By Devi Poojari
December 5, 2023
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Renowned for its historical monuments, the now-industrial city of Tirunelveli attracts people from all over the state. The vadai, pongal and idiyappams aside, Tirunelveli has more to offer in terms of culinary specialties that distinctly belong to this historic place.
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Known for its unique texture that resembles jelly and deep caramel colour, this ghee-laden treat is famously made with the water of the Thamarabarani river – thus infusing the halwa with essential minerals
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Served as a delicacy during weddings and other occasions, the cardamom-infused payasam with chewy tapioca pearls is equally popular as a dish that is served in temples, as remnants of the deities (prasadam).
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Similar to its counterpart, the rasam, puli thanni tends to have a tangy-sour flavour, punctuated by sweet notes from the shallots and spice from the usage of red chillies.
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What can be best described as a native, indigenous fudge – the lentil-based kali made with urad dal is particularly well-known for its health benefits.
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This savoury and crunchy snack that is one of the many variants of murukku, is prepared with a unique technique where murukku dough is twisted by hand to form a concentric pattern in the hot oil.
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A sweet, deep-fried delicacy made by coating balls of green moong, rice and jaggery syrup coated with a batter of rice flour, this traditional recipe is prepared for special occasions or festivals.
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This protein-laden dish, is typically eaten with a savoury accompaniment of kuzhambu, thuvayal and even meat or fish curries, and is meant to be one of the most comforting rice-lentil dishes after pongal.
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