|  Tamil Nadu, true home of Indian vegetarianism,
is the land of the delicious Pongal, Idli, Dosa, Sambar and Rasam. Tamilian's
staple diet is steamed rice and most of their food consists of grains,
lentils and vegetables. 'Sadhams' (rice dishes) with different flavours
are their specialty. Spices are added for most dishes to give a distinctive
taste. Coconut, tamarind, asafeotida are a must for most vegetarian dishes.
Desserts such as burfis and payasams are also popular. To get a sample
of the tasty cuisine, one can participate in the celebrations of Pongal,
a festival more popularly known as Makar Sankranti elsewhere, when Pongal
(rice and lentils boiled together and seasoned with ghee, cashew nuts,
pepper and cummin seed) is prepared as a custom. A non-vegetarian lunch,
includes curries or dishes cooked with mutton, chicken or fish. The pappad
and the pickle finishes a complete Tamilian meal. Chettinad cuisine is
a speciality in Tamil Nadu and will be a delight for those who like hot
and spicy non-vegetarian food. This type of food has several variations
of fish, mutton, and chicken dishes of which the Chettinad Pepper Chicken
is a specialty. The Tamil style of Mughali food can be savoured in the
biriyanis and paya. Tamil Nadu is also famous for its filter coffee, the
making of which is almost a ritual.
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