Production
Production
Chapter 1
                                       Introduction
Tamil Nadu is literally 'The Land of Tamils' or 'Tamil Country' is one of the 29 states
of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai (formerly known as Madras). Tamil Nadu lies
in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union
territory of Puducherry and the South Indian states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra
Pradesh. It is bounded by the Eastern Ghats on the north, by the Nilgiri, the Anamalai Hills,
and Kerala on the west, by the Bay of Bengal in the east, by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk
Strait on the southeast, and by the Indian Ocean on the south. The state shares a maritime
Tamil Nadu is the eleventh-largest state in India by area and the sixth-most populous.
The state was ranked sixth among states in India according to the Human Development
Index in 2011, and is the third-largest state economy in India with $13,842
billion (US$210 billion) in gross domestic product after Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Tamil Nadu was ranked as one of the top seven developed states in India based on a
India. Its official language is Tamil, which is one of the longest-surviving classical
Tamil Nadu is home to many natural resources. In addition, its people have developed
and continue to develop classical arts, classical music, and classical literature. The state is
also home to a number of historic buildings and religious sites including Hindu
temples of Tamil architecture, historic hill stations, multi-religious pilgrimage sites, and
habitations in the Indian peninsula In Attirampakkam, archaeologists from the Sharma Centre
for Heritage Education excavated ancient stone tools which suggests that humanlike
population exists in the Tamil Nadu region somewhere around 300,000 ago before homo
sapiens arrived from Africa. In Adichanallur, 24 km (15 mi) from Tirunelveli, archaeologists
from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) unearthed 169 clay urns containing human
skulls, skeletons, bones, husks, grains of rice, charred rice and celts of the Neolithic period,
3,800 years ago. The ASI archaeologists have proposed that the script used at that site is
site for further excavation and studies.[20] About 60 per cent of the total epigraphical
inscriptions found by the ASI in India are from Tamil Nadu, and most of these are in
A new study of Indigenous Australian DNA suggests there was some form of
migration from India to Australia about 4,000 years ago. Genetic evidence suggests that just
over 4 millennia ago a group of Indian travellers landed in Australia and stayed. The evidence
emerged a few years ago after a group of Aboriginal men’s Y chromosomes matched with Y
chromosomes typically found in Indian men. The study found a pattern of SNPs that is found
A Neolithic stone celt (a hand-held axe) with the Indus script on it was discovered at
Mahadevan, this was the first datable artefact bearing the Indus script to be found in Tamil
Nadu. According to Mahadevan, the find was evidence of the use of the Harappan language,
and therefore that the "Neolithic people of the Tamil country spoke a Harappan language".
The date of the celt was estimated at between 1500 BCE and 2000 BCE.
The early history of the people and rulers of Tamil Nadu is a topic in Tamil literary
corroborate that the Sangam period lasted for about six centuries, from 300 BC to AD 300.
The recent excavations in Alagankulam archaeological site suggests that Alagankulam is one
Three dynasties, namely the Chera, Chola and Pandya, ruled the area of present-day
Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The Chera ruled the whole of present-day Kerala and parts of
western Tamil Nadu comprising Coimbatore, Dharmapuri, Karur, Salem and Erodedistricts
from the capital of Vanchi Muthur (thought to be modern day Karur). The Chola
dynasty ruled the northern and central parts of Tamil Nadu from their capital, Uraiyur; and
the Pandya dynasty ruled southern Tamil Nadu, from capitals at Korkaiand Madurai.
All three dynasties had extensive trade relationships with Rome, Greece,
Egypt, Ceylon, Phoenicia, Arabia, Mesopotamia and Persia. Trade flourished in commodities
such as spices, ivory, pearls, beads and gems. Chera traded extensively from Muzirison the
west coast, Chola from Arikamedu and Puhar and Pandya through Korkai port. A Greco-
Roman trade and travel document, the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (c. AD 60 – 100) gives
Besides these three dynasties, the Sangam era Tamilakam (Tamil homeland) was also
divided into various provinces named 'nadu', meaning 'country'. Sangam literature refers
these provinces as "koduntamil mandalam" which were not exactly political or socio-cultural
Between the 3rd and 6th centuries AD, the three Tamil kingdoms were overwhelmed
by the Kalabhras. The period of their rule is sometimes referred to as the "Dark Age"
in Tamil history and little is known about it. The Kalabhras were expelled by
the Pallavas, Mutharaiyar, Badami Chalukyas and Pandyas in the 6th century.
The Bhakti movement originated in Tamil speaking region of South India and spread
northwards through India. The Bhakti Movement was a rapid growth of bhaktibeginning in
this region with the Saiva Nayanars (4th–10th centuries) and the Vaisnava Alvars who
spread bhakti poetry and devotion. The Alwars and Nayanmars were instrumental in
During the 4th to 8th centuries, Tamil Nadu saw the rise of the Pallava
dynasty under Mahendravarman I and his son Mamalla Narasimhavarman I. The Pallavas
ruled parts of South India with Kanchipuram as their capital. Tamil architecture reached its
peak during Pallava rule. Narasimhavarman II built the Shore Temple which is a UNESCO
Much later, the Pallavas were replaced by the Chola dynasty as the dominant kingdom
in the 9th century and they in turn were replaced by the Pandyan Dynasty in the 13th century.
