My personal flavor profiles / base flavors are mostly South Indian crossed with southern Chinese. I think there are some interesting overlaps. Either way I donβt think itβs unique to me, entire cuisines have evolved in Southeast Asia to sort of feature those things.
In Singapore / Malaysia there are plenty of Chinese noodle shops that do curry noodles where the curry is really a Chettinad chicken curry with even more coconut milk. The other day I was like βoh I guess I love idli coz I just love tiny round rice cakes for breakfast, whether itβs in the form of an idli or a chwee kuehβ
I know at least 5 Teochew-Tamil people so I often feel like the food in their homes is just all the things I like, together
Not to get into regional essentialism, but the north vs south taste line is so clearly defined to me that, South Indian food tastes more Iike home food to me than northern Chinese food does. The same way North Indian food just never hits right. I like it okay, but itβs not.. the food from Kerala or Tamil Nadu or Karnataka that made me.
There are far more similarities at latitudes (south: more spices, warmer and more similar climate, more rice) than within nations.