CHETTINAD CUISINE

Chettinad is known for its culinary delicacies. Chettinad cuisine is the cuisine of a community called
the Nattukotai Chettiars, or Nagarathars as they call themselves, from the Chettinad region of Tamil
Nadu state in south India. Chettinadu cuisine is undoubtedly the most important culinary export of the
state. It includes dishes made in Karaikudi and its surrounding villages. Chettinadu cuisine is popular
because of its subtle use of spices that are ground fresh every time. The difference between chettinad
cuisine and other cuisine is that they concentrate not only on taste but also on nutritional value.

About Chettinad
Chettinad is a region of the Sivaganga district of southern Tamil Nadu state, India. Karaikudi is known
as the capital of Chettinad, which includes Karaikudi and 74 (traditionally its said as 96) other villages.
It is a culturally and historically important region famous for its cuisine, agriculture and architecture.

History And Origin Of Chettinad

The origin of Chettinad begins in the 13th century when the Nattukottai chettiars migrated to
karaikudi. They left their previous area, the cauvery poompattinam, following a massive flood. The
new settlement eventually became the chettinad region (land of the chettiars) of 96 villages (in 1947)
over a 600-1500 square mile area, out of which around 75 villages still exist today. Starting as traders
(because chettinad was strategically located on the old trade route), the Chettiar’s travels took them to
various states in South East Asia, such as Srilanka, Singapore, Burma, Cambodia, Vietnam and
Malaysia.

Culinary Influences
Influenced By The Region, Culture And Travel
 The Chettinad cuisine has been greatly influenced by the nature of the region. Having lived in
proximity to the sea, the Chettiars used seafood to create many of their signature dishes such as
the meen kuzhambu (fish curry), nandu (crab) masala, sura puttu (shark fin curry), and eral
(prawn) masala. They also make a lot of sun dried salted vegetables called vatthals, during the
season and use them in the off season, reflecting the dry environment of the region and
economic nature. The meat is restricted to fish, prawn, lobster, crab, chicken and mutton.
Chettiars do not eat beef and pork. When the community later settled in the hot and arid Tamil
hinterland, they included wild game such as jungle fowl, kada (quail), muyal (rabbit), and pitta
(turkey) into their dietary habits. Most of these pre-dominantly non-vegetarian dishes were, and
still are, eaten with rice and rice based accompaniments such as dosais, appams, idiyappams,
adais and idlis.
 The much travelled Chettiars also brought back many influences from abroad. Chettiyars were
originally vegetarian but through their travels and with a keen desire to be accepted
internationally, they developed a liking of non - vegetarian dishes. The traditional Chettinad
dishes mostly used locally sourced spices like the star anise, pepper, kalpasi (stone flower) and

1
 maratti mokku (dried flower pods). Foreign ingredients and preservation techniques like sun-
dried meats, berries, salted vegetables and pickles in brine also enriched the culinary repertoire
of this well-travelled community. Kavuni arisi (black sticky rice pudding) clearly has a
Burmese influence while the Idiyappam (steamed string hoppers) has a Sri Lankan touch.
 Chettinad cuisine was also used while entertaining the British guests during the time of the Raj.
Chettiars are legendary for their hospitality and the size of their kitchens and their lavish
banquet halls are testimony to the feasts served there.

Western And Local Identity

Chettinad Cuisine also has traces of westernized dishes from the history of hosting British guests
during the early 19th century. This is accentuated by fine western cutlery used to serve Chettinad
dishes. At the same time some meals are still served off banana plantain leaves and eaten with hand as
is the tradition, with a traditional multi course meal that can contain over 20 dishes. The central part of
the cuisine is still the rice, as it was hundreds of years ago, which is reflected in the large paddy fields
that greet the visitor all over this region. The multitudes of dishes serve as an accompaniment to the
rice. Rice takes many forms in the cuisine, starting from steamed rice cakes (idlis) and pancakes
(dosas) for breakfast.

Integral Part Of Culture And Life

Even today, the cuisine is an integral part of the Chettinad life. The aroma of spices and oils follows
you as you walk the by lanes of the town, as each home prepares for its meals. Always freshly
prepared at home with ingredients from the local area, every home invariably serves up at least a few
classic chettinad dishes for every meal. Chettinad cuisine is spicy, aromatic and contains the liberal use
of oil. Popular spices used are peppercorn, cinnamon, bay leaves, cardamom, nutmeg, green and red
chilies, coriander, cumin, fenugreek and star anise. Traditionally, the spices were prepared and ground
using grinding stones, lending a unique texture and flavor. It is an interesting sight to watch the manual
methods of cooking still carried on from centuries of tradition.
Chettiars are very superstitious with numbers dishes have to be served in odd numbers (i.e. seven or
nine dishes per meal). Although the Chettiars are well - known for their delicious vegetarian
preparations, their recipes include fish and meats also. Chettinad can be considered as the master chefs
who prepare food that reflects the Chettinad cuisine traditionally eaten on excellence of leaf (vaazhai
ilai) for in the a banana South Indian look Culture & preparation and serving of food.
Since food was such an essential part of a Chettiar’s life, the kitchen was one of the largest and most
important places in a Karaikudi house and a matter of pride for the women in the family and being a
joint family system, every meal was a large and elaborate affair. No self-respecting Chettiar would eat
outside, and would carry their food when they couldn’t be at home for lunch or dinner. Even the
kitchen utensils and instruments are collectibles today, valued for their design, large size and vintage
make.

