Delicious South India - South India and Kerala - page 961

and fenugreek. Something a little more unusual is the bumpy-skinned karela (bitter gourd)
which, like the delicious bhindi (okra), is commonly prepared dry with spices.
SOUTHERN BELLES
Dosas (also spelt dosai), a family of large papery rice-flour crêpes, usually served with a bowl of hot sambar
(soupy lentil dish with cubed vegetables) and another bowl of cooling coconut chatni (chutney), are a South Indi-
an speciality that can be eaten at any time of day. The most popular is the masala dosa (stuffed with spiced pota-
toes), but there are also other fantastic dosa varieties - the rava dosa (batter made with semolina), the Mysore
dosa (like masala dosa but with more vegetables and chilli in the filling), and the pessarettu dosa (batter made
with mung-bean dhal) from Andhra Pradesh.
The humble idli , a traditional South Indian snack, is low-cal and nutritious, providing a welcome alternative to
oil, spice and chilli. Idlis are spongy, round, white fermented rice cakes that you dip in sambar and coconut
chatni . Dahi idli is an idli dunked in lightly spiced yoghurt - brilliant for tender tummies. Other super southern
snacks include vadas (doughnut-shaped deep-fried lentil savouries) and appams or uttappams (thick, savoury
South Indian rice pancake with finely chopped onions, green chillies, coriander and coconut).
Vegetarians & Vegans
South India is king when it comes to vegetarian fare. There's little understanding of ve-
ganism (the term 'pure vegetarian' means without eggs), and animal products such as
milk, butter, ghee and curd are included in most Indian dishes. If you are vegan your first
problem is likely to be getting the cook to completely understand your requirements.
For further information, surf the web - good places to begin include Indian Vegan
( www.indianvegan.com ) and Vegans World Network ( www.vegansworldnetwork.org ) .
Technically speaking, there's no such thing as an Indian 'curry' - the word, an anglicised derivative of
the Tamil word kari (sauce), was used by the British as a term for any dish including spices.
Pickles, Chutneys & Relishes
Pickles, chutneys and relishes are accompaniments that add zing to meals. A relish can be
anything from a tiny pickled onion to a delicately crafted fusion of fruit, nuts and spices.
One of the most popular side dishes is yoghurt-based raita, which makes a tongue-cooling
counter to spicy food. Chatnis (chutneys) can come in any number of varieties (sweet or
savoury) and can be made from many different vegetables, fruits, herbs and spices. But
you should proceed with caution before polishing off that pickled speck sitting on your
thali; it may quite possibly be the hottest thing that you've ever tasted.