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TAMIL NADU

Popular Dishes of Tamil Nadu

Appam

Gently curved and golden, the appam rests like a blooming lotus, its frilled edges promising a delicate crispness. Aromatic notes of fermented rice and coconut intertwine, evoking spice markets and coconut groves. With a soft exterior that yields to the gentlest touch, the spongy core invites indulgence. Breaking it apart evokes a hushed rustle, and as each piece meets the tongue, sweetness unfolds into warmth, and the contrast of textures paints a harmonious picture. In each bite of appam, Tamilnadu's culinary heritage sings, leaving an enduring imprint of tradition and satisfaction.

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Ingredients :

  • 2 cups raw rice (preferably a variety like Sona Masuri or Ponni)

  • 1/2 cup grated coconut

  • 1/4 cup cooked rice (optional, helps with fermentation)

  • 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast or 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast

  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • Water, as needed

  • Oil or ghee, for cooking

Steps To Follow:

Preparing the Batter:

  1. Wash the raw rice thoroughly and soak it in water for about 4-6 hours. If you're using cooked rice, soak it along with the raw rice.

  2. Drain the soaked rice and grind it in a blender with grated coconut and a little water to make a smooth batter. The consistency should be similar to dosa batter.

  3. Dissolve yeast in a little warm water along with sugar. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy.

  4. Add the frothy yeast mixture to the rice-coconut batter and mix well.

  5. If using cooked rice, add it to the batter and blend again until smooth.

  6. Cover the batter and let it ferment in a warm place for 8-10 hours or overnight. The batter should rise and become slightly bubbly.

Making Appam:

  1. After fermentation, you'll notice that the batter is lighter and has a slight tangy aroma.

  2. Add salt to the batter and mix gently.

  3. Heat an appam pan or a non-stick skillet over medium heat. If you're using a traditional appam pan, you'll need to season it first by greasing it with a little oil and rubbing a halved onion over it.

  4. Once the pan is hot, pour a ladleful of batter into the center of the pan.

  5. Hold the handles of the pan and swirl it quickly in a circular motion so that the batter spreads and coats the sides, creating a thin lacy layer around the edges and a slightly thicker center.

  6. Cover the pan with a lid and cook on low heat for about 2-3 minutes until the center is cooked and the edges are crispy and golden brown.

  7. The appam will have a soft, spongy center and a crispy edge.

  8. Gently remove the appam from the pan using a spatula.

Serve the Appam:

  • Serve the appam hot with your favorite side dish. Traditionally, appam is served with coconut milk-based stew (like vegetable stew or chicken stew) or a spicy coconut chutney.

Chettinad Chicken

A tantalizing dance of colors unfolds as the Chettinad chicken takes center stage—a symphony of deep browns and fiery reds that ignite the imagination. The air is laced with the heady aroma of roasted spices, as fragrant whispers of cardamom, cinnamon, and star anise intermingle, conjuring visions of bustling markets and exotic bazaars. The touch of the dish is complex and inviting, with tender pieces of chicken coated in a rich, velvety gravy that clings like a lover's embrace. As you take your first bite, the harmonious cacophony of flavors takes over—the earthy notes of cumin, the warm heat of red chili, and the subtle sweetness of coconut milk. The dish's symphony crescendos with the satisfying crunch of roasted nuts and the freshness of chopped cilantro, awakening your taste buds to a new dimension of pleasure. With each mouthful, you can almost hear the sizzle and crackle of spices in a bustling Chettinad kitchen, and you're transported to the heart of Southern India's culinary tapestry—a tapestry woven with passion, history, and an unyielding zest for life.

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Ingredients :

  • 500g chicken, cleaned and cut into pieces

  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

  • 1 teaspoon red chili powder

  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

  • 1 teaspoon ginger paste

  • 1 teaspoon garlic paste

  • Salt to taste

For Chettinad Masala:

  • 2 teaspoons fennel seeds

  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

  • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

  • 1 teaspoon poppy seeds

  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds

  • 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

  • 4-5 dried red chilies (adjust to taste)

  • 4-5 cloves

  • 2-3 green cardamom pods

  • 1-inch cinnamon stick

  • A pinch of nutmeg powder

  • 2 tablespoons grated coconut (fresh or desiccated)

  • 1 tablespoon oil

For Curry:

  • 2 tablespoons oil

  • 1 large onion, finely chopped

  • 2 tomatoes, chopped

  • A few curry leaves

  • 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste

  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

  • Salt to taste

  • Chopped cilantro for garnish

Steps To Follow:

Marinating the Chicken:

  1. In a bowl, combine turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, ginger paste, garlic paste, and salt.

  2. Coat the chicken pieces with this marination mixture. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes, or ideally, in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Preparing Chettinad Masala:

  1. Dry roast fennel seeds, cumin seeds, whole black peppercorns, poppy seeds, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, dried red chilies, cloves, green cardamom pods, and cinnamon stick until fragrant. Be careful not to burn them.

  2. Grind the roasted spices along with nutmeg powder and grated coconut to a fine powder. Set aside.

Cooking Chettinad Chicken:

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add finely chopped onions and sauté until they turn translucent.

  2. Add curry leaves and ginger-garlic paste. Sauté for a minute until fragrant.

  3. Add the marinated chicken pieces and cook until they are sealed and start to change color.

  4. Add chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, and salt. Cook until the tomatoes soften and the oil starts to separate.

  5. Add the ground Chettinad masala and mix well. Cook for a few minutes to let the flavors meld.

  6. Add water as needed to create the desired gravy consistency. Cover and simmer until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.