2
 Spices And Herbs Used In Cooking

Chettinad cuisine is just like the culture of Chettinad; colorful, flavored and earthly. One of the most
distinct and defining aspects of the local cuisine here is the way spices are used in the food. It is often
said that Chettinad food is the education on how spices can be used in dishes. Though the spices used
in different dishes are all the same, the flavor, taste and aroma they give to the dish are extremely
different.
There is a wide range of spices used in the Chettinad cuisine, and the major ones are star aniseed,
kalpasi—a type of lichen—tamarind, chilies, fennel seed, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf, peppercorn,
cumin seeds and fenugreek. Along with these, as per the requirements of dish being made, several
other spices are also made use of.
The flavors of the cuisine are really intense and unforgettable. Fundamentally pepper-based, Chettinad
cuisine is clearly branded for its impeccable spice quotient. For people who are not used to having
food this spicy, they can always have it toned down to the spicy levels that they are comfortable with.
Chettinad cuisine is easily one of the spiciest cuisines available in India.
In offering the unique taste and aroma to the cuisine of Chettinad, the role of Chettinad masala is really
big.

Chettinad masala recipe:

Chettinad masala is a specially made masala and the main ingredients of the same are:
 Desiccated coconut
 Red chili
 Green cardamom
 Coriander leaves
 Cloves
 Cinnamon
 Turmeric
 Star anise
 Bay leaf and
 Curry leaves
All these ingredients are dry-roasted and coarsely powdered to get the perfect Chettinad masala.
Different spices used in chettinad cooking includes
1. Star Anise
This versatile spice adds an interesting dimension to Chettinad cuisine as well. Chettiars favorite
dishes are made with lamb and this spice is known to enhance the flavour of the meat when added into
the curry.
2. Kadal Paasi (Sea lichen)
A pinch of kadal pasi is used as a flavoring agent in some versions of the Chettinad Mutton Curry (also

3
referred to sometimes as the Kadal Pasi Curry) along with other spices.

3. Marathi Moggu (Kapok Buds)

These are dried buds of the silk cotton tree. The kapok bud is one of the most used capers (edible
flower buds) in India. It's a 'go to' spice for the modern version of the Chettinad-style biryani and is
usually fried lightly to allow the flavours to come through.
4. Karu Milagu (Whole peppercorns)
It is the key ingredient in the Chettinad Milagu Kozhi Varuval (Pepper Chicken). This dish, like many
Chettinad dishes, uses a 50:50 blend of chilli powder and freshly crushed peppercorns. The pepper is
usually added towards the end of the cooking process to lend a fragrant flavour.
5. Arisi Mandi (Rice water)
The starchy water in which the pasta is cooked can be used as a flavour enhancer. It's the same
principle for mandis except in this case the rice is not cooked. The rice is washed once and then soaked
(typically two cups of water for 1 cups of rice) for 5-10 minutes. The rice water is then drained and
used in combination with green chillies and garlic lending a distinctive flavour. These could be a
mixed vegetable mandi or the more popular vendakkai mochai (okra and lima beans) mandi.
6. Sombu (Fennel)
One of the region's most scrumptious vegetarian dishes is the Kola Urundai Kozhambu (steamed lentil
dumplings in a gravy dominated by tamarind). This dish also uses a generous dose of fennel seeds, a
spice that is used across India and in a variety of Chettinad dishes.
7. Thennai Kuruthu (coconut shoots)
Years ago, a podimas (scramble) made with tender coconut shoots was a delicacy at Chettinad
weddings. This pale white disc is the part of the trunk which holds the coconut blossoms at its end.
These shoots which are somewhere between sweet tender coconut and a mature coconut have become
almost impossible to source, and are thus fast disappearing from wedding menus.
8. Karupatti Vellam (Black Jaggery)
Extracted from the date palm trees that are common place in Southern Tamil Nadu, this mild
sweetener is rich in calcium and is believed to possess blood purifying properties. It is used to make
some of the region's sweet delicacies like the Karupatti Paniyaram (sweetened dumplings with a
delicious filling).
9. Jathika (Nutmeg)
It is not as commonly used in the rest of Tamil Nadu as in Chettinad. Jathika is an essential ingredient
in some of the region's best known chettinad meat dishes like the traditional Chicken Chettinad curry
where it is combined with other fragrant spices like cinnamon and bay leaf during the cooking process.
10. Kavuni arisi (Black rice)
Evidence of the community's strong links with Burma, black rice is prevalent across South East Asian
cultures where it has also earned the 'forbidden rice' moniker. A simple rice pudding is made using this
rice, where it is soaked overnight, pressure cooked and tossed in ghee, sugar and a hint of cardamom.
It is one of the best ways to end a Chettinad meal.
11. Cardamom

