South India—picking our favourite non-veg and veg dishes from each state

Indian food is an amalgamation of numerous influences, and there is no one cuisine in the country. Each part of India presents a unique cuisine, making it a foodie’s heaven. Southern India constitutes of five different states, namely, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. Of these, Andhra Pradesh got divided into Andhra Pradesh and Telangana recently, and even if they share similar cultures, there is a subtle difference in cuisine. Talk about diversity! Here is a look at each South Indian state, and their one vegetarian, and non-vegetarian showstopper.

Meen Curry - a staple in the region, with styles that vary from one place to another, meen is basically fish in Malayalam. While it is extremely hard to select just one dish from this incredibly diverse cuisine, we think that with this state being a coastal area, a simple rice and Kerala-style fish curry should do the trick for you.

Sadya - yes we know this is not a dish, but an entire meal, but who cares when it is this amazing? Sadya is a traditional meal that is completely vegetarian, and includes numerous dishes. It includes some traditional dishes such as olan, sambar, thoran, aviyal, payasam, rice, and much more.

irrespective of whether you are in the Chettinad region or not, chicken Chettinad is a must-try. There is a mix of yogurt, poppy seeds, red chillies, coconut, and more, coming together to create this exotic Indian curry. A traditional Chettinad is apparently made with a total of 28 spices.

Dosai - no trip to Tamil Nadu is ever complete without eating dosa or what they call dosai. There are numerous kinds of dosas here in the state, and one popular one is moru moru dosai, which basically means crispy ones. Go bonkers on the different dosas that you find here!

Pandi curry - specific to the Coorg region of Karnataka, pandi curry is basically pork curry, but nothing that you are used to. The dish is spicy and really delicious, and is a must for anyone who is a hardcore non-vegetarian.

Bisi bele bath - a traditional Kannada recipe that comes from the royal palace of Mysore, this is a simple, yet very delicious dish. The dish consists of lentils, rice, mixed vegetables, and bisi bele bath powder. There are numerous modern versions of this, so try out some!

Gongura Mamsam - a delectable mutton dish that can rival the best of North India, gongura mamsam is a spicy culinary feast for all meat lovers. The mutton is cooked with gongura or sorren leaves that are sour, along with dry red chillies and spices. We leave the rest to your imagination.

Gutti Vankaya - A dish fit for every vegetarian eater, it takes the modest brinjal, and transforms into something heroic. It is basically stuffed brinjal in traditional spices, and of course coconut, thus creating something aromatic and lovely.

Podi mamsam - a delicious mutton curry from Telangana, this one includes khus khus seeds, and dry coconut alongside other spices. It is definitely less spicy than its Andhra counterpart, but no less delicious. Try it with hot rice.