The rich flavors of South India

Chicken kebabs

Indian cuisine is as diverse as its population, a point which was driven home during a recent visit to Bangalore and Secunderabad, two metro cities of Southern India. During this trip, we partook in traditional breakfast fare such as masala dosa, idli, vada sambhar with a wide spread of different chutneys (coriander, peanut,tomato, and mint). 

At the Amanyana Spa resort in Coorg- a coffee-growing region of Southern India, a few hours from Bangalore, we dined on traditional Coorgi fare, including dark pandhi (pork) curry, coconut-based koli (chicken) curry, accompanied with akki roti (bread made of rice flour). The experience did not meet expectations. It was edible but not outstanding. However, to be fair, we really did not have a point of reference to compare this to any other Coorgi cuisine.  On a more positive note, we got to try steamed chicken momos (dumplings) at a food stall outside the Tibetan monastery in Kushalanagar. This is a pretty rare find in the South, so if you are in Coorg and curious to try momos, this might be worth your while.

Coorgi pork and chicken curry

Another Southern city we visited was Secunderabad, the twin city of Hyderabad. Here, I tried the region's most famous Hyderabadi Biryani and kebabs - traditional dishes that incorporate Mughal, Persian, and Andhra flavors. Our culinary tour of the city included stops  at Royal Reve Hotel, where we enjoyed local takes on chicken kababs, and chicken dum biryani. These dishes were very well done and also reasonably priced, as compared to food in other metros. If you are here on leisure or work, you owe it to yourself to pay this establishment a visit.