tamil nadu cuisine

TAMILNADU
NSKPRESENTATIONS
1
12/18/17

NSKPRESENTATIONS
2
VANAKKAM
12/18/17

THE REGIONS
3
NSKPRESENTATIONS
ARCOT
CHETTINADU
NANJILNADU
KONGUNADU
OTHERS LIKE
MADURAI,
TIRUNELVELI,
VIRUDUNAGAR.
CEYLON TAMIL.
Arcot
CHETTINADU
NANJILNADU
KONGUNADU
MADURAI,
TIRUNELVELI,VIRUDUNAGAR
12/18/17

REGIONS
 CHERAS
 REGIONS ADJOINING COIMBOTORE
 CHOLAS
 REGIONS ADJOINING TRICHY &
KARAIKUDI
 PANDIYAS
 REGIONS ADJOINNING MADURAI & PARTS
OF KERALA
 PALLAVAS
 REGIONS ADJOINNIG KANCHI & CHENNAI.
4
NSKPRESENTATIONS12/18/17

CHETTINAD CUISINE
 Chettinad is one of the places of
interest in Ramanathapuram
District in Tamilnadu. Chettinad is
located on the Madras –
Rameshwaram railway line, and
lies 10 miles North of Karaikudi
and South West of Kanadukathan.
 In southern India the
Chettinad community became a
tribe of thrifty merchant bankers,
traveling through all of South East
Asia earning a good living.
 Chettinad means Chettiars
territory. It is the hometown of
“Nattukottai Chettiars” who are
well known for their concentration
in commerce and business in our
country.
5

 The life style of “Nattukotai Chettiars” is reflected by
the “Chettinad cuisine”. These people came from one of
the driest region of South India and belong to the
trading community.
 The dishes are hot and darkly pungent with fresh
ground masalas and topped with a boiled egg that is
somehow considered essential for a proper meal.
 At the same time, number of sun dried and salted
vegetables are stored by the Achis or Chetiar
housewives, and made use of every seed fruit or
legume which is found in their countryside.
 As with many communities in the south, a great
deal of dishes such as dosas, appam, idiappams or
string hoppers, adais and idlies have a rice base.
6

IMPORTANT SPICES OF
CHETTINAD
 Marathi mokku (dried flower pods)
 Anasippo (star anise)
 Kalpasi (dried bark)
Japathri
 Apart from these, there is prominent
use of tamarind, red whole chilies
and sonf. Other spices used are
cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf,
peppercorn, cumin seeds, fenugreek
etc. 7

SPECIALITIES
CHETTINAD
KOHZHI CURRY-
The curry cut chicken
pieces marinated in the
freshly ground masalas
made with fourteen spices
and soured with tamarind
pulp.
NSKPRESENTATIONS
8
12/18/17

CHETTINAD
YEARA
THOKKU- The
same as follows ,instead
of chicken the prawn is
used in cooking.
9

UTTHAPAMS –
The uttapams are rice
pancakes which are
thicker in their size,
soft and fluffy which
perfectly act as the
main dish with the
above mentioned
gravies and others.
NSKPRESENTATIONS
10
12/18/17

NANJIL NADU
 The Nanjil nadu cuisine is famous for
its sea food varieties.
 This cuisine is famous in the district
Kanyakumari,as this place is
surrounded by seas and ocean called
Arabian sea, bay of Bengal and the
Indian ocean.
 It is situated near Kerala ,so it has
the influence of kerala cuisine and
much dishes made out of sea foods.
 Fish forms the integral part and as
said they use coconut oil as the base.
 The use of spices is not abundant as
when compared with chettinad
cuisine.
 It is bland, less spiced and
moderately made food items.
11

SPECIALITIES
 Banana Chips is a
popular snack commonly
made and savored by the
people.
 Jack Fruit Chips
Chakka Chips after a
bath in one of the
waterfalls is very
famous and mouth
watering.
 Nenthranga Bajji,
another snack made out
of Banana is very
famous here.
12

