7 Traditional Chettinad Dishes You Have to Try

Chettinad cuisine is the cuisine of the southern Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu. The food here is famous for being some of the most aromatic in all of India. Tamil curries are usually very spicy (Chettinad dishes are probably the most fiery of all Indian food!), and are mostly vegetarian, although seafood and some meat is also eaten. In fact, the word “curry” is derived from the Tamil word for sauce – “kari.” Dishes are often served on banana leaves, with servings of rice, buttermilk, pickles, papads and salads.

You might not be able to travel there right now, but we wanted to highlight some of the best recipes from the region. These recipes come from the very best food bloggers in the world, so make sure to bookmark their sites.

Grab yourself some good fresh produce and invite some friends or family over. Time to get into the kitchen and to start cooking up some of these classics. The perfect way to test yourself if you are an aspiring home cook!

The Best Chettinad Dishes

1. Chettinad Fish Fry

The best part of this Chettinad fish fry is the wide range of whole spices that you use in the recipe. When fried, they make the fish even tastier!

Recipe is by Nish Kitchen.

2. Chicken Chettinad

Chicken Chettinad Curry is the peppery, hot and delicious chicken curry from the land of Chettiyars, the trading community of India. It’s bursting with flavours of chiles, black pearl-like whole peppercorns and plenty of red onion.

Recipe is by Fun Food Frolic.

3. Kozhukattai

This is a popular South Indian dumpling made from rice flour, with a filling of grated coconut, jaggery, or chakkavaratti. The filling is sweet, making it a delicious treat.

Recipe is by Subbu’s Kitchen.

4. Karaikudi Eral Masala

Chettinad Eral Thokku is a spicy and mouth watering prawn masala with everyday Indian Spices. Serve with rice for lunch or dinner for a comforting meal.

Recipe is by Archana’s Kitchen.

5. Urlai Roast

Also called potato kara curry, this is a spicy potato roast, traditionally served in Tamil brahmin weddings. It’s an easy recipe in which roasted baby potatoes are tossed with ground and roasted chettinad masala.

Recipe is by Jeyashri’s Kitchen.

6. Cabbage Carrot Poriyal

Have some leftover carrots and cabbage in hand and wondering what recipe to prepare? Check out this healthy and tasty South Indian side dish cabbage carrot poriyal or cabbage carrot stir fry recipe. (Poriyal means dry curry in Tamil).

Recipe is by Pavi’s Kitchen.

Chettinad dishes

7. Mutton Chukka

This traditional mutton dish uses masala spices for a succulent feast. The mutton pieces are pressure cooked with onion, tomato, ginger-garlic paste, pepper powder, chili powder, turmeric, and sprigs of curry leaves. It’s quick too, taking just 30 minutes!

Recipe is by Nithi’s Click ‘N’ Cook.

Sarah Clayton-Lea

Co-founder of Big 7 Travel, Sarah created the company through her passion for championing the world's best food and travel experiences. Before her career in digital media, where she previously held roles such as Editor of Food&Wine Ireland, Sarah worked in the hospitality industry in Dublin and New York.

Contact [email protected]

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