28 Unique South Indian Dishes and Food Culture

Dosa is a very common dish in South India. They are fermented crepes made from a batter of soaked rice and black lentils (urad dal), finely ground, and left to ferment overnight. Therefore, dosas have a characteristic sour flavor.

Locals typically cook these crepes on a hot griddle to come out with a golden-brown crispiness and a soft, slightly fluffy interior.

They’re traditionally served rolled or folded, often filled with mashed, spiced potato, coconut chutney, or paneer cheese fillings. Or else, enjoying these dosas with Indian pickles is also a great way to go.

While many historians agree that South Indians developed dosas, the proper birthplace of this treat remains in debate.

One of the most common dosa in South India is masala dosa, which stems from Udupi town in Karnataka.

The masala dosa batter is made from a fermented mixture of parboiled rice and urad dal. The filling predominantly consists of potatoes, but it also includes onions, green chilies, mustard seeds, turmeric, and curry leaves.

However, the preparation of this Masala Dosa is different based on the region. Some regions prefer a thinner and crisper dosa, while others may offer a thicker, softer version.

To enjoy it, you can eat masala dosa with coconut chutney and tangy sambar.

Uttapam or uthappam is a distinguished South Indian delicacy often described as a thicker, pancake-like version of the dosa. The main ingredients for a uttapam are urad dal (black gram) and rice.

It goes with toppings of fresh veggies like onions, capsicum, or tomatoes. Some vendors or restaurants make this thick pancake with beets or grated coconuts.

The local cooks apply the same idea as what they do with dosa batter and let the whole rice and urad dals mixture ferment. About the side dishes, sambar or chutneys are the best choices.

Idli is a light and favorable steamed rice cake in South India. They are an ideal Indian breakfast or snack, thanks to its soft, pillowy texture and subtle flavor.

Idli can be enjoyed alone or with a portion of sambar (spiced lentil stew), or chutney (made from tomato or coconut).

The earliest mentions of dishes similar to idli date back to 920 CE in ancient Sanskrit and Kannada texts. They were initially made with black gram without rice. Its evolution, including the adoption of fermentation, enhanced its texture and nutrition over time.

Appam is another beloved South Indian breakfast dish rooted in ancient Tamil culture and especially popular in Kerala.

It’s a thin, bowl-shaped pancake made from fermented rice flour and coconut milk. Therefore, appam also has a slight tanginess.

This pancake is known for its crispy edges and soft center. For serving, appam pairs wonderfully with mutton, chicken, or chickpea curries. There’s even a tasty egg-topped variation for a richer meal.

Sambar is a simple stew that has been a staple in Indian meals, especially Southern Indians.

Sambar is typically made with lentils, tamarind, vegetables, and a distinctive blend of spices, such as sambar powder.

The dish is known for its savory flavor profile, with a perfect balance of tangy, spicy, and aromatic notes. Sambar is also versatile, as you can enjoy it with other South Indian favorites like idli, dosa, and rice.

Its origins trace back to the Tamil Nadu region in the 17th century.

Vada is a popular South Indian breakfast or snack similar to savory fried doughnuts. They are made from dal or lentil batter, often flavored with spices like black pepper, curry leaves, and sometimes onions or green chilies.

These crispy fritters are typically eaten hot with coconut chutney and sambar. Their crunchy exterior and soft interior offer a delightful texture contrast.

Chicken 65 is a spicy, deep-fried chicken dish that originated in Tamil Nadu, South India. The main ingredient, obviously, is chicken which is marinated in a mixture of spices and yogurts. This recipe has a fiery flavor with a crispy, redding-brown coating.

The dish is often garnished with curry leaves and sliced onions. Whether you want to have it as an Indian-inspired appetizer or a quick snack, it can work well and please your appetite.

Interestingly, chicken 65 has its name from the year it was born, 1965, in a Buhari hotel in Chennai.

Upma has been a breakfast staple in Southern Indian areas such as Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. You may encounter it under other names, such as Uppuma (in Tamil) or Uppumavu (in Malayalam).

To make upma, people utilize many different ingredients, from rava (roasted semolina), whole wheat, coarse rice flour, corn, or noodles. Local people often add other components like spices, vegetables, and sometimes nuts or lentils, to enhance upma’s flavor.

The texture of upma is soft and fluffy, with a nutty flavor from the semolina.

Hyderabadi biryani is a famous Indian biryani that hails from the city of Hyderabad in Telangana, a region steeped in the culinary traditions of the Nizams.