KONGUNADU
 The region falls near the Coimbatore and Nilagiris
district. They are tropical regions and rich in cultivating
natural grown crops.
 As it is mentioned as tropical region the abundant forest
rich agricultural products are available.
 The Kongunadu is vast and interfered by kerala cuisine as
it is present near the border of the kerala state.
 The natural crops forms the major ingredients for the
Kongu cuisine.
 The abundant use of ragi,arisi,and coconut is found here.
 As it is native to an arid area, the cuisine includes cereals
like jowar, bajra, ragi, and different kinds of pulses and
sesame.
 No food or meat is ever marinated.
 Turmeric is freshly grated and ground after being roasted.
This is what gives Kongu curries a rich yellow color and
distinct aroma.
13

KONGUNADU
 Cubes of mutton are sun-dried and used after frying as accompaniments
to a meal.
 As plantains and dates grow extensively in the area, they are widely
used in the cuisine.
 Copra or dry coconut is used in curries and gravies rather than fresh
coconut.
 Milk is used in curries and gravies.
 Coconut shell is often used to soften meat while cooking
 'Panchamritham', a sweet mixture of plantains, dates, jaggery and sugar
candy offered in the Lord Muruga temple at Palani as 'Prashadham', was
conceptualized in Kulithalai and Pollachi because plantains and dates
are grown extensively there
 Chicken finds its place in the daily menu as gravies and curries because
chicken farming was the key occupation for most in and around
Palladam
 Sweets like 'Pathaneer Halwa', 'Pathaneer Payasam', 'Elanir Halwa',
'Elanir Payasam' formed part of the regular food in areas like Athur and
Salem as palm trees and coconut trees were available in abundance in
these regions
14

SPECIALITIES
 SANTHAKAI/SANDAVAI-It is nothing but rice noodles
cooked in steam cooker. It is a another delicacy famous every where.
 OPUTTU-Sweet dry pizza like stuffed with sweet stuffing.
 KOLA URUNDAI-It is a meat balls cooked in hot spicy gravy.
 Ragi puttu, arisi puttu the steamed foods are famous from this
region.
15

CEYLON TAMIL CUISINE
 The cuisine of Sri Lankan Tamils draws influence from that of
India, as well as from colonialists and foreign traders.
 Rice is usually consumed daily and can be found at any special
occasion, while spicy curries are favorite dishes for lunch and
dinner.
 Rice and curry is the name for a range of Sri Lankan Tamil dishes
distinct from Indian Tamil cuisine, with regional variations
between the island's northern and eastern areas. While rice with
curries is the most popular lunch menu, combinations such as
curd, tangy mango, and tomato rice are also commonly served.
 Another common item is puttu, a granular, dry, but soft steamed
rice powder cooked in a bamboo cylinder with the base wrapped in
cloth so that the bamboo flute can be set upright over a clay pot of
boiling water. This can be transformed into varieties such as ragi,
spinach, and tapioca puttu.
 Another popular breakfast or dinner dish is Appam, a thin crusty
pancake made with rice flour, with a round soft crust in the
middle. It has variations such as egg or milk Appam
16

 Jaffna, as a peninsula, has an abundance of seafood such as crab, shark,
fish, prawn, and squid.
 Meat dishes such as mutton, chicken, pork, and beef also have their
own niche. Vegetable curries use ingredients primarily from the home
garden such as pumpkin, yam, jackfruit seed, hibiscus flower, and
various green leaves.
 Coconut milk and hot chilly powder are also frequently used. Appetizers
can consist of a range of achars (pickles) and vadahams. Snacks and
sweets are generally of the homemade "rustic" variety, relying on
jaggery, sesame seed, coconut, and gingelly oil, to give them their
distinct regional flavor.
 Sri Lanka's cuisine mainly consists of boiled or steamed rice served with
curry. Another well-known rice dish is Kiribath, meaning "milk rice."
Curries in Sri Lanka are not just limited to meat- or fish-based dishes,
there are also vegetable and even fruit curries.
17

