Top Easy Food Recipies of Tamil Nadu: A Culinary Journey

Tamil Nadu, a state in southern India, is known for its rich culinary heritage and diverse flavors. From spicy curries to aromatic rice dishes and mouth-watering snacks, Tamil Nadu’s cuisine is a feast for the senses. Here are some of the top and Easy recipies that you must try to experience the true essence of Tamil Nadu.

1. Idli and Sambar

Idli: A steamed rice cake made from a fermented batter of rice and urad dal (black gram).

Sambar: A lentil-based vegetable stew made with tamarind and a unique blend of spices.

Ingredients:

• For Idli: Idli rice, urad dal, fenugreek seeds, salt
• For Sambar: Toor dal, tamarind, vegetables (like drumsticks, carrots, radish), sambar powder, mustard seeds, curry leaves, dried red chilies

Recipe:

1. Idli: Soak rice and urad dal separately. Grind to a smooth batter and ferment overnight. Steam the batter in idli molds.
2. Sambar: Cook toor dal until soft. In a separate pan, cook the vegetables with tamarind water and sambar powder. Add cooked dal and temper with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and dried red chilies.

2. Dosa

A crispy, thin pancake made from a fermented batter of rice and urad dal, often served with chutneys and sambar.

Ingredients: Dosa rice, urad dal, fenugreek seeds, salt, oil

Recipe:

1. Soak rice and urad dal separately. Grind to a smooth batter and ferment overnight.
2. Heat a flat griddle and pour a ladle of batter, spreading it thinly. Drizzle oil around the edges. Cook until golden and crisp. Serve with coconut chutney and sambar.

3. Chicken Chettinad

A spicy, flavorful chicken curry from the Chettinad region, known for its aromatic spices and rich taste.

Ingredients: Chicken, onions, tomatoes, ginger-garlic paste, Chettinad masala (a blend of spices including fennel seeds, peppercorns, coriander seeds, and red chilies), coconut

Recipe:

1. Marinate chicken with turmeric and salt.
2. Roast and grind the spices to make Chettinad masala.
3. In a pan, sauté onions, tomatoes, and ginger-garlic paste. Add the marinated chicken and the ground masala. Cook until the chicken is tender. Add grated coconut and simmer.

4. Rasam

A tangy, spicy soup made with tamarind juice, tomatoes, and a special spice blend called rasam powder. It is usually served with rice.

Ingredients: Tamarind, tomatoes, toor dal, rasam powder, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, garlic, curry leaves, coriander leaves

Recipe:

1. Boil tamarind water with chopped tomatoes, rasam powder, and cooked toor dal.
2. Temper mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and garlic in ghee and add to the boiling mixture.
3. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

5. Pongal

A popular breakfast dish made from rice and moong dal, cooked together and flavored with ghee, black pepper, and cumin.

Ingredients: Rice, moong dal, black pepper, cumin seeds, ghee, cashews, ginger

Recipe:

1. Roast moong dal until fragrant. Cook rice and dal together with water.
2. In a separate pan, heat ghee and add black pepper, cumin seeds, grated ginger, and cashews. Add this tempering to the cooked rice and dal mixture.

6. Vadai

A deep-fried snack made from a batter of urad dal or chana dal, often spiced with onions, curry leaves, and green chilies.

Ingredients: Urad dal or chana dal, onions, green chilies, curry leaves, ginger, salt

Recipe:

1. Soak dal and grind to a coarse batter with minimal water.
2. Mix in chopped onions, green chilies, curry leaves, and ginger.
3. Shape into patties and deep fry until golden brown.

7. Kuzhi Paniyaram

A snack made from fermented rice and urad dal batter, cooked in a special paniyaram pan.

Ingredients: Idli batter, onions, green chilies, curry leaves, mustard seeds, oil

Recipe:

1. Heat oil in a pan and sauté mustard seeds, onions, green chilies, and curry leaves.
2. Mix this seasoning into the idli batter.
3. Pour the batter into a greased paniyaram pan and cook until golden brown on both sides.

8. Payasam

A traditional sweet dish made from milk, sugar, and rice or vermicelli, flavored with cardamom, saffron, and garnished with nuts.

Ingredients: Milk, sugar, rice/vermicelli, cardamom, saffron, ghee, cashews, raisins

Recipe:

1. Cook rice or vermicelli in milk until soft.
2. Add sugar and cardamom powder, and cook until the mixture thickens.
3. In a separate pan, fry cashews and raisins in ghee and add to the payasam.

9. Kootu

A vegetable stew made with lentils and coconut, often seasoned with a blend of spices and served with rice.

Ingredients: Mixed vegetables (like snake gourd, pumpkin, and beans), moong dal, grated coconut, cumin seeds, green chilies, turmeric, mustard seeds, curry leaves

Recipe:

1. Cook vegetables and moong dal with turmeric and water.
2. Grind coconut, cumin seeds, and green chilies to a paste and add to the cooked vegetables.
3. Temper mustard seeds and curry leaves in oil and add to the kootu.

10. Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu

A traditional Tamil Nadu dish where lentil dumplings are simmered in a tangy tamarind gravy.

Ingredients: Toor dal, chana dal, tamarind, tomatoes, sambar powder, turmeric, mustard seeds, dried red chilies, curry leaves, oil

Recipe:

1. Soak and grind toor dal and chana dal to a coarse paste. Shape into small balls.
2. Prepare a tamarind-based gravy with tomatoes and sambar powder.
3. Add the lentil dumplings to the gravy and simmer until they are cooked through.

These recipes offer a glimpse into the rich culinary traditions of Tamil Nadu. Each dish tells a story of the region’s heritage and the vibrant flavors that define its cuisine. Enjoy the taste of Tamil Nadu!