It’s an aromatic dish made with basmati rice, marinated chicken or mutton, and a blend of spices, slow-cooked to perfection. The biryani is characterized by its distinct layers of rice and meat, infused with saffron and other spices.

Baghaar-e-baingan (Hyderabad eggplant curry), dahi (or yogurt), chutney, or some simple Indian fresh salads are the great sides for this filling rice dish.

Born in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, rasam is now renowned around South India as a spicy soup dish with luscious sweet-sour broth consisting of tamarind juice as the base and kokum (a mangosteen fruit).

Other ingredients are commonly tomato, chili pepper, cumin, dals, and other spices. The dals are typically lentils, and the more famous kind of dals going with Rasam is toor dals (or pigeon peas).

Rasam is often served as a second course in a meal, following the main dish. This soup aids digestion and is especially comforting during cold weather. You can eat it on its own or with rice.

Pongal is a loved dish originating from the Tamil Nadu cuisine. The main ingredient of pongal is rice, which is cooked with other ingredients, depending on the variety. However, there are two main varieties: ven pongal and sakkarai pongal.

Ven pongal, also known as khara pongal, is a savory version of the dish. Besides rice, another important ingredient in this variety is yellow moong dal (split mung bean).

On the other hand, sakkarai pongal is a sweet version. It is prepared with jaggery, which imparts a natural sweetness. The dish is further enriched with ghee, cardamom, and sometimes nutmeg or saffron.

FYI, The name “pongal” is derived from the Tamil word “pongu,” which means to “boil over” or “overflow”. And it’s not only a delicious breakfast but also the name of a harvest festival in South India.

Lemon rice is a tangy South Indian dish that combines cooked rice with lemon juice, turmeric, and various spices like mustard seeds, green chilies, and curry leaves.

This dish stands out for its bright yellow color and refreshing flavor, making it a popular choice for lunch.

It’s often garnished with peanuts or cashews and served with yogurt or raita for added texture.

South Indian coconut rice is cooked with coconut milk or grated coconut. Unlike common coconut rice, this version also includes spices and nuts (like almonds or cashews). This treat particularly calls for short-grain rice instead of longer ones like basmati rice.

With its subtle sweetness, coconut rice pairs beautifully with spicy curries and chutneys. They sometimes appear in religious ceremonies and festivals.

Tamarind rice, known as puliyodharai in Tamil, is a tangy and spicy rice dish that’s a favorite dish in South Indian temples and homes.

It contains cooked rice with a tangy paste made from tamarind, spices, and a special mixture that includes peanuts, dried chilies, and mustard seeds.

That’s why tamarind rice has a perfect balance of sweet, sour, and spicy notes.

Parotta, a flaky layered flatbread from Tamil Nadu, was crafted by local workers seeking an inexpensive yet satisfying treat.

To make the food, the local cooks only mix the flour with oil/ghee and water and knead the whole dough well. The dough should be soft and stringy that can be stretched into a thin layer. Typically, people pair it with yogurt, raita (Indian yogurt condiments), and savory curries.

After a time, the Tamil workers moved to other Southern regions (like Kerala or Maharashtra) and brought their beloved recipes with them.

A notable fact about this delight is it’s more prevalent in the urban areas. Also, the more preferable ones are the aata parotta (with whole wheat flour), as the maida (all-purpose flour) variations are less healthy than those made from whole wheat flour.

Meen kulambu is a flavorful fish curry that uses tamarind as the base for the gravy, enriched with spices like fenugreek and coriander.

Locals in Kerala traditionally use ladyfish (or kizhangan/Indian whiting) and cook it in an earthen pot (called chatties). The cooking process in the earthen pot lends an exquisite earthiness to the whole dish.

This fish curry pairs best with steaming hot rice, roti, or dosa.

Speaking of South Indian dessert, payasam is a must-try rice pudding. It’s made by simmering milk with sugar and rice, flavored with cardamom, raisins, and nuts.

Besides rice, locals sometimes change it into sweet corn, tapioca, bulgur wheat, or vermicelli.

Unlike the general concept of rice pudding with a thick consistency, payasam has much more liquidity.

This South Indian sweet dish has been in local people’s daily diets for over 2000 years. It’s a temple food that is often prepared for Hindu devotees. Moreover, its name was derived from the term “payas” (meaning ” milk”).

The name “Chettinad chicken” hails from its origin region, the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu. This particular cuisine is renowned for its spiciness, so you can also expect that signature taste from this chicken dish.

This dish uses a variety of spices, including fennel, cinnamon, cloves, and star anise, creating a complex flavor profile. The gravy is thick and spicy, with a hint of freshness from curry leaves.

