South Indian cuisine is among the most popular regional cuisines in India. Its food offers a perfect blend of spicy and tangy flavours and is always a treat for the taste buds. It is also quite light on the stomach and packed with several nutritional benefits. This is why you'll now find people cooking classic South Indian dishes in other parts of the country and even abroad. However, many people find it challenging to recreate authentic flavours at home. Something or the other always seems to go wrong. If you often face this problem, we're here to help you out. Here, we present to you a list of six essential ingredients you must stock in your pantry to master the art of South Indian cooking.
Also Read: 5 Comfort Foods That'll Make You Love South Indian Cuisine
Here Are 6 Essential Ingredients For South Indian Cooking:
1. Lentils:
Lentils (dal) are an integral part of South Indian cuisine. The two most popular dishes, sambar and rasam, are made using dal. But the usage of dal is not just restricted to them; you'll find them being used in various other dishes and snacks as well. Among the wide variety of dals, the most commonly used are toor dal, moong dal, and chana dal.
2. Curry Leaves:
Another ingredient you'll find in almost every South Indian dish is curry leaves. They help add a distinct flavour to the food and make it taste even more delicious. Just like we use coriander leaves in the North, curry leaves serve the same purpose in the South. Without them, you won't be able to recreate authentic flavours in your kitchen.
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3. Coconut:
South Indians and their love for coconuts are no secret. Since it is widely grown in the region, it makes its way through several dishes. It is commonly added to rice dishes and curries to enhance flavour and even to make chutney and desserts. Not only this, but even its oil and milk are quite extensively used. In fact, South Indians prefer to use coconut oil over any other oil.
4. Rice:
It's hard to imagine a South Indian feast without the use of rice. You'll find rice as a key ingredient in dishes such as dosa, idli, and biryani. It is even enjoyed plain with sambar and several other curries. Make sure to buy high-quality rice if you want it to turn out super soft and fluffy. Regular basmati rice works just fine. Apart from this, you must also buy idli rice.
Also Read: 5 South Indian Accompaniments To Spruce Up Your Meals
5. Tamarind:
Indian dishes are known for their tantalising flavours. For South Indian food, tamarind (imli) does the job quite well. It imparts a unique, tangy flavour to the dishes. Tamarind can be added to sambar, rasam, and even chutneys. You can also prepare tamarind paste and cook it with rice to make delicious tamarind rice. This ingredient will take your cooking to the next level.
6. Sambar Masala:
You must also stock your pantry with sambar masala. Since sambar is a staple in South Indian cuisine, this spice will come in handy. While you can cook sambar without using the masala as well, it won't taste as good. And if you can prepare it fresh at home, that's even better. Apart from sambar masala, some other spices that you'll need include rasam powder, curry powder, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, etc.
Now that you know about these ingredients, stock them in your pantry to recreate authentic South Indian dishes at home. Meanwhile, here are some delicious South Indian recipes you must try.