Cuisine of Karnataka

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Cuisine of karnataka

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Introduction 06 Geography 10 Culture 14 Nature 20 Karnataka Regions n South 38 n Coastal Karnataka 44 n Malnad 66 n North Karnataka 76 Recipes 80 Photo Credits 88 Contents Cuisine of karnataka

When talk comes round to its food and its people’s dietary habits, it is often said about Karnataka that the state’s topographic and climatic diversity bears an uncanny likeness to that of India itself. Located on the western edge of the Deccan Peninsular region of India geographically, the state is often divided into several culinary zones. Millets are a staple throughout Karnataka—if the north is dominated by jowar (sorghum), the south displays especial fondness for the hardy ragi (finger millet). If Kodava cuisine prides itself on the redoubtable pandi curry and potent shots of

Introduction the traditional vinegar kachampuli, the hill tracts introduction 7 of the bigger Malnad region swear by their delicious bamboo-, banana- and yam-based preparations. One marvels at the brief breaks reli- gious towns of Gokarna and Udupi—both almost equidistant from the northern and southern ends of the coastline, respective- ly—provide to the fish- and seafood-eating coast that extends from Karwar to Manga- lore. The border areas display gastronomic porosity—if northwest Karnataka welcomes Maratha and Konkani flavours, the Gulbar- ga-Bidar surrounds often display a similarity with Andhra food—the meat, the spices, the sorrel leaves…

Cuisine of karnataka Such is its contract with food that even the name of its bustling capital Bengaluru, 8 came from a modest bowl of boiled beans, as is often recounted by residents and history buffs. According to a legend, the Hoysala king Veera Ballala II, while on a hunt, got separated from his companions in the forest, as young kings are often accustomed to. He came upon the hut of a kind, old woman who fed him a bowl of boiled beans, which was the local staple, and was known as benda kaal. Overcome with wonder and gratitude, he named the village Benda-kaal- uru, or ‘Village of Boiled Beans’. It is a corruption of that historic anointment that Bengaluru has come to be known by, today. Bengaluru contains within itself the whole gamut of the state’s food traditions, and is without a doubt your best bet to start savouring its flavours. In the darshinis, upscale joints, military hotels, messes, voury fritters),inalltheir variousinterpre- voury able aticoniceateries. variations, are raginglocalfavourites,avail- masale vadeandcrispdosas withalltheir tions ofShivajinagar. Thedonnebiryani, wad Peda, but alsotheoffal-basedprepara- thatte idli,theMaddurvadaandDhar only ontheDavangere bennedosa,thefluffy anditssuburbs,youcanfeastnot Bengaluru specialty restaurants andhighwayhotelsof A takeonthechitranna,orlemonbathrecipe In fact,vadasandbajjis(crunchy, sa- Facing page:(toptobottom)pandicurry; fishfry; maddurvada - by, bisibelebath. swears lentil-and-rice dishwhich everyone hot one-pot famous the and rice), (lemon rind rice),vangibath(brinjal rice),chitranna inventive recipes suchaspuliyogare (tama- in state, the throughout eaten is Rice sago). (onion)and sabbaki (pearl (potato), iruli sinakayi (green bananacaper),alugadde made from balekayi(rawbanana),mena- generally are These Karnataka. across all snacks teatime as popular wildly are tations, n

introduction 9 Cuisine of karnataka

Karnataka’s sheer geographical diversity makes it exceptional—the mysterious desert tract of Ta- lakadu with monuments buried in sand; giant lime- stone formations at Yana near Sirsi; the stalactites and stalagmites of Kavala Caves near Dandeli; the stunning peach-hued sandstone ridges of Badami; the precariously perched natural granite boulders of Ramnagaram (legendary backdrop for the movie Sholay); the bouldering and rock-climbing haven of Hampi, Shivagange, and Kolar. Then there are the dense forests and mountains of the Western Ghats or Sahyadris—from Baba Budan Giri, the birth- place of coffee in India, to Agumbe, Kodachadri,

Geography Kemmangundi, and Kudremukh. 11 introduction drives inIndia. Amagicalboatrideon a phire Route, oneofthe most sceniccoastal creating theSap- from toKarwar Mangaluru cliffs. laterite and forests with lined beaches pristine Kabini. Fringing theWestern Ghatsare and Bandipur Nagarhole, Dandeli, as such parks world-famous to flock enthusiasts wildlife and Birdwatchers biodiversity. of hotspots global the of one Karnataka Above: ThecolourfulKaravalicoastatMurudeshwar The Karavalicoaststretches 320km make collectively features these All Facing page:TheotherworldlyJogFalls plunge,cuttingthroughthemist tains totheeast. comewithspectacularmoun and Gokarna door, Murudesh Malpe withfantasticbasalt formations. Islandnear andStMary’s Murudeshwara; thefinedivesiteNetraniIsland off Karwar; coast—the tortoise-shapedKurumgad near Adding intrigueare theislandsoff ‘Prokritir Protishodh’ (Nature’s Revenge). Rabindranath Tagore topenhisfirstplay inspired thepoet moonlit nightinKarwar Sunny beachesatMalpe, Kaup, Bain wara, Maravanthe,Kumta, n - - 13 Geography Cuisine of karnataka