4
There are two kinds of cardamom used in Indian cooking: green and black. Green is the more common
variety, used for everything from spice mixes to lassis to Indian desserts. The flavor is light and sweet,
with a mild eucalyptus note. Green cardamom can be blended whole when making spice mixes
however when using them in sweets or desserts, you would pop the pod open and lightly crush the
fragrant black seeds before using.
Black cardamom, on the other hand, is very powerful and smoky, and needs to be used with a lot of
caution. Normally only the seeds would be used, and if using the whole pod, it's best to pull it out
before serving the dish, as it can be very spicy to bite into.

12. Clove

Clove is a common spice in Indian cooking and its anise notes are easily recognizable in many Indian
preparations. The strong, almost medicinal flavor of clove comes from the concentration of essential
oils. Cloves are technically flowers, and a lot of their oils are pressed out before they are dried and
used in cooking. Cloves can be used whole or blended into spice mixes. They do need to be used with
caution, however, as they can tend to overpower more delicate spices.

13. Fenugreek
Fenugreek is the spice which gives curry powder its very characteristic, earthy, musky "curry" flavor
and fragrance. The seeds are yellowish and look like tiny wheat kernels. Fenugreek leaves are also
dried and used as a spice (they are commonly called kasuri methi). Fenugreek seeds are strongly
fragranced and should be used with caution, just like cloves. They are also used in traditional
medicine, and strangely enough, to make fake maple syrup.
14. Turmeric
Turmeric is another common Indian spice. Grown as a rhizome, it can be used fresh (like ginger) or
dried. It has been known to have a host of health benefits and is used in a lot of spice mixes and
curries. The flavor of fresh turmeric is slightly stronger than dried, and it stains very easily, so make
sure you are careful with your clothes and utensils while using it. It has a pungent, earthy fragrance; I
use it in small quantities to give my curries a beautiful golden colour.

15. coriander seeds

Coriander seeds are the plant’s dried fruit, which can be used whole or ground. Coriander seeds are
usually toasted and ground before using; otherwise, they can have a tough texture to chew. Dry-toasting
coriander in a pan allows the spice to take on a more robust floral aroma as the oils release from the
seeds.

16. Red chillies

5
Dried red pepper may be used whole or powdered. As the name suggests it is red in color and can be
consumed as it is or can be broken down and made into a powder. It is really spicy and the intense heat
is concentrated in the seeds. Fresh red chillies are milder. Red chili's are usually grounded into a
powder and used as a spice. Red chili's are dried or pickled in order to store them for a long period of
time.

Major And Minor Equipments

Indispensible kitchen tools in the Chettinad kitchen includes
 Ammi kal – it is a flat rectangular stone with a separate cylindrical roller stone. In traditional
tamil cooking dried ingredients such as corriander, cumin, cinnamon, and black pepper are placed
on the heavy stone and pulverized with the roller. The slate stone has carved edges to hold the
ingredients in place.
 Aatu kal - a large block of granite stone with a hollowed-out central bowl and a heavy stone
pestle, used to grind rice and dal batters for snack and breakfast dishes like idli, dosa and vada.
Here the middle of the base stone is cup shaped where lentils are placed with water and ground
with the roller. The roller is moved in a circular motion with one hand. When grinding this way,
the lentil and water would normally come outside the cup onto the base stone. So it has to be
frequently pushed into the cup.
 Aapam chatti - a small cast-iron wok-shaped vessel used to make aapams.
 Eyya chombu: It is used traditionally to make rasams. It is a vessel made from tin to impart the
right flavour to rasam.
 Kuziappa chatti: It is normally made of heavy bronze. It is circular in shape and has shallow
depressions resembling a cup. The leftover sour dosa batter is poured inside it and cooked.
 Thenkuzal naazhi: This equipment is used for making crisp lentil fritters called murukkus. It can
also be used to press the rice dough to make vermicelli.
 Dosa thiruppi: A flat slicer that is used for spreading oil on the dosa and also for scraping dosa
off the hot plate or tawa.
 Addaikal: it is a thicker tawa than the dosa tawa usually used for cooking addai and hence the
name.
 Idli panai: This vessel is used for making idlis (steamed pan cakes made of fermented black lentils
and rice). The fermented batter is poured into the trays which is placed inside the vessel to steam
the idlis. The tray consist of molds that are perforated and this enables the idlisto be cooked evenly.
 Thuruvammai: It is an equipment, used both as a coconut scraper and as a vegetable chopper.
This is used in some households to cut fish or meat.
 Uruli: They range in many different varieties from small to very large in size. Large brass.
Urulis are used in temples to prepare meals to feed a multitude of people every single day.
It is very heavy pot that is used for cooking. They come in a range of sizes depending on the quantity
of food to be cooked. They are basically round vessels that are traditionally made of brass or bell
metal. It is the most preferred cookware among other variants because of the goodness that an uruli
holds. It is suitable for slow cooking and the best part of slow cooking is, the ingredients don’t lose

