South Indian cuisine is known for its use of various spices and herbs and its focus on rice and lentils. The most popular dishes from the region, namely idli and dosa, require a long preparation time since the batter needs to be fermented. However, that’s not the case for a variety of other recipes from the cuisine. If you want to whip up something quick before you rush to the office, or are suddenly in the mood for some South Indian delicacies for dinner and don’t have batter prepared beforehand, we’ve got you. Here are five dishes you can make in under an hour to quell your craving for some South Indian food.
Semolina uttapam– Add semolina (rava) and water in 1:1 ratio and set it aside for 10 minutes. In the meantime, chop up onions, tomatoes, carrots, bell peppers, green chillies, and some coriander leaves. Mix the veggies, some yoghurt, salt, and a little water for consistency to the batter. Next up, heat a pan, grease its surface with a little oil and cook a ladle of the batter at a time to make some delicious semolina uttapams.
Curd rice– In a deep bowl, mix leftover rice and a small amount of water and gently mash them together. Add curd and salt to this and set it aside. In a separate pan, heat some oil and add mustard seeds, jeera, and a few kernels of urad dal. Cook for 30 seconds on medium heat. Add in green chillies and curry leaves. Pour this tempering into the bowl with the rice and curds, and stir well. Garnish with coriander or mint leaves and serve.
Rava vada– Mix semolina and curds together in a deep bowl using your hands. Add in finely chopped onions, coriander, green chillies, ginger, curry leaves, grated coconut, cumin seeds, and salt. Cover and let sit for 15 minutes. Then add baking soda and mix again. Take a small amount of the mixture and flatten it slightly in your palm, making a hole in the centre with your finger. Heat oil in a pan, then carefully drop the vada in the oil. Fry on medium heat until it turns golden brown on both sides. You can fry 4 to 5 vadas at a time. Remove and place on paper towels to remove excess oil.
Paniyaram– In a bowl, combine rava, salt, and curd. Add enough water to make a semi-thick batter. Heat oil in a pan, and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Once they begin to crackle, add split Bengal gram and fry until the dal turns light brown. Next, add green chili, curry leaves, and chopped onions and saute until the onions are translucent. Pour the tempering into the batter and mix well. Add baking soda and mix the batter again. Heat a paniyaram pan on medium flame. Add a spoonful of oil to each mould and fill with a small amount of the batter. Close the pan and let it cook on low flame. Then open the lid, flip all the paniyaram, and allow them to cook on the other side.
Rasam– Heat oil in a vessel and add mustard seeds to it. Once they begin crackling, add crushed garlic, curry leaves, and coriander leaves to it. Boil toor dal with tomatoes till the lentils are mashed and mix it in the tempering made earlier. Add some tamarind pulp and rasam powder to it, give it a good boil and serve hot.
