South Indian Cuisine or Dravidian Cuisine as it is sometimes called is a term used to refer to the cooking styles found in the four southern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Unlike North Indian cuisine, there is limited use of garam masala and other dried spices except cardamom, black pepper and turmeric.
Similarities and differences in "Four states' cuisines"
The similarities in the four states' cuisines are the presence of rice as a staple food, mild spices (as opposed to the strong, pungent spices used by North Indian cuisine), the use of lentils, use of dried red chillies and fresh green chillies, coconut and other native ingredients like tamarind, plantain, snake gourd, garlic, ginger, etc. The differences are few but distinctive, but mostly the four cuisines have more in common and differ truly in the spiciness or hotness of the food.
Andhra Food
The spiciest among these cuisines, there is a abundant use of chilli powder (Guntur), oil and tamarind. The most famous food items are:
Vegetarian: pulihora (or pulihaara), pesarattu, avakkai (cut raw mango) pickle, Gongura.
Non-vegetarian: Kodi iguru( chicken fry), Chepa pulusu (fish stew), Kodi pulusu(chicken gravy) etc., and the delectable Hyderabadi Biriyani
Although the cuisine has a mindboggling variety of dishes, with the majority being vegetable or lentil based, yet meat and fish are not neglected. Especially, traditionally it is the fish which has found more favour with the locals. Hyderabad, being the capital of Andhra Pradesh, has its own distinctive cuisine very different from other Andhra cuisine. The Nawabs sponsored the Hyderabadi cuisine, distantly related to the Lucknowi cuisine of the Avadh. The only difference is that the Nawabs of Hyderabad preferred their food to be spicier, so during their reign was born the Hyderabadi cuisine which included the Baghare Baingan and the Dum ka Murgh, Kacche Gosht ki Biryani and Achaari Subzi.
The distinctive possibilities of the other cuisines will be discussed in future postings.
Similarities and differences in "Four states' cuisines"
The similarities in the four states' cuisines are the presence of rice as a staple food, mild spices (as opposed to the strong, pungent spices used by North Indian cuisine), the use of lentils, use of dried red chillies and fresh green chillies, coconut and other native ingredients like tamarind, plantain, snake gourd, garlic, ginger, etc. The differences are few but distinctive, but mostly the four cuisines have more in common and differ truly in the spiciness or hotness of the food.
Andhra Food
The spiciest among these cuisines, there is a abundant use of chilli powder (Guntur), oil and tamarind. The most famous food items are:
Vegetarian: pulihora (or pulihaara), pesarattu, avakkai (cut raw mango) pickle, Gongura.
Non-vegetarian: Kodi iguru( chicken fry), Chepa pulusu (fish stew), Kodi pulusu(chicken gravy) etc., and the delectable Hyderabadi Biriyani
Although the cuisine has a mindboggling variety of dishes, with the majority being vegetable or lentil based, yet meat and fish are not neglected. Especially, traditionally it is the fish which has found more favour with the locals. Hyderabad, being the capital of Andhra Pradesh, has its own distinctive cuisine very different from other Andhra cuisine. The Nawabs sponsored the Hyderabadi cuisine, distantly related to the Lucknowi cuisine of the Avadh. The only difference is that the Nawabs of Hyderabad preferred their food to be spicier, so during their reign was born the Hyderabadi cuisine which included the Baghare Baingan and the Dum ka Murgh, Kacche Gosht ki Biryani and Achaari Subzi.
The distinctive possibilities of the other cuisines will be discussed in future postings.
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