20 Best South Indian Food Dishes You Must Eat On Your Next Trip To India

What to Eat in South India – Best South Indian Food Dishes

Indian food is much more than the over-hyped Butter chicken, Roasted chicken, and Naan. These North Indian food dishes might be found on most menus at the restaurant, but they are just a tip of the iceberg as compared to all the flavors of India available to eat.

To widen your sense of taste, you’ll need to travel down south where the food is mostly cooked with coconut or in coconut oil. No wonder, South India is a veggie lover’s paradise as it’s cooking originates from five southern states—Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. South Indian food is as fluctuated as the locale itself, yet rice, lentils, chiles and coconut are considered as staples. Tamarind is frequently used as do Sambar powder and dried curry leaves in south Indian cuisine. Also, obviously, no supper is finished without espresso down south.

Also Read: 52 Best Indian Food Dishes to Eat While in India

The smell of crisp vadas, the sound of spluttering mustard seeds, the taste of piping-hot sambar made with fresh tamarind, and the touch of feather-light, soft idlis – there’s no doubt that South Indian food is a treat to the senses.

This is what to eat—and drink—in South India.

Top 20 Must Eat South Indian Food on Your Trip to India

1. Hyderabadi Biryani

Made with basmati rice, vegetables or meat, onions, spices, lemon and saffron, this biryani has a unique flavour when compared to biryanis found in other states of India. The way of cooking and the spices used while making gives it an all together different taste.

2. Masala Dosa

Found in many varieties and are similar to crepes, they’re made from fermented batter of rice and black gram. Thin and crispy dosas are served hot with Sambar, a light spicy soup that’s perfect for dipping, and an assortment of chutneys(sauces), condiments made from coconut, tomato, mint etc. Masala Dosa is the popular choice which is stuffed with fried onion and potato.

3. Uttapam

Considered as Dosa’s fat cousin, it is made from the same type of batter but mixed with onion, tomato and cilantro(coriander), but tends to be thicker than a dosa and resembles more like a savory pancake.

4. Idli

Idlis are rice cakes made from steamed batter of fermented black lentils and rice. Sometimes instead of rice and lentils, semolina is used. It is usually served with sambar, coconut chutneys.

5. Vada

India’s answer to savory donut. Many different varieties can be found, both savory and sweet. Vada is made from grounded batter of legumes that have been soaked in water and seasoned with cumin, onion, curry leaves or chilies. The donut shape is given to this mixtur, then deep-fried, making them crispy outside with a soft, fluffy inside.

6. Upma

Both served as breakfast an dinner times, Upma is kind of thick porridge made from dry-roasted semolina or a coarse rice flour. Vegetables, spices, curry leaves and ground nuts are added to make many variations of it.

7. Appam

This is a bowl-shaped pancake originated from Kerala and made from fermented rice batter. Served with coconut milk or korma (curry), made from vegetables and yogurt.

8. Rasam

A popular home remedy for sore throats and cold – Rasam is a light spicy soup made from vegetables and spices including tomato, tamarind and black pepper.

9. Sambar

Sambar is bolied stew made with a lentil, tamarind and vegetable broth, often okra, radish or eggplant. This is served as condiments with dosas, idlis or rice.

10. Payasam

A delicious, creamy, rice and milk pudding with cashews and raisins, paal payasam is a south Indian dessert, a version of kheer, made on various festivals and celebratory occasions like onam. It is a simple recipe with richness of nuts and goodness of milk.

11. Chicken 65

This a popular deep fried spicy chicken appetizer that originated in Hotel Buhari in Chennai. This local favorite Indian appetizer is made by marinating & frying chicken bites coated with flour, curry leaves, red chilli and spices. There are a lot of variations to this dish.

12. Chicken Chettinad

A fiery chicken recipe with chicken pieces marinated in ginger, garlic, cumin, fennel, peppercorns and red chillies and cooked with onions, tomatoes, cinnamon sticks and cloves. Serve with cooked rice or chapati. This dish comes from Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu state.

13. Curd Rice

Curd rice is a popular and tasty South Indian dish that is served with a South Indian thali or meal. Curd rice is nothing but curd (yogurt) mixed with cooked rice, herbs and then tempered with curry leaves and mustard seeds before being mixed with yogurt and salt.

14. Chicken Curry

A red hot spicy Andhra curry cooked with ginger-garlic paste, curry leaves, cinnamon, chicken masala and cashew and poppy seed paste. Pepper powder, coconut paste,cloves and lemon stewed together with chicken to recreate an aromatic, flavorful magic.

15. Kerala Prawn Curry

The best of juicy prawns cooked in a coconut curry. This Malabar curry will surely knock your senses off! Mix this yummy curry with steaming hot rice and you would know what we mean.

16. Coconut Chutney

The lip-smacking yummys chutney is a condiment in every South Indian spread. It goes particularly well with Idli, Dosa and Vada. Made with the goodness of grated coconut, tamarind pulp, milk and coconut oil, this chutney is a treat for your mouth.

17. Fish Molee

Don’t think of it like just another fish curry. With origin in days of Portuguese in India this is an important lunch dish in Kerala, Fish Molee is made using coconut milk, dried fish and other traditional spices that altogether give it a spicy taste. It is best served with Appam.

18. Lemon Rice

If you’re looking for a light meal at lunch time, this famous dish from Tamil Nadu is a perfect blend of rice, tomatoes, onions, red chilly, lemon juice, and curry leaf. The infusion of turmeric with lemon into rice, when served with chutney, gives it a most distinguished taste.

19. Thali

What is special about thali is that it is a variety of dishes on one plate. It is like a buffet set on one tray! A South Indian inspired thali would have multiple best South Indian food dishes on the plate. It is the best way to try a variety of South Indian specialties.

A thali generally consist of rice, veggie dishes, chicken or lamb curry dishes, curd (yogurt), chutneys, and local deserts.

20. South Indian Filter Coffee

South Indian style coffee is made using a coffee filter and then sugar and hot, boiled milk is added to it. The mixing of the coffee with milk and sugar between the stainless steel tumbler and bowl forms a froth at the top.