14 Culture nada platter. define whatitisthatliesat theheartofKan kitchen gardens inhousesbigandsmall,cometo Bangalore anditssuburbsbefaceorshouldthe cuisine? Couldtheup-and-comingfoodculture in of theKodavas ortheever-evolving Mangalorean fine thecultureIsitspicypandi ofKarnataka? thearomaticbegin toharness crosswinds thatde- histories—where does one diverseculinary trum; and emigrantexistingalloverthemeat-eatingspec with asmanysixstates;communities,bothlocal Its variedtopographicalzones;thoseborders shared - - 15 introduction It sure is a problem of plenty but one Bengaluru’s messes and boutique restaurants that can be solved if one looks for what floats doing special thalis as well as the MTR outlets their boat. To some, Karnataka cuisine im- all over the state; Bidadi and Maravanthe’s mediately brings to mind the coffee culture highway pitstops; Sauji eateries serving hot- of Chikmagalur and Coorg. Some others may and-spicy traditional non-vegetarian fare; Lin- recall the unique practice of slathering benne gayat khanavalis with the lesser-known north over crumbly idlis and gossamer dosas, or Karnataka cuisine and Udupi restaurants—I the faint, fragrant sweetness of coconut that doubt if this list can end. invariably enters almost anything edible. Having said all that, bias must be placed It could mean the grainy goodness of ragi where it’s due—the riches of the Karavali mudde towards the south or the sinful sensa- coast and the endless cycle of life and subsis- tions of the Belgaum kunda in the north. tence they have spawned, colour the culinary The clamorous polyphony of these fla- character of Karnataka to a large extent. vours will take a lifetime, if not more, if one Be it the fresh produce markets selling lo- sets out to hear each of these lively spirits. cally grown veggies set up every day from

Cuisine of karnataka But trying is worth it—it’s worth digging Karwar to Mangaluru, the hum of activity into warrior-clan meats galvanised in feisty at the docks swarming with customers, the 16 kachampuli in Kodagu’s homestay kitchens. unmistakable hint of coconut associated with coastal food in every recipe, or the flavours Below: Bevu bella, which is prepared in Ugadi of the criminally underrated Tulu food—the Facing page: Udupi is famous for its masala dosas aromas, textures and flavours of the Kanara or Karavali coast travel eastward with great per- suasion, probably to mingle somewhere from their other counterparts in the centre of what a collective imagination calls South India. Another good bet to savour not only the best, but the most special of Karnataka’s flavours, would be the state’s many festivals. The much-anticipated new year of Ugadi is time to sample bevu bella, a sweet-sour-hot- bitter paste made from jaggery, neem, mango, tamarind, and chilli. The Kodava festival of Huthri is quite literally a celebration of the community’s love affair with rice, from the banana-and-roasted-rice-flour-based tham- buttu, the similar kuvaleputtu, the ghee- 17 introduction Cuisine of karnataka

18 leftover idlisandgunpowdermasala VadasL-R: withsambarandchutney; Podi idlis,aquick-fixsnackmadewith this feastisthe alundento(amaranthstalks odd number are prepared. The centre piece of where avegetarianspread consistingofan festive mealofthenovein jowaan(newmeal) istheplacetohead for the Mangaluru traditions practisedallitsreligious groups, jaggery, coconutandrice. dessert madefroman authenticKarnataka Festivities are alsoatimetorelish thehalbai, are wedding-specialsaswellfestivetreats. gram, andpeanuts.Ambodemandige bella, amixture ofsesame,jaggery, coconut, dish prepared speciallyforSankrantiisellu chakkara pongalandtamarindpuliyogare. A is whenyoucanspoilyourselfwithsome festivalofMakarSankranti The harvest rice-style dishneikoolu, andtheneerdosa. A smorgasbord ofauthenticcommunity Facing page:Adelectable-lookingthaliatarestaurant served atthelastaids digestion. served platter,Karnataka andthetangybuttermilk tamarind-based rasamisa regular inevery called parippu,andsambar follow. Spicy andgreen lentilsoup (a smallfirstserving) chips, andotherstir-fried Rice startersarrive. chips, coatedinjaggery, poppadums,yam be cleanedwithwaterfirstbefore thebanana traditional settings,theleaf-plate willhaveto will prove tobeaknockout punch.Inmore flavours ofcoconut,tamarindandjaggery aromathe firsttime,intermingling and acquainting yourselfwiththeseflavoursfor taka ootaisonplantainleaves,andifyou’re sugarcane byoneandallafterMass. gravy), thefinalebeinghappychewingof and Colocasiastemscooked inacoconut - Karna The traditionalstyleofserving n 19 Culture Cuisine of karnataka Geographical Influences and 20 Regional Diversities The state features four distinct regions—the coastal plain, the hill ranges of Malnad (encompassing the upland terrain of the Western Ghats), the Karna- taka Plateau to the east, and to the northwest the rich black-soil tract. While agri-driven activities are the mainstay of the majority of the populace, the coastal region, intensively cultivated, with rice, sorghum (jowar) and millet (ragi), are also a main resource for seafood. The main cash crop is sugarcane, supplemented by cashews, cardamom, betel (areca) nut, and grapes. The plantations on the sylvan slopes of the Western Ghats supply the state with coffee and tea while expensive timbers such as sandalwood come from the forests of Malnad. Other important forest products include teak, euca-