Finding a starch base or refreshing sides is a must to ease the robust flavors of this particularly hot dish. So flatbread or steamed rice are ideal options.

Andhra chicken curry is a spicy and flavorful dish from Andhra Pradesh, famous for its fiery red chili content and the tangy taste of tamarind.

The curry is made with a special blend of spices, onions, tomatoes, and curry leaves, which contribute to its unique taste and aroma. Coconut paste or milk is sometimes added to balance the heat, offering a creamy texture to the gravy.

Since the whole dish has a relatively intense flavor, you should call for rice (ideally cumin rice) to neutralize all the robust notes.

Mysore pak is a buttery sweet treat originating from the city of Mysore in Karnataka, South India.

The term “pak” (or paak) in this food’s name means mixture, and it has that name since the chefs need to make it from a mixture of ghee (clarified butter), gram flour, and sugar.

Kakasura Madappa, a chef for Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV, coincidentally created this dish while trying to make a new dessert for the King. He was in luck that time, and when the King asked him about the Indian sweet delight’s name, Mysore pak came out suddenly.

Nowadays, the modern variations of Mysore Pak still encase the goodness from the original version and also offer lovely notes of floral essences and spices (like cardamom). Local people enjoy having this dessert for weddings and baby showers.

Coconut chutney is an indispensable condiment in South Indian cuisine, serving as the perfect accompaniment to breakfast, like dosas, idlis, and vadas.

This chutney is made from grated coconut, green chilies, ginger, mustard seeds, and curry leaves for flavoring. Overall, it has a creamy, spicy, and tangy flavor.

Coconut chutney is a versatile dip that can vary in texture and taste across different households and regions, with some variations containing tamarind pulp or yogurt.

Curd rice, also known as thayir sadam in Tamil, is a simple yet comforting dish prevalent across South India. It combines cooked rice with curd (yogurt) and is often seasoned with mustard seeds, green chilies, curry leaves, and asafoetida.

This dish is well-loved for its cooling effect and ease of digestion, making it a staple during hot weather or for ending meals.

Locals sometimes garnish this rice dish with pomegranate seeds or grated cucumber.

Kerala prawn curry is a beloved dish from the coastal state of Kerala. The curry is rich in flavors, with tamarind’s tanginess, coconut milk’s sweetness, and chilies’ heat.

This curry utilizes fresh prawns, simmered in a gravy made with onions, tomatoes, and spices like turmeric, coriander, and fenugreek, finished with a generous swirl of coconut milk.

It’s best enjoyed with fragrant basmati rice or fluffy appams.

Fish moolie (or meen moilee) is a mild yet flavorful fish stew from Kerala, featuring fish filets, usually kingfish or pomfret, poached in a creamy sauce made with coconut milk, green chillies, ginger, and curry leaves.

Unlike other South Indian curries, fish moolie is less spicy, focusing on the subtle balance of flavors that allow the fish’s natural taste.

This dish is often served with rice or appams and represents the harmonious blend of Portuguese culinary influences with traditional Kerala cooking methods.

Puttu (meaning “portioned” in Malayalam/Tamil) is also a steamed rice cake; however, it’s native to Kerala, Tamil Nadu, or other Southern Indian regions. The main differences between those regional types are the prominent cylinder shapes and the additional sweet/ savory fillings.

A portion of puttu includes coarsely ground rice with condiments and some rich coconut products. Some most recommended delicacies to go with puttu are curries (chickpeas/mutton/fish).

Haleem is a stewed delicacy consisting of lentils and wheat/barley. Though it’s an Arabic-originated delicacy well-known in South India and other South Asian countries.

The Hyderabad (the capital of Telangana state in Southern India) variants of Haleem have meats (chicken/mutton or else) combined.

The precursor of haleem was harees, a delight that appeared for the first time in some 10th-century documents (during the Mughal time). The historians believe that foreign migrants brought it to this country.

When preparing this dish for the month of Islam’s Ramadan, people in Hyderabad often cook it inside a large kettle (called cauldron) for many hours.

Banana chips are a beloved snack in South India, particularly in Kerala, where they are known as “upperi.”

Made from thinly sliced bananas, these chips are deep-fried in coconut oil until golden crispy. They are then seasoned with salt or jaggery for a sweet version.

The choice of banana is crucial. Locals prefer the Nendran variety due to its firmness and sweet flavor when ripe.

Banana chips are a snack and a traditional part of the Kerala Sadya, the grand feast served during festivals like Onam.