The Pandyan capital Madurai was in the deep south away from the coast. They had extensive
trade links with the south east Asian maritime empires of Srivijayaand their successors, as
well as contacts, even formal diplomatic contacts, reaching as far as the Roman Empire.
During the 13th century, Marco Polo mentioned the Pandyas as the richest empire in
existence. Temples such as the Meenakshi Amman Temple at Madurai and Nellaiappar
Temple at Tirunelveli are the best examples of Pandyan temple architecture.[44] The Pandyas
excelled in both trade and literature. They controlled the pearl fisheries along the south coast
of India, between Sri Lanka and India, which produced some of the finest pearls in the known
ancient world.
During the 9th century, the Chola dynasty was once again revived by Vijayalaya
Chola, who established Thanjavur as Chola's new capital by conquering central Tamil Nadu
from Mutharaiyar and the Pandya king Varagunavarman II. Aditya I and his son Parantaka
I expanded the kingdom to the northern parts of Tamil Nadu by defeating the last Pallava
king, Aparajitavarman. Parantaka Chola II expanded the Chola empire into what is now
interior Andhra Pradesh and coastal Karnataka, while under the great Rajaraja Chola and his
son Rajendra Chola, the Cholas rose to a notable power in south east Asia. Now the Chola
Empire stretched as far as Bengal and Sri Lanka. At its peak, the empire spanned almost
3,600,000 km2 (1,400,000 sq mi). Rajaraja Chola conquered all of peninsular south India and
parts of Sri Lanka. Rajendra Chola's navy went even further, occupying coasts from Burma
(now ) to Vietnam, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Sumatra, Java, Malaya,
Philippines[45] in South East Asia and Pegu islands. He defeated Mahipala, the king of
Bengal, and to commemorate his victory he built a new capital and named it Gangaikonda
Cholapuram.
The Cholas were prolific temple builders right from the times of the first medieval
king Vijayalaya Chola. These are the earliest specimen of Dravidian temples under the
Cholas. His son Aditya I built several temples around the Kanchi and Kumbakonam regions.
The Cholas went on to becoming a great power and built some of the most imposing religious
structures in their lifetime and they also renovated temples and buildings of the Pallavas,
Temple at Srirangam held special significance for the Cholas which have been mentioned in
their inscriptions as their tutelary deities. Rajaraja Chola I and his son Rajendra Chola built
at Thirubhuvanam, the last two temples being located near Kumbakonam. The first three of
the above four temples are titled Great Living Chola Temples among the UNESCO World
Heritage Sites.
The Muslim invasions of southern India triggered the establishment of the Hindu
Vijayanagara Empire eventually conquered the entire Tamil country by c. 1370 and ruled for
almost two centuries until its defeat in the Battle of Talikota in 1565 by a confederacy
of Deccan sultanates. Subsequently, as the Vijayanagara Empire went into decline after the
mid-16th century, many local rulers, called Nayaks, succeeded in gaining the trappings of
independence. This eventually resulted in the further weakening of the empire; many Nayaks
declared themselves independent, among whom the Nayaks of Madurai and Tanjore were the
first to declare their independence, despite initially maintaining loose links with the
Vijayanagara kingdom.[44] The Nayaks of Madurai and Nayaks of Thanjavur were the most
prominent of Nayaks in the 17th century. They reconstructed some of the well-known
By the early 18th century, the political scene in Tamil Nadu saw a major change-over and
was under the control of many minor rulers aspiring to be independent. The fall of the
Vijayanagara empire and the Chandragiri Nayakas gave the sultanate of Golconda a chance
to expand into the Tamil heartland. When the sultanate was incorporated into the Mughal
Empire in 1688, the northern part of current-day Tamil Nadu was administrated by the nawab
of the Carnatic, who had his seat in Arcot from 1715 onward. Meanwhile, to the south, the
fall of the Thanjavur Nayaks led to a short lived Thanjavur Maratha kingdom. The fall of
the Madurai Nayaks brought up many small Nayakars of southern Tamil Nadu, who ruled
small parcels of land called palayams. The chieftains of these Palayams were known
as Palaiyakkarar (or 'polygar' as called by British) and were ruling under the nawabs of the
Carnatic.
Europeans started to establish trade centres during the 17th century in the eastern coastal
regions. Around 1609, the Dutch established a settlement in Pulicat, while the Danes had
their establishment in Tharangambadi also known as Tranquebar. In 1639, the British, under
the East India Company, established a settlement further south of Pulicat, in present-
day Chennai. British constructed Fort St. George[48] and established a trading post at
Madras. By 1693, the French established in trading posts at Pondichéry. The British and
French were competing to expand the trade in the northern parts of Tamil Nadu which also
witnessed many battles like Battle of Wandiwash as part of the Seven Years' War. British
reduced the French dominions in India to Puducherry. Nawabs of the Carnatic bestowed tax
revenue collection rights on the East India Company for defeating the Kingdom of Mysore.
