Recipes

Master the Art of South Indian Cooking with Our Top-rated Recipes.

NON VEG RECIPES

Butter Chicken

This creamy North Indian curry features tender chicken in a rich tomato-butter sauce.

Ingredients

  • Chicken: 500g boneless thighs, cubed
  • Marinade: 1 cup yogurt, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 1 tsp each garam masala, chili powder, turmeric; salt
  • Sauce: 4 tomatoes (pureed), ½ cup butter, 1 cup cream, 2 tbsp cashew paste, 1 tsp kasuri methi, 1 tsp sugar, salt, chili powder
  • Others: 1 onion (finely chopped), 1 tsp cumin seeds

Steps

  1. Marinate chicken 2-4 hours (or overnight); grill or pan-fry until 80% cooked.
  2. Melt 2 tbsp butter, sauté cumin, onion until golden; add ginger-garlic, cook 2 min.
  3. Add tomato puree, cook until thick (10 min); stir in cashew paste, spices, cream, butter. Simmer grilled chicken 10 min until tender. Crush kasuri methi on top. Serve with naan. 

Pepper Chicken (South Indian Chettinad Style)

A spicy, aromatic dry or semi-dry curry with bold black pepper and curry leaves, typical of Tamil Nadu.

Ingredients

  • Chicken: 500g bone-in pieces
  • Spice paste: 2 tbsp black peppercorns, 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp fennel, 5 garlic cloves, 1-inch ginger, 4 red chilies
  • Others: 2 onions (sliced), 2 tomatoes (chopped), 1 tsp turmeric, curry leaves handful, ½ cup coconut (optional, roasted), salt, oil

Steps

  1. Dry-roast pepper, coriander, fennel, chilies; grind with ginger-garlic to paste. Marinate chicken with half paste, turmeric, salt (1 hour).
  2. Heat oil, splutter mustard/curry leaves; sauté onions golden, add tomatoes, remaining paste; cook 5 min.
  3. Add chicken, ½ cup water; simmer covered 20 min until done and thick. Garnish with curry leaves. Pairs with rice or parotta.

Thalassery Biriyani

Kerala's dum-cooked biriyani uses Jeerakasala/Kaima rice, chicken masala, and layered ghee rice for subtle flavors (no red chili powder).

Ingredients (Serves 6)

  • Chicken masala: 1 kg chicken, 500g onions (sliced), 15 green chilies (ground), 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 3 tomatoes, ½ cup yogurt, handful mint/coriander, garam masala (roast 2 cinnamon, 5 cloves, 4 cardamom, 1 tsp fennel, grind), salt, ghee
  • Rice: 750g Jeerakasala/basmati rice, whole spices (bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom), fried onions/cashews/raisins for garnish
  • Others: Rose water/saffron, lemon juice

Steps

  1. Fry onions golden for garnish; reserve half. Grind green chilies-ginger-garlic. Sauté onions, add paste, tomatoes; cook mushy. Add chicken, yogurt, garam masala, herbs; simmer 15-20 min until 80% cooked.
  2. Parboil soaked rice with whole spices, ghee, salt until 70% done; drain.
  3. Layer: chicken masala base, rice, fried garnishes, mint/coriander, ghee, saffron water. Dum cook sealed pot on low 20-25 min. Rest 10 min; fluff gently. Serve with raita, pickle.

VEG RECIPES

Milagu Kuzhambu

A tangy, peppery gravy from Chettinad, often served with rice and poriyal.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp black peppercorns, 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp cumin, 4 dried red chilies (roast and grind to paste)
  • 1 tbsp tamarind paste (or golf-ball-sized tamarind soaked), ½ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp jaggery, salt
  • 2 tbsp sesame/toor dal oil, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 2 sprigs curry leaves, ¼ tsp asafoetida
  • 1 cup thin tamarind water

Steps

  1. Heat oil, splutter mustard, add asafoetida, curry leaves; stir in spice paste, fry 2 min.
  2. Add turmeric, thick tamarind water, jaggery; boil until oil separates (10 min).
  3. Dilute with thin water, simmer 5-7 min to thick gravy. Pairs with steamed rice and appalam.​

Pepper Rasam

A fiery, digestive soup packed with pepper, jeera, and garlic, common across Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 4 garlic cloves (crush), 1 tomato (chopped), 1 tsp rasam powder
  • 1 tbsp tamarind juice, handful coriander leaves, salt, ½ tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp ghee, ½ tsp mustard seeds, 2 dried chilies, curry leaves

Steps

  1. Grind pepper-cumin coarsely; boil with 3 cups water, tomato, tamarind, turmeric, salt (10 min).
  2. Mash tomato, add rasam powder; simmer until frothy. Temper ghee with mustard, chilies, garlic, curry leaves; pour over.
  3. Garnish coriander. Serve hot as soup or rice mixer.

Mushroom Pepper Fry

Kerala Chettinad-inspired dry stir-fry with mushrooms, cracked pepper, and coconut oil aromatics.

Ingredients

  • 500g mushrooms (quartered), 2 tbsp black pepper (coarsely crushed), 1 tbsp coriander powder
  • 1 onion (sliced), 10 garlic cloves (sliced), 2 sprigs curry leaves, 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • ½ tsp turmeric, salt, 3 tbsp coconut oil, handful coriander