  7. Check for seasoning and adjust salt and spices if needed.

  8. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Serve Chettinad Chicken:

  1. Once the Chettinad Chicken is cooked and the flavors have developed, remove from heat.

  2. Serve the Chettinad Chicken hot with steamed rice, roti, or appam.

Chettinad Chicken is known for its aromatic and spicy flavors, making it a delightful dish that's often enjoyed on special occasions. Adjust the spiciness according to your preference by varying the quantity of dried red chilies in the masala.

Dosa

The dosa emerges golden and crisp, a fragrant tribute to history. Its delicate texture yields to touch, promising a symphony of flavors. With each bite, the nutty essence of urad dal meets the tang of fermentation in a dance of contrasts. This culinary icon bridges time, connecting the past to the present, inviting you to savor both tradition and innovation in every bite.

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Ingredients :

For Dosa Batter:

  • 2 cups raw rice (preferably a variety like Sona Masuri or Ponni)

  • 1/2 cup urad dal (black gram lentils)

  • 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)

  • Salt to taste

  • Water, as needed

For Making Dosas:

  • Dosa batter

  • Oil or ghee, for cooking

Steps To Follow:

Preparing the Batter:

  1. Wash the raw rice and urad dal separately under cold water until the water runs clear.

  2. Soak the rice and urad dal in water separately. Add fenugreek seeds to the urad dal. Soak them for about 4-6 hours or overnight.

Grinding the Batter:

  • Drain the soaked rice and urad dal-fenugreek mixture.

  • Grind the urad dal-fenugreek mixture first, adding water gradually, until it becomes a smooth and fluffy batter. The batter should be light and airy.

  • Grind the soaked rice separately, adding water gradually, until it becomes a smooth batter. The consistency should be slightly coarse, similar to fine semolina.

  • Mix the urad dal batter and rice batter together in a large mixing bowl. Add salt and mix well using your hands. The salt will help in fermentation.

Fermentation:

  1. Cover the bowl with a lid or a clean cloth and place it in a warm place to ferment. This can take anywhere from 8 to 12 hours, depending on the weather. The batter should double in volume and become slightly frothy.

Making Dosas:

  1. Once the batter is fermented, gently mix it to incorporate any settled ingredients.

  2. Heat a non-stick skillet or a dosa pan on medium heat. Sprinkle a few drops of water on the pan and wipe it off with a cloth. This will help cool down the pan slightly before pouring the batter.

  3. Pour a ladleful of dosa batter onto the center of the pan.

  4. Using the back of the ladle, spread the batter in a circular motion to form a thin and even layer. The center should be slightly thicker than the edges.

  5. Drizzle a few drops of oil or ghee around the edges of the dosa.

  6. Cook the dosa until the edges start to turn golden and crispy, and the surface of the dosa dries out.

  7. Gently lift the edges of the dosa using a spatula and fold it in half or roll it up like a cylinder.

  8. Remove the dosa from the pan and serve hot.

Serving Dosas:

  1. Serve dosas hot with coconut chutney, sambar, or any preferred accompaniment.

  2. You can also stuff dosas with a potato filling (masala dosa) or serve them with a variety of fillings for a unique twist.

Vattha Kuzhambu

Vattha Kuzhambu simmers in a pot, a tantalizing dance of flavors and aromas. The air is kissed with the tang of tamarind and the rich scent of roasted spices. As the first spoonful touches your tongue, a symphony unfolds—tamarind's tanginess harmonizing with a medley of roasted fenugreek, mustard seeds, and dried chilies. The curry's velvety texture envelops each bite of perfectly cooked vegetables, like a comforting embrace. With every mouthful, you taste the essence of tradition, a comforting reminder of generations past who lovingly crafted this dish. Vattha Kuzhambu is not just food; it's a journey into the heart of South Indian culinary heritage, a pot of memories and flavors that resonate on the palate.

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Ingredients :

  • 1/4 cup sundried vatthals (dried vegetables) like sundakkai or manathakkali

  • 1/2 cup tamarind pulp (extracted from soaked tamarind)

  • 1 small onion, finely chopped

  • 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

  • 1 medium tomato, chopped

  • 1 teaspoon sambar powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)

  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

  • A pinch of asafoetida (hing)

  • A few curry leaves

  • 2 tablespoons oil

  • Salt to taste

  • Water, as needed

Steps To Follow:

Preparing the Vatthals:

  1. Rinse the dried vatthals (sundakkai or manathakkali) thoroughly under cold water to remove any impurities.

  2. Soak the vatthals in water for about 15-20 minutes to soften them slightly. Drain and set aside.

Preparing the Tamarind Pulp:

  1. Soak a small ball of tamarind in warm water for about 15-20 minutes.

  2. Squeeze the tamarind to extract the pulp. Strain the pulp and discard the seeds and fibers.

Making Vatthal Kuzhambu:

  1. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.

  2. Add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. Let them splutter.

  3. Add asafoetida and curry leaves, followed by chopped onions and minced garlic. Sauté until the onions turn golden brown.

  4. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they soften.

  5. Add turmeric powder, sambar powder, and salt. Mix well.

  6. Add the tamarind pulp and water. Adjust the amount of water based on your preferred consistency for the kuzhambu.

  7. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

  8. Add the soaked and drained vatthals to the kuzhambu. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes, ensuring that the vatthals absorb the flavors of the kuzhambu.

  9. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Serving Vatthal Kuzhambu:

  1. Vatthal Kuzhambu is typically served with steamed rice. It can also be enjoyed with dosa or idli.

  2. Serve the kuzhambu hot, garnished with fresh curry leaves.

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