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A South Indian breakfast spread of masala dosa, onion uttapam, poori with potato curry, kothu parotta, chutneys, sambar and filter coffee.

Dosa, uttapam, poori: a guide to South Indian tiffins

Guides · 2 min read ·

What South Indians mean by tiffin, and how to choose between dosa, uttapam, poori and kothu parotta, with the chutneys and sambar that go with them.

Ask someone from Chennai or Hyderabad what they had for breakfast and you may hear “tiffin”. In South India the word means a light meal: breakfast, or a snack in the late afternoon with coffee. It is also a whole family of dishes, and a whole section of our menu.

Dosa

A dosa is a thin, crisp crêpe made from a fermented batter of rice and urad dal. It can be plain, brushed with ghee, rolled around spiced potato (masala dosa), spread with red chutney (Mysore masala) or dusted with roasted lentil-and-chilli powder (podi). Some are made as long as your arm; our House Special 70mm is named after the widescreen film format.

If you are choosing a first one, start with a masala dosa. You can make one at home with our masala dosa recipe.

Uttapam

Uttapam uses the same batter, poured thick and cooked like a soft, spongy pancake with toppings pressed into it: onion and green chilli are the classic pair. If dosa is crisp, uttapam is comforting.

Poori

Poori is a small wheat bread fried until it puffs into a golden ball. In the South it comes with a mild, turmeric-yellow potato curry; we also serve it with chicken, goat, fish or shrimp curry. Eat it hot, as soon as it arrives.

Kothu parotta

Kothu parotta is the loudest dish in Tamil Nadu. Flaky, layered parotta bread is shredded on a hot griddle with two steel blades, together with egg, meat or vegetables, onion, chilli and spicy gravy. In a street stall you hear it before you see it. The result is somewhere between a stir-fry and a hash, and it is very good with a cold drink.

What comes alongside

  • Coconut chutney: cool, white and mild. Here is how to make it.
  • Tomato or red chutney: tangy and hotter.
  • Sambar: a tamarind-sour lentil and vegetable stew for dipping.

Tear off a piece of dosa with your right hand, scoop up some potato, and dip it in chutney or sambar. Cutlery is fine too.

And to drink

At home, many South Indians would pair tiffin with strong filter coffee. A salty lassi or a cold lager works very well with a spicy podi dosa.

Questions

What is the difference between a dosa and an uttapam?
Both are made from fermented rice and lentil batter. A dosa is spread thin and cooked until crisp. An uttapam is poured thick, cooked like a soft pancake and topped with onion, chilli or tomato.
Are dosas vegetarian?
The batter is made only from rice, lentils, fenugreek and salt, so plain dosas are vegetarian and usually vegan. Some are cooked with ghee or butter, and some are filled with egg, chicken or paneer, so check the description.
What is kothu parotta?
A Tamil Nadu street dish of flaky parotta bread chopped on a hot griddle with egg, meat or vegetables, onions and spicy gravy. The name comes from kothu, to mince.

By the Biryani Pot Indian Bar & Grill team, Chandler, Arizona.