OTHERS LIKE MADURAI,
TIRUNELVELI,VIRUDUNAGAR.
 Madurai and the other southern districts
of Tamil Nadu are known for non-
vegetarian food made of Mutton, chicken
and fish.
 Parota made with Maida or all-purpose
flour, and loosely similar to the north
Indian wheat flour-based Paratha, is
served at food outlets in Tamil Nadu,
especially in districts like Virudhunagar,
Madurai and the adjoining areas. Parota
is not commonly prepared at home as it is
a laborious and time-consuming process.
 Madurai have its own unique foods such
as Jigirdanda, MuttaiParotta (Egg
Parotta), Paruthipal & EnnaiDosai (Dosai
with lot of oil) which are rarely found in
other parts of Tamil Nadu.
18

TIRUNELVELI HALWA
 Tirunelveli is popular state-
wide for its famous halwa
(pronounced locally as alwa).
The sweet dish is made
primarily from wheat and
sugar. Tirunelveli halwa is
golden brown, has a jelly-like
texture and contains a ghee
(clarified butter), which gives
it its distinctively greasy
appearance
 The most famous halwa stores
are Irutu Kadai Halwa
(Transliterated as the Dark
Halwa store), situated near
the Nellaiyappar temple,
12/18/17
19
NSKPRESENTATIONS

FEATURES OF TAMIL CUISINE
 HEALTHY & NUTRITIOUS
 LOW FAT
 FRESHLY GROUND
 USAGE OF DIFFERENT OILS
 ENORMOUS VEGETABLE
PREPARATION
 HYGIENIC PREPARATION AND
SERVING TECHNIQUES
20

SANGA KAALA UNAVU
 The Food of the Ancient Times essentially comprised of a
variety of snacks, main course and sweets. On the dining
table of the kings the cooks prepared 145 dishes for a
single meal and often over 40 sweets!
 Cooking in palaces was an elaborate affair with a team of
80 cooks. A dish served for lunch would not be repeated
for dinner. The delicacies included mutton and fish in
meat dishes; and cluster beans, brinjal, yam, sweet
potatoes, keerai, ridge gourd and drumstick in vegetable
recipes.
 The kings relished biriyanis and pulaos made using high
quality rice like the jeeraga samba rice (samba arisi),
while the ministers and subjects ate red rice (sivapparisi)
and paddy rice (nellarisi).
21

SANGA KAALA UNAVU
 Idly (called Ittarika) was an ancient
food cooked from the 17th century.
It was made using urad dhal and
deep fried. After the Indonesians
visited South India in search of
alliances, the art of steam cooking
was introduced here which then
caught up in our kitchens. But the
addition of rice batter with urad
dhal in idlis came into practice only
after the 17th century.
 Dosas have been made from the
15th century. Pooris (then called
Shaskuli) exist in our kitchens from
the 10th century. Medhu vadai are
being made from the 1st century,
while parottas (called Mandagas)
have been made from the 11th
century.
NSKPRESENTATIONS
22
12/18/17

MEALS - TRADITIONAL
 Food is generally classified into six
tastes - sweet, sour, salt, bitter, pungent
& astringent and traditional Tamil
cuisine recommends that you include all
of these six tastes in each main meal
you eat.
• Sweet (Milk, butter, sweet cream,
wheat, ghee (clarified butter), rice,
honey)
• Sour (Limes and lemons, citrus fruits,
yogurt, mango, tamarind)
• Salty (Salt or pickles)
• Bitter (Bitter gourd, greens of many
kinds, turmeric, fenugreek)
• Pungent (Chili peppers, ginger, black
pepper, clove, mustard)
• Astringent (Beans, lentils, turmeric,
vegetables like cauliflower and cabbage,
cilantro)
NSKPRESENTATIONS
23
12/18/17

 Food is eaten with hands, the right
hand to be precise, serving at the
table and picking up glasses of water
with the left hand. It’s almost
sacrilege to use cutlery.
 Tamil food never tastes as good as
when one licks it off fingers.
 Rice, of course, is the queen of grains
and makes it almost ubiquitous
appearance, in one or more forms, in
almost every meal.
 Lentils or dals are also very
important since they form a bulk of
protein in a vegetarian diet. These
two staples, together or alone, are
used in a variety of mouth-watering
ways-pounded, ground, fermented,
boiled and sautéed.
24