6
their natural color and flavor even when they are cooked. They are capable to retain the taste of the
cooked meal. It also evenly spreads heat that reduces the cooking time to a great extent.

 Clay pots: clay pots were used by chettiars as it imparts earthy flavor that sets their foods part.
 Enamel-coated cast iron utensils: enamel coated cast iron utensils were used both while cooking
and serving purposes as they retain the temperature of the foods stored.

 Wooden spice box: wooden spice boxes consisting of several sections were traditionally used by
chettiars to store the dry ingredients or spices like cardamom, cloves, kalpasi, marati moggu,
mustard seeds and other spices used for cooking.
 Copper boilers: these were used to boil water and milk for tea and coffee.
 Ceramic and clay jars: tall ceramic storage jars and clay jars to were used to store large amounts
of grains like rice, wheat and pulses and other spices in their huge kitchens designed to feed a
dozen or more.
 Stockpots: A stockpot is traditionally used to make stock or broth, which can be the basis for
cooking more complex recipes. It is a wide pot with a flat bottom, straight sides, a wide opening
to the full diameter of the pot, two handles on the sides, and a lid with a handle on top.

 Thooku: Side dishes are carried in a thooku (a four-compartment dish with a handle) made of
brass, silver, stainless steel or aluminium.

 Thooku kooja: Gravies like sambar and rasam are served from a thooku kooja (a container with a
handle and side projection).

 Water stored in man koojas are served in silver tumblers.

Methods Of Cooking

In chettinad cuisine, the cooking of dishes involve various methods. The various methods of cooking
are boiling, steaming, stewing, deep fat frying and shallow fat frying.
Moist heat methods:

 Boiling: In this method the foodstuffs are cooked in boiling water. Thus, the food comes in direct
contact with water. In this the foodstuffs are immersed in water in a suitable container, covered
with a lid and the heat is applied. Once a vigorous boil starts the heat can be reduced and cooking
continued till the food is tender. Food may be boiled in any liquid, which is bubbling at the
surface such as stock, milk, juices or syrups. Foods that are cooked by boiling are rice, eggs, dal,
potatoes, meat, and sago and beetroot. Boiling can be done with excess of water (eggs) or with
sufficient water (dal, upma).
 Steaming

7
Steaming is also a method of cooking food with water, but in this case, the food does not come in
direct contact with water. In this method the food is cooked by the heat generated by steam and hence
takes a slightly longer time, as compared to boiling. Take sufficient water in a suitable container and
allow it to boil so as to generate steam. The food to be cooked is kept in a metal strainer over this
utensil and it is covered tightly with a lid. This way the steam rising from the water below rises up and
comes in direct contact with the food kept in the strainer, thus cooking it. The water in the container is
maintained at boiling temperature throughout the process of steaming. For example, steaming of cut
vegetables, or sprouted pulses, fish, idly and uppu kozhakattai.

 Pressure Cooking: In this method, the food is cooked under pressure and with increase in
pressure the temperature also correspondingly increases. Thus, the food is cooked very fast.
Actually, it is a type of steaming only, in which water is boiled under high pressure, thus raising
the temperature and reducing the cooking time. The equipment used for this purpose is a pressure
cooker, which is common equipment in every household these days. There are two-three
containers in a pressure cooker, which allow more than one thing to be cooked at the same time,
thus saving fuel, as well at time. If only one item has to be cooked it can be used without these
containers. Practically food which can be cooked in a pressure cooker are pulses, rice, vegetables
and meat.
 Stewing
This is a very gentle method of cooking, in which the food is cooked in a closed pan using only a small
quantity of liquid. Once the liquid reaches the boiling point, the heat is reduced, and it is only allowed
to simmer in it, which makes it a slow and long process. The amount of water left after cooking is only
marginal i.e. 1 to 2 tablespoons which is served along with the food. Thus, the flavour of food is fully
retained. The foods which are generally stewed are fruits, vegetables, meat etc.

