South Indian Food | 7 Best Dishes |

Sambar was the origin in India around 17th century, By Tamil King. It is popular in South India and Sir Lanka.
Sambar is cooked with pigeon peas, vegetables, tamarind water, and lots of spices.

1) Sambar

South Indian food Sambar Recipe Nutrition

One serving of this recipe gives around 120 calories.

Carbohydrate: 17g calories.
Protein: 6g calories.
Fat: 6g calories.

2,000 calories are the total daily calorie requirement for a standard adult diet.

Recipe Ingredients

• Pigeon peas 2 cups
• Water as required
• Salt to taste
• Turmeric powder 1 tsp
• Oil
• Mustard seeds 1 teaspoon
• Fenugreek seeds 1 teaspoon
• Dry chilli 3-4
• Green chilli 2 -3
• Curry leaves 10-12
• Asafoetida pinch
• Onions 3
• Tomato 1
• Carrot 1
• Pumpkin 6-7 cubes
• Brinjal 2
• Drum sticks 3
• Kashmir red chilli powder 1/2 tablespoon
• Sambar masala 2 tablespoons
• Tamarind water 5 tablespoons.

Step by step Process for making Sambar the South Indian Food

1. Take one cup of pigeon peas wash is nicely and soak it for a half-hour.

2. Now add this split pigeon peas in a pressure cooker add 2 cups of water.

3. Add salt to taste, turmeric powder, then close the lid and cook until 3 whistles.

4. Meanwhile let’s prepare the masala for that heating oil in a pan.

5.  Once the oil is hot add mustard seeds, once they start crackle add fenugreek seeds, then add dry chillis.

6. Add one finely chopped green chilli,  curry leaves, add asafoetida, mix this well and let it cook for 30 seconds.

7.  Then add onion cut in Julienne, cook this until the onions turn pink.

8.  Add chopped tomatoes, cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

9. Then add chopped carrot, pumpkin, brinjal, and drum sticks, mix everything and cook for 5 minutes.

10.  Add salt (be careful while adding salt because we have added salt in Dal as well)

11. Then add Kashmiri red chilli powder, add sambar masala, mix this.

12. Add tamarind water, add 1/2 cup of water, mix this well.

13. Cover the lid and cook on low-medium flame for 5 minutes.

14. After 5 minutes open the lid and add chopped onion.

15. Now add one small piece of jaggery cook for another minute.

16. And then add the boiled split pigeon peas.

17.  Keep the flame high let the boil come when 2 boils come then turn the flame low and let it boil for 5 minutes.

18. In the end add chopped coriander leaves,

Serving of Sambar

Sambar is served with steamed rice.
It can also be served with snack dishes, like Vada, Idli and also served with Dosa.

2) Coconut chutney

Recipe Ingredients

• Coconut 1 cup
• Roasted chana dal 1/4 cup
• Green chillies 2
• Salt as per taste
• Water as needed
• Oil 2 tbsp
• Mustard seeds 1 tbsp
• Dry red chilli 2
• Curry leaves 5-6.

The process to make coconut chutney in a simple way

1. Take a blender, add grated coconut in it.

2. Then add roasted chana dal, green chillies, salt.

3. Now add a little bit of water and blend this mixture into a fine paste.

4. Transfer the paste into a bowl.

5. Take a vessel, add oil in it.

6. Then add mustard seeds, dry red chilli, and curry leaves.

7. Now put this tadka into the bowl of chutney.

(If the chutney is thick and you want then add water into the chutney while blending)

The Coconut chutney is ready.

3) Soft Idli in South Indian style at home

South Indian food Idli Recipe Nutrition

Ther are 36 calories in one Idli

Carbohydrate: 8.2g.
Protein: 2g.
Fat: 2g.

Recipe Ingredients

• Urad dal 1 cup
• Idli rice 3 cups
• Salt as per taste
• Water as needed
• Butter  3 to 4 tsp.

The process to make soft Idli 

1. Wash urad dal (wash it only once because if you wash it more than one time then the bubbles will go, which is required for the fermentation)

2. Wash the rice nicely and then soak the urad dal in one bowl and Lidl rice in another bowl for 4 hours.

3. Now transfer the urad dal in a blender and blend it in a fine paste.

4. After that blend the rice also.

(For blending use the urad dal soaked water if it requires water do not use the rice water as it contains the starch of rice)

5. Then add salt as per taste, then with the help of hands mix the batter well for 10 minutes.

(You can also use a timer of 10 minutes so that you will mix it exactly for 10 minutes)

6. Now cover the lid and rest this batter for 8 hours, you can also rest it overnight.

7. Once the batter is being done resting, then take an idli container, grease the container with butter or oil.

8. Then fill it with Idli batter.

9. After that in the Idli container put little water in the bottom.

10. Then steam it for 10 minutes.

11. After 10 minutes open the lid and transfer it to a plate.

The Idli is ready to serve, This Idli recipe is made in South Indian Food style.

Serving Tips 

Serve the Idli with Coconut chutney,

with Hot Sambar.

4) Masala Idli Recipe/ Breakfast Recipe

Recipe Ingredients

• Diced Idli 1 cup
• Oil 4 tbsp
• Water as needed
• Chopped garlic 1 tsp
• Chopped onion 2
• Chopped tomato 1
• Chopped capsicum 1/2
• Chilli powder 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala powder 1/4 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Tomato ketchup 1 tbsp
• Coriander leaves.

