India, July 31 -- Puliyodharai is the undisputed monarch of South Indian travel food, carrying the distinct culinary heritage of Tamil Nadu. My fondest memory of this dish goes back to our childhood summer pilgrimages and long train journeys starting from Chennai. My mother would pack it carefully in a traditional brass container or wrap it in wilted banana leaves.

The moment the train chugged out of the station, the leaf would be unwrapped, releasing a magnificent, deep aroma of roasted sesame, unrefined gingelly oil, and spicy tamarind that immediately filled the compartment. What makes Puliyodharai our ultimate go-to travel food is its incredible shelf life. Built on the sourness of tamarind and the preservative nature of pure sesame ...