6 Food and drink
In Tamil culture, it is common to offer visitors a drink and some snacks soon after they arrive. The snacks are usually savoury for adults, and sweet for children.
Listen to the audios to hear how to offer someone a drink and also accept an offer for a tea.
Transcript: What would you like to drink? Tea, coffee, a soft drink? | உங்களுக்கு என்ன குடிக்க விருப்பம்? தேநீர்,காப்பி,குளிர்பானம்.?
Unkalukku enna kudikka viruppam? Theneer, kaappy, kulirpaanam?
Transcript: Tea would be nice, thank you | தேநீர் நன்றாக இருக்கும், நன்றி.
Thenir nandraha erukkum, nandhri.
(NB: Tea in Tamil culture comes automatically with milk and sugar!)
Transcript: I have some nice murukku. I’ll bring it | நான் நல்ல முறுக்கு வைத்திருக்கிறேன். அதை நான் கொண்டு வருவேன்.
Naan nalla murukku vaithirukkirein. Athey naan konduvarukkirein.
Murukku (Figure 6), which was mentioned in the last audio, is a savoury, crunchy Indian snack, typically made from rice and urid (also called ‘urad’) daal flour, along with water, salt, chilli powder, asafoetida and either sesame seeds or cumin seeds. Once mixed together the ingredients are kneaded into a spiral or coil-shaped dough, either by hand or with a mould, before being deep-fried in vegetable oil.
