Tamilnadu Recipes

Published 2012-Mar-17 Updated 2024-Jan-23

(Tamil Nadu Recipes, சுவையான தமிழ்நாடு சவமயல், Tamil Nadu Samiyal)

Food is an important part of tamil culture. Tamilians are known for their hospitality and are very
particular about feeding everyone that comes home with a smile. Even a stranger who comes home is
offered at least a cup of water. For occasions, people make sure that their guest go home with a stuffed
stomach. It is very common to lovingly force the guests to have some extra servings of each course.
Traditionally, food used to be served on the floor on a banana leaf. Even now, during special occasions
people prefer eating their food in the traditional style. It often starts with a sweet, followed by rice served
with curries like sambhar, rasam, kaara kuzhambu, etc and finishing with curd. It is accompanied by
varieties of side dishes and fried snacks like appalam, vadagam, vadai etc. Finally it is common to serve a
dessert which is mostly payasam. Tiffin menu includes many dishes made with rice and lentils. Apart from
this, there are many specific snacks and sweets made during festivals.

Tamil cuisine is dominated by rice, lentils, tamarind, coconut and curry leaves. There are many dishes that
are native to the state like the idli, dosa, sambhar, upma, filter coffee and many more dishes. Along with
these common dishes, there are many region specific dishes. The Karaikudi Chettinad cuisine is known for
its use of fresh spices in both veg and non veg dishes. The Nanjilnadu (Kanyakumari and surrounding
areas) dishes have an interesting blend of tamil dishes with kerala style since nanjilnadu was part of kerala
few decades ago. Madurai people are known for their mutton preparations. They have very unique ways of
preparing each part of the mutton including the brain, blood, meat, leg, liver and intestine. The Kongunadu
cuisine (Coimbatore and surroundings) are famous for their preparation using many millets. They have some
age old recipes which are gaining popularity these days sue to its health benefits.

Here is a huge list of 310+ classic tamilian recipes that have been passed on from our ancestors. Try them
and enjoy!!

The recipes from Tamilnadu are classified into 7 major categories. Press the links below to go directly to the
specific category or scroll down to see the recipes.

1. Breakfast & Tiffin Recipes

2. Rice Varieties
3. Curries and Side-Dishes
4. Condiments (Pickles, Chutneys, Podis)
5. Snack Recipes
6. Desserts and Sweets
7. Beverages

Tamil Nadu Breakfast & Tiffin Recipes

Ven Onion
Dosai Idli
Pongal Uthappam

Rava Kotthu
Kuzhipaniyaram Masala Dosa Coconut Upma Parotta

Puli
Idiyappam Parotta Aapam
Pongal

Kambu Ragi
Kanchipuram Idli Kambu Koozh Choru Adai

Ragi Ragi Aval Ragi

Idiyappam Sevai Upma (Poha Upma) Kuzhi Paniyaram
 Oats Ragi Kaara Upma
Kozhukattai Idli & Dosa Kozhukattai Kozhukattai

Vella Ammini
Kothamalli Sevai Kozhakkattai Ammini Kozhukattai Kozhukattai Spicy

Kambu Aval Adai

Dosai Dosa Sambhar Idli Dosai

Oats Samba Samba Paal

Idli/ Dosa Godhumai Uppuma Godhumai Ven Pongal Pongal

Little Samai Idli

Millet Rice (Samai Rice) Thayir Sadam Kushboo Idli Upma

Sprouts Rava
Sevai Orotti
Kuzhipaniyaaram Dosai

Wheat Rava Ragi

Puttu with Atta Puttu Sigappu Arisi Puttu Puttu

One Sathu Kara Muttai

Pot Khara Pongal Maavu Pidi Kolukattai Dosai
 Black Arisi
Rice Puttu Moongil Arisi Puttu Maavu Godhumai Puttu

Ilai Idiyappam with Boiled Paal Sigappu

Appam Rice Kolukattai Arisi Kozhukattai

Thinai Mudakathan Keerai Kambu

Ragi Malt
Upma Dosa Idli

Karupatti
Set Aapam
Villupuram Upma Pongal (Palm Jaggery
Dosa (Sponge Dosai) (with Rice Flour)
Pongal)

Tamil Nadu Rice Varieties

White Thayir Elumichai

Rice (Sadam) Sadam Takkali Sadam Sadam

Kothamalli Pudina Murungai

Karuvepillai Sadam Thengai Sadam Keerai Khanji
Sadam

Manga Sambhar (Kadamba) Carrot

Sadam Nellikai Sadam Rice
Sadam
 Khuska Ellu Kaadai
Biryani Sadam Vegetable Biryani Biryani

Kondai Shrimp
Mushroom Soya Biryani Kadalai Biryani Chicken Biryani (or Prawns) Biryani

Vaan Puliyodharai (Tamarind Aatu Thalappakatti Style Chicken

Kozhi Biryani Rice) Kari Biryani Biryani

Ghee Ulutham
Rice Choru

Tamil Nadu Curries and Side-Dishes

Vada Paruppu
Sambar Arachu Vitta Sambar Curry Urundai Kulambu

Mor Beans
Vendakkai Pulikulambu Rasam Curry Paruppu Usili

Sorakkai Kurma (Bottle Mixed Vegetable

Vazhaipoo Usili Manathakkali Vathal Kulambu
Gourd Korma) Poriyal
 Keerai
Vazhakkai Poriyal Kathrikai Fry Veppam Poo Rasam Masiyal

Keerai Beetroot
Masiyal with Paruppu Omelette Kothavarangai Varuval Poriyal

Eral Nandu
Veepam Poo Rasam Thokku Chettinad Vellai Kurma Varuval (Crab Fry)

