Madurai referred as the temple city is also famous for delicious food. This city is called as thoonganagaram, as tyou can get the special foods of Madurai like parotta, kothu parotta, biryani, spongy idli, crispy dosa, etc. till midnight. Late night, when you step into streets of Madurai you can hear the making sound of kothu parotta, the aroma of it will really pull you to the inside of shops.
1. Elaneer Sharbat
The hot weather in Madurai makes this sharbat a perfect choice to relish. It is a refreshing drink made from tender coconut, manner syrup, lemon juice, and ice cubes. The only thing after preparation of this drink is to serve it chilled immediately to enjoy the real taste of this beverage.
2. Chukkumalli Coffee
This chukkumalli coffee is used as the best home remedy to cure cold, digestive problems, and throat infections. This coffee is been used before many centuries, the nicely enriched aroma in coffee clears the block in nose. This spicy coffee made from coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black pepper, dry ginger, and palm jaggery or jaggery. In your next visit to Madurai, taste this medicinal property enriched chukka coffee.
3. Kothu Parotta
This kothu parotta is the most easily available street food of Madurai; it remains the most of Madurai people’s favourite food. They are made from either leftover parotta or fresh parotta; veg and non-veg forms are available. Kothu parotta can be prepared by cutting them into small pieces, adding onions, spices, tomatoes, and salna to it. Undoubtedly kothu parotta is the delicious food from Madurai origin that makes you tempting to have the food.
4. Mutton Chukka
This delicious recipe is very famous in Madurai region, the taste of it can’t be explained, it’s a lip-smacking food for all non-vegetarians. This chukka varuval is prepared with mutton pieces, coriander powder, chilli powder, & cumin seed powder. The strong fragrance and soft textured mutton chukka pieces enter your stomach easily since they are oil-enriched food. People love to eat these chukkas as an accompaniment along with rice and biryani.
5. Jigarthanda
They are made from manner syrups, badam pisin, condensed milk, and ice cream. Soaking this badam pisin overnight is must, this help to increase the volume of the drink. The ingredients used to prepare this dish are the natural coolants like manner and badam pisin. They give you much filler feel because of the presence of badam pisin, it helps to treat constipation successfully and helps to gain weight. After assembling the glass with badam pisin and other ingredients this jigarthanda has to be served immediately in the chilled form.
6. Madurai’s Idli
All of us have tasted idli in our lifetime, but Madurai’s idli is something special that to be tasted. Idli shops like Murugan idli shop gives tasty spongy idli with 4 different types of chutneys and sambhar. I am sure you will be speechless after tasting the idli in Madurai since the taste is entirely different and it increases the crave for idli’s even in kids.
7. Kari Dosa
Kari dosa is also called Mutton Kari Dosa which is made from mutton chukka, dosa batter, chopped onions, oil, ginger garlic paste, curry leaves, and fennel seeds. These dosa are made with toppings of meat and in size, it may look like Mini Uttapam. Adding eggs and chettinad masala to this mini dosa makes it a delicious mouth-watering dish for many people.
8. Idiyappam
Idiyappam is a perfect South Indian dish steamed food made out of rice flour, this idiyappam is a wonderful breakfast and goes well with coconut milk, grated coconut, kurma, coconut chutney, and other curries. There are shops like Burma Idiyappam Kadai and Konar Mess from where you can really enjoy this foodstuff. Never forget to give a try to this awesome food when you come to Madurai.
9. Elumbu Roast
This is a perfect and ideal food of choice for the non- veg lovers. It is made of goat’s bone, mutton, garlic, onions, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, and little vegetables, and is eaten hot. It tastes yummy and you can get this food available at delicious taste in Konar Mess, Arumugam Evening Mutton Stall, and Kumar Mess.
10. Kola Urundai
This minced mutton ball is definitely a treat to the foodies, it is made of minced meat and a variety of spices to flavour the dish. It is then deep-fried in oil, because of which it gets crunchy on the outside. These are available in many shops, but typical shops like Amma Mess, Kumar Mess, Konar Mess and Chandran Mess sells the best ones. So, don’t miss it out.
11. Kalkandu Sadam
Kalkandu Sadam was originated in Gujarat; the main ingredients of Kalkandu Saddam are moong dal and rice. The rice and dal are cooked with milk and all dry fruits are fried in ghee and added to rice, later kalkandu and saffron are added to the dish. The aroma has a strong flavour. You can enjoy the real taste of Kalkandu Sadham in Nagalakshmi Annexe.
12. Meen Kuzhambu
Fish curry of Madurai is spicy and tangy because of the addition of tomato to it; you can get the real taste of Meen Kuzhambu on the next day of your preparation. The best shops to relish this gravy is Amma Mess, Chettynadu Mess, Kumar Mess, Arumugam Mess and Appar Restaurant
13. Parotta & Mutton Curry
Madurai Parotta is something special; most people of Madurai are parotta lovers. The taste of it can’t be found anywhere else. Parotta of Madurai is totally different from Malabar and other regions. Here at Madurai, parottas are found with lots of flakes, and go well with mutton salna or mutton curry. Parottas from Sultan Restaurant, Saravana Parotta Stall, Ameer Mahal and Kumar Mess are delicious in taste.
14. Paruthi Paal
Paruthi Paal is a sweetened dish that is good for reducing body heat, it tastes yummy and is sweetened with healthy jaggery. The main ingredient of this dish is extract of cotton seeds and coconut milk. It cools the body, thus it becomes a staple food to have in summer. The ideal place to enjoy this paruthi paal is from roadside vendors.
15. Sooji Appams
Sooji Appams are made from maida, semolina, coconut, and oil. These have become the favourite evening time snack for Madurai people and tourist over there, and you can easily get it from roadside vendors.
16. Keerai Vadai
Kerri vadai is made out of mulmurungai leaves, urad dal, cumin powder, and pepper powder. This vadai is a perfect evening snack, goes well together with tea or coffee and is served with coconut chutneys. It is given to children to relieve from common cold and cough. The roadside shop offers good tasty and healthy keerai vadai’s.
17. Halwa
The halwa of Madurai from Prema Vilas are lip watering dessert that is to be enjoyed by everyone. It is too yummy and the halwa doesn’t stick on your hands but it sticks to your heart by its delicious taste. Prema Vilas Halwa is definitely a must try dessert for the sweet lovers.
18. Butter Bun
Simmakal butter bun is very famous and is made of sugar, butter, and bun. A buttery snack to relish in the evening times.
19. Vazhiyal
Vazhiyal is an egg dish made by eggs, onion, pepper, and mutton gravy that is of 3 different types. This spicy egg recipe you can enjoy in Tallakulam Area of Madurai.
20. Bun Parotta
Parotta itself is an awesome recipe but when coming to bun parotta no words are there to describe the taste of it. These are made with bun, butter, milk, egg, sugar, and banana. The kneading of dough is an highly essential tactic for getting soft parottas. These are flaky and in appearance-wise, they look like buns. You can get it at Aavin Junction.
