Breaking bread in South India–destinations popular for their breads

One of the best things about travelling to South India is eating its diverse variety of breads. Instead of being baked over fire, most of these breads are cooked over a pan or steamed. Get to know what all breads you can order for your next meal in South India.

Dosa is a staple in South India. Go anywhere in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh or Tamil Nadu, you are sure to find this thin and crispy flatbread for your meal. It is usually made using rice or semolina batter with a mix of different spices. The Udupi region of Karnataka is home to the Neer Dosa which is made using unfermented rice flour. It has a very soft and crepe-like texture unlike the usual dosa.

Uttapam is South India’s one of the favourite breakfast item. It is made from the same batter as dosa except that it is much thicker. It can also be called South India’s version of pizza with all the toppings of chopped chillies, tomatoes, onions and capsicum that go over it. It is served with coconut chutney, tomato-onion chutney and sambar.

Paniyaram is called by different named in South India–Paddu in Karnataka and Kuzhi Paniyaram in Tamil Nadu. It is cooked using rice and urad daal batter as well as fried onion and spices. The batter is put in round molds to cook like a muffin tray. It can also be eaten as a dessert by adding coconut and jaggery instead of the spices.

Adai is like dosa but it is coarser and heavier. It is made by making a batter of arhar dal, moong dal and a bit of chana daal, hence it is a satiating meal. In Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, it is served with Aviyal, a mixed vegetable curry having coconut and curd.

In Andhra Pradesh, Pesarattu is a dish made from lentil batter, more so the green moong dal. It is a breakfast item you will find in every nook and corner of the state. It is usually served with Rava Upma and chutney.