The tambram cuisine has an amazing range of vegetables cooked in a variety of methods - in the form of stir-fry, kuzhambus/ gravy vegetables or dhals, sambhars/vegetables with dhals, kootus/vegetables with coconut or and, with plain dhals. This can be a challenge for any novice.

The food cooked in a brahmin home was satthvic paying special attention to the balance and nutritive value of the food cooked; the ladle of plain cooked dhal served before the rice and the topping of a dollop of homemade clarified butter/ghee; the balance of plain and spicy food, and the benefits of yoghurt as a final course to set right any imbalance in the food eaten for the day - were scruplously maintained. Most days even now, onion and garlic are not used in cooking.