 Simmering
When foods are cooked in a pan with a well fitting lid at temperature just below the boiling point 82-
99 degree celsius of the liquid in which they are immerse, the process is known as simmering. It is a
useful method when foods have to be cooked for a long time to make it tender as in the case of cheaper
cuts of meat, fish cooking, kheer, vegetables. This method is also employed in making soups.
Dry Heat Method
1) Frying
This is a method of cooking in which the food is cooked by the heat of hot fat. Fat or oil can be
heated to a much higher temperature, as compared to water and thus, as the food comes in contact with
this heated fat, it gets cooked quickly. Fried foods are very tasty and hence popular in our meals.
There are three types of frying: (1) Sautéing (2) Shallow fat Frying (3) Deep fat frying.
a) Sauteing

8
 This means to toss the foodstuff in a little amount of heated fat, till it is partially cooked and absorbs
the fat. The food is tossed occasionally or turned over with a spatula to enable all the pieces to come in
contact with the oil and get cooked evenly. Sometimes the pan is covered till tender in its own steam.
The product obtained in cooked by this method is slightly moist, tender but without any liquid or
gravy. It is usually done as a pre-preparation step in many dishes e.g., Sautéing of vegetable in the
preparation of vegetable pulao, or Sautéing of thin pieces of meat.
b) Shallow fat Frying
In this method a shallow pan like frying pan or an ordinary griddle is used in which the food is fried in
little amount of fat. During frying it is turned over, so that it may be evenly browned on both the sides.
In this case also, the fat used is usually absorbed by the foodstuff. The Preparation generally cooked by
this method are chapathi, omellete, dosa, uthaappam and also meat and fish are shallow fried.
c) Deep fat frying

The food is completely immersed in hot fat and therefore a deeper utensil like kadai and a large
quantity of fat is required. The fat is heated in the kadai and as it becomes hot, the food to be fried is
put in it which gets cooked quickly. The resulting food is very crispy. While deep frying care should
be take to see that the fat does not get overheated, as the fat decomposes at high temperature, which
not only spoils the taste of the food, but is even harmful for our body. At the same time if the fat is not
hot enough, the food can break up and also absorbs extra fat, thus making it very greasy. Therefore, it
is important to judge that the fat has been heated to the right temperature, which can be done by the
following ways:

(a) When the fat starts giving a light smoke and becomes still it indicates that it has been heated to the
right temperature.

(b) Similarly, fry a little piece of the food first and if fries, then proceed with the rest.
Both sweets and savories can be cooked by this method. Food cooked by deep fat frying has a
much better appearance as compared to shallow fat frying as the food is evenly browned and is crisp.
Though, initially large quantity of fat is required in deep fat frying but the net absorption of fat by the
food is less in deep fried foods, as compared to shallow fried foods.

Common preparations which are made by this method are poories, pakoras (onion chick-pea flour
fritters), vadas, adhirasam, kandharappam, seeyam, sweet somas, murukku and seedai.

Diet followed by the Chettiyars

Mainly, the diet of the chettiyar community are;

 Pongal - sweet and savoury

9
  Sadams - Curd, Sambhar, tamarind, lemon
 Varuval - fried
 Kolambu - gravy
 Kootu - stew
 Vatha kozhambu - reduced gravy
 Appalams and pickles are must

Serving Style
Chettiars are very superstitious with numbers, dishes have to be served in odd numbers (i.e. seven or
nine dishes per meal).
Traditional Chettinad meals served on banana leaves follow a specific protocol – each dish has a
designated space and order in which it has to be served.
Items served first are placed at the top left corner of the leaf, progressively moving towards the right in
the following order –
 Salt
 Pickle
 Mor milagai - mor milagai is made with green chillies soaked in curd, salt and it is sundried till
crispy. It is one of the popular condiments in South Indian Cuisine.
 Varuval - a spicy dry dish
 Kootu - Kootu is a native Tamil Nadu dish that can accompany both rice and roti. Kootu is a
Tamil word means "add" i.e. vegetable added with lentils which form the dish, made of
vegetable and lentils and are semi-solid in consistency, i.e., less aqueous than sambar, but more
so than dry curries. There are many more kinds of kootu like the carrot kootu, cabbage kootu
and French beans kootu.
 Urundai - fried lentil balls
 Poriyal - sautéed vegetable dish
 Masiyal - a vegetable mash
 Appalams (papadums)
 Fritters and fries are placed at the bottom left
 While rice and chapatti, paired with sambar, rasam or kuzhambu, occupy the center.
 The bottom right is reserved for sweet dishes like ukkarai (chettinad ukkarai is a jaggery based
sweet dish that is made for festival occasions like Diwali, karthigai deepam or during navarathri
in the households of Tamil Nadu) or paal payasam.
More or less, every chettiar home will have this menu style (just change in vegetables) for their daily
lunch procedure.

Sequence Of Meal And Service

 The typical chettinad meal is served in Banana leaves with the tapering end of the leaves
facing the left of the person having the meal.
 On the top left, the fried items like appalam, pickle, salt, banana are placed.

