Tiffin classics from the South Indian kitchen

South Indian Breakfast Recipes

A South Indian breakfast is often called tiffin, and it includes some of the region's best-known dishes. Idli are soft steamed cakes, dosa are thin, crisp crepes, and both are made from a fermented batter of rice and urad dal. Medu vada, uttapam and masala dosa come from the same family of lentil-and-rice cooking.

Not every breakfast needs an overnight ferment. Upma is ready quickly from semolina, pesarattu uses a green moong batter you can cook right after grinding, and pongal is a comforting pot of rice and moong dal. Most are served with sambar and coconut chutney, which you'll find here too.

10 recipes

Photo: Mayur Roxan on Unsplash

Idli & dosa (from one fermented batter)

Idlis topped with curry leaves on a banana leaf, with terracotta bowls of sambar, chutney and yogurt and scattered whole spices

VeganSouth Indian

Soft Idli

18 hr 10 min Medium Serves 6

Large triangular crisp dosa on a banana leaf in a steel tray, with sambar and a red chutney

VeganSouth Indian

Plain Dosa with Homemade Batter

18 hr 20 min Medium Serves 6

Rolled golden dosa on a teal plate with small steel bowls of potato masala, sambar and chutneys

VeganSouth Indian

Masala Dosa

18 hr 30 min Medium Serves 5

Two onion and tomato uttapams on steel plates with a bowl of coconut chutney on a blue cloth

VeganSouth Indian

Onion Tomato Uttapam

1 hr Easy Serves 4

More breakfast classics

White bowl of soft yellow rice and lentil porridge with cumin and a cilantro sprig, beside dry lentils and rice

VegetarianSouth Indian

Ven Pongal (Savory Pongal)

50 min Easy Serves 4

White rectangular plate of semolina upma with diced carrots and curry leaves, with onion rings and chopped carrot beside it

VeganSouth Indian

Rava Upma

30 min Easy Serves 3

Thin savory crepe cooking in a dark pan, topped with herbs and a dried red chili

VeganSouth Indian

Pesarattu (Andhra Green Moong Dosa)

6 hr 45 min Medium Serves 4

VeganSouth Indian

Medu Vada

4 hr 45 min Medium Serves 4

Serve with

White bowl of lentil stew with greens and a drumstick, beside dried red chilies, split lentils and garlic

VeganSouth Indian

Vegetable Sambar

1 hr 20 min Medium Serves 6

VeganSouth Indian

Coconut Chutney

13 min Easy Serves 6

Frequently asked questions

What is a typical South Indian breakfast?

Idli or dosa served with sambar and coconut chutney is the classic. Medu vada, upma, pongal, uttapam and pesarattu are also common.

Which South Indian breakfast is quickest to make?

Upma is the quickest because it needs no soaking or fermenting. Pesarattu is also fast once the moong has been soaked, since its batter is cooked right after grinding.

Do I need to ferment the batter for idli and dosa?

Yes. The batter is fermented, usually overnight, which makes idli light and gives dosa its flavor. Fermentation takes longer in a cool kitchen, so place the batter somewhere warm.

Is South Indian breakfast vegetarian?

The classic breakfast dishes, including idli, dosa, vada, upma, pongal, uttapam and pesarattu, are vegetarian.