Muhammad Ali Khan Wallajah surrendered much of his territory to the East India Company
which firmly established the British in the northern parts. In 1762, a tripartite treaty was
signed between Thanjavur Maratha, Carnatic and the British by which Thanjavur became a
In the south, Nawabs granted taxation rights to the British which led to conflicts between
British and the Palaiyakkarar, which resulted in series of wars called Polygar war to establish
independent states by the aspiring Palaiyakkarar. Puli Thevar was one of the earliest
opponents of the British rule in South India. Thevar's prominent exploits were his
confrontations with Marudhanayagam, who later rebelled against the British in the late 1750s
and early 1760s. Rani Velu Nachiyar, was the first woman freedom fighter of India and
Queen of Sivagangai. She was drawn to war after her husband Muthu Vaduganatha Thevar
(1750–1772), King of Sivaganga was murdered at Kalayar Kovil temple by British. Before
her death, Queen Velu Nachi granted powers to the Maruthu brothers to rule
the British in the First Polygar War. He was captured by the British at the end of the war and
hanged near Kayattar in 1799. Veeran Sundaralingam (1700–1800) was the General of
ammunition dump in 1799 which killed more than 150 British soldiers to save Kattapomman
Palace. Oomaithurai, younger brother of Kattabomman, took asylum under the Maruthu
brothers, Periya Marudhu and Chinna Marudhu and raised an army. They formed a coalition
with Dheeran Chinnamalai and Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja which fought the British in
Second Polygar Wars. Dheeran Chinnamalai (1756–1805), Polygar chieftain of Kongu and
feudatory of Tipu Sultan who fought the British in the Second Polygar War. After winning
the Polygar wars in 1801, the East India Company consolidated most of southern India into
Chapter 2
Tamil Nadu is a southern state of India which is supremely rich in culture and heritage.
Known to be one of the oldest civilisations in the world, the people of Tamil Nadu belong to
the prestigious Dravidian Family. Tamilians also, like other South Indians, take much pride in
their rooted culture and make great efforts to protect their 2000 years old history. The state
has been ruled by the Cholas, Pandyas and the Pallavas and has been flourishing since. The
art and architecture have been their creations which are used and maintained even today.
Out of 74 million Tamil people in the world, around 62 million live in Tamil Nadu. Rest of
the Tamilians are scattered in different parts of India and the world, mostly in the northeast of
Sri Lanka. People who live in the state understand the ethnicity of their culture and how it
marks their identity in the world. They are very adherent towards their rituals and traditions
like following the caste system, religion and community traits, etc.
Tamil is the official language of the state. It is a derivative of Brahmi script, and the letters
represent sounds, much like the Mandarin language. Not only most of the people in Tamil
Nadu speak Tamil, but it is also spoken by many in Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Singapore, and
Malaysia.
Religion
identity. Although four-fifth of the population of the state is Hindus, rest of them are divided
in Islam, Christianity, and Jainism. Their rituals include deity worship and animisms like tree
worship, animal worship and stars and planets worship. Many Hindus are followers of
different religious institutions called Matha which are the centres of Monastic studies.
Traditional Dress
Men can be seen wearing a Lungi with a shirt and Angavastra. Lungi is a rectangular cotton
cloth tied across the waist, and Angavastra is a cloth draped around the shoulders. It can be
worn over or without a shirt. Some people may also wear dhoti which is a long form of
Lungi, the bottom of which is mostly stuck at the waist. Men also wear Vibhuti on their
forehead.
Tamil Nadu women mainly wear Saree which is a five to six yards rectangular cloth made of
cotton, silk or any other fabric. The prints, design and style depend on the fabric and
community rituals. Kanchipuram Saree is often worn at the time of festivals. Young girls
wear half-saree which includes a blouse, long skirt and a dupatta from the waist to the
shoulders. Nowadays, salwar kameez and even western wear are preferred.
Tamil Cuisine
If you imagine? South Indian Food?, first things which pop in mind Idli, Dosa, Sambhar,
Vada, Upma and what not. It’s a typical Madrasi Food for North Indians. Tamil Food is
popular in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian contexts. Otherwise, rice, lentils, grains and
vegetables from the main ingredients in Tamil Cuisine. Rice is a staple food here. Sambhar
and Coconut Chutney are served with almost everything and guess what, it makes a fine
blend with most of them. For non-vegetarians, fish, turtle, mutton and venison are preferred.
Some Tamilians follow the tradition of eating on Banana Leaf even today.
Tamil Music has evolved over the years. The most important form of music was the Carnatic
music which considered only for the elite who could understand the intricacy of music. For
others, Telugu songs and a mix of traditional numbers from a source of entertainment.