10
  This is followed by vegetables or dried meat preparations which are served on the top half. In
some houses, meat dishes are served in small cups or ‘kinnams’. All the dishes prepared for
the day are displayed in vessel or ‘Pathram’ in front of the diners so that they can request for
more helpings.
 During any occasion a soups made with left over bones, meat trimmings, vegetable trimmings
and boiled stock or lentil water is served.
 Next the rice is served along with home home made ghee or ‘nei’.
 After this the Kozhambu is served on top of the rice. Kozhambu can be made with vegetables,
fish, and lamb. The kozhambu is blended with the rice and is eaten with small helpings of
dry vegetables or meat. Sambar made with drumstick and lentils is served next followed with
rasam.
 Moru or seasoned buttermilk is served at the end of the meal. On festive occasions payasam or
sweet is served after rasam.
 During the summer months a local coolant made with jaggery, tamarind and ginger is served
when a guest has just arrived from outside.
 Bananas are eaten last.
 The household and guests have betel leaves with nuts after the meals and discuss local affairs
and welfare.

Menu Pattern
Rice is the major staple food of most of the Tamil people. Normally lunch or dinner is a meal of
steamed rice (choru) served with accompanying items, which typically
include sambar, poriyal (curry), rasam, kootu and curd.

 Breakfast Or Tiffin
Main dishes

 Idli, steamed rice-cakes, prepared from a fermented batter of rice and black gram. Usually served
alongside different kinds of chutney, sambhar or vadacurry.
 Dosai, made from a fermented batter of rice and black gram eaten with Sambar or chutney. Several
varieties like saada dosai, kal dosai, muttai dosai, neer dosai, rava dosai; paasi paruppu dosai, are
available.
 Vadai, commonly of 2 types, based on the ingredients used and served along with idlis.
 Pongal, a traditional dish where rice is cooked in a mud pot along with water and milk until the
boiling liquid forms viscous frothy bubbles that rise above the pot. The soft, creamy upper layer
overflows the pot, which is also called a pongal.
 Paniyaram, the batter similar to the one used to make dosa is poured into pan with small pits to
make paniyaram.

11
 Appam is made from a fermented batter of rice and black gram mixture, which is made into a thin
consistency. It is poured over a hot pan and spread evenly by rotating the pan. The appam
generally has its sides thin and the center is fluffy and soft.
 Uthappam, a dosa variety, which is slightly thick, fluffy, and soft. It can be made from regular
idli / dosai batter. Plain uthappam is available, along with a type of uthappam with vegetables or
onions sprinkled over.
 Upma, made from wheat or rava, added with onion, green chillies. May also be substituted
with broke rice granules, flattened rice flakes, or almost any other cereal grain instead of broken
wheat.
 Puttu- Steamed layered, cylindrical cakes made with flour; usually rice flour is used but any miller
flour can be used. The flour is sparsely mixed with water and packed into puttu cylinder and
steamed. The flour is usually layered with grated coconut.
 Kozhukattai - Steamed dumplings made with rice flour. The fillings are varied: from grated
coconut and jaggery to various savoury preparations.
 Sevai or Idiyappam, rice noodles made out of steamed rice cakes
 Adai, with all the vegetables, it is a complete and quite filling meal. It is loaded with fiber and
calcium. It is a perfect recipe for people on diet and for diabetic patients.
Side dishes

 Sambar is a lentil-based vegetable stew or chowder cooked with a tamarind broth and freshly
grounded spices.
 Vada Curry, a classic Chettinad side dish.
 Thogaiyal, which is a wet ground paste of many ingredients but primarily with the punch of the
main ingredient. Most common thogaiyals by their chief ingredient are like coconut, paruppu (dal),
coriander, puthina (mint leaves), karuveppilai (curry leaves), ellu (sesame seeds), kollu (horse
gram), inji (ginger), poondu (garlic) etc.
 Kootu - a stew of vegetables or greens, usually made with lentils, and spices which makes for a
side dish for a meal consisting of rice, sambhar and rasam.
 Aviyal – a stew of vegetables with fresh coconut, and coconut oil which makes for a side dish for
a meal consisting of rice, sambhar, rasam and equally for dishes like Adai and Dosai. In hotels, it
is an evening specialty food and advertised as Adai Aviyal.