Nature lyptus, rosewood, bamboo. 21 introduction Coastal Karnataka This region displays more variations in fare than you would expect from its three Marking the Karavali coastal region the major divisions—Dakshina Kannada, Udupi 300-km-long Karnataka coast, stretches from and Uttara Kannada. Mangaluru to Karwar. The diverting beauty In fact, the region is a veritable melting of the terrain of this region is driven by its pot of communities and also of the vegetar- rivers, creeks, waterfalls, ranges of hills and ian and non-vegetarian food they consume. peaks. It’s also a magnet for its gorgeous For instance, Mangalorean cuisine encom- beaches found at Murudeshwar, Udupi and passes the diverse gastronomic traditions Gokarna. of the Mangalorean Catholics, the Tuluvas, the Muslim Bearys and the Saraswat Brah- Flaunting her silverware: A vendor at the fish market Facing page: Fish curry mins that call the Dakshin Kannada town of Kudla their home. As the sun’s first rays break on the buoyant sea, the fishing dock at Dhakke

Cuisine of karnataka comes alive with activity of seabirds and Mogaveera fishermen. Customers call dibs 22 and jostle for the best of the kene meenu, bangada meenu, boothai, and of course the prawns, crabs and clams—to haul into kitchens that will serve families, and kitchens that will serve customers. These will be fried to a crisp, coated with rava or dunked in coconut- or pulimunchi-based curries. An often-cooked Tulu specialty, the bangude pulimunchi (mackerel in a tamarind-and-chilli-based gravy) is traditionally prepared in an earthen vessel to bring to the fore an earthy touch. Apart from crabs and clams, silverfish, oysters and mussels also find popularity among fish lovers in these parts. Sungta song, a prawn pickle traditionally cooked with potatoes, is made from the much sweeter prawns of the rivers and back- waters of the Souparnika near Maravanthe. The exquisite shaiyya jhinga biryani is a 23 introduction result of the marriage of two cultures—that pinyanappa, the stuffed fried chicken recipe of traders from Arabia and the local Jains and koli norchad, sheer korma and biryani. brahmins. Its palms leisurely spread all along the The Chicken Ghee Roast is a Tulu/ Kannada coastline like wiry, frond-haired Bunt chicken recipe that was birthed in teenagers, coconut, quite unsurprisingly, Kundapur’s Shetty Lunch Home, along with dominates much of Mangalorean flavours, the delectable Kundapur chicken. As far too. The slightly toasted, slightly sweet fla- as poultry goes, the trading community of vour of coconut informs the flavour of chut- Bearys is known for their steamed egg dessert neys and batters all over the state in specialties such as the neer dosa, but more so in the Below: Chicken ghee roast, a Tulu speciality coastal strip—as either grated flakes, oil or Bottom: Tangy Mangalorean fish curry coconut milk. Mangaloreans are also known to use palm jaggery for that unique subtle sweetness to their payasa. A special fish curry made using coconut milk and served dur-

Cuisine of karnataka ing the anointing ceremony in Mangalorean Catholic weddings, is a rage in these parts. 24 Coconut flower sap also gives itself to the khali, a toddy. Even as partner to red chillies, ginger and garlic and other spices, coconut holds its own in any Mangalorean recipe. When enlisted to bring in its characteristic zing to crab, clam, prawns or fish recipes, coconut again proves to be a worthy foil. Fish curry with rice and a dash of coconut is a major staple for the various coastal cuisines, reaching all the way to Uttara Kannada, especially Karwar. In fact, the many red rice landraces grown in the state—athikaraya, athikaya, kayame and rakthashali—are an important part of coastal cuisine. It has been seen to be both nutritive and resistant to drought and flood and water salinity, and it is common for a rural house- hold to have a whole year’s rice supply at all times. The red rice varieties of ghandasali A sumptousbowlofsambargarnishedwithdryredchilli gion, including pumpkinsandgourds, make duce grown alloverhousegardens inthere- brinjal! and—wait aminute—even thelocalfavourite ish, cabbage,cauliflower, gherkins,spinach only onionsandgarlic,buttomatoes,rad cuisine haslongdisavowedtheuseofnot And thisisdespitethefactthatUdupi and vegetables. grains, beans,leaves,fruits it requires deftuseofthelocallyavailable idli, sambarandvada—butthefactisthat ofthescope ofofferings— humble interms blessed with.At firstglance,itmightlook teous rainfallthatDakshinaKannadais excellent useofthefertilelandandboun ofUdupicookinghavemade The purveyors Exploits Udupi Culinary Again, thewildvegetables andthepro- - - preparation. made from anative palm’sleaves,isaspecial which isbasicallyravabatter steamedincups screw leaves, kadubuolle, pineorjackfruit mon toeatmoodecooked thusinfragrant cups fashionedoutofleaves.Whileitiscom cooking, asdoesthetechniqueofsteamingin locasia make frequent appearancesinUdupi brahmi andyelemuri,theversatileCo valleys. the Nandi,KrishnaandCauvery grapes—which are cultivatedextensivelyin made withmango, pineapple,and jackfruit, saladsandchutneys.Pickles curries, are dry with theseashore, isdeployedactivelyin Coconut, thatubiquitousseedsynonymous nana skinisanimportantpartoftheupkari. frequent appearancesinsambar, andrawba Even leavesofseasonalgreens suchas - - - 25 Nature and gulwadi lend their distinctive aroma not peel, and root of both vegetables and fruits. only to payasa and kesar bhaat but also to Travelling along NH17 from Karwar to Man- the Karwari chana dal payasa. galore, one finds street-side vegetable markets The Tulu community towards Dakshin selling naati, or local bendekayi (lady finger), Kannada absolutely abides by its boiled rice, badanekayi (brinjal), heerekayi (ridge gourd) or sanna preparations. The grain appears in a and other fresh produce grown by farmers, number of forms in their cooking, from idlis, most of whom are women. appams and dosas, to neer dosa, kori rotti, Home gardens flush with gujje (jack- and thelao. And who can forget the Kanna- fruit), basale (spinach), pumpkins, plantains, digas’ love for shaavige, the amusing string gourds of all kinds and cucumbers—all self- hoppers that are again relished with curries? nourishing produce—is a common sight at It would be a grave injustice to the plen- the coast. The much-reviled-elsewhere brinjal tiful Canara if one believes that all it yields is is indispensable to cuisines here, regardless a tantalising bucketful of fish and crustaceans. of community or region, be it the vangibaath Coastal food harvests the tender shoot, flower, or the Bunt special, badane nurge gashie,