Bharatnatyam is the official dance form of Tamil Nadu, recognized all over India and the
world. It?s a complicated dance form with subtle moves of body parts and expressions. Some
other folk dances like Parai, Villuputtu Karakaatam, and Kuthu are also performed by local
Kolam (also known as Rangoli) is drawn at the doors of every house in Tamil Nadu. It is
drawn before the sunrise and is said to welcome Goddess Laxmi. This has become hugely
Tamilians have perfected the art of spinning, weaving and chiseling over the years and their
brilliance is reflected in different art subjects like bronzes, sculptor works, carvings, etc.
Magnificent temples represent Tamil architecture with lofty ?gopurams? and statues of
goddesses engraved all over the edifice. Many well-known temples such as Meenakshi
Amman Temple and Breehadeeshwara Temple are located here which displays a grand vista
With a golden history of some great rulers and dynasties having ruled the state, it’s not
surprising to find such splendor in architecture, literature, and traditions. People of Tamil
Nadu have a great legacy to live up to. The culture and traditions have been safeguarded by
them over the years and are manifested till today in full vibrancy.
The theatrical culture that flourished Tamil culture during the classical age. Tamil theatre has
a long and varied history whose origins can be traced back almost two millennia to dance-
theatre forms like Kotukotti and Pandarangam, which are mentioned in an ancient anthology
The predominant theater form of the region is Kattaikkuttu, where performers (historically
men) sing, act, dance and are accompanied by musicians on traditional instruments. The
majority of performances draw from stories in the Mahabharata, while a few plays take their
The modern Tamil film industry originated during the 20th century. Tamil film industry has
its headquarters in Chennai and is known under the name Kollywood, it is the second largest
film industry in India after Bollywood.[74] Films from Kollywood entertain audiences not
only in India but also overseas Tamil diaspora. Tamil films from Chennai have been
distributed to various overseas theatres in Singapore, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Malaysia,
Japan, Oceania, the Middle East, Western Europe, and North America.[75] Inspired by
Kollywood originated outside India Independent Tamil film production in Sri Lanka,
Singapore, Canada, and western Europe. Several Tamil actresses such as Anuisa
and Vidya Balan have acted in Bollywood and dominated the cinema over the years. Some
Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu like MG Ramachandran, Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa have
Jallikattu
In Ancient times, Two bullfighting and bull-racing sports were conducted. 1. Manjuvirattu
and 2. Yeruthazhuval. These sports were organised to keep the people's temperament always
fit and ready for the war at any time. Each has its own techniques and rules. These sports
acted as one of the criteria to marry girls of warrior family. There were traditions where the
said the ancient Tamil tradition was "manju virattu" (chasing bulls) or "eruthu kattuthal"
(lassoing bulls) and it was never "jallikattu," that is baiting a bull or controlling it as the
custom obtained today. In ancient Tamil country, during the harvest festival, decorated bulls
would be let loose on the "peru vazhi" (highway) and the village youth would take pride in
chasing them and outrunning them. Women, elders and children would watch the fun from
the sidelines of the "peru vazhi" or streets. Nobody was injured in this. Or the village youth
would take delight in lassoing the sprinting bulls with "vadam" (rope).
It was about 500 years ago, after the advent of the Nayak rule in Tamil Nadu with its Telugu
rulers and chieftains, that this harmless bull-chasing sport metamorphosed into "jallikattu,"
The ancient Tamil art of unarmed bullfighting, popular amongst warriors in the classical
period, has also survived in parts of Tamil Nadu, notably Alanganallur near Madurai, where
it is known as Jallikattu and is held once a year around the time of the Pongal festival.
Festivals
  Pongal is the harvest festival celebrated by the farmers in January to worship the sun, the
earth and the cattle as thanks giving for a bounteous harvest. Pongal festival is followed by
the Jallikattu-Bull fight, in some parts of southern Tamil Nadu. Alanganallur in Tamil Nadu
is internationally famous for Jallikattu - Bull fight. Chithirai festival, Madurai brings a
Sundareswarar. Adipperukku is a festival celebrated on the 18th day of Tamil month, Adi,
on the banks of rivers. It marks the commencement of new farming operations. Dance
Festival, Mamallapuram, which is set before an open air stage, created 13 centuries ago the
incredible monolithic rock sculptures of the Pallavas, next to the sea in this ancient city of
Mamallapuram. Bharatha Natyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali, and Odissi are some dance
forms presented by the very best exponents of the art besides folk dances. At
the Natyanjali Dance Festival, the temple city of Chidambaram pays special tribute to Lord
Bharatnatyam Dance
years - the temple city that gets its name from Kumbha - the divine pot. The summer festival
is held every year in the 'Queen of Hill Stations', the evergreen Ooty, the exquisite
festival, where devotees flock to the shrine of saint Quadirwali. One of the descendants of the
Saint is chosen as a Peer or spiritual leader, and is honoured with offerings. On the tenth day
of the festival, the Saint's tomb is anointed with sandalwood, and later the holy sandal paste is
distributed to everyone. Wondrous legends surround the church, the most famous being that
of the ship wrecked Portuguese sailors, who in the 16th century, vowed to build a great shrine
for the Virgin Mary, for saving their lives in a terrible storm. The Velankanni festival
attracts thousands, clad in orange robes to the sacred spot where the ship landed. Equally
famous are the Virgin Mary's miraculous healing powers, earning for the church the name
The Navarathiri Festival, literally means the festival of 'nine nights', taking unique and
different forms in different states of India, all to propitiate the goddess Sakthi, for power,
wealth and knowledge. Rows of glittering earthen lamps outside every home and joyous burst
of fire crackers mark Tamil Nadu's Festival of lights, Karthigai Deepam. In December,
Chennai celebrates her priceless heritage of carnaticmusic and dance at its Music Festival to
The ancient temples found all over Tamil Nadu, being resplendent in striking architectural
and sculptural details, significantly recall a prosperous bygone age dominated by such
powerful kings as the Pallavas, Nayakas or Cholas. Visit these divine abodes to enjoy the
mesmerizing art forms, preserved over several centuries and also satiate your longing of a
spiritual quest.
Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva preside in the form of Meenakshi and Sundareshwarar in this
ancient temple, hailing as one of the most prominent ones in India. Believed to have
originally been constructed in the 6th century AD, it was restored in the 16th century by the
Nayak rulers due to its destruction by Muslim invaders in the 14th century. The temple
brilliantly features Dravidian architecture and some of the most notable details are, the
thousand pillared hall, the magnificently sculpted Gopurams and the exquisite portrayals of
Located between Tirupati and Kanchipuram, this hill temple was made by the Pallava
kings in the 9th and 10th century CE and represents one of the six battlegrounds of Lord
Pazhamudircholai, and Thiruchendur. To reach it, you may mount its 365 steps or avail a
motorable road. Look out for the Rudraksha tower that contains a gigantic ornamented image
Also known as Periya Kovil, Raja Rajeswara Temple, and Rajarajeswaram, this is one of the
biggest temples in India, visited by tourists from all over the world. Built by Raja Raja Chola
1 in 1010 CE, it is famous for a number of structures. It’s tower, commanding a height of
216ft is among the tallest temple towers in the world, while its apex, carved from a single
rock weighs nearly 80 tons. There is also a massive statue of “Nandi” that is 13ft high.
There are multiple attractive features of this temple in Cuddalore District. Firstly, the stone
scriptures, bronze statues, and surrounding Thillai trees vividly recall early Chola and Pallava
art. Secondly, the gold plated towers notably point at the Medieval structural inclusions put in
important to note that it’s the only temple of the later Chola period that sports significant
architectural features like, the “nritta maṇḍapa” or the Sūrya shrine having chariot wheels.
Counted as one of the Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, this temple gets visited by countless
devotees every day. Built by the Pandya rulers way back in the 12th century CE, it comprises
of several attractions like the four gopurams of 414ft each, an extensive corridor hall full of
Chapter 3
Tamilnadu Recipes
Food is an important part of tamil culture. Tamilians are known for their
hospitality and are very particular about feeding everyone that comes home with a smile.
Even a stranger who comes home is offered at least a cup of water. For occasions, people
make sure that their guest go home with a stuffed stomach. It is very common to lovingly
force the guests to have some extra servings of each course. Traditionally, food used to be
served on the floor on a banana leaf. Even now, during special occasions people prefer eating
their food in the traditional style. It often starts with a sweet, followed by rice served with
curries like sambhar, rasam, kaara kuzhambu, etc and finishing with curd. It is accompanied
by varieties of side dishes and fried snacks like appalam, vadagam, vadai etc. Finally it is
common to serve a dessert which is mostly payasam. Tiffin menu includes many dishes made
with rice and lentils. Apart from this, there are many specific snacks and sweets made during
festivals.
Tamil cuisine is dominated by rice, lentils, tamarind, coconut and curry leaves. There
are many dishes that are native to the state like the idli, dosa, sambhar, upma, filter coffee and
many more dishes. Along with these common dishes, there are many region specific dishes.
The Karaikudi Chettinad cuisine is known for its use of fresh spices in both veg and non
veg dishes. The Nanjilnadu (Kanyakumari and surrounding areas) dishes have an interesting
blend of tamil dishes with kerala style since nanjilnadu was part of kerala few decades
ago. Madurai people are known for their mutton preparations. They have very unique ways
of preparing each part of the mutton including the brain, blood, meat, leg, liver and intestine.
The Kongunadu cuisine (Coimbatore and surroundings) are famous for their preparation
using many millets. They have some age old recipes which are gaining popularity these days
The recipes from Tamilnadu are classified into 7 major categories. Press the links
below to go directly to the specific category or scroll down to see the recipes.
