By Ujjinee Roy
June 19, 2024
South Indian cuisine is as diverse as it's delicious. The cuisine has several kinds of bread which are paired with different kinds of delicacies. Though some bread types like dosa and puttu are quite famous, there are many other South Indian varieties of bread. Let's explore some of them.
Dosa is perhaps the most famous South Indian bread. It's a thin, crispy crepe made from a fermented batter of rice and urad dal (black gram lentils). The batter is spread thinly on a hot griddle and cooked until golden brown and crispy. Dosas are typically served with an assortment of chutneys and sambar.
Idiyappam, also known as string hoppers, is a delicate and soft rice noodle bread. The dough is made from rice flour, water, and a pinch of salt, which is then pressed through a noodle maker into thin strands and steamed. It is usually served with coconut milk, sweetened or spiced, or with vegetable or meat curries.
Appam is a type of pancake made with fermented rice batter and coconut milk. It has a soft, fluffy center with crispy, lace-like edges. The batter is poured into a special appam pan and swirled around to create the distinctive shape.
Puttu is a cylindrical steamed rice cake cooked with grated coconut. The mixture of rice flour and water is layered with coconut and steamed in a special puttu maker. It's a popular breakfast item in Kerala and parts of Tamil Nadu.
Uttapam is a thick, savory pancake made from dosa batter, but unlike dosa, it is not spread thin. It is cooked with toppings like onions, tomatoes, green chilies, and sometimes vegetables or cheese. Uttapam is soft and spongy, with the toppings adding flavor and texture.
Parotta, also known as Malabar Parotta, is a flaky, layered flatbread made from maida (refined wheat flour). The dough is kneaded with oil and rolled out thinly, then folded into layers and cooked on a griddle until crispy and golden brown. It is especially popular in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Pathiri is a thin, soft flatbread made from rice flour, popular in the Malabar region of Kerala. The dough is rolled out like a tortilla and cooked on a hot griddle. It is light and delicate, making it an excellent accompaniment to various curries.