South Indian cuisine is not just idli-sambar, dosa, vada and filter coffee. It is diverse, rich and arguably, more delicious than a typical dal makhni and butter chicken. It’s understandable that many people in the north may not be aware of avial, pongal, poriyal, manga curry, appam and chicken stew. But food bloggers, especially Kamiya Jani of Curly Tales, should certainly be well-acquainted with South Indian cuisine.
Her reaction to an idli and chicken combo indicates that her “Best Food Influencer” title may be a tad overrated. I am talking about an episode of Jani’s Sunday Brunch series featuring Janhvi Kapoor. In the video, released last month, the actor served Jani a variety of home-cooked dishes, including idli, chicken curry, Gujarati dal, moong dal chilla, and more.
A snippet from the interview where Jani expresses surprise about pairing idli with chicken curry is going viral on social media. And for good reason, too. The food blogger called it a “weird combination.”
The foodie in me is sorely disappointed by her response. Idli and chicken curry with peanut chutney is my personal favourite.
An X user aptly pointed out, “Kamiya, there is a world beyond your likes and dislikes.”
And the conversation went beyond just ignorance. A Tamil user shared the clip on X, stating that “3% Brahmin population of Tamil Nadu doesn’t represent the state. 97% of the people in the state eat Idli or Dosa with chicken, mutton, beef or pork.”
Now, I don’t expect her to be a walking encyclopaedia of every Indian dish, but idli and chicken curry is a staple in Tamil Nadu. This is food blogging 101.
It’s a bit like a math teacher saying they don’t know BODMAS or a lawyer confessing they can’t draft a contract.
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Who is an ‘Indian’ blogger?
South Indian food bloggers always have the prefix South attached to their titles, while their Northern counterparts get the identity of ‘Indian food bloggers’.
As a result, the rich flavours and even staple dishes of South India struggle to gain the widespread acclaim they truly deserve. They remain as “lesser-known” or “surprising” combinations.
Take Rakesh Raghunathan, for instance—a celebrity chef and food historian with expertise in South Indian cuisine. Despite his vast potential, he remains underrated, and his extensive knowledge of South Indian food alone could significantly raise awareness among North Indians. Back in 2019, Raghunathan even hosted a TV show, ‘Dakshin Diaries’ to bust stereotypes around South Indian culture.
This disparity contributes to the unfair perception of South Indian cuisine as niche. It leads to award-winning influencers like Jani calling idli and chicken curry “weird”.
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Dig into culture
In the clip, when Jani tries eating idli with a spoon, Kapoor advises her to use her hands instead. The food blogger replies, “Who eats idli with their hands?” Everyone, duh— unless it’s floating in a pool of sambar.
This underscores her unfamiliarity with not just food but also the eating culture as a whole. Throughout the video, Kapoor’s authenticity and ease were evident, while Jani, India’s ‘Best Travel Creator’, struggled to keep up.
Like my college professor used to say, “You can’t spoon-feed culture—sometimes you’ve got to dig in with your hands.”
South Indian cuisine comprises dishes from five states—Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana; some might even include Goa. Each state has distinct food cultures, and multiple sub-types of regional cuisine such as Udupi, Chettinad, Deccani, Thalassery, Mangalorean, and more.
North Indian cuisine is just a sliver of India’s vast culinary landscape, not the whole pie.
Yet, it’s amusing how some self-proclaimed food bloggers seem to think that devouring momos, vada pav, idli-sambar, fried chicken and mutton makes them gastronomic experts.
I thought Curly Tales would be different.
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Approach food with respect
Whether it’s our food habits or our fashion trends—we often end up drawing inspiration from the West.
So, what’s stopping the food bloggers?
The life and journey of the legendary Anthony Bourdain is a walking-talking tutorial on how to be a food expert.
Bourdain, the author of the best-selling Kitchen Confidential and host of the travel show No Reservations, didn’t shy away from exploring the unfamiliar. And he did it with grace, curiosity and, most importantly, respect. Nothing was weird or wild or disgusting.
Indian influencers should adopt his ethos, breaking down regional barriers to foster a more inclusive appreciation of India’s vast culinary heritage. After all, the best way to get to know people is through their food.
If not, then Jani’s awards need a tweak—‘Best North Indian Food Influencer’ and ‘Best North Indian Travel Creator’.
Views are personal.
(Edited by Theres Sudeep)