2. Rice Varieties
5. Snack Recipes
7. Beverages
Kotthu Parotta also called as Chilli Parotta is a very very famous dish in Tamil
Nadu especially in Kanyakumari district. It is usually made with left over parottas. Left
over parottas are shredded and mixed up with lots of sauteed onions, shredded chicken, eggs
etc to create a new delicacy. What i have given below is the recipe for egg parotta. If you do
not get parotta, you could use other ingredients like chappatti or bread and follow the same
method.
 Chicken Kothu Barotta- Add shredded chicken along with parotta pieces.
Ingredients
 Parotta - 4
 Green chilly - 4
 Eggs - 2-3
 Curry leaves - 5
 Cilantro - handful
 Oil - 2 tbsp
Method
2. Heat oil in a pan, splutter the mustard seeds and curry leaves.
3. Fry onions and green chillies till they become golden brown.
4. Add the tomatoes and saute for a while. Next add the garam masala, some chopped
5. Add the shredded parotta and mix everything together. Let it cook for 5 minutes.
6. Add the eggs and keep mixing till the egg gets cooked.
7. Garnish with cilantro and split green chillies. Kothu parotta is ready to be served.
(b) Appam
Appam (or Aapam) is a very popular breakfast item from Kerala. It is also made in
Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. These are spongy pancakes made with fermented raw rice and
coconut batter. It is also known as the Palappam. Traditionally Kallu (toddy) was added to
the aapam to aid fermentation thus giving its name Kallappam. Nowadays yeast is used
instead. People who cannot find yeast or do not prefer yeast can use cooking soda (also called
There is another type of appam, known as the vellappam which is quite similar. Palappam
batter is thinner and is made in the traditional aapa chatty (aapam pan). Vellappam batter is
Ingredients
 Cooked rice - Handful (You could also use pressed rice/poha/aval instead)
 Yeast - 1 tsp
 Salt - as needed
Method
2. Grind coconut and cooked rice together in a blender first until smooth.
3. To this add the soaked rice and grind everything together. The batter should be smooth.
4. Add the yeast, salt and sugar and mix well. Let it ferment for few hours or overnight.
5. Make Appam in the appam kal else make it like pancakes on regular pan. No need of
adding oil. Pour a spoonful of batter and spread using circular motion by holding the
handle of the appam pan. Some people like the center to be thick and spongey. If that is
the case add little extra batter. If not make thinner appams.
6. Cover with a lid and let it cook for couple of minutes. If you prefer to have appams
Tips
 If you do not like the smell of yeast, add a pinch of baking soda 30 minutes before
Variations
 You can make 'Wheat Aapams' too. Make the batter by mixing wheat flour with salt,
sugar, yeast, coconut milk and water. Let the batter ferment and make aapams just like
 While making the aapams, if an egg is broken in the middle of the appam and then
During our initial days of marriage, it was decided between us that we would take
each other to all the important places of our lives. My hubby took me to see his school,
college, the local playground, the common meeting point of friend, his 1st place of work and
many more. My husband says that he loved his post graduation days the best and my curious
mind wanted to know the reason behind it. On being asked, he said the breakfast is super
tasty in the PG mess. It was only then I asked him his favorite cuisines and dishes and
importantly which breakfast he relished the most in his PG days. My husband quickly replied
with lot of pride that no one can ever match the taste of VEN PONGAL of his hostel. Now,
that was kind of an open challenge on me and I had to prove him wrong. I knew deep within
that it was not difficult and I told him I can make the best ven pongal for him.
Ven pongal is an authentic breakfast dish from Tamilnadu and is popular among all the south
Indian states. This along with chakkara pongal (Sweet pongal) are the main dishes prepared
on the Tamil harvest festival Pongal or Sankranti. Pongu in Tamil means boil over and
“Ven” in Tamil means white. Ven pongal is made from rice and yellow lentil or the moong
dhal which is boiled over and cooked completely that it has to be mashed easily. The
tempering of pepper and cumin seeds in ghee, poured over the top gives pongal its unique
aroma and taste. Ven pongal is also made as a prasadam or offering to god in temples and at
After we returned from our short trip to my hubby’s college, I cooked pongal as a brunch (I
usually do that) on the immediate Sunday. He relished it so much and finally had to beat his
Serves: 4 - 5
Ingredients
 Asaefoetida - a pinch
 Salt - to taste
 Water - 5 cups
For Tempering
Method
1. Soak the rice and dal in 5 cups of water for minimum of 10 minutes.
2. Add required salt, grated ginger and asafoetida to this mixture and pressure cook for 5
3. Heat ghee in a small pan, splatter cumin seeds, black pepper, curry leaves.
4. Add this to the cooked rice dal mixture after the pressure is released.
6. Mix everything together even when it is still hot. The rice and dal should be partly
mashed up.
Variations
 Dry roasting the moong dal or the yellow lentil prior to cooking gives additional flavor
to the dish.
