Made from leftover idli/dosa batter, these crispy-yet-soft savory rice balls are cooked in a special pan with small pits. Served with spicy chutney — a perfect tea-time snack. ¹⁾

A fiery chicken curry from the Chettinad region, loaded with pepper, fennel, star anise, and kalpasi (black stone flower) — deeply aromatic and robust. ²⁾

A temple-style stew made with nine vegetables, cooked during festivals like Thiruvathirai. The dish is slow-cooked with roasted sesame and coconut paste — deeply spiritual and earthy. ³⁾

A comforting rice-lentil porridge with black pepper, cumin, ginger, and ghee-fried cashews. Often eaten for breakfast or during harvest festivals. ⁴⁾

A traditional farmer’s meal, this fermented millet porridge is cooling and probiotic. Usually served with raw onion and green chili. ⁵⁾

A coastal classic, this dish uses sun-dried anchovies stir-fried in tamarind, garlic, and chili paste. Salty, tangy, and intense. ⁶⁾

A spicy gravy made using sundried salted meat (often goat), cooked in tamarind sauce. A rare, preserved-meat delicacy. ⁷⁾

A nutrient-rich staple, especially in interior Tamil Nadu. Eaten with spicy sambar or raw onion chutney. Traditionally rolled and swallowed, not chewed. ⁸⁾

A unique three-layer dosa — with a base of plain dosa, a middle layer of egg, and a top layer of spicy minced mutton. Signature street food from Madurai. ⁹⁾

Deep-fried fritters made from banana blossoms, lentils, and spices — earthy and slightly nutty in flavor, with health benefits too. ¹⁰⁾

Made with sundried turkey berries, known for their bitterness and medicinal value. Cooked in tangy tamarind gravy with garlic and black pepper. ¹¹⁾

An aromatic rice dish where curry leaves are ground into a spicy paste, then mixed with rice and tempered with mustard seeds and lentils. ¹²⁾

A crispy rice-lentil pancake made with coarsely ground dals, coconut, and spices. Traditionally cooked on iron skillets for a charred edge. ¹³⁾

A sweet dish of rice flour dumplings simmered in coconut milk and jaggery — mildly spiced with cardamom. Silky and comforting. ¹⁴⁾

A side dish where crumbled lentils are steamed, crumbled, and sautéed with vegetables like beans or banana flower. Crunchy and protein-rich. ¹⁵⁾