Cuisine of karnataka which is made with brinjals and drumstick. Neer Dosa is entirely different from a Masala Dosa Take, for instance, the Mattu gulla, a variety 26 of the brinjal that is grown in Udupi’s Mattu, Uliyargoli and Kaipunjal villages. This brinjal is special not just because it has more pulp than seed but also because it has a GI tag. The tangy trinity of kokum (abundant in the Western Ghats), tamarind and raw mango is central to both vegetarian food and fish recipes. These, along with the rare jummina kaayi or teppal berries are also digestion-aiding coolants that go into curries and even drinks such as mango rasam, pepper rasam, and the solkadhi, which is famous all along the Konkan coast. The boothai sukka wouldn’t quite be the excellent sardine dish it is without the addition of the juice of the bimbli fruit, which is picked and used as a souring agent all over. Mango and jackfruit are summer treats and find their way into ice cream, too. the gorgeous Nagarhole NationalPark. (6,330ft). Nottobemissed issafarithrough highestpeak isKarnataka’s Chikmagaluru soppa) Falls atShimoga.Mullayanagiri, near Sharavati River, thesource oftheJog(Ger exuberant streams. Amongsttheseisthe to theplainsfrom itscrown are scores of The region isawatershed,anddescending paralleltotheCanaracoast. Ghats running of thebountiful,rainforests oftheWestern and faunallifethrivesoveratthefeet known asMalnadorMalenadu.Here, floral oftheWesternThe uplandterrain Ghatsis Ghats Malenadu -Western The hilltractsofMalenaduarehometovastreserveswildproduce

- yam, beetroot andcarrot—allofwhich grow with astoundingregularity? Bananastem, ones with pumpkin, cucumber and coconut— pockets withspicedlentils)andthesweet kharakadabu(rice dumplings)—the savoury lele (bambooshoot),orkadabus(steamed delicacies from kesa (Colocasia)andkal- sustenance, beneficenceandindulgence. rooms andhardy tubers,canbeobtainedfor produce, from bambooandhoneytomush- and Hassan.Itishereofwild thatawidearray tions further south, in Kodagu, Chikmagaluru ness ontheirslopesaswellthecoffeeplanta- growingand ferns withimperiousgregarious- How else do the Gowdas rustle up How elsedotheGowdasrustle These hilltractsare knownfortheirherbs 27 Nature in profusion in the Western ghats, are used up a sour chutney that proves beneficial in to make traditional salads called kismuri. the rainy season. Coorg honey and primrose This is supplemented delightfully by the cul- oil (effective in aching joints) are popular ture of kitchen gardens abounding with veg- medicinal food souvenirs. etables and tubers, prevalent in the region. Coorg, also known as India’s Scotland, The region is well reputed for its me- records easily the lowest temperatures in dicinal plants—Hassan alone was recorded Karnataka, and the produce that comes to have a little under 200 wild species as of from its hilly regions is used in recipes that 2015. The Havyaka brahmin community help maintain body heat and immunity. In a concentrated in the coastal and Malnad re- response to the pineapple pachadi of neigh- gions has adapted beautifully to this natural bouring Kerala, Chikmagluru swears by the plenitude, coming up with immunity-boost- curd-based palate cleanser ondelaga tambuli, ing recipes made using raw turmeric, carom where ondelaga (brahmi) leaves, fresh coco- leaves and gooseberries. They even make nut shavings, mustard, chilli and curry leaves use of the locally-occurring raw mango, appe are ground together and mixed with curd.

