THE BOTTOM LINE
The streets of Tamilnadu offer a variety of dishes you must try—a crispy side dish often served with chai (tea), noodles made of rice flour—an ideal healthy street food in Tamilnadu, and more.
Tamil Nadu is a state in southern India known for its culture and serene atmosphere. The state is diversified in itself, including temples, dressing sense, classical dance, etc. It is the homeland of classical civilization, preserved and nurtured for centuries. The same diversification can be seen in the traditional street food of Tamilnadu.
Let’s explore the must-try street food in Tamilnadu.
List of Best Street Foods in Tamil Nadu
1. Onion Bhaji/Vada
Among various street foods, onion Bhaji is one of the fantastic side dishes that can be consumed with chai (tea) — ideal for rainy seasons; However, you can eat them whenever you like.
To enhance the experience of onion bhaji, dip it in sweet chili sauce; the vendor will provide this handmade sauce with bhaji.
Onion Bhaji is a deep-fried dish making it crispy, salty, and spicy. The main ingredients are onion, gram flour, salt, spices, and corn flour.
2. Uttapam
Another famous street food in Tamilnadu is Uttapam. It is similar to dosa but loaded with vegetables such as — carrots, tomatoes, capsicum, etc. To boost the taste of Uttapam, ingredients such as — urad dal, chana dal, raw idli rice and methi seeds are added.
The dish is mainly served with chutney and sambar. It is known as a healthy breakfast dish in South India.
3. Idli
One of the lightest street foods in Tamilnadu you will find is Idli. It is available everywhere in Tamilnadu, especially on streets and restaurants. The taste becomes mesmerizing when you combine it with chutney and sambar.
Ingredients used to make this dish are rice, urad dal, fenugreek seeds, salt and water.
4. Sundal
Sundal is a vegan food — a cuisine of Tamil Nadu. You will often find this street food in Tamil Nadu’s beach areas. Sundal is prepared with steamed chickpeas mixed with onions and coconut. The presentation of Sundal is so tempting and natural that you won’t be able to control yourself without tasting it.
Along with the best taste, Sundal can be spicy, so ask the vendor not to make it spicy for you.
5. Kuzhi Paniyaram
The dish: Kuzhi Paniyaram is made with special utensils, but the preparation of this dish is similar to idli and dosa. There are varieties of this dish which are salty and sweet. For salty Kuzhi Paniyaram, one should eat them with chutney and sambar, which will be an astonishing combination.
6. Samosa
You might have heard about Samosa earlier — a great snack for Indians regardless of where they belong. However, there is a difference between South Indian and North Indian Samosa. The Samosa you’ll find in North India is stuffed with Potatoes; however, in South India, the Samosa is stuffed with Onion.
The outer layer of the Samosa is made of wheat flour similar in both parts of the countries. Note that the Samosa is a deep-fried street food.
7. Kothu Parotta
Kothu Parotta — a Non-veg fast food popular in the streets of Tamilnadu. Prepared with flaky white flour flatbreads which are shredded in small pieces and mixed with egg and Salna.
Salna is made of spices, herbs, onion, meat, or chicken. This dish is generally combined with an omelet or kalakki.
8. Boli
Boli is a sweet street food of Tamilnadu, also called Puran poli, Holige and Obbattu in various parts of the country. It is nothing, but a Chapati stuffed with dal, sugar, ghee, cardamon, and nutmeg.
9. Idiyappam
Idiyappam is similar to noodles but made of rice flour; a healthy street food in India. Idiyappam is served with coconut milk, mutton curry, and Sodhi Kuzhambu. Sodhi Kuzhambu is a vegetable stew that tastes great with idiyappam.
You will easily find this street food in Tamil Nadu.
10. Dosa
Our list of must-try street foods in TamilNadu will be incomplete without adding Dosa. Dosa is one of the famous dishes of India — tasty and healthy at the same time. You can find Dosa easily in Tamil Nadu since it is available in every corner of the city.
Dosa is served with chutney and sambar. It has varieties: plain and masala.
ALSO READ: List of Airports in Tamilnadu 2024
Share on:
Frequently Asked Questions
The signature dish of Tamilnadu is Idli with chutney and sambar, which most North Indians love.
All beach areas are famous for having Sundal like Chennai Marina Beach and Tuticorin Harbour Beach.
Different types of bhajji consumed in Tamilnadu are — potato, chili, capsicum, and onion.
They are somewhat similar as well as different, just the veggies put in uttapam are different.
