Looking for authentic South Indian recipes? Whether you want easy South Indian dinner recipes, easy South Indian lunch recipes, or South Indian breakfast recipes, these mouthwatering South Indian food recipes will tickle your taste buds and delight you and your family.
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When you find the perfect recipes for your South Indian meals in this South Indian dishes list, Pin the recipes cards you want to try and save them to your Pinterest boards.
1. South Indian Vegetable Biryani Recipe
This South Indian vegetable biryani recipe was contributed by Deeparani Hari. If you’re looking for South Indian dinner recipes, this is a great South Indian recipe to try.
Ingredients used:
- Cooking Oil
- Jeera rice
- Cinnamon, Cloves, Bay leaf (1 each)
- Onions: 2
- Green chillies: 1
- Tomatoes: 2
- Vegetables like carrots, beans, potatoes
- Mint and coriander leaves
- Salt & Red chilli powder (to taste)
- Curd
- Biryani masala powder
Preparation:
Heat a pan. Add oil, cinnamon, bay leaves, cloves. Then add onions and deep fry till it’s brown. Add green chillies, tomatoes and the finely chopped vegetables and mix well.
Add mint leaves. Once all these are fried, add a little curd and mix well. Then add salt to taste. Add red chilli powder and biryani masala. Let it boil. Then add rice to it mix it gently. For each cup of rice, add 2 1/2 cups water.
Add a little lime juice so the rice grains do not break. Cover the lid and let it cook over a medium flame. Add coriander leaves to garnish. Then remove the lid and mix it and serve it hot with raita and onions.
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2. South Indian Curd Rice Recipe
This South Indian tadka curd rice recipe will teach you how to prepare curd rice, a favourite South Indian rice preparation and a staple in South Indian cuisine.
If you’re looking for easy South Indian lunch recipes, this simple, healthy curd rice recipe contributed by Susmita Barman will teach you how to make curd rice.
Ingredients:
- Boiled rice
- Fresh curd (yoghurt)
- Grated carrots (optional)
- Mustard oil
- Red or green chillies
- Curry leaves
- Chana daal
- Ginger juliennes
- Salt & sugar for taste
Mash the boiled rice, add fresh curd, add grated carrots (optional). In a little oil, temper (tadka) mustard seeds, dry red chillies or green chillies, curry leaves, chana daal, ginger juliennes, and when it’s a little brown, add the tempering to the curd rice. Add salt and sugar as per taste, mix well and it’s ready to eat.
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3. Crispy Medu Vada Recipe (South Indian Snack)
Looking for South India lunch box recipes? South Indian snacks like Mehu Vada are perfect for a healthy vegetarian lunch and can be easily packed into a tiffin. This crispy medu vada recipe was contributed by Shaina Verma.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of white lentils (urad dal)
- Plenty of water for soaking
- 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 and ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
- Oil for deep frying
Preparation:
Soak the lentils overnight and drain well, in a colander. This will contain some residual water. Place the lentils with the ginger, salt, baking soda and peppercorns in a food processor.
Process in a blender for about 5 minutes with a few pulses, before turning on the blender continuously for 2 minutes. Remove to a bowl. Heat the oil in a wok for 2 minutes on medium heat.
Take a small amount of the lentil mixture in your palm, insert a small clean hole in the centre and gently lower into the oil. Do this with about 4 pieces, to fill the wok without crowding the wok.
Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden crisp and turn and fry on the other side. Remove and drain on paper towels, until all the batter is used up. Enjoy this tasty South Indian snack with delicious South Indian coconut chutney.
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4. South Indian Coconut Milk Pulao Recipe
This South Indian rice recipe was contributed by Seema Gupta and is a great addition to any South Indian meals. Here’s how to prepare South Indian coconut rice pulao.
Ingredients:
- Oil
- Bay leaf
- Whole spices
- Cumin
- Green chillies
- Curry leaves
- Ginger-garlic paste
- Sliced onions
- Vegetables
- Coconut milk
- Basmati Rice
- Salt
Preparation:
Heat a pressure cooker with oil on a medium flame, and once it’s hot, add bay leaf, whole spices, cumin, green chillies, curry leaves, and ginger-garlic paste. Saute for 30 seconds until aromatic.
Then add sliced onions and cook until they turn soft and light brown in colour – stir regularly. Add mix vegetables and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add coconut milk, water, washed Basmati Rice, salt and give a stir.
Close the pressure cooker lid and place the whistle. Cook for 2 whistles on medium flame. After 10 minutes, fluff up the rice gently. The coconut milk pulao is ready. Serve it with South Indian curry, raita, or plain yoghurt.