 The most famous of the TAMIL
NADU dishes are the snack idly,
dosa, vada, etc., which have become
popular not only in other parts of the
country but also the world.
 TAMILIANS are also known for
their savories, which are rice-based.
Fried in coconut oil, they remain
fresh for a longer time.
 Mysore pak is another specialty
made of gram flour, ghee and sugar.
 A variety of kheers and halwas
round off the recipes of Tamilnadu.
25

TYPICAL TAMIL MEAL
CONSISTS OF ….
 The RICE is generally served steaming hot and pearly white.
 SAMBARS, tart and thick, made with tamarind, dal and vegetable is usual boiled
along with the base.
 The next course, the RASAM, is watery and soupy. With their judicious
combination of tamarind and tomatoes, RASAM have a piquant, tangy taste, which
lends itself to drinking it straight.
 The last course is always the soothing, SET CURD, so good for the stomach. Made
with homemade YOGHURT, it is perfect way to end a satisfying meal.
 Vegetable dishes called PORIYALS, KOOTUS, PATCHIDI, PICKLES and
PAPPODOMS- either fried or roasted are always served on the side.
NSKPRESENTATIONS
26
12/18/17

CATEGORIES OF
PREPARATION
 VARUVAL – Crispy Fried
Vegetables
 KOZHAMBU – Gravy with delicate
spices
 KURMAH – Coconut based Gravy
 MANDI – Vegetables cooked from
the water in which rice has been
soaked and soured with tamarind.
 PORIYAL – Tempered stir fried
sautéed vegetables
27

 KOOTU – Vegetable preparation not too dry or
too wet thickened with coconut
 PATCHADI – Vegetables marinated with curd or
Lemon based dressing.
 PICKLES & CHUTNEYS
 PAPADOMS – Crispy fried savories.
28

SIGNATURE DISHES
 MEEN KOZHAMBU
 SOURED, SPICED FISH GRAVY.
 KOZHI VARUTHA KARI
 CHICKEN STIR FRIED IN A DARK
BROILED MASALA OF THE
NATIVE.
 PARUPPU URUNDAI
KOZHAMBU
 DUMPLINGS OF DHAL
STEAMED/FRIED & SOAKED IN A
RICH GRAVY OF COCONUT &
CHICKPEA DHAL.
 CHENAAI KIZHANGU
PORIYAL
 STIR FRIED YAM FINISHED WITH
TEMPERING & LOT OF
COCONUTS. 29

 KAI KARI PERATAL
 MIXED VEGETABLES COOKED IN
A RICH GRAVY OF CASHEW &
KHUS KHUS.
 URULAI KIZHANGU PODIMAS
 MASHED POTATOES TEMPERED,
FLAVORED WITH ASAFOETIDA &
FINISHED OF WITH GRATED
COCONUTS.
 KOZHI CHETTINAD
 DARK, PUNGENT, SPICED
CHICKEN GRAVY FLAVORED
WITH WIDE VARIETY OF
CHETTINAD SPICES.
 KOZHI KHORMA
 CHICKEN COOKED IN COCONUT
EXTRACTIONS GIVING WHITE
COLOR.
 KOZHI VARUVAL
 STIR FRIED CHICKEN
MARINATED WITH AUTHENTIC
MASALA.
30

 KOZHI SHULLI
 SPICY FRIED CHICKEN.
 CHETTINATTU ATTU CURRY
 MUTTON CUBES COOKED WITH
CHETTINAD SPICES, SOURED WITH
TAMARIND.
 CHETTINATTU YERA THOKKU
 PICKLED SHRIMPS FLAVORED WITH
CHETTINAD SPICES.
 PACHAI NETHALI KOZHAMBU
 FRESH SARDINE CURRY.
31

TAMILNADU - A TEMPLE STATE
32
NSKPRESENTATIONS
 Tamil Nadu, the cradle of south Indian temple architecture, is
a living museum of styles that originated in the 7th century
and matured in the huge temple complexes studded with
towering gateways-"Gopurams"-that soar above the markets
of almost every town.
 Mahabalipuram, Kanchipuram, Chidambaram,
Kumbakonam, Rameswaram, Palani, Srirangam, Tirutani
and Kanyakumari are some of the famous pilgrim centers in
Tamil Nadu.
 The famous Meenakshi temple of Madurai is a must see.
12/18/17

