Edible Vancouver Island January/February 2024

In contrast, colonialists often found South Indian food too spicy, so it remained on the back burner, ceding table space to butter chickens and saag paneers. Recently, however, the rising tide of conscious, plant-based eating has created the perfect conditions for South Indian food to step into the spotlight. With rice, lentils and vegetables at the centre of the meals, plant-forward diners are venturing to the Indian South. POPULAR SOUTH INDIAN DISHES Food of varying degrees of heat exists all over India, though South Indian cuisine is arguably the spiciest. But with dozens of variations and hundreds of accompanying dishes from all across the six states that make up South India, South Indian food offers something for everyone. DOSAS: Fermented for at least twenty-four hours, dosas are a work of delicate balance; a batter too thick or too thin results in a sticky mess on the griddle. The batter is poured atop a griddle with a karchi (a flat-bottomed ladle) and spread up to two feet wide with speed and precision. It takes mastery to know exactly when to add the varied fillings, from the iconic masala dosa, with its traditional spiced potatoes, to freshly cracked eggs. Rolled into a cylinder or folded like a triangle, dosas are served within minutes, to be torn open from the centre with fingers ready to be singed. UTTAPAMS: While dosas demand accuracy, other dishes can be a little more forgiving–like uttapams. Flavoured instead with the topping of fresh vegetables like tomato and onion, uttapams are made with a thicker batter and a relatively relaxed process, resulting in a fluffy rice pancake (served with chutney instead of syrup). IDLIS: Using a similar batter to uttapams, these spacecraft shaped, pillowy dumplings are steamed in a multi-tiered tray and feature the additional flavours of tempered curry leaves and mustard seeds, the holy grail of South Indian food. Idlis are served drowning in sambar, a vegetable curry common at food carts and temples alike. Part of the eating experience is losing chunks of idli in the sambar and fishing them out, catching them before they disintegrate. VADAS: A spicy donut, vadas follow a similar eating M.O. to idlis. An extra-thick batter makes the mixture more malleable, allowing it to be molded into its signature circular shape with a distinct hole in its centre, before it is deep-fried to a golden brown. Flecked with whole peppercorns, vada is perfect for dunking into steaming sambar. However, unlike its culinary cousins, it is also available as dahi vada, laden with sweetened yogurt for a bit of a spice reprieve–but only if requested without the heavy dusting of chili powder.

e Dinner Club A dining experience you’ll remember Ever-changing 5-course tasting menu Featuring local ingredients and thoughtfully curated wine pairings Hosted at the Filberg Heritage Lodge & Park in Comox LIMITED SEATING | BY RESERVATIONS ONLY | THURS, FRI & SAT RESERVE YOUR TABLE: DUBOIS.FOOD.CO@GMAIL.COM | 250.339.2750

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