Anytime is Tiffin Time!

11am, 4pm, 7o’clock or midnight…anytime is tiffin (by definition snack) time!!!! For us, here in Salt Lake City, authentic “Tiffin” times come every Tuesday.

Why, you ask? Well quite simply, Tiffin Tuesdays at Saffron Valley are earmarked for our signature weekly specials and dosa tasting sessions.

But why ‘Tiffin??”

Many years ago, if you travelled through south India you’d find idli and dosa available only at a particular time called ‘tiffin time.’ Aaaand “Tiffin” is an out-and-out English word!!

Lol, thanks to them Brits, in India today you wouldn’t be wrong if you said, “any time is tiffin time!” In British India, lunch became a much lighter meal, considering the hot, languid, and humid climate of the tropics. The word that evolved was “tiffin” from the slang words “tiff” meaning a tot of diluted liquor, and “tiffing” to take a sip of this liquor (pssst, perhaps also hint that the Sahib’s lunch might quite often be of the liquid variety!)

Anyway, “tiffin” it was; and “a spot of tiffin” soon came to denote almost any culinary indulgence or in-between snack that could be eaten ‘anytime’ between breakfast and dinner. In south India specifically, it also sometimes implies the morning meal, i.e. breakfast.

Today, tiffin has evolved to create fascinating cosmos- tiffin might mean a packed lunchbox or the food in it; a late morning or evening snack, afternoon tea; a savory snack or a sweet treat.

And because we looooooove good food and staunchly believe, that good food makes everyone happy, Tiffin Tuesday treats you to a veritable gastronomic journey across the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Telengana and Andhra Pradesh. BTW, as

it stands now, our Tiffin Tuesday spread works wonders as a light n healthy but totally soul-warming lunch or dinner as well!

Alluring aromas and tongue-tingling flavors with satisfying home-style tiffins!! Recipes to take you far beyond the limits of idli and dosai that commonly define South Indian cuisine.

Medu vada, pongal, rava idli, utthappam, upma, sevai, appam, kuzhi paniyaram, adai, idiyappam…the list is endless and we love them all! While idlis and dosas are the most common resorts, step into any south Indian home and you will discover a whole new world of tiffin dishes. With the special-occasion samosa, stuffed paratha, bhel or even jalebis that also make up common north Indian “tiffin” food! All featured right here at Saffron Valley, hot and fresh and ready to dig into!

No tiffin menu is complete without accompaniments. Sambar and chutney are common teammates with idli, vada and dosa. Korma is usually served with appam and sevai; while simple tomato or lime pickle partner well with sevai. The most popular, of course- coconut chutney!

So, whether you have that tiffin here at our restaurant, do a takeaway or want to delight your guests (Oh yes, we do home catering too!) there’s a huge spread out there, just waiting to be savored.

Now that we’ve got you daydreaming n drooling, head over for tasting, anytime!

Coz, actually anytime is Tiffin time! J