Some of the words and foods used in South Indian cooking may be unfamiliar to you. Here is a brief description of some of the basics. Of course the tastes themselves are indescribable!
Basmati rice: India's favorite, a delicate long-grain rice with a nutty flavor.
Chai: The Indian spiced tea, soothing and sweet and an excellent aid to digestion and camaraderie.
Chole: Chickpeas in sauce, usually served as a side dish.
Chutney: A universal element in Indian cooking, chutney is a condiment, often sweet, served to accompany the main dishes. At Paru's we usually serve coconut and tamarind chutneys.
Dal: Rich lentil broth, tangy and hot.
Dosa: Lentil crepe, often filled with potato curry (masala dosa). A basic South Indian food.
Ghee: Clarified butter used in cooking and flavoring.
Gulab Jamun: A special dessert, almost impossible to describe; it consists of fried milk pâté dumplings in golden syrup. Very rich and sweet.
Halwa: A sweet pâté, made at Paru's of nuts or wheat, served as dessert.
Idli: Rice and lentil dumpling, savory and mild.
Milagu Tawny: A thin lentil broth, also known as rasam.
Papad: A crisp lentil cracker that is a wonderful appetizer.
Paratha: Indian flatbread, chewy and flavorful. Often stuffed to become a meal in itself.
Poori: Puffed round bread, always served hot from the oven.
Sambar: Thin vegetable gravy used for dipping--though many of our friends like it so much they eat it as soup!
Samosa: A crisp turnover stuffed with hearty potato and peas curry.
Uppuma: Savory curried semolina, rich and mild.
Uttapam: Thick lentil crepe topped with a variety of vegetables--you could call it an "Indian pizza."