9781422271384

change from state to state, Southern Indian cuisine shares a cuisine philosophy on using spices to create a confluence of flavors. While the perception of India has been that it’s the land of vegetarians, plenty of meat is eaten as well. However, it can also be that Indian cooks are especially adept at incorporating vegetables into their diet, which includes vegetable curries, pickles, pongal (rice mixed with boiled milk and sugar), sambhar (a spicy lentil dish), and a kind of savory fritter called vada . In addition, being coastal means there is easy access to coconuts, prawns, fish, and other seafood. Southern India is also known for fried or griddle-cooked snacks such as dosas , a crepe-like rice pancake filled with whatever the cook fancies: vegetables, chutneys, or curries. Uttapams are thicker versions of dosas , and instead of a filling, they are topped with

In the south, the Festival of Lights is called Deepavali rather than Diwali, but the celebration is much the same across the country.

Chapter 1: Southern India

13