Drinks

 Coffee is the most popular beverage. Coffee is a major social institution in Southern Indian
Tamil tradition and generally use gourmet coffee beans of the premium Pea berry or the less
expensive Arabica variety. The making of filter coffee is like a ritual, as the coffee beans are
first roasted and then powdered. Sometimes chicory is added to enhance the aroma. A filter set
is used and few scoops of powdered coffee with boiling water is used to prepare a dark liquid

12
 called the decoction. Hot milk with sugar and a small quantity of decoction is then served in a
tumbler set, a unique coffee cup. Another popular beverage is strongly brewed tea.
 koozh- Porridge, also called Kanji (rice congee)
 sharbat - Drink made from fruits or flower petals
 Lunch and dinner dishes
Lunch or meals consists of cooked rice served with an array of vegetable dishes, sambar, chutneys,
rasam (a hot broth made with tamarind juice and pepper) and curd (yogurt).
For a non-vegetarian lunch, curries or dishes cooked with mutton, chicken or fish is included. The
meal is incomplete without crisp papads or appalam.
Main dishes
Rice
 Thakkali Saatham (Tomato Rice)
 Karuvepillai Saatham
 Thayir Saatham
 Kothamalli Pudina Saatham
 Manga Saatham
 Elumichai Saatham (Lemon rice) - seasoning of onions, tomatoes, curry leaf, red chilly, salt
and lemon juice is made and cooked rice is added and fried with the seasoning. Some
groundnuts and added to the dish to give it some crunchiness and balance out the sour taste of
lemon and served with chutney or vegetable salad.
 Puliyodhrai is a popular Tamil dish which is a mixture of fried tamarind paste and cooked rice.
The tamarind paste is fried with sesame oil, asafetida and fenugreek powder, dried chilly,
groundnuts, split chickpea, urad dal, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves,
turmeric powder and seasoned with light jaggery and salt.
Side dishes

 Kulambu, a form of Sambar, which is specifically prepared for lunch, is a gravy preparation with a
base of tamarind, toor dal and urad dal
 Meen Kozhambu, a fish curry made with whole of chillies and tamarind that makes it hot and sour
 Rasam, lentil soup with pepper, coriander and cumin seeds
 Kootu - a stew of vegetables or greens, usually made with lentils, and spices which makes for a
side dish for a meal consisting of rice, sambhar and rasam
 Aviyal - a stew of vegetables with fresh coconut, and coconut oil
 Muttaikose Poriyal, a simple vegetarian side with stir-fried cabbage, mustard seeds, some roasted
lentils and fresh coconut
Desserts
 Paruppu Payasam-Pasi Paruppu Payasam ( Siru Paruppu / Moong Dal ) is the sweet relative of
paal payasam. It is served as dessert after the meal during the festive season. This Siru Paruppu

13
 Payasam will mark the pinnacle of every meal. This recipe is the perfect fusion of the
sweetness from jaggery, the texture from dal and the crunchiness from coconut.
 Arisi thengai payasam - made with rice, coconut and jaggery.

Sweets and savories

 Murukku - a snack usually made of rice or urad dal flour, formed into a twisty shape.
 Seedai - cheeda, seedai is a traditional round- bead shaped snack popular in South India.
Salted version of this recipe is known by the names Uppu seedai or salt seedai. These
crunchy small balls are of a light golden brown texture with a delicious flavour. Perfect
seedai preparations make use of rice flour and urad dal flour as the main ingredients.
Asafoetida powder, sesame seeds, ghee or butter and grounded coconut are the other
ingredients used in this dish. Have a look at the preparation of this special dish.
 Bajji – a deep fried fritter made of vegetables or meat dipped in chickpea batter, served as
an appetizer or a snack with tea or coffee.
Eg: vaazhakai bajji, mirchi bajji and bread bajji
 Pori
 Mixture - made with omapodi (plain sev) and boondi along with some nuts and spices
 Sevu - kara Sev is a spicy and crispy snack that is prepared during festivals. Kara means
“spicy hot” and Sevu means fried noodles like "crispy". Sev is a very common spicy snack
in Tamilnadu
 Pakoda - pakora is a generic term used for deep fried fritters made in india. mostly, gram
flour is used for coating the veggies and then they are deep fried in oil. Pakora gets it name
from the vegetable which is used to make it like potato pakoras, onion pakodas, spinach
pakoras etc.
 Kozhukkatta (rice dumplings) - is a popular South Indian sweet dumpling made from rice
flour, with a filling of grated coconut and jaggery.
For a non-vegetarian lunch, curries or dishes cooked with mutton, chicken or fish is included. The
meal is incomplete without crisp papads or appalam.
Chettinad cuisine offers a variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Some of the popular
vegetarian dishes include idiyappam, paniyaram, vellai paniyaram, karuppatti paniyaram, paal
paniyaram, kuzhi paniyaram, kozhakattai, masala paniyaram, adikoozh, kandharappam, seeyam,
masala seeyam, kavuni arisi and athirasam.

Popular Dishes
Popular Chettinad dishes include Pepper chicken, and Varuval – which is dry dish fried with spices
and onions. The freshly ground masalas which are made using sun dried assortments and hand
pounded on pestles provide an earthy flavor. Dry snacks are very popular, including chips and fried
dough in circular shapes called ‘Murukku’. Once again these are hand made in large quantities and go
very well with the filter coffee famous in the region. An all-day snack also includes the ‘Vada’ which
is a deep fried doughnut made with a batter of lentils. Sun dried vegetables are a part of the cooking.