Cuisine of karnataka kayi, to make a digestive drink with an amus- The fiery chigli chutney is savoured with ingly onomatopoeic name—the appe kayi great relish. Kempu iruve, or red fire ants, 28 trroin. The Havyakas also make good use of feared for their nasty sting, and their larvae, the leaves of the kanne kudi bush to rustle are roasted with salt, ground with onion, coconut, spices, garlic and bird’s eye chilli, and Plantain leaves for sale at a vegetable market stored. Loaded with protein, the chutney is a proven defense against cough, cold and even pneumonia. One bite of a Malnad chilli and it is clear why people all over Shimoga and Chikamagluru rely on the bili menasu and gandhari menasu to combat the winter chill. When it comes to Malnad’s hilly swathes and the eating and drinking its inhabitants do to stay buzzing and kicking, how can one forget their relationship with coffee ever since the mystic and traveller Bababudan brought those seven beans to Chikmagalur in 1670? Karnataka produces well over half of India’s coffee and three of the five varieties of India’s GI-tagged coffee are from Malnad. Low temperatures prospect of savouring it. grinning atthe but stillleavesgourmands a rare delicacythatisnowmadewithpork this way—wildboarswere shotand eatenas wasborn vas’ crops. Thefamouspandicurry that theferalpredators wouldtotheKoda- by metingouttothemthesametreatment vided protection from maraudingwildboars the land.Paddy fields,therefore, were pro- for thatamazingespresso. looking andtravellersgoeverywhere jaggery) steaming cups of the blue Coorgis can’t without dotheir mornings clove, cardamom, bananaandorange.True rosewood trees, andthenasecondlayerof wildfigand canopy comprisingjackfruit, hedgerows, watchedoverbyatwo-tiershade ing thebean.And,so, itgrows inobedient Bhadra make theregion conducivetogrow- and beingdrainedbytheriversTunga and Black andgold:Turmeric (left)andblackpepperarecentraltoMalnadrecipes But before coffeecamealong,riceruled bellada (filter coffee with goes, wildmushrooms andjackfruits. locally growing specialtiessuchas wildman- thesearemadefromAccompanying curries as paputtu—ol’akkinever goesoutofaction. buttu, ortherice-and-coconut cakes known all-weather partnerofpandicurry, kadam it thetraditionalnoodledishnoolputtu, snacks chikka-lundeandbaduvakajjaya.Be all, thatisusedtomake akkiottisandthe couldn’t besaidbetter. Itisriceflour, after may bemeat,butriceisitsunderpinning, the region. in estates coffee and forests the over all strewn are trees whose fruit panapuli ible kachampuli, whichismadefrom theined- of vinegar/syrup irreplicable the and it, into spices—pepper, cumin,coriander—thatgo quality, especiallyinpandicurry, are thedry this to Central about. passionate are Coorgis The centrepiece ofKodava cuisine things are pungency and Spiciness

- 29 Nature are also loaded with protein, dietary fibre, are alsoloaded withprotein, dietary amount ofwatertheother crops need—they not onlyconsumejustabout athird ofthe miracle grains.Thereason issimple:millets been accorded thestatusofsiridhaanya,or place initsfoodgrainpantheonthatthey’ve the millet-growing stateslist.Suchistheir the agrarianidentityofthisstatethattops other greens. green gram,toordal,beans,spinach,dilland ismadeof where thecurry or bassaaru, isoftenpaired Mysuru, withmuttonsaaru region, particularlyinMandya,Hassanand dish,lovedthroughout the south Karnataka nadigas sincetimeimmemorial.Theiconic has beenthecore ofmoistballsdeartoKan scious populacetoday, butthehumblemillet the urbansuperfood-seeking,fitness-con- andtheKabiniWildlifeReserve Sanctuary. its naturalattractionsare theBandipurTiger Riverbasin.Amongst region istheCauvery 1,750m. Themostsignificantfeature ofthe residual heightsrangingbetween1,500mto the BrahmagirirangeofKodagu districthave the BiligirirangahillsofMysore districtand its elevationsfallbetween600mto900m, Ghats on the ern west and the south. Though bordered bytheverdant expansestheWest- Mandya, Mysore andTumkur. Thisregion is Bangalore Rural, Hassan,Kodagu, Kolar, passes thedistrictsofBangalore Urban, Plateauencom Karnataka The Southern South K Millet crops havelongbeenthecore of Ragi maycommandthefascinationof arnataka - - ing the grain that the rural populationin ing thegrainthatrural hardy grainhascomealongwayfrom be- reigns inthesouth. ragiisthegrainthat Karnataka, northern of minerals.Ifjola(sorghum) represents andahost amino acids,vitaminB-complex RagientersbothrotisandidlisinsouthKarnataka Below: Facing page:TheriverCauveryatHogenakkalfalls This ispartofthereason whythe

31 Nature these parts would use to make ragi rottis, to finding a place in the breakfast options and snacks served at eateries across Bengaluru and Mysuru and their suburbs. Today, you needn’t restrict yourself to the traditional ragi mudde to get that authentic south Kar- nataka taste. The millet has been introduced to all kinds of pizzas, burgers, and breads… and even ice creams! The colder months arrive and the avarekai (hyacinth) bean lords it over every other ingredient in the average Bengalurena- varu’s kitchen. The mad fascination with the humble winter bean is what memes are made of, nowadays—it is consumed not only as

