"Vannakam!" the city of Meenakshi temple 'Madurai' welcomes you all. As Seoul bags the 'sleepless city' crown in the world, Madurai wears the same crown in India. But why a sleepless city?
You can visit at any hour and get warm & fresh food items shops open in the market! Madurai pleases you with the aroma of its native dishes. So, pack your bags, book an hourly hotel in Madurai, and explore these 5 authentic & native dishes.
I. Different Style of Idli- Podi Idli
Want to try something different? Dive into a different idli style in Madurai. Idli is spongy, small & round-shaped cakes that are prepared from fermented lentils & rice.Usually, you get idli with curry mix (sambhar) in most places. But Madurai Podi Idli is a special treasure!
In Podi idli, the podi powder is coated evenly on already prepared idlis giving them a crispy brown texture. Podi powder is prepared by dry roasting peanuts, sesame seeds, curry leaves, lentils & cumin and then grinding them all to make a coarse powder. So food lovers, munch on these mouth-watering podi idlis on your visit to Madurai.
Traveler Tip- Murugan Idli Shop is one of the best places to have podi idlis. Don't forget to book a hotel for a few hours in Madurai while your visit.
II. Rice Noodle - Idiyappam
In India, you can find many instances where food items from our ancient times are still prevalent. Idiyappam or rice noodles are one of those foods. The process of making idiyappam is traditional. You can find a variety of supporting dishes to enhance your overall experience. The coconut milk, freshly prepared coconut chutney (cold sauces), and kurma (gravy-based cooked vegetables) & garnished with grated coconut are side dishes options for rice noodles. So, Rice noodles are on the list of healthy & tasty food of Madurai. You can have it for breakfast or as an evening snack.
Traveler Tip- Konar Mess and Burma Idiyappam Kadai shops are famous for rice noodles. Book an hourly hotel in Madurai for an economical stay, and have these healthy snacks. Meanwhile, you can also relish homemade chocolates in Kodaikanal. It is about 3 hours from Madurai. Don't forget to book a hotel for a few hours in Kodaikanal to freshen up.
III. Authentic Style Dosa-Sambhar
You must have eaten dosa & sambhar. But after having an authentic styled, freshly prepared dosa, steaming hot sambhar, and coarse texture chutney of coconut & lentils, you will surely be in awe! The feeling will be like, is it I was eating dosa & sambhar earlier? I got that same feeling!
At any shop & any time, you will get a credible taste of crispy dosas, hot sambhar & fresh sauces on banana leave plates! The best part is the variety. You can get Plain dosa, Masala dosa, Rava dosa, Chili dosa, Paneer dosa, Onion dosa, Kari dosa, Kudal Kari dosa, Onion Kari dosa, Egg dosa,etc.
Traveler Tip- Ayyappan Dosai Kadai, Dosa Infinity & Murugan Idli shop are some of the best shops serving authentic dosa & sambhar in Madurai. You can rest in an hourly hotel in Madurai after having your soul-filling meal.
IV. Madurai Bun Parotta
Madurai Bun Parotta, as the name suggests, is the combination of both bun & parotta. Milk, sugar, butter, egg, bun & banana are ingredients of bun parotta. These combinations are altered as per the type of bun parotta ordered by customers. This bun parotta is a filling evening snack. You can have it with some vegetable or meat curry. The outer texture is crispy like a bun, but soft within.
Traveler Tip- You can have the best bun parotta at Madurai Bun Parotta Kadai shop, near Avin Signal of KK Nagar. Better to book a hotel for a few hours in Madurai for your economical stay. You can also gulp in the fresh cream in Kodaikanal which is around 116 kilometers from Madurai via Ghat Road. Book an hourly hotel in Madurai from MiStay for a short break & pay for the time you stay there!
V. A Unique Mutton Kari Dosa
You can find a different style of dosa in a non-vegetarian category. Kari dosa is more like uttapam. Uttapam is sprinkled with all the vegetarian food items like a chopped form of onion, tomato, carrot, coriander & other seasonal veggies. The spread of spices is minced with mashed meat & mutton, and some veggies are evenly coated on the dosa base to make mouth-watering mutton Kari dosa.
Traveler Tip- Konar Mess serves one of the best kari dosas in Madurai. While you binge on this delicious dosa, book hotel for a few hours in Madurai for loosen up.
VI. Jigarthanda For Your Sweet Tooth
Jigarthanda is a famous native drink of Tamil Nadu. Wherever you go in Tamil Nadu, you can find shops serving cool jigarthanda drinks. So, it becomes so obvious in Madurai too! Natives believed that the drink have been introduced by the Nawab of Arcot during the Sultanate's reign.
It's a Lassi (stirred curd & milk drink) from South India. You will get your hand-churned Jigarthanda after garnishing with Badam Pisin (edible gum). Prepared with sugar, chilled & toned milk, fruit syrups, almond jelly, ice cream, and tree gum, jigarthanda is not only satisfied your thirst but also helpful in normalizing your body heat. Jigarthanda is known to treat constipation & weight-related issues.
Traveler Tip- You can get your awesome jigarthanda in the shop named 'Famous Jigarthanda Shop' on 80 feet road of Madurai. You can gulp down this sweet chilled drink & relax in your day use hotel in Madurai.
Final Thoughts
In the end, I just want to say, travel to this sleepless city & experience yourself what it folds within. As you enjoy the colorful view of Murugan temples, the aroma of warm & fresh foods, and shop traditional sarees of Madurai, you can take a break in hourly hotels. So, what are you waiting for?