Masala Idli Recipe Process

1. Take a pan, add 2 tbsp of oil let the oil heat.

2. Then add diced Idli into the pan.

3. Fry it until it’s golden brown, then transfer it to a plate.

4. Now in that same pan add 2 tsp of oil.

5. Add 1 tsp of chopped garlic saute it for 3 to 4 seconds.

6. Then add chopped onion, saute it until it’s golden brown.

7. Add chopped tomato, capsicum half, saute this for 2 minutes on low flame.

8. Now add chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, salt to taste.

9. Mix this all together.

10. Then add tomato ketchup, add a little bit of water.

11. Boil for another minute, then add the fried Idli into the mixture.

12. Mix this well, the masala should coat the idli nicely.

13. Add chopped coriander leaves, mix it and switch off the flame.

5) How to Make Rava Idli at Home

Idli is one of the most popular and favourite South Indian Food.  The Rava Idli is a food which is very soft and can be made instantly.

South Indian food Rava Idli Recipe Nutrition

Ther are 120 calories in one Idli.

Carbohydrate: 16g calories.
Protein: 2g calories.
Fat: 4g calories.

Recipe Ingredients

• Rava/ Suji 1 cup
• Yoghurt 1/2 cup
• Water 1 cup
• Chopped Green chillies 2
• Chopped garlic 1 tsp
• Chopped coriander leaves
• Curry leaves 5
• Grated carrot 3 tbsp
• Urad dal 1 tsp
• Cashew nuts 1 tbsp
• Cumin seeds 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds 1 tsp
• Oil 1 tbsp
• Ghee 1 tsp
• Baking soda 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Hing/ Asafoetida pinch of.

The process to make Rava Idli

1. Take a bowl, add Rava, yoghurt, salt to taste and mix it well.

2. Then add 1 cup of water in it and mix well, there should not be any lumps.

3. Cover the lid of the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes.

4. Now take a Pan, add oil in it then add ghee let the ghee melt.

5. Then add mustard seeds, cumin seeds allow them to the splitter for 12 seconds.

6. Add, urad dal, Cashew nuts, fry this for another 40 seconds.

7. Then add curry leaves, green chillies, garlic and fry for 30 seconds

8. Add hing in it, give a stir and turn off the flame.

9. After 30 minutes take the Rava batter, give it a mix.

10. Then add the tadka into the Rava batter.

11. Add chopped carrots, coriander leaves.

12. Mix it nicely, then add baking soda and again mix, the batter is ready.

13. Pour water in Idli cooker and grease oil to the mould.

14. Now pour the batter in the mould, fill all the moulds.

15. And place into the cooker, cover the lid and cook for 10 minutes.

16. After 10 minutes remove the idli and transfer it to plate.

serve the Rava Idli, a South Indian food style.

6) How to make Appam (Instead Rava Appam)

The Appam is a South Indian Food which is made in less time. The Appam is like Dosa which can be served with chutney.

Recipe Ingredients

• Rava 100 g
• Sugar 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Curd 1/2 cup
• Water 1/2 cup
• Fruit salt 1 tsp.

Instead Rava Appam process ( South Indian Food )

1. Take a blender, add Rava in the blender.

2. Then add 1/2 tsp of sugar, salt to taste.

3. Add curd and 1/2 cup of water, then blend it into a fine paste.

4. Transfer the batter to a bowl, then add 1 tsp of fruit salt.

5. Now mix it well.

6. Take a pan, heat it, then put 1/2 cup of batter into the pan.

7. Keep the flame on medium, cook until the top layer gets dry.

8. Once the top layer becomes dry, transfer the appam to plate.

9. Like this only make the remaining Appam.

The tasty Appam is ready.
Serve it with some chutney.

7) How to Make Suji Appe (South Indian Food)

Recipe Ingredients

• Suji 1 cup
• Curd 1/2 cup
• Water
• Mustard seeds 1 tsp
• Hing 1/4 tsp
• Curry leaves 10
• Green chillies 3
• Onions 2
• Chopped carrots 1/2 cup
• chopped Capsicum 1/2 cup
• Salt to taste
• Red chilli powder 1/4 tsp
• Baking soda 1/2 tsp

The process to make Suji Appe ( South Indian Food )

1. To make South Indian Food Suji Appe, take a bowl, add 1 cup of suji, 1/2 cup of curd.

2. Then add 1/2 cup of water, mix it well and rest for 30 minutes.

3. Heat a Pan, add 1 tsp of mustard seeds, 1/4 tsp of hing.

4. Then add curry leaves, saute for 2 minutes.

5. Add chopped green chillies, onion fry for 1 minute.

6. Then add carrots, capsicum, saute it for 2 minutes.

7. Cook on medium flame, then switch off the flame and let it cool down.

8. Check the consistency of batter if it is thick then add 1/2 cup of water.

9. Now add the fried vegetables, salt, red chilli powder, mix it well.

10. Add 1/2 tsp of baking soda, give it a mix.

11. Now keep the appam Patra on flame, apply oil to the Patra.

12. Once the oil is heated, then add 1 tsp of batter into each mould.

13. Now cover the lid and cook for 5 minutes.

14. After 5 minutes open the lid and flip the appe.

15. Again apply oil and cover the lid and cook for 5 minutes on low flame.

16. After 5 minutes check the appe, then transfer it to a plate.

The South Indian Food appe is ready.
Serve it with chutney or tomato ketchup.