 Diet watchers can replace the white rice with brown rice or any type of millet. You can
 You could also add vegetables like carrot, beans, spinach and green peas and
(a) Sambar Rice (Sambhar Sadam, Kadamba Sadam, Kootanchoru, Mixed Vegetable
Lentil Rice)
Sambhar Rice is one of the most common and delicious one-pot meal in any south-
Indian household. In many parts of south India it is also referred as Kadamba sadam.
Kadamba, meaning mixed and sadam meaning rice. Since it is made with rice, lentils,
veggies, tamarind and spices, the name Kadamba is conferred. In Tiruneveli, this is popular
by the name Kootan Choru. Again the name comes from the fact that the rice, lentils, veggies
Sambhar rice is very easy and quick to prepare and can be comfortably cooked in our
busy mornings. I have also shared the Sambhar Sadam from Karnataka, known as Bisi
Bele Bath, which is made elaborately with fresh spices that are roasted and ground. This
version of sambar sadam, known as Kootan Choru is much simpler to make. The veggies can
Sambhar rice is rich in all the essential nutrients and makes it an ideal choice of lunch
for school going children and working professionals. Well known nutritionists advice that
rice (a medium glycemic index food) when mixed with dal or Sāmbhar lowers down the GI
considerably. The tempering with mustard seeds, jeera and fenugreek seeds, in addition to
providing the flavor, also contribute in lowering the GI.Hence Sāmbhar rice can be safely
eaten and enjoyed by diet watchers and diabetic patients. We also add our favorite veggies
which make our rice look more colorful and nutritive. The spices used bring in a lot of flavor
and also aids in easy digestion. An additional spoon of ghee while serving hot increases the
Sambhar rice can be served along with baby potato fry (My favorite…), chips,
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients
 Rice - 1 cup
Ivygourd, Drumstick Leaves, Spinach, Pumpkin, Green Beans, Yam, Broad Beans,
 Water- 3 cups
 Salt - To taste
For Grinding
 Green chili - 1
For Tempering
 Oil - 1 tbsp
 Ghee - 1 tbsp
 Curry leaves- 10
Method
1. Wash the rice and dal. I like to soak these while I am chopping the vegetables.
2. Chop all the vegetables about the same size. You can use any vegetables or greens that
3. Soak some tamarind in about 1/4 cup of water. Grind all the ingredients under 'to grind'
5. Add the ground paste, salt, turmeric powder and sambar powder.
6. Extract the tamarind juice and add it to this. Also add the water.
7. Close the cooker and put the whistle on. Cook it for 4 whistles.
9. Once you open the cooker do a taste test and adjust anything if needed.
10. Heat oil in a small skillet. Fry the mustard seed, urad dal, thalippu vengaya vadam,
11. Add this seasoning to the cooked rice. Add 1 tbsp of ghee and mix everything well.
herb used in every Indian kitchen, especially a south Indian kitchen. No tadka or tempering is
complete without the addition of fresh curry leaves. Unfortunately, many of us throw the
curry leaves from our food. I have always wanted to eat curry leaves as a whole, in some
I had first tasted Curry leaf rice prepared by my grandmother after my first
delivery. In my grandmother’s kitchen backyard, there are many curry leaf trees, which she
grandmother, lactating mothers of new born babies should begin their meal with a morsel of
curry leaf rice, because curry leaves are rich in iron and folic acid which helps in keeping
anemia in bay. It also improves the digestion and alters the way our body absorbs fat and also
Curry leaf rice is the easiest and the quickest that can be cooked on any busy morning.
Curry leaves can be washed and pat-dried on kitchen towels, the previous night to make it
faster. So, go ahead and set out to make this green colorful aromatic nutritive rice variety in
Serves: 4
Ingredients
 Salt - as needed
 Garlic - 1 clove
 Peppercorns - 5
 Coconut - 2 tbsp
For Seasoning
 Asaefoetida - a pinch
Rasam is a thin soup made with some broth flavored with pepper, cumin and garlic. It
is usually made on a daily basis using lentil broth. In Chettinad, people love their non-veg as
much as their vegetarian dishes. They make rasam with chicken and mutton. One of my
friend made this for me few years back and I just loved it. I generally enjoy chicken clear
soup as well as rasam. This was like a blend of two of my favorite dishes.
This South Indian style chicken soup is good for common cold or just to have on cold
or rainy days. Those days it used to be made with country chicken, also known as Naatu
Kozhi. Even now I would suggest using country chicken if available as the taste is
unbeatable. In US, the taste of game hen is somewhat close. If not, you can use mutton piece
or turkey pieces to make this rasam. Chicken rasam is very easy and quick to make. It's is a
very good combination for plain rice. It has always been a hit whenever I make for my
Serves: 3 - 4
Ingredients
 Green Chilly - 1
For Tempering
 Oil - 2 tbsp
 Peppercorns - 1 tsp
 Garlic pods - 5 or 6
Method
1. In a pressure cooker add the bony chicken pieces, green chili and half of the onion.
2. Pressure cook for 7-8 whistles. We want the bones to break down and release all its
essence.
