Recipe board

South Indian recipes has been around for at least 2500-3000 years and it has changed much over the years. The use of many different herbs and spices make each dish quite unique. Each different region in tamilnadu is known for it's wide selection of different recipes and cooking styles and tastes. Though about one third of the population is strictly vegetarian, there are many different dishes that include chicken, lamb and goat meat. In India though the cow is thought of as a sacred animal therefore you will not find many recipes including beef. Food is such an important part of Indian culture as in most cultures, and plays an important role in the family life and in festival celebrations. Most families in India still sit down together to enjoy their meals with one another. There are a couple of main courses and they are usually served along with different pickles, chutneys and of course different types of Indian bread, which is called "roti". There is also usually a dessert served as well.
Well you can see certain similarities. But addition of herb or some spices may overturn the taste.

Chakara Pongal

Ingredients :
1 cup rice
¼ cup moong dal
½ cup jaggery
2 cups milk
1 cup ghee
4 cloves
1 tsp nutmeg powder
¼ cup cashews
¼ cup golden raisins
2 elaichi edible camphor (optional)

Method :
Roast moong dal in a pan for 5 to 10 minutes. Cook rice, moong dal, milk and 3 cups of water till the rice gets cooked. Melt jaggery, by boiling it with little water, and mix this with the cooked rice.Put ghee and keep stirring until everything blends well. Fry cashews, raisins and cloves in little ghee and add this to the above.Pound elaichis, and edible camphor, nutmeg, and add this to the payasam.

Venn Pongal Ingredients :
2 cups rice
½ cup moong dal
a small pinch hing
curry leaves
cashews
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp cumin seeds
a small piece ginger, finely chopped
½ tsp ghee
1 tsp salt

Method :
Cook rice, moong dal and haldi powder with extra water and keep it aside.Sauté pepper, cumin seeds, hing, curry leaves, and ginger in 2 tsp ghee, and add this to the above pongal.Fry cashews in 1 tsp ghee and add to the above.Add salt and remaining ghee and mix all the ingredients properly.