Tamil Nadu is a land renowned for its rich cultural heritage. The food of Tamil Nadu is no different. It is a reflection of the vibrant culture of the state.
The food of Tamil Nadu is a blend of traditional and modern cooking styles. It is a perfect blend of spices, herbs, and vegetables. The food is both healthy and delicious.
The traditional food of Tamil Nadu is rice-based. There are a variety of rice dishes that are popular in the state. The most popular dish is the Tamil Nadu style rice and curry. This dish is made with a variety of spices, herbs, and vegetables.
The food of Tamil Nadu is incomplete without the famous Tamil Nadu style dosa. This dish is made with a fermented batter of rice and lentils. It is usually served with a chutney or a sambar.
The traditional food of Tamil Nadu is not only delicious but also healthy. It is a perfect balance of taste and nutrition.
List of traditional food in Tamil Nadu are:
1. Uttapam
Tamil Nadu is known for its unique cuisine, and one of its signature dishes is uttapam, which is very identical to the dosa. The Urad Dal as well as the rice flour are combined in a grinder. After fermenting for a few hours, it is slowly fried with very little oil in a skillet. Uttapam is similar to dosa in that it is thin and crispy on the edges but more like Idli in that it is soft & doughy in the centre. Tomatoes, onions, capsicum, etc., are then sprinkled atop the uttapam.
Both Sambar and coconut chutney go well with it, but the chutney is the clear winner. If you want things on the spicier side, try it with the tomato and chilli chutney.
2. Banana Boonda
We’re sure everyone here is familiar with bondas, but this one is stuffed differently and baked in the same basic fashion. Banana is used as the filling, and it is fried in oil instead of potatoes or other vegetables.
This banana-based variation of the traditional Bonda is a sweet alternative that pairs well with tea. There’s always something new and delicious to discover in the cuisine of Tamil Nadu.
3. Dosa
Dosas come in a dizzying variety. Several well-known varieties of dosa can be found in restaurants across the country. To get started, experts recommend paper dosa. Dosas, like most other Tamil Nadu dishes, are produced by spreading a batter made from a combination of urad dal & rice over a pan & cooking it over low heat.
Next, it’s rolled out into a paper-thin layer and stacked into a cone, where it’s served with sambar and chutney. All other dosas are produced in the same way; the only difference is the additional ingredients that give them their unique names. The dosa cooking process is identical to that of cooking an egg; however, the dosa is topped with the egg, which is then spread evenly across the surface and cooked in oil or ghee.
4. Murukku
Murukku, a popular snack with its roots in Tamil Nadu, gets its name from the Tamil word for “twisted.” Again, rice flour & urad dal are combined with salt, water, cumin seed, and other seasonings to create the batter for murukku. After being formed, it is deep-fried in oil until it is hard. As a result, it has widespread popularity across the country of India.
5. Sambar
Sambar, like dal, is a curry, but its distinctive flavour comes from the combination of a wide variety of spices and vegetables. Sambar has a somewhat sour flavour from the tamarind paste used in its preparation and is made with a wide variety of vegetables. Drumsticks, Brinjal, Potatoes, Pumpkin, and Radish are just few of the well-known veggies that go into making Sambar.
The curry leaves used in this dish are a key flavouring component. This Tamil Nadu side dish goes great with a wide variety of South Indian staples like rice, idli, dosa, and more.
6. Idli and Vada
If you’re running late in the morning, you can nearly always rely on idlis and vadas to save the day. The dishes from Tamil Nadu go wonderfully together and are pure comfort food. Idli, a little, spongy pancake prepared from a blend of urad dal & rice, is a specialty of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
Vada, but at the other hand, is made with fermented Bengal gramme combined with curry leaves, cumin seed, and mustard seed, and can take the form of a doughnut or be circular like an idli. The vada is formed into patties and deep-fried to create a crunchy yet soft snack that goes great with sambar & coconut chutney.
Conclusion
The amazing blending of civilizations reflected in Tamil food is reflected in its remarkable adaptability. So it’s not just the dosas & Vadais, as we suspected. Whether you’re looking for Chettiar, Kongunadu, Arcot, or Iyengar food, you’ll find an ocean’s worth of delicious options in Tamil Nadu. Try them today.