3. In the meantime, coarsely grind the ingredients under 'For Tempering' using the pulse
mode. You can also use a motar and pestle to crush the ingredients.
4. Heat oil in a pan, add the rest of the chopped onion, the coarsely ground masala and
chopped tomatoes one after the other. Fry for a minute or two.
5. After the pressure goes down by itself, open the cooker. Add the chicken broth along
with the bony pieces to the tempering. Some people prefer to discard the bony chicken
6. Add the chicken masala and chopped cilantro to the rasam. Bring it to a boil and switch
Take the bony chicken pieces in a pressure cooker. Add about 5-6 cups of water,
some chopped shallots, green chili, salt and turmeric powder. Pressure cook for 7-8 whistles
until all the essence from the bones comes into the liquid.
When that is getting ready, prepare the masala. For that take garlic cloves,
peppercorns, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, dry red chili and some curry leaves in a mixie
jar. Pulse it to crush it coarsely. You can also use a motar and pestle to get the job done.
(b) Fry with Medium Sized Fish (Meen Varuval, Meen Porichathu, Grilled Fish, Broiled
Fish)
Ingredients
 Garlic Powder - 1/2 tsp (or use 1/2 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste)
 Salt - 1 tsp
Method
2. Mix the chilli powder, coriander powder, pepper powder, turmeric powder, chopped
4. Apply this paste over the fish pieces. Let it marinate for 10-15 minutes.
5. Shallow fry the pieces till both sides are brown and crispy (about 2-3 minutes on each
side).
Karadaiyan Nombu is a traditional fasting festival observed by tamil brahmins. The married
women pray for the well being and long life of their husband. It is celebrated during the
A special dish made during this karadaiyan nombu is called the karadaiyan nombu
adai. Here is the savoury version of the nombu adai. You can also find the recipe for
Ingredients
Asafoeitida - a pinch
Oil - 2 tsp
Method
1. In a kadai pour water, add rice flour and mix well and ensure that no lumps formed.
2. Add the other ingreidents. Keep it on stove and cook in medium flame till you get nice
pliable dough.
3. Cool it, make small balls out of it with the help of oil and flatten it.
4. Make a hole in the middle, place it on the plantain leaf and steam for 15 minutes.
5. Serve hot or cold as u wish. You should be careful with water since some rice powder
3.1.6 Tamil Nadu Desserts and Sweets (Naralachi Vadi, Thenga Burfi, Nariyal Burfi)
Ingredients
Method
1. Heat a non stick pan in medium flame and add the grated coconut.
  2. Saute until the coconut flavor comes and check it doesn't turn brown(it takes 5 to 10
      minutes).
7. Take a plate or any non stick vessel and grease with butter.
10. Now cut the Burfi with buttered knife with vertical lines.
11. Turn the plate to 45 degrees and again cut into vertical lines to form diamond shape.
Ingredients
     Water - 4 cups (to cook the rice and dal) (Tip :- You can substitute 4 cups of water with
      2 cups water + 2 cups milk or 2 cups).
     water + 2 cups coconut milk.
     Cashews, Almonds, Raisins or Coconut Pieces - about 1/4 cup (Use as per your
      preference or whatever you have on hand)
Method
1. Take a pressure cooker and dry roast the moong dal for about 5 minutes.
2. Add the rice to this. Now add the 4 cups of water (with milk if adding) and 1 tsp ghee.
  3. Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles till the rice and dal is cooked soft. You can also cook the
     mixture in a rice cooker or an open pot.
4. In the meantime, heat 1 tblsp of ghee and fry the nuts and raisins. Keep this aside.
5. Next, melt the crushed jaggery with 1 cup of water in a heavy bottomed pot/pan.
  6. Once the jaggery has melted, you can strain it to remove any dirt. This step can be
     skipped if the jaggery is pure.
  7. Return the strained jaggery back to the pot. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat and let it
     simmer for about 5 minutes.
8. Mash the cooked rice-dal mixture partially and add it to the simmering jaggery syrup.
  9. Add the remaining ghee, cardamon powder, saffron strands and the roasted nuts. Mix
     together and let it simmer for few minutes till everything comes together into a gooey
     pongal consistency.
4. Masala Mor
Chapter 4
Conclusion
In this Project work Focus on Study and analysis of Tamil Nadu State Food
Production. In this work brief introduction about Tamil Nadu State, Geographical limits,
Culture, Traditions and Famous temples are discussed. The recipes from Tamilnadu are
mainly classified into 7 Categories. From the 7 Categories Famous recipes like Kotthu
Parotta, Aapam, Kadamba, Kozhi Rasam, Meen Varuval, Coconut Burfi and Nombu Adai
sweet ingrediants and prepation procedure discussed briefly. Based on Training of 2 Months
in GRTS Radison Blu , Chennai, Tamil Nadu State will get the experience to full fill our
References
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamil_Nadu
2. https://simpleindianrecipes.com/TamilnaduRecipes.aspx#breakfast