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5. South Indian Vada Curry Recipe (South Indian Curry Recipe)
This delicious South Indian vada curry recipe by Deeparani Hari is not for you if you’re looking for easy South Indian dinner recipes or easy South Indian lunch recipes.
Although it is one of the more elaborate and time-consuming South Indian curry recipes, it’s a great addition to your South Indian curries list and can be had as part of a South Indian dinner menu or lunch menu.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup chana dal
- ½ tsp fennel
- 2 chillies
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 tbsp coriander
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp chilli powder
- ½ tsp coriander powder
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 3 cloves
- ½ tsp fennel
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- A pinch of hing (asafoetida)
- 1 onion
- 1 tomato
- ½ cup coconut milk
- ½ tsp salt
- Few curry leaves
- Oil for frying
Preparation:
First, in a large bowl, soak 1 cup chana dal for 2 hours. Drain off the water and transfer to a blender. Add ½ tsp fennel, 1 chilli, ½ tsp cumin and blend to a coarse paste without adding any water.
Transfer the chana dal paste to a large mixing bowl. Add 2 tbsp coriander, few curry leaves and ½ tsp salt. Mix well making sure all the spices are well combined.
Wet your hands with water and take a small ball-sized chana dal paste and flatten. Deep fry in hot oil keeping the flame on medium until the chana dal vada turns golden and crisp.
Drain off the vada onto kitchen paper and cool slightly. Break the vada into small pieces and keep aside. In a large kadhai, heat 2 tbsp oil and saute 1 bay leaf, 1-inch cinnamon, 3 cloves, ½ tsp fennel, pinch hing (asafoetida) until it turns aromatic.
Then add 1 onion followed by 1 tsp ginger garlic paste,1 chilli and few curry leaves. Saute well until it changes colour. Keeping the flame on low add ¼ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp chilli powder, ½ tsp coriander powder and ½ tsp salt. Saute on low flame until spices turn aromatic.
Then, add 1 tomato and saute until the tomatoes turn soft and mushy. Add 1 cup water and ½ cup coconut milk. Mix well adjusting consistency as required. Cover and boil for 2 minutes or until the flavours are combined well.
Add in pieces of chana dal vada and mix well. Cover and boil for 5 minutes. Adjust the consistency as required, as the curry thickens slightly once cooled. Add 2 tbsp coriander and mix well. Finally, enjoy this delicious South Indian vada curry recipe with idli and dosa or poor.
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6. Besan Karasev Recipe (South Indian Starters)
Karasev is one of the most popular and delicious South Indian starters or Indian snacks and is usually offered as a Diwali snack to guests who visit or before starting a meal. This besan Karasev recipe was contributed by Arathi Raghuveer.
Ingredients:
- Besan (gram flour): 2 large cups
- Ghee/oil: 1 large cup
- Oil: for frying
- Asafoetida/Hing: 1 teaspoon
- Salt to taste
- Red chilli powder: 3-4 tablespoons
- Ajwain: 1/ 4 teaspoon
Preparation:
Pour the besan into a large bowl and spread it well. Remove the lumps formed. If necessary, sieve it. Then heat the oil or ghee well and pour it onto the besan. Add the remaining items and mix well.
Pour water gradually and make a dough. Make sure the dough is neither very tight nor very runny. Take a portion of the dough and fill into the press which has a plate with small holes.
Heat the oil in a Kadhai and press the besan mixture to form a floral pattern. Fry until golden brown. Remove from the Kadhai and place it on a kitchen towel to remove excess oil. Fry the remaining dough in the same way and transfer the Karasev into an airtight container.
Note: Do not overdo the frying else you will get a burnt smell and the Karasev gets charred.
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7. Pesarattu Dosa Recipe (South Indian Breakfast Ideas)
Looking for a delicious Pesarattu dosa recipe to delight your family with some South Indian breakfast ideas? This Pesarattu recipe, contributed by Shaina Verma, will take your South Indian breakfast menu to a new level.
For The Batter:
- 1 cup moong dal (hesaru kaal)
- 2 tbsp chana dal
- Water as required, to soak
- 1 tbsp rice flour
- Salt to taste
Other Ingredients:
- 7 tsp oil, for roasting 7 dosa
- Half onion, finely chopped
- 1-inch ginger, finely chopped
- 1 green chilli, finely chopped
Preparation:
First, in a large mixing bowl, soak moong dal and chana dal for at least 4 to 8 hours. Then, drain off the water and blend to smooth batter. Add water if required.
Transfer to a large bowl. Add rice flour to get extra crispiness and salt to taste. Mix the batter well and get it to a dosa batter consistency. Add water if required.
