Tamil Nadu has a number of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes to tantalise the global palate. An array of spices and condiments play important role in Tamil Nadu cuisines. Some of the essential ingredients of the vegetarian dishes of Tamil Nadu are coconut, tamarind and asafoetida. Generally, coconut oil is used in their cooking.

The staple food of Tamil Nadu is rice, and thus rice is an integral part of a typical Tamil meal. Different kinds of lentils, legumes, cereals grown in the region dominate the menu. Most meals consist of rice in any form as the main course, with different vegetable dishes and lentils cooked as accompaniments with the rice. A number of spices such as cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, pepper, chillies are used to flavour and bring out the unique aroma of the dishes. Herbs such as coriander, mint and curry leaves are not only used for garnishes but also add to the nutritive and medicinal value. Lentils are extensively used on a daily basis in the form of gravy called 'sambar' as accompaniments with rice.

No account of cuisines of Tamil Nadu can be complete without the mention of dosa, idli or bada samvar. Idlis are ideal for breakfast in Tamil Nadu. A typical day in a typical Tamil Nadu home starts with a breakfast of idlis - a kind of dumplings made of rice and urad dal (pulses) or rice pancakes- served with sambar and chutney. The latter is a coconut based dip. Dosa, which is also a pancake made from lentil and rice flour, can be taken in lunch or dinner, while vada sambar is a light snack. Rasam, a tangy concoction of tamarind juice and pepper in a hot broth, is another enticing dish of Tamil Nadu.

However, Tamil Nadu cuisine is not solely endowed with a vegetarian character. Tamil Nadu has many delectable mutton, chicken and fish dishes for the world to savour. Chettinad pepper chicken and paya are some of the sumptuous expressions among the non-vegetarian cuisines of the state.

One of the favourite drinks of Tamil Nadu is the filter coffee, which is at its frothy best in Chennai. Tamil Nadu tastes sweet with pongal, which is a sweet dish prepared during the harvest festival of the same name. Payasam is a common dessert of Tamil Nadu to end a hearty meal.

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