CUISINE
 The geography of Tamil Nadu plays an important
role in shaping the food habits as well as the
cuisine of Tamil Nadu.
 Surrounded by water, the fertile soil of Tamil
Nadu yields an excellent cultivation of rice, which
in turn forms the staple food of most of the people
of Tamil Nadu.
 The usage of wheat and its products are virtually
absent in the daily dietary intake of homes of
Tamil Nadu.
 The easy availability of fish also shows itself in the
dietary pattern of the people of Tamil Nadu. A
number of preparations are made using fish on a
daily basis in most households of Tamil Nadu.
 Coconut plays a very important role in the daily
dietary patters of most families in Tamil Nadu.
Coconut is used in almost all its forms, with
Coconut oil being the most used cooking medium
in Tamil Nadu. 33

BREAKFAST
 The typical Tamil breakfast includes
dosai, which is a pancake made from
a batter of rice, idly (steamed rice
cakes) and lentils (crisp fried on a
pan), vada (deep fried doughnuts
prepared from a batter of lentils),
pongal (a mash of rice and lentils
boiled together and seasoned with
cashew nuts, ghee, pepper and cumin
seed), uppuma (cooked semolina
seasoned in oil with mustard, pepper,
cumin seed and dry lentils).
 These are the main local dishes but
there are several variations that are
eaten with coconut chutney and
mulaga podi.
34

THE INGREDIENTS AND THE
CUISINE
35
NSKPRESENTATIONS
 Tamil Nadu has a wide range of
vegetarian and non-vegetarian
delicacies to offer. Coconut, tamarind
and asafetida are a must for almost all
vegetarian recipes. Garam masala is
avoided in Tamil cuisine. In Tamil Nadu
Coconut oil is normally used as the
medium of cooking. Chutneys and mixed
spice are served in the lunch and
enhance the taste of the meal.
 Mustard
 Urad dhal
 Curry leaf
 Red chiili
 Corriander seeds
 Fenugreek seeds
12/18/17

RICE
36

RAW RICE
 Raw rice is also called as
polished rice.
 Raw rice has a white
luster.
 The grains appear
longer.
 They have greater
resistance to insect
infestation and flavor
deterioration.
 During milling around
85% of thiamine is lost.
NSKPRESENTATIONS
37
12/18/17

PARBOILED RICE
 Parboiling involves soaking paddy in
water for a short time followed by
heating once or twice in steam and
then drying.
 Losses of B vitamins are less.
 It will not turn into glutinous mass
when cooked.
 It swells more when cooked to the
desired softness.
 At times it has an unpleasant odour
and hence not preferred.
 Color changes may occur during
parboiling.
NSKPRESENTATIONS
38
12/18/17

PLANTAIN TREE
 Plantain tree is a mine of
medicinal properties.
 Each part such as the
leaves, inflorescence and
the core of the stem are
enriched with medicinal
powers.
 It is used as a decorative
element for auspicious
ceremonies in Hindu &
Buddhist cultures.
 Fire victims having third
degree burns are made to
lie on this leaf to give
coolness.
NSKPRESENTATIONS
39
12/18/17

SCIENCE OF BANANA
LEAF SERVICE
 Food on a traditional banana leaf adds to the taste and
flavor.
 It is Hygienic - only one serving on a leaf and there is
no recycling.
 It is environment friendly – it is organic and fully
biodegradable.
 It is also used to place offerings to God. It is considered
unpolluted.
 Good for eyesight, and also gives shining radiance to
face and skin thus enhancing the beauty.
 Banana leaves though commonly thrown away contain
large amounts of polyphenols which reduces the risk of
cardiovascular disease and cancer. 40

THALA VAZHAI ELAI
41
NSKPRESENTATIONS
 Food served in this blunt end of
leaf is to respect people.
 Usually, the head of the family
has food in this leaf or the
center person of any occasion
has food in this leaf.
 The narrow part is towards the
left and the broader part to the
right.
 This shows that respect is
grown and will always continue
to be the same as the broader
side.
12/18/17

