Most of us are familiar with North Indian foods; they are curries like palek paneer, aloo gobi, mutton masala, butter chicken and tandoor favourites such as tandoori chicken and naan bread. These are the international representatives for Indian food, but the Southern states have great dishes that have fast become my new favourites.
A big difference between North and South Indian cuisine are the foods on offer at breakfast. South India has many different items served specifically as breakfast or snack foods. Here are some items we ate at breakfast:
Dosas
The best description is a savoury crunchy crepe stuffed with fillings like potato, onion and tomato. This particular item is usually served at breakfast but can also be for dinner. My favourite is the masala dosa. A thin crispy crepe stuffed with masala flavoured potatoes.
Wadas and Idllis
These are standard breakfast or snack fare. The wada is a crispy donut that you dip in a thin curry lentil soup and coconut chutney. The idlli is a thick crumbly doughy pancake. It is also served with soup and chutney.
Uthappams
Although they sound like a Roald Dahl character they are actually another delicious breakfast or snack food in the South. Friends in Korea might recognize this because it is very similar to a Korean dish called pajeon. Uthatppams are a savoury pancake. Cooked until one side is really crisp, it can come with a variety of fillings like onion, garlic and onion, onion and tomato. It is also served with a curry and coconut chutney.
Interestingly, these items don’t always come with utensils. Andrew and I had to learn how to use our right hand (only) to eat them. The trick is using the plate to help you tear pieces off. Using your index finger and thumb pushing against the bottom of the plate you’re able to break apart the food quite efficiently. Eating with your hands seems to be more common in the South than in the North
Sambar
A delicious curry soup that has a bit more bite than its Northern counterparts. We tried Sambar in Kerala, it was tangy, sour and full of curry flavour. A nice tingly heat lingered on the tongue. But it was nothing our vegetable raita couldn’t cool down.
Bread
When I first got to India I was looking forward to eating naan everyday. But I quickly learned that naan isn’t as popular down South as it is up North. The tandoor, the oven used to cook naan, is traditionally used in the North. Instead South Indians prefer the above breakfast items or other breads like the deep-fried flaky goodness of a puri, a simple bread made from flour, water and salt that gets deep fried to a golden bite-size portion. It sounds almost better than naan, right? Well, it’s a close second.