Cuisine of karnataka avarekalu saagu, or as part of upma, rasam, bisibelebath, nippattu crispies, and ragi and 32 akki rottis, but also in seasonal variants of pani puri, jalebis and barfis. The humble green bean gives off a strong, characteristic sogadu, or scent, and even has a whole city- based festival to itself! Nothing has fuelled the countrywide love for masale dose as much as Mysuru’s version, also called the Mylari dose (after the iconic status it gained from the effort of a popular city restaurant), or benne dose. The buttery and spicy, wood-fired version of the humble rice crepe that is had with a mashed potato palya, hides a sprightly saagu (curried mixed veggies with a nice dash of coriander) in its centre instead. About 60- odd kilometres to the northwest is the town of Maddur in the Mandya district, quite clearly the origin of the popular teatime snack, Maddur vade. Joladarottiandridgegourd curry; thepopularshengachutneyismadewithpeanuts L-R: receives the lowest rainfallinallofthe state. sunbeaten forthegreater partoftheyearand mainly compriseshardy plainsthatremain one mustaccountforthe fact thattheregion Karnataka, practicesofnorthern culinary Malaprabha. Inorder tounderstandthe the riversBhima,Ghataprabha,Krishnaand plateau landscape,thearea iswatered by Trap. Representing anextensivedeforested tricts andismainlycomposedoftheDeccan Belgaum, Bidar, BijapurandGulbarga, dis- Plateaufeatures Karnataka The Northern North K arnataka vata andkapha doshas. system, jowarisacoolant that canpacifythe kalu.Accordingtothe Ayurvedic the hesaru and asprouted moongpreparation knownas badanekai yennegai(astuffed brinjaldish) with and othersuchtowns,isoftenserved Hubbali,Haveri dents ofBelagavi,Dharwad, crisp flatbread thatisafavouriteoftheresi- prince oftheootaorthaliintheseparts.The that thejoladarotti becomesthecrown comes totherescue ofthepeople.Itisthus in theriver-fed, fertileTur Bowl,Kalaburagi, drought-tolerant ofcrops, grown principally Sorghum, orjowar, beingthemost 33 Nature Cuisine of karnataka

34 yellu (sesame) andshenga(groundnut) (flaxseed), guralorucchelu (Nigerseed), additives—agasi that make great dietary sorted pudis(powders)packed withprotein cucumber.yenagai, whichislike acountry capsicum)andgulagayi kayi (stuffedcountry Alsopopular are jowaridodda mensin fry). it burstsopen.Bothare madeintopalya(stir before consumed immediatelyafterharvest, balaria) isatinypodvegetablethatmustbe Kannada) whilekarchikai (Momordica cym able onlyforatingalu(meaning‘month’in includes tingalavarekayi isalocalbeanavail- and dishesuniquetotheregion. Thisagain andfunctions! gayat marriages (cucumber seeds)andisamustinallLin soute bijahuggi,resembles tinysoutebija called shankha.Thebroken wheatkheer, for stripesandshapedintominiature shells Little doughbeadsare pressed onacomb butalsorequiresmuch fervour labour. It’s asummeractivitythatisengagedinwith enous pasta-makingtraditionaswell! haveanindig Lingayats ofnorthKarnataka chutney andghee!Andguesswhat—the withspicykempu (red)and served chili uggi chapattis,steamedongreen cornhusk kudisida kadabu(stuffeddumpling)and to make kuchida kadabu(wheatdumplings), (mixed flourmasalaroti). Wheatisalsoused hastypicalstapleslike dhapati Karnataka second afterjowar. Besidesjoladarotti, north Also served alongwiththemealare as- Also served The region hasseveralnativevegetables ofgrains,wheatcomesaclose In terms

- - - - Karnataka platterfeaturingjoladarottiandspringonions Facing page:Stuffedcountrycapsicumisahotfavourite with chilliescomestotherescue ofoneand Deccan—and theregion’s naturalplenitude intensifies—a commontendencyinthe tra border, theneedtosingepalate platter.Karnataka effect onthebody, isalsoapartofthenorth whichhaveanice,cooling curry), termilk chutney. (but- andmajjigesaaru Buttermilk As oneheadstowards theMaharash- Anorth Below: 35 Nature all. The warriorlike Maratha affinity for chil- Belgaum is also known for its kunda or lies is often spoken of, and this love seeps caramelized milk khova sweet and mandige in quite un-surreptitiously into the British (Konkani crepe pancake). Mutton is the cantonment of Belagavi. Be it sukka (spicy popular choice of meat, sourced from sheep dry fry) or rassa (fiery curries), red chili is farms in Haveri while chillies are procured essential and it’s easy to see why locals love from Karnataka’s ‘Chilli town’ Byadgi. The their sweets too. erstwhile Muslim principality of Savanur is legendary for Shivalal’s ‘khara’ (mixture) Paneer ghee roast; (bottom) a curry made with carrots and cauliflowers since 1931. Just past Almatty Dam, Korti- Kolhar on the Bijapur (Vijayapura) highway attracts travellers with fresh fish from the Krishna river and matka curd, served with puttani-avalakki (spicy Bengal gram powder and beaten rice). Vijayapura is legendary for its ‘Bijapur oota’, served in local eateries.