PARTS OF PLANTAIN TREE
NSKPRESENTATIONS
42
 The inflorescence is used to make variety of
dishes (e.g.: vazhapoo vadai).
 It is very good for the purification of urinary
bladder and the removal of the urinary blocks.
 The core of the stem is used as curry (dish )
after removing the fibrous part.
 The juice of stem is an ideal medicine for
dissolving kidney & bladder stones.
 Helps in weight reduction.
12/18/17

VEGETABLES
43

FILTER COFFEE
 The wafting aroma of freshly brewed filter coffee
heralds the new day in South Indian homes.
 The ubiquitous coffee filter can be found in the
kitchen occupying pride of place, creating a thick
decoction that is mixed with the right amount of
hot milk and sugar.
 Famous filter coffee is made from chosen coffee
beans, and roasted to prevent the original aroma
of beans.
 Roasted beans are powdered and rich ground
coffee powder is used in making filter coffee.
 The water that is added has to be at boiling point
for the coffee powder to release its flavor.
44

FILTER COFFEE
45
NSKPRESENTATIONS
Coffee powder is placed in
the top part of the filter and
covered with a disc, which
is perforated.
Boiling water is poured over
the coffee powder and it
drifts through it and extracts
the flavor and aroma.
The decoction which is
obtained is used in making
rich filter coffee.
12/18/17

SEVAI
46
NSKPRESENTATIONS
 The sevai is a rice preparation.
 Manual equipments are used at
home to prepare this.
 It can rightly be called as
“Noodles of Tamilnadu”.
 Different flavors are given to
enrich the appetite.
12/18/17

TYPICAL TAMIL FEAST -
VIRUNDHU SAPPADU
47

VIRUNDHU SAPPADU
 Tamil culture is known for its hospitality. ‘Virundhu’ in Tamil
means ‘Feast’, when guests (Friends, Relatives) are invited during
happy ceremonial occasions to share food, love and laughter.
‘Sappadu’ means a full course meal, which can be either Lunch or
Dinner.
 During Virundhu Sappadu, guests sit on a coir mat which is
rolled out on the floor and a full course meal is served in the
traditional way, on a ‘Banana Leaf’ which is spread in front of the
guests, with the tip pointed left.
 The host will ensure that the menu includes as many variety of
dishes as possible and guests are served as many helpings as
requested.
 The dishes are served in a particular sequence, and each dish is
placed on a particular spot of the banana leaf.
 Guests are expected to begin and end eating the meal together
and do not leave in middle of a meal. One look at the leaf after the
food is served and guests will know the community, the status,
the exact wealth of the family, and from which part of Tamil
Nadu they originate. 48

VIRUNDHU SAPPADU
 The top half of the banana leaf is reserved for accessories, the
lower half for the rice. In some communities, the rice will be
served only after the guest has been seated.
 The lower right portion of the leaf may have a scoop of warm
sweet milky rice Payasam, Kesari, Sweet Pongal or any Dessert
items. While the top left includes a pinch of salt, a dash of pickle
and a thimbleful of salad, or a smidgen of chutney.
 In the middle of the leaf there may be an odd number of fried
items like small circles of chips either banana, yam or potato, thin
crisp papads or frilly wafers Appalams and vadai.
 The top right hand corner is reserved for spicy foods including,
Curry, hot, sweet, or sour and the dry items.
 If it is a vegetarian meal, the vegetables are carefully chosen,
between the country ones-gourds, drumsticks, brinjals-and the
'English' ones, which could be carrot, cabbage, and cauliflower.
 (If it is a non-vegetarian meal, a separate leaf is provided for the
fried meats, chicken, fish, crab, and so on.) But again, the
variations are presented carefully, one dry one next to a gravied
one. 49

TRADITIONAL EQUIPMENTS
NSKPRESENTATIONS
50
12/18/17

TRADITIONAL EQUIPMENTS
51

THANK YOU
12/18/17
52
NSKPRESENTATIONS

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