Chettinad Cuisine

CHETTINAD CUISINE

Chettinad cuisine is the cuisine of a community called Nagarathars or the Nattukotai Chettiars, as they are known, from the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu in South India. Chettinad cuisine is the most renowned cuisine from Tamil Nadu. Fresh ground masalas from a variety of spices give their dishes its unique flavour.

Chettinad is the region popularly called as land of the Nagaraththar or the successful Trading Community of Chettiars. CHETTINAD cuisine is very aromatic, Spicy and Rich in strength. Non-Vegetarian food tops their Menu that includes Chicken, Fish, Prawns, Lobster, Crab and Lamb, but they are cautious enough to avoid Beef and Pork. Varieties of naturally dried Meat and Salted Vegetables that suits their dry climate largely finds its place in their daily Menu. Their food will find variety of Spices in the form of fresh ground Masalas necessarily wth a boiled egg. They have many Vegetarian Delicacies too in their cuisine. Chettinad Chicken and Lamb is the most favoured dishes from the Chettinad Kitchen. All spicy accompaniment dishes are taken almost taken along with rice based dishes. Idiyappam, Paniyaram, Vellai Paniyaram, Karupatti Paniyaram, Paal Paniyaram, Kuzhi Paniyaram and Masala Paniyaram, Kozhukattai, Khandarappam, Sweet and Masala Seeyam [sooyan], Kavuni Arisi and Athirasam are some of the long list of Vegetarian delicacies of the Chettinad Region.

The main Vegetarian Dishes are Chettinad Mushroom, Ennai Kathrikai, Poondu Vengaya Kulambu, Kadalai Kuzhambu, Chettinad Vellai Kurma, Idiyappam, Paniyarams, Athirasam, Seeyams, Kandharappam, Adikoozh, Kozhakattai and Kavuni arisi. Main Non Vegetarian Dishes are Chettinad Pepper Chicken, Chettinad Spicy Fish Curry, Egg Masala, Kozhi Rasam, Kozhi Kulambu, Chettinad Mutton Curry, Eral Thokku, Nattu Kozhi Uppu Varuval, Nandu Varuval (Crab Fry), Sura Puttu and Karivepillai Kozhi Varuval.