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After you have spent a long and hectic day at the office, one meal that you relish and enjoy with your family and friends at peace is dinner. Dinner is the time when you relax, unwind your senses, dig out interesting recipes, and with that little extra effort make a lip-smacking meal. Trying out different cuisines can be interesting especially when made traditional South Indian foods. They are the best to lift your spirit.
South Indian cuisine is known for its rich flavours, vibrant colours, and diverse range of dishes. Beyond the states of South India, the cuisine has spread across. There are little eateries around the corner serving soft idlis, crispy dosa, cool curd rice, tangy sambar, and others. If you are excited to make South Indian dishes at home for dinner, then why wait? Quick and easy to make, the dinner table in South India is always a delightful array of culinary delights. Look at some of South Indian dinner dishes that can be easily made at home:
- Masala Dosa
Masala Dosa is the most iconic dish and is the staple of South Indian cuisine. It is a thin, crispy crepe made from fermented rice and lentil batter and filled with a spicy potato masala inside. Dosa is typically served with sambar and coconut chutney. Although mostly eaten at breakfast, dosa can also be enjoyed as a light dinner option.
- Idli Sambar
This dish is an easy-to-make dinner option and is loved by people of all age groups. Idli is a steamed rice cake that is soft, fluffy, and incredibly versatile. They are often served with sambar and a myriad of chutneys such as coconut, tomato, and mint. This dinner option is enjoyed by millions across the region and beyond.
- Uttapam
Uttapam is one of the flavourful and favourite dinner options that can be easily made at home. It is a thick pancake-like dish made from the same batter as dosa but added with an array of vegetables like onions, tomatoes, and green chillies. It is cooked on a hot tawa until golden brown and it reaches a crispy outside and soft and fluffy interior. Uttapam is often served with coconut chutney and has a savoury topping of grated coconut, chopped onions, and fresh coriander. It has a unique texture and flavour that makes it ideal for a dinner option in many Indian households.
- Puliyogare
Also known as tamarind rice, Puliyogare is a tangy and spicy rich dish that is widely enjoyed widely across the South Indian region and beyond. It is especially enjoyed during the summer season as a dinner option. To prepare this dish you can mix cooked rice with a special blend of tamarind paste, jaggery, and spices like mustard seeds, curry leaves, and dried red chillis. This rice dish offers a perfect balance of sweet, sour, and spicy flavours, making it a fulfilling yet light dinner option. It is often served with papadum or papad for added crunch.
- Avial
Avial or aviyal a traditional mix of vegetable dish from Kerala cuisine is a popular one made from a variety of seasonal vegetables, coconut, yoghurt, and mild spices. This dish is also prepared in parts of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. To prepare the dish, the vegetables are cooked until tender and then mixed with coconut-yoghurt sauce that is seasoned with curry leaves, green chillies, and cumin seeds. Avial is a nutritious and wholesome dinner dish that is rich in vitamins, minerals, and fibre. The dish is often served with steamed rice or roti for a complete dinner meal.
- Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani
Hailing from the royal kitchens of Hyderabad, Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani is a blend of tender chicken pieces, fragrant basmati rice, and a myriad of spices. Here the chicken pieces are marinated in yoghurt and spices layered with cooked rice and slow-cooked till perfection in ‘dum.’ It is garnished with fried onions, mint leaves, and saffron-infused milk. This is a perfect dinner option enjoyed with a bowl of raita.
- Chettinad Chicken Curry
This is a spicy and aromatic chicken gravy originating from the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu. To prepare this dish, tender pieces of chicken are cooked in a rich gravy made from roasted spices, coconut, onions, and tomatoes. The dish is one of the favourites among non-vegetarians owing to its bold flavours and complex masala paste made by freshly grinding a variety of spices like coriander, cumin, fennel, and black pepper together. Chettinad chicken curry is often enjoyed with steamed rice or paratha.
