BASICS OF SOUTH INDIAN COOKING - 5 QUICK & EASY RECIPES.

South Indian cooking methods originate from the five Southern parts of India - Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu, Telangana, and Kerala. This cooking method includes a few basic ingredients to prepare as mentioned below.

No South Indian meal is complete without rice. The most commonly used oil for cooking and frying is coconut oil or ghee for special occasions - to enhance the flavour of the dishes.

In short, South Indian cooking utilizes curry leaves, mustard, asafetida, pepper, tamarind, chillies, and fenugreek seeds. Some well-known South Indian dishes include South Indian chicken curry, Kulambu, Idlis, Dosas, Vadai, ​Sambar, Uttapams, Rasam, and Payasam.

5 QUICK RECIPES TO TRY AT HOME

RASAM

INGREDIENTS

100 gms Toor dal
100 gms Tomatoes
500 ml Water
25 gms Tamarind
10 gms Pepper
10 gms Cumin seeds
10 gms Coriander seeds
3 gms Red chilli
30 ml Oil
3 gms Mustard seeds
2 gms Curry leaves
3 garlic cloves
Salt as needed

METHOD

• Crush garlic and chop tomatoes.
• Soak the tamarind and extract the pulp.
• Roast the ingredients for the powder and grind until fine.
• Boil the dal with tomatoes till the lentils are mashed and set aside.
• Heat oil and add mustard seeds, leave until it crackles.
• Add the crushed garlic, curry leaves, and coriander leaves.
• Mix the dal and water to get the required rasam consistency.
• Mix in the tamarind pulp. Add the rasam powder.
• Boil for 5 minutes on a low flame.

IDLI

INGREDIENTS

250 gms Parboiled rice
250 gms Brown rice (white rice is fine too)
250 gms Udad dal (ulundu)
250 gms Flattened rice or poha 
10 gms Fenugreek or methi seeds

METHOD

• Soak the udad dal (ulundu) and the two kinds of rice separately and let it stay overnight.
• Drain the water. Grind udad dal and rice separately.
• Udad dal needs to grinded into a fine paste and the rice needs to be slightly coarser.
• Mix both the solution together.
• Set aside for about 08-06 hours.
• Once the batter is puffy, steam the idlis for a healthy breakfast.

VADAI

INGREDIENTS

½ cup Chana dal
1 medium Onion
2 green chillies (chopped)
4-5 Curry leaves (chopped)
2-3 tbsp Coriander leaves (chopped)
Salt to taste
Oil (Deep frying)

METHOD

• Soak the chana dal in water for 2 hours.
• Grind it into a medium coarse texture.
• Add all the remaining ingredients and mix well.
• Apply oil in your hand and make small balls and tap them to make flat vada.
• Heat oil in a pan and add the vada.
• Serve hot with green chilli chutney.

PADVALI ROTI

INGREDIENTS

1 cup Wheat Flour
1 tsp Oil
Salt to taste
Oil for kneading
Ghee for smearing

METHOD

• Combine the wheat flour, oil, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
• Add the desired amount of water and knead the flour.
• Once ready add oil and knead again until the dough is soft.
• Make medium sized balls from the dough and make larger circled sized roti.
• Heat the pan, add oil, and cook the roti on both sides until you see the small brown spots.
• Drizzle a few drops of ghee on the top and serve with the curry.

RAVA HALWA

INGREDIENTS

1 cup Rava (Sooji/Semolina)
1 cup Ghee
½ cup Warm milk
21/2 cup Hot water
1 cup Sugar
1 tbsp Raisins (chopped)
1 tbsp Cashewnuts (chopped)
1 tbsp Cardamom powder

METHOD

• Take a pan heat the ghee, add Rava and saute for 6-8 minutes on low flame.
• Add milk, hot water, and cook for a
• Once the solution is ready, add sugar, cardamom powder, raisins, and cashew nuts. Cook continuously for 10 minutes.
• Serve immediately with raisin and cashew nut topping.

IN CONCLUSION

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