Cuisine of karnataka The Hyderabad-Karnataka region, bor- dering Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, has 36 culinary influences like a meat-heavy, spicy cuisine and the use of gongura (sorrel leaves). Locally known as pundi palya, it is popular in Central and North Karnataka and often made into chutney or cooked with lentils or mutton. The addition of Anantpur’s Raya- durga brinjals to mamsa (mutton) pundi palya adds a typical flavour. Hyderabad- inspired dishes like dum biryani, Kalyani biryani, dalcha (meat with lentils) and bread ka meetha are common in Kalaburagi. Spicy kavala (tender) mutton, keema balls and anda (egg) curry are also popular in restaurants closer to the Hyderabad-Andhra border. It is also often said that Karwari cuisine borrows also from the neighbouring Goa, and from Malwani food, in addition to the obvi- ous Mangalorean influences. The Malwani special gavathi kombdi, and kirla suke, the this day. The langar(free kitchen) atthe or freshwater springinBidarthatflowsto andcreatedudasi (spiritualjourney) ajhira Nanak cametotheDeccan duringhissecond At thebeginning ofthe16thcentury, Guru alsoboastsgreat PunjabiKarnataka cuisine! the quintessentialcoconuttouch. is exceptionallydevotedtofish,notforget cuisine,too,Malwani counterparts,Karwari homes.Like itsGoanand delight inKarwari Goan crabdish,are oftensavoured withgreat The authentictasteoftheiconicHyderabadidumbiryanipercolates intotheborder district of Kalaburagi You maychuckleatthesuggestionbut Uttar Pradesh. after aplaguebroke out inhisnativestate cityinthe 19thcentury Karnataka northern Ram RatanSinghThakur, whofledtothe where itwassalvagedbytheconfectioner ing champ,hasitsoriginsinUnnao, from holds itsownagainstMysore Pak, thereign- roti, sarsondasaagandPunjabi fare. dishes outauthenticmahkidal,makkidi visitors dailywhileRohit Restaurant nearby NanakJhirafeeds thousandsof Gurudwara The scrumptious Dharwad pedha,which Dharwad The scrumptious n 37 Nature Cuisine of karnataka

South Karnataka

With ragi (finger millet) being the popular staple, the signature dish from South Karnataka is ragi mudde (steamed finger millet balls). Often paired with mutton saaru or bas saaru, it is a hearty agrar- ian meal popular across Mandya, Mysuru and Hassan. The curry is made of toor dal, green gram, beans, dill leaves, spinach and other greens; the liquid is strained and spiced while the extract is tempered into a palya (dry fry). The term bas saaru Regions Karnataka is derived from basidu, Kannada for ‘straining’.

A tea vendor from Rajasthan Introduction 39 Regions If Bidadi is known for its soft fluffy with mamsa saaru (mutton curry), chops, thatte idli (shaped like a thatte or plate and kaima unde (keema balls), tale mamsa (brain served as a pair), Maddur is synonymous curry) and kaal (trotter) soup. with the Maddur vada. A small town near Mysuru is a major culinary destination Mandya between Bengaluru and Mysuru, that spawned iconic dishes like Mysore masa- Maddur vada is a flat crisp made of rice la dosa, Mysore bonda soup and of course flour and semolina mixed with sliced onion, the Mysore Pak. Local eateries like Mylari curry leaves and asafoetida. Even today, and GTR (Gayatri Tiffin Room) for South travellers make a ritual pitstop at Maddur Indian snacks, RRR for Andhra meals, Nash- Tiffany’s for a bite of the legendary vada, eman for biryani, Hanumanthu’s mutton served with gatti (thick) coconut chutney. pulao, Poojary’s Fishland for seafood and RR The dingy Jai Bhuvaneshwari Military Mess/Tegu Mess for non-veg fare continue to Mess near Srirangapatna, which has served rule the roost. Wash it down with badam milk famous patrons like the Late Dr Rajkumar, and other coolers at Brahmin Soda Factory still dishes out the local staple ragi mudde and Mysore Pak from Guru Sweets. Cuisine of karnataka

Mysore Pak Perhaps the most popular south Indian sweet, Mysore Pak is a melt-in-your-mouth fudge made of besan (chickpea flour), sugar and copious quantities of ghee. Renowned for its sweetness and notorious for its unmatched richness, it comes in two variants—crumbly with pores or smooth and dense. fritters). Every evening, stallslike TSMan- fritters). Every puffed rice)alongwith asmandakkioggarne rice), served of bhattis(mills)produce mandakki(puffed Kottureshwara BenneDosaHotel.Hundreds mash) andcoconutchutney, bestsavoured at withalupalya butter andserved dosa, madewithgenerous dollopsofwhite Maddurvadas,whichcomefromthecityofsamename;fragrant bennedosas Above: (L-R) Davangere’s flagshipdishisthebenne mensinkayi bajji(chilli (spiced (potato tery coconutchutney.tery with shavigeare savoured withladles ofwa- At Raghavendra Shavige Hotel, plates heaped dried like screens ofsilken onterraces. yarn ismadeathomeindustriesand (vermicelli) Shavige Street, anentire lanewhere shavige mandakki. Davangere isalsofamousforits spice puffedriceinto junath SwamyMasalaMandakkiAngadi masala , kharaornargis 41 Regions Cuisine of karnataka