Then pour a ladleful of the batter on a hot griddle and spread it in a circular motion to make a thin circle. Also sprinkle some finely chopped onions, jeera, ginger, chilli and oil over the pesarattu.
Press gently, so that the onions stick to the dosa. If the dosa is not cooked on top, flip it and cook both sides. Now mark a triangle over dosa to fold it in the shape of a triangle.
Slowly remove the dosa from the ends and fold it into a triangle or shape of your choice. Finally, serve the pesarattu with hot uppitu, Allam chutney or coconut chutney.
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8. Paniyaram Recipe (South Indian Snack)
Paniyaram is a South Indian breakfast dish that you can make with leftover idli batter or enjoy as a tasty South Indian snack too. This Paniyaram recipe was contributed by Sumita.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup Urad daal
- 1 cup of rice
- 1/4 cup beaten rice
- A pinch of methi (fenugreek) seeds
Preparation:
Wash and soak the ingredients separately for 8 hours and beaten rice for only 10 minutes before blending all the ingredients to a smooth paste. Mix them all together and set them aside for 8 to 10 hours for fermentation.
Mix some finely chopped onion, chilli, and curry leaves, give it a good mix with the spoon. Grease the paniyaram maker and pour the batter. When one side is done flip it.
Enjoy your paniyaram with a tasty South Indian tomato chutney or South Indian chutney made from coconut, peanut or whatever you like. You can also use leftover batter to make this delicious South Indian snack.
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9. South Indian Onion Uttapam Recipe
Wondering how to make uttapam? This South Indian breakfast dish is thicker than a typical South Indian dosa and has toppings. It is one of the most popular South Indian breakfast recipes.
Bookmark or Pin Shaina Verma’s South Indian Uttapam recipe and learn how to serve Indian uttapam to your family at breakfast.
Ingredients For Onion Toppings:
- 2 onion, finely chopped
- 2 chilli, finely chopped
- 1-inch ginger, finely chopped
- A few curry leaves, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp coriander, finely chopped
- ½ tsp salt
Ingredients For Batter:
- 3 cup dosa rice (Sona masuri rice)
- ½ tsp methi (fenugreek) seeds
- 1 cup urad dal
- 2 cup puffed rice (churumuri or murmura), washed & squeezed
- 1½ tsp salt
- Oil for roasting
Preparation:
In a large bowl take 2 onions, 2 chillies, 1-inch ginger, few curry leaves, 2 tbsp coriander and ½ tsp salt. Mix well making sure everything is well combined. Heat the griddle and pour a ladleful of dosa batter.
Spread out in a circular motion slightly thicker than regular masala dosa. Now spread the toppings on top of the uttapam evenly. After the toppings have been added, press gently so the toppings are pressed into the batter.
Add 1 tsp of oil around the uttapam. Cover it and let it cook for 1-2 minutes in low flame. Flip over on the other side once the uttappa turns golden brown. Your onion uttapam is ready to be served with a South Indian chutney of your choice.
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10. Crispy Cone Dosa Recipe
Who doesn’t love a crispy Indian snack during the monsoons? This crispy cone dosa recipe by Amita Chauhan is a great South Indian snack when you’re stuck at home, whether during the lockdown or monsoons.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of Idli rice
- 1/2 cup of urad dal
- 6 fenugreek seeds
- Salt
- Sesame oil
Preparation:
Soak 2 cups of Idli rice, 1/2 cup of urad dal, and 6 fenugreek seeds in separate bowls of water for at least 6 hours. Drain the water and grind them together.
Add some water slowly to form the dosa batter (it should not be too watery). Add salt and mix well. Set aside for 8 to 10 hours. Your batter will be aerated and light.
In a wide-based pan, spread some sesame oil using a tissue. Then using a ladle pour in your dosa batter and in a circular motion, spread it around the pan.
Add 1 tsp of sesame oil in the middle of the batter and swivel the pan. Flip and cook until both sides turn crispy.
Remove from heat and make a slit in the dosa from its centre to the edge using kitchen scissors or knife. Roll your dosa into a cone. Serve with tasty South Indian tomato chutney and coconut chutney.
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Try out these delicious South Indian recipes and delight your family with your culinary skills. Do you know any of the South Indian recipes below? Download the SHEROES only-women app and share your recipes with our recipe sharing community.
- South Indian sambar recipe
- South Indian masala dosa recipe
- South Indian cauliflower recipes
- South Indian egg curry recipe
- South Indian chutney recipe
- South Indian upma recipe
- South Indian rasam recipe
- South Indian vegetable curry
- South Indian chicken biryani recipe
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