Kesari is a sweet dish that involves roasting semolina (sooji) in ghee until it’s fragrant and golden. Often garnished with cashews and raisins, it provides a delightful texture and nutty flavour.

Nei Urrundai (also known as Nei Appam) is a sweet dumpling that is made from a batter consisting of rice flour, jaggery, mashed banana, grated coconut, and cardamom.

Omapodi is a crunchy and flavourful snack made by combining gram flour (besan), rice flour, ajwain (carom seeds), asafoetida, and ghee.

Idli is a staple in South Indian cuisine, especially during festivals like Deepavali. The preparation involves soaking and grinding rice and urad dal to create a smooth batter.

Sambar is a lentil-based vegetable stew that’s both nutritious and delicious. To prepare sambar, pigeon peas (toor dal) are cooked with a medley of vegetables like moringa (also known as drumsticks), carrots, and brinjal.

Adhirasam is a traditional sweet treat made during festivals such as Deepavali. The batter consists of rice, jaggery, and cardamom, where it’s deep-fried until it puffs up and turns golden brown.

Murukku is best known for its unique shape and addictive crunch. Made from a mixture of rice flour and urad dal flour, combined with cumin seeds, sesame seeds, asafoetida, and butter.

Arguably one of the most recognisable Indian dishes, biryani is basmati rice that is parboiled and layered with marinated meat (usually mutton or chicken) and aromatic spices. The layers are then slow-cooked, allowing the rice to absorb the flavours of the meat and spices, resulting in a fragrant and delectable one-pot dish.

Ghee rice is a simple yet richly flavoured dish, where basmati rice is sautéed in ghee along with whole spices like cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. This process infuses the rice with the aromatic essence of the spices and the richness of ghee, creating a perfect accompaniment to curries and gravies.

Chicken curries are prepared with a variety of spices, including coriander, cumin, cardamom, and cinnamon. Onions, tomatoes, and ginger-garlic paste are then sautéed to form a flavourful base, and the meat is slow-cooked in this aromatic mixture until tender.