sweet, sour and spicy flavor. You can eat it with rice as well.

Paya
If you like some meat in your soup, then paya is your starter. A cow’s hoof is the main ingredient, thus the name. The hoof can also be a goat’s or buffalo’s. The hooves are slow-cooked on stove overnight or in a pressure cooker until it becomes soupy. Fried onions, garlic, minced coriander, and spices are added for some crunch. Some variations of the dish use the animal’s head instead.

These are just some mouthwatering South Indian dishes you ought to try. You can find these dishes at a friend’s home or a restaurant that serves Indian food in NYC.