Poondu Vengaya Kozhi Egg Ennai

Kulambu Rasam Masala Kathrikai

Podalangai
Aviyal Vazhaipoo Usili Beetroot Paruppu Usili Kootu

Chettinad Mushroom Urilai Turnip

Kilangu Masala Cabbage Poriyal Poriyal
Masala

Kadalai
Mullangi Poriyal Brussels Sprouts Poriyal Carrot Poriyal Kuzhambu

Cauliflower
Chapatti Kurma Tkakkali Kurma Pattani Kurma Kurma
 Meen Kathrikai
Mutton Kuzhambu Karuvaatu Kulambu Kuzhambu Poricha Kulambu

Kollu Vaazha Thandu Avicha

Kuzhambu Vaazha Poo Sambar Muttai
Sambhar

Nettili Meen Kozhi

Chicken Fry
Varuval Varuval Milagu Kuzhambu

Ennai South Banana

Kathirikkai Capsicum Gojju Indian Egg Masala Stem Mor Kootu

Sura Paruppu
Puttu Karuvepillai Chicken Vazhakkai Podimas Kulambu Dal

Kale Pavakkai
Poriyal Cauliflower Kurma Mullangi Sambar Paruppu Kootu

Pagarkkai Poriyal Vengaya Thal Poriyal Zucchini Sambhar Manathakkali Keerai Kootu

Snow Kaambu
Zucchini Mor Kulambu Chippi Meen Fry Peas Poriyal Kathrikkai Poriyal
 Maa
Kozhi Paruppu
Vaankozhi Kurma Inji Pacha Manjal Mor
Kurma Rasam
Kuzhambu

Mutton
Mutton Sukka Potato Kurma Celery Poriyal (Stir-Fry) Kola Urundai

Kanyakumari Fish Plain Salna

Chicken Thokku Murungakkai Poriyal
Curry

Udaitha Muttai Kulambu Sundakkai Vattal

Kovakkai Poriyal Karuveppilai Kuzhambu
(Egg Drop Curry) Kulambu

Crab Beans Manjal Poosanikai Mor Paruppu

Curry Carrot Poriyal Kuzhambu Urundai Kulambu

Drumstick
Attukal Soup Peerkangai Kadayal Mullangi Poriyal Poriyal

Pachai Sundakkai Cabbage

Sundakkai Poriyal Drumstick Thokku Potato Fry
Kuzhambu

Kalaki Yam
Omelette Vendakkai Thoran Kaara Kuzhambu
Tamil Nadu Condiments (Pickles, Chutneys, Podis)

Idli Curry Kothamalli

Podi Leaf Powder Veppan Poo Podi Podi

Idli / Dosa
Orange Peel Pachadi Pavakkai Urugai Mangai Thokku Milagai Podi

Vadu Poondu
Nellikai Urugai Mangai Urugai Thakkali Urugai Urugai

Pachai Carrot Nellikai

Poondu Chutney Chutney Pulicha Keerai Chutney Chutney

Kollu Kara
Vaazha Thandu Chutney Peerkangai Tol Thuvayal Thuvayal Chutney

Ver Kadalai
Thengai Chutney Thengai Thogayal Poondu Chutney Chutney

Pirandai
Thengai Paal Chutney Vazhaithandu Urugai Beetroot Chutney Thuvayal

Kothamalli
Bulls
Maangai Pisaral Paccha Maanga Chutney Karuveppilai Thokku (Rice
Eye Egg
Mix)
 Curry Takkali
Sambar Podi Masala Kothamalli Chutney Chutney

Elai Veppam
Javvarisi Vadam Vadam Kuzhambu Karuvadam Poo Thuvaiyal

Tamil Nadu Snack Recipes

Medhu
Sundal Bajji
Vadai Cauliflower Pakoda

Masala
Vazhaipoo Vadai Navadhanya Sundal Vadai Thayir Idli

Thayir Nila Nombu Uppu

Vadai Kadalai Sundal Adai Savory Cheedai

Ribbon
Thattai Nendrapazham Chips
Pakoda Mundiri Pakoda

Kaara Oma Mullu

Mixture Boondi Podi Murukku

Masala Chana Kadalai

Biscuit Masala Sundal Paruppu Sundal Sambar Vada
 Boiled Thaen
Omavalli Ilai Bajji Sweet Potato Mittai Muttai Bonda

Boiled
Susiyam Peanuts Vazhaipoo Bajji

Tamil Nadu Desserts and Sweets

Coconut Nei Vatalla

Burfi Boli
Payasam appam

Sweet Kesari
Vermicelli (Semiya Kesari) Akkaravadisal Nombu Adai Sweet (Sooji Halwa)

Mango Boondi Aval

Kesari Laddu Puttu Mysore Pak

Beetroot Pal
Halwa Paniyaram Sakkarai Pongal Banana Bonda

Sukhiyan Nenthrapazha Payasam Parppu Payasam Mampazha Payasam

Rose Pal Vella

Cookies (Acchu Murukku) Vellarikkai Payasam Khova Cheedai
 Maa Vella Ellu
Ladoo Kadalai Muttai Kozhakkattai Kozhukattai

Rava Paal Paal

Ladoo Vazhaithandu Payasam Kozhukattai Poli

Semiya Kaju Asoka

Payasam Katli Halwa

Tamil Nadu Beverages

South Manjal Ginger

Indian Filter Coffee Milagu Paal Tea (Inji Chaaya) Masala Mor

Sadam Chukku
Kashayam for Cold vadicha kanji Kaapi Elaneer Smoothie

Nellikai Elaneer
Sharbat Vellarikkai Juice Milk Shake Beetroot Milkshake

Mango Nongu
Milkshake Vazhaithandu Juice Milkshake Masala Milk

Dalgona
Coffee Homemade Cappuccino