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Must-Try South Indian Recipes

Indian food has gained affection all around the world for its rich and exciting flavors. Among the curries and naan in global Indian restaurants, there’s a culture of food with a depth that has yet to be explored for many people. South Indian recipes have their own set of ingredients, spices, and combinations with a particular flair.
The defining characteristic of South Indian food is that flour is typically made with rice versus wheat flour. White rice is a staple of many dishes and idli — a steamed rice caked made with lentils — can be found from street vendors and restaurants across the region.
If a trip to South Indian isn’t in your near future, you can have the culinary experience in your own home. Whip up these delicious dishes in your kitchen to enjoy South Indian food without stepping on a plane.

South Indian Recipes

Rava Dosa

Dosa, Recipes, Tropics, TropicsGourmet, Indian
Rava Dosa
 
Ingredients
  • ½ cup of semolina
  • ½ cup of rice flour
  • 2 tablespoons of regular white flour
  • 2¼ cups of warm water
  • 1 green chilli finely chopped
  • ½ white onion, finely chopped
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients and allow to sit for 20 minutes (Rava dosa does not need to ferment overnight like regular dosa)
  2. Pour with a ladle into a non-stick shallow pan lined with butter
  3. Cook until golden brown and crisp

Pork Vindaloo

Pork, Vindaloo, Indian, Recipe, Tropics, TropicsGourmet
Pork Vindaloo
 
Ingredients
  • 1kg Pork Shoulder, cut into cubes
  • 2 Onions, finely chopped
  • Coriander leaves, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon chilli powder
  • 250ml chicken stock
  • Cooked basmati rice, to serve
For marinade:
  • 6 green cardamom pods
  • black peppercorns, one teaspoon
  • 125ml palm or red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon ginger, finely grated
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely grated
  • 2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 10 small dried chillies
  • Pinch of turmeric
  • Pinch of sugar
  • Pinch of ground cloves
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients of marinade and grind with pestle and mortar until fine
  2. Add to pork and mix well, leave overnight
  3. Cook onions with chilli powder before adding pork and cooking until browned, around five minutes
  4. Add stock as well as any extra marinade and allow dish to simmer for 45 minutes to one hour
  5. When sauce is thickened and meat tender to the touch, serve with the rice before sprinkling with coriander leaves

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Wendy is the content manager for TropicsGourmet. Her long list of titles includes social media strategist, certified Reiki practitioner, and professional ukulele performer.