The thin pancake known as dosa is one of the most famous Indian dishes. It is made with soaked rice and black gram beans, which are ground into a paste and mixed to create a thick batter, usually left to ferment overnight. The mixture is enriched with a handful of fenugreek seeds, which give dosa its distinctive golden brown color and a delicious, crispy texture. It is then baked on a hot oiled griddle, pertaining a delicate, thin texture and round shape. Indian dosa is a staple dish in the entire country, but some believe that dosa had originated in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is an ancient dish, whose origins are traced back to the 1st century AD, when it was first mentioned in Tamil literature. Others claim that it's linked to Udupi (present day Karnataka) due to the association with the Udupi restaurants. Usually, dosa is consumed as a savory dish, commonly eaten for breakfast, dinner, or a quick snack. Since it has a rather neutral taste, dosa is an ideal accompaniment to many luscious Indian dishes, such as meat and vegetable curries or chutneys. It is often filled with ingredients and wrapped, or served on the side as an integral part of a meal, when it is usually used as a utensil to scoop the fragrant side dishes. As other ancient food staples, dosa has been adapted and combined with other ingredients to create numerous distinct varieties. Wheat flour, semolina, rice flour, or soy milk are used in some regions to create milder, diverse, and more interesting dosa varieties. This ancient Indian creation, in its numerous forms, is found everywhere in India - it is sold as a quick snack by street vendors, and it is an irreplaceable item in traditional Indian restaurants.
Ishtu is a traditional dish originating from Kerala. This simple stew with a soupy consistency is made with a combination of onions, potatoes, ginger, green chili peppers, curry leaves, black peppercorns, and coconut milk. The ingredients are simmered until they become tender, and (optionally) a bit of coconut oil is added to the stew just before serving. This creamy and rich dish is usually served for breakfast and it's traditionally accompanied by South Indian breakfast items such as appam, idli, or dosa.
Putu mayam is a popular street food dish with origins either in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu or Kerala. Although it is south Indian in origin, it is also extremely popular in Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Singapore, and Indonesia. The dish consists of rice or idiyappam flour noodles which are topped with desiccated coconut and sweetened with sugar blocks. The noodles are made by passing the dough through a sieve (usually a traditional rattan basket with holes), and then they are steamed in the same basket, imparting a wood-like aroma to the noodles. Traditionally, putu mayam is served on a banana leaf, for easier consumption. It can be used as an accompaniment for meat dishes or curries. The name of the dish stems from two words, putu, Malayan for rice cake, and mayam, which is derived from the word mayang, meaning desiccated coconut.
Paruppu sadam is one of the most popular side dishes from Tamil Nadu, consisting of rice and dal lentils which are seasoned with various spices and herbs such as garlic, chili, cumin, turmeric, and curry leaves. The whole dish can be made in a single pot, and its simplicity is the reason for its popularity. It is recommended to serve paruppu sadam with chips, potato curries, chutneys, or appalam.
Urulai kizhangu podimas is a traditional dish originating from Kerala. It’s made with a combination of potatoes, oil, mustard seeds, urad dal, onions, green chili peppers, ginger, curry leaves, and turmeric powder. The ingredients are fried in oil, then combined with boiled potatoes. The combination is then mashed, and these spicy mashed potatoes are usually served with paratha flatbread. If desired, the dish can be garnished with coriander leaves and lemon juice.
Undrallu is a traditional dish originating from Andhra Pradesh. These steamed rice balls are made with a combination of rice, water, Bengal gram (chana dal), and salt. The rice is washed, dried, ground, and boiled in water, then seasoned with salt. The mixture is cooked over low flames and constantly stirred. Cooked dal is then added to the rice and the mixture is stirred, cooled, and shaped into balls which are then steamed until done. Undrallu is traditionally served with raita or tamarind chutney.
Cheera thoran is a traditional side dish originating from Kerala. It's usually made with a combination of spinach, onions, garlic, cumin, hot peppers, mustard seeds, grated coconut, red chili powder, turmeric, coconut oil, and curry leaves. The ingredients are chopped or ground, then stir-fried in oil over medium heat. The mixture is simmered with water for a few minutes, and it's then served while still hot, ideally with chapati flatbread on the side. If desired, cheera thoran can also be served with steamed rice for a full meal.
Karuveppilai sadam is a traditional dish originating from Southern India, and it's also known as spiced curry leaves rice. The dish is prepared with a combination of rice, curry leaves, lentils, salt, pepper, coriander, cumin, chili peppers, mustard, asafoetida, peanuts (optionally), and oil. Most of the ingredients are roasted and tempered until the curry leaves become crisp. Cooked rice is mixed with the tempering and other ingredients, and the dish is then simmered until the flavors are completely absorbed. Karuveppilai sadam is typically enjoyed with raita or on the side.
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot,
nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable.
For the “Top 8 Southern Indian Side Dishes” list until June 15, 2026, 348 ratings were recorded, of which 247 were recognized by the system as legitimate.
TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods,
instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.
