Southern India has long been recognized for its spices, and it was formerly a part of old trade routes. Today, thanks to the inventiveness of numerous brains, these spices have been blended in a variety of ways to give us some of the most delectable and mouth-watering foods. Whether it’s the ubiquitous Masala dosa, Hyderabad’s biryani, Tamil Nadu’s Chettinad, Karnataka’s Mysore Pak, or Kerala’s shrimp curry, South India’s iconic cuisines all assault your palate in a similar yet distinct way. Here are eight popular South Indian dishes that will keep you coming back for more.

1. Chicken Chettinad

This mouthwatering cuisine, which originated in the Chettinad district of Tamil Nadu, is one of the most famous foods of south India and has been passed down through centuries, culminating in the wonderful recipe we know today. It’s prepared by combining marinated chicken with a specific paste to create a flavor that’s all it’s own. Coriander seeds, red chilies, coconut, poppy seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and black pepper are commonly included in this paste.

2. Thalassery Biriyani

This biryani hails from the Kerala town of Thalassery and is part of a cuisine that is a mash-up of Indian, European, and Persian influences. This delicacy is made with a specific variety of rice rather than regular basmati rice, which gives the meal its particular flavor. Though biryani is of Mughal origin, it is one of the most well-known foods in south India. It is a cultural amalgamation of Malabari and Mughal cuisines.

3. Pandi Curry

This delectable cuisine hails from the Karnataka province of Coorg, which has a long and illustrious cultural past of its own. Because wildlife is plentiful in Coorg, there are a plethora of delectable non-vegetarian meals such as Pandi curry. Unlike Indian food, which is heavy on the masalas, this meal is light and easy on the tongue, but it makes up for it in spiciness and is recognized as a classic South Indian dish.

4. Konju Varutharaccha Curry

This meal, literally meaning “Kerala Prawn Curry,” comes from Kerala, as the name implies, and is a sumptuous dish eaten at dinner parties. The prawns are combined with coconut milk and aromatic spices to make this dish. When you take the first bite of this dish, a dash of tamarind and other herbs fills your mouth with a unique flavor.

5. Hyderabadi Biryani

The Hyderabadi dum is India’s most famous biryani meal. Biryani is a dish cooked with fragrant basmati rice, Dahi marinated chicken, and a variety of spices and masalas. All of this is combined and cooked over low heat to allow the ‘dum’ process to bring the recipe’s flavor to its pinnacle. Hyderabadi biryani is said to have originated with Asaf Jah I, the first Nizam of Hyderabad, Nizam-ul-Mulk.