14
This reflects the techniques used in the dry and arid region to preserve vegetables for the offseason.
Stuffed and steamed dishes like the kozhakattai are also part of this vast cuisine. A thick gravy version
of curry called Kozhambu is made from coconut milk and spices as a base. Chettinad cuisine is also
famous for pickles, particularly with the popularity of spices. Payasam is a famous dessert of liquid
consistency that is flavored with nuts on a base of milk.

Special Dishes Made During Occasions

1. Idiyappam
Soft, moist and fluffy, Idiyappams are steamed string hoppers made from roasted rice flour. Served it
with sweet coconut milk, jaggery syrup or spicy stew, Idiyappams make for a fantastic meal anytime
of the day.
2. Kozhukattai
Kozhukattai are steamed rice flour dumplings that can be sweet or savoury. Generally preferred sweet,
this lip-smacking dish is made in the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu on all auspicious occasions.
3. Chettinad Chicken
The most popular of Chettinad dishes, Chettinad Chicken or Chettinad Kozhi is a regional culinary
gem. Made from soft and succulent chicken simmered in a medley of roasted spices and coconut.
4. Vazhaipoo Meen Kuzhambu (fish curry without fish)
The highly nutritious Vazhaipoo Meen Kuzhambu is made from batter fried banana flowers
(vazhaipoo) soaked in a spicy tangy (kuzhambu) gravy. Banana flower or vazhaipoo tend to look like
tiny anchovies (a type of fish).
5. Milagu Kozhi Varuval
Milagu Kozhi Varuval or pepper chicken fry is a classic side dish. One of the most aromatic dishes in
the Chettinad cuisine, this dish uses liberal amounts of freshly ground warm spices like the pepper,
chilli, garlic, and ginger.
6. Karaikudi Eral Masala
In Karaikudi Eral Masala, juicy prawns laced in a fiery spice paste are tossed with spluttering mustard
seeds, crackling curry leaves, fiery chillies and a drop of lemon. This delightful prawn delicacy is
definitely worth trying.
7. Cabbage Carrot Poriyal
The lightly spiced, sautéed and steamed Cabbage Carrot Poriyal is a very traditional Chettinad dry
vegetable dish. This simple dish tastes best when served with tomato rasam and steamed rice that has
been topped with fragrant desi ghee.
8. Ennai Kathrikai
Fried eggplant stuffed with a roasted masala mixture and wrapped in a rich, spicy and deliciously
tangy curry, Ennai Kathrikai is a beloved staple for most Tamilians. It is best relished with white rice
or appams.
9. Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu
Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu, simply put, are lentil balls in a tangy tamarind sauce. The complex
interplay of sweet, sour, and piquant flavours in this versatile dish hits the nail on the head every single
time.

15
10. Kada Fry
Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, Kada Fry is basically fried and spiced quail meat.
Omnipresent in the menus of Karaikudi’s local eateries, these delicious fried beauties go well with all
sorts of curries.
11. Mutton Chukka
The famous Chettinad Mutton Chukka is made from beautifully marinated lamb smeared in a masala
of cardamom, cinnamon, clove, chilli and curry leaves. Fiery and fragrant, this incredibly tasty dish is
a treat for all senses.
12. Meen Kuzhambu
Meen Kuzhambu is a traditional Chettinad style fish curry that feels like a symphony on the palate.
Fillets of fish cooked to melting perfection in a sweet and sour curry makes a dish that is delicious in
every single bite.
13. Kuzhi Paniyaram
The crispy and crunchy Kuzhi Paniyaram is a very popular dish in Chettinad cuisine. Made in a special
mould called the paniyarakkal, this healthy and hearty snack has a savoury and sweet version, both of
which are equally loved.
14. Kandarappam
One of the most important delicacies in chettinad cuisine, Kandarappam is a traditional sweet snack
made on al festive occasions. Made from rice and four types of lentils, this scrumptious golden brown
appam has crispy edges and a smooth puffed up core.
15. Paal Payasam
A classic dessert made with milk, rice, nuts and cardamom, Paal Payasam is a dish that will appeal to
everyone with a sweet tooth. The rich and creamy taste of this decadent dish lingers on the taste buds,
long after it has provided the perfect sweet ending to a Chettinad style repast.

16
References:
1. https://nagaratharworld.wordpress.com/chettinad-cuisine/
2. http://www.chidambaravilas.com/chettinad-cuisines/
3. http://www.karaikkudionline.in/city-guide/chettinad-cuisine
4. https://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/2005/07/19/stories/2005071900290300.htm
5. https://foodtravelbangalore.wordpress.com/2012/10/08/karaikudi-chettinad-charm/
6. http://www.academia.edu/9950512/INDIAN_CUISINE_NOTES
7. https://sol.du.ac.in/mod/book/view.php?id=1422&chapterid=1289
8. .Dhawan.V., food and beverage management (2000) 1st ed frank bros and co.

17