2. Traditional food of Chennai Chennai – 31st largest metropolitan area in the world- is known for its hospitality and traditional food. Talking about the cuisine of Chennai, the city offers a wide variety of dishes. Food and dining had a different notion in Chennai. The auto mobile capital of India caters to any taste and the menu here is marked by popular cuisine served throughout the world.
3. South Indian vegetarian food The most popular food of Chennai is the South Indian vegetarian food. The Tamil Brahmins are called the Iyers and the Iyengars. Their vegetarian cuisine is equal to the Holy Grail for the vegetarians. The purity of a fluffy white idly, the delicately thin dosa the enticement of the uber favorite Pongal in these satisfaction of the Tamil soul.
4. The Tamilians love to include deep fried pappadams and vathals (red chilies dipped in curd & dried) in their meals. The meal is nutritionally balanced with rice, a curry, a porial (side dish), salad, rasam, curds which is able to tickle the taste buds.
5. Chettinad special The strong hold of the trading community (Chettiars) or Chettinad special is their rich & flavorful cuisine. They are traders travelling frequently to Sri Lanka, Burma &Indonesia and will bring spices. The spices include black pepper corn, star anise, fennel, cardamom, cinnamon & cloves. They pound these spices in proportion freshly before they cook. The region’s fame lies in dishes like spicy chicken Chettinad, fish varuval & uppu Kari (mutton curry).
6. In the north and south Arcot districts, food is so important to the chiefly agricultural community of the Mudaliars .The Mudaliars are particular about cooking different food in specific vessels that enhance the unique flavors. They use stoneware to cook dishes like dal (lentils) and spinach, lead-coated utensils to enhance the rasam and earthern ware for fish curries and dishes made of tamarind. It is also believed that certain metals infuse medicinal properties into food.
7. Ground masalas and coconut are central to its unique flavor; mutton is used in most non-vegetarian dishes like’ aatukaalkuzhambu’ (a rich soup made from sheep trotters) ‘chuppalkari’ (meat cooked with aromatic spices), ‘kariperattal’ (a meat curry laced with dill and fenugreek leaves), and ‘mochakka’ (shelled beans available in the south during winter). Besides popular dishes the restaurants in Chennai are known to serve several cuisine including continental, north Indian, Chinese, Italian & more.