Chettinad And More, 7 micro cuisines from Tamil Nadu to explore regional flavours

South India is a culinary treasure trove where you can savour dishes from various regional cuisines. Each state boasts of its own distinctive flavours, but have you ever explored the micro-cuisines of Tamil Nadu? The diverse landscapes and cultures of the state have paved the way for a variety of micro-cuisines that food enthusiasts can enjoy here. You can savour both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes in Tamil Nadu that are infused with common ingredients like coconut, curry leaves, tamarind and mustard seeds. Here are seven micro-cuisines of Tamil Nadu that you must know about.

Chettinad cuisine

Originating from the Chettinad region, this cuisine comprises karaikudi and sivaganga and is synonymous with spicy and aromatic non-vegetarian dishes. Known for its intense flavours and intricate spice blends, it includes Chettinad chicken, kuzhi paniyaram and kola urundai (minced lamb meatballs with spices). The region is also famous for its Chettinad biryani and vazhai poo vadai (banana blossom fritters).

Tirunelveli cuisine

Tirunelveli, famous for its sweets and deep-rooted culinary traditions, offers something for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. In this region of Tamil Nadu, dishes are influenced by local farming practices. Some of the dishes not to be missed include sodhi kuzhambu, a coconut milk-based stew that goes perfectly with rice, and the famous Tirunelveli halwa, made from wheat and ghee. Other delicacies of Tirunelveli cuisine include kothu parotta, ulundhu kali and mutton chukka.

Thanjavur cuisine

The fertile lands of the Cauvery delta nourish Thanjavur’s culinary traditions and rice is a staple in this region. The cuisine here is less spicy compared to Chettinad, with a focus on subtle and balanced flavours. It has strong influences from the temples of Tanjore and Trichy. Rice-based delicacies like puliyodarai and thengai podi sadam are some of the ones not to be missed here, along with kavuni arisi for a sweet ending. Other famous dishes include vegetable kurma and thavala adai.

Nanjil Nadu cuisine

The cuisine of Nanjil Nadu originates from the coastal region of Kanyakumari and is deeply influenced by its proximity to Kerala. The use of coconut and fish is common here, and dishes like meen kuzhambu and pazham pori are popular. The regional cuisine also includes desserts like thengai paal payasam.

Congunda kitchen

The Kongunadu region of western Tamil Nadu encompasses areas like Erode, Coimbatore and Salem and is known for its minimalistic yet nutritious dishes. Unlike other Tamil cuisines, marinades are rarely used and fresh ingredients are preferred. Main dishes here include uppukandam (dried meat cooked with spices), kari dosa (a thick dosa filled with minced lamb with spices) and kambu sadam. Arisi paruppu sadam is another simple yet delicious meal from the region.

Sahib’s Kitchen

Sahibu cuisine is a culinary tradition of Tamil Muslims and is popular near the coastal towns of Tamil Nadu such as Kilakarai and Kayalpatnam. It is a unique amalgamation of local flavours with influences from foreign traders. The community introduced ingredients such as fish powder (made from dried tuna) and pandan leaves into Tamil cuisine. Dishes such as biryani and nombu kanji (a porridge made during Ramadan) are key features of Sahibu cuisine.

Mature cuisine

Often referred to as the ‘city of temples’, Madurai is also famous for its vibrant street food culture, especially its non-vegetarian delicacies. Typical dishes like kari dosai, kola urundai (fried chicken or mutton meatballs) and keema parotta (minced meat in flaky bread) attract food lovers from across the state. For dessert, you can try the city’s famous jigarthanda, a cold milk-based drink.