Bengalureans dine at MTR, one of the Karnataka capital’s oldest and most famous restaurants Bengaluru Food Trail

n the face of rapid change, Gojju, Raita, Payasa, Thovve, Chi- Everyone has heard of Bengaluru’s legendary old res- tranna, Rice, and Ghee. Mysore Mavalli Tiffin Room (Tel: 080- Itaurants have held their own Pak, Phenori, Unde, Belle Saru 22220022) on Lalbagh Road. against the onslaught of the Mc- amongst other regional variables. Step in and you’re back in 1970. Donalds and the Baristas. Karna- Traditional jowar and wheat rotis The food continues to be as tasty taka cuisine is said to date back to teamed with buttermilk, pick- as ever. The MTR dosa is thick the Iron Age, making it one of the les, and delicious curries can be and wholesome. Go there for the oldest culinary traditions in the sampled at many restaurants in the Dosas, Idli, and Badam Halwa. country. The traditional Oota or city. Halbai, Udupi’s famous mitha Shri Sagar CTR (Central Tif- thali comprises helpings of Bajra/ is made from jaggery, ragi, rice, fin Room) at 7th Cross Road, Jowar/Wheat Roti, Pickle, Palya, and coconut. Margosa Road, Malleshwaram, (Sampige Road, Malleswaram;Tel: vada, upmaandchow baath. is notelaborate—justidli, medu At Brahmin’s CoffeeBar, themenu Idli &CoffeeJoint’inBengaluru. darshini caféwasvotedthe‘Best mouth. Littlewonderthatthis Mutt, Shankarpuram)meltinyour (Rangarao Road, nearShankar inBrahmin’s CoffeeBar served humble idliisdescribed.Butidlis jasmine flowers’—that’showthe and‘asdelicateas ‘Soft’, ‘fluffy’, dosas eachdayonweekends. andbuttery plates ofcrunchy Yet, closetoover2,000 itserves should behalfaspopularitis. Gandhi Bazaar, Basavangudi Bhavan (Tel: 26677588)at solutely noreason whyVidyarthi Going bytheambience,there’s ab- waiterstoreachharried yourtable. to squeezepastcustomersand Kannadiga thalis. non-veg rustic, its for known is Koramangala, Block, 5th , Colony at No. 462,17thCMain,KHB cuisine.NaatiManae Karnataka North delicious its for popular is Jayanagar, Block, 4th Main, 10th Vijaylaxmi Towers, 32Cross, 1/21, Hotel, North Karnataka Venkateshwara vourites. Shree continues toexcelinitsoldfa- New KrishnaBhavan The roof islowandyouhave

masala, Chicken Gheeroast, ten- popular fortheNeerDosa,Crab ers Road, Vasanth Nagarismost Cross, NearJainHospital,Mill- (Tel: 4/2 2235078)at204/A, Kerala, GoaandMangalore. offering authenticdishesfrom 66604545), aplacewithpedigree, Hotel, 66Residency Road, Tel: few. Karavalli Alsotry Idli andButtonIdli,tonamea Gokak JowarDosa,Green Masala Dosa, Mangalore Kotte Kadabu, Ragi over Karnataka—Mandya 23560940) offersdishesfrom all Serving dosas at VidyarthiBhavan at dosas Serving Ujwal Restaurant andBar (Gateway the Mysore pak. pak. Mysore the for Majestic in Stall Sweetmeat jalebi andSriVenkateshwara paneer their for Banashankari in Sweets Poonam Putharekulu, cate Sweets inJayanagarforthedeli- Reddy Pulla for head tooth specials. To pandertoyoursweet Iyengar all are dish), sweet (a bun (vegetablebun),dilkush palya biscuit, coconut biscuit, Om bread, fruit bread), (spicy bread Khaara bakeries’. ‘Iyengar an visit you till complete isn’t ists andactivists. city,- andthehubofartists,journal one oftheoldestrestaurants inthe 22213793) onStMark’sRoad, Koshy’s BarandRestaurant (Tel: ‘institutions’ include Bengaluru the around Somemore Karnataka. ises youauthenticspecialsfrom 331, 5BRoad, EPIPZone,prom- the Windmills CraftworksatNo. Whitefield Open noon-3.30;7pm-11pm.In They are goodfortheirseafood. delights. of traditionalculinary Road, ahost HighGrounds ,serves tel, RaceCourseRoad, 3Crescent 41291300) at32,GoldfinchHo .30pm coconut shell.Open11.30am-11 insidea Chicken kababsserved der coconutChicken, and Spicy The Bengaluru experienceThe Bengaluru (Tel:Sanadige Bengaluru Oota Bangalore atop - 43 Regions Coastal Karnataka milk. The key to Mangalorean food is the ‘baffath’ powder or red masala used in fries Hemmed in between Mangaluru and Karwar, and curries, sourced from slender Byadgi Coastal Karnataka’s flavours transition from chilli and round uru mensinkai or Kumta Dakshina Kannada, Udupi (See Page 46) and chilli. The Mangalore Catholic community Uttara Kannada. It is home to various com- is known for dishes like pork salad, brinjal munities, each known for their distinct cui- salad (using the round striped mattu gulla sine. Mangaluru is an epicurean delight with aubergines), pork baffath, pork indad, kalees local snacks like ‘Mangalore Buns’, goli bajji, ankiti (pork offal curry), Mangalorean fish uppit-shira, sajjige-bajjil, khara roti and biscuit curry, chicken stew and sannas. Drop by roti, best experienced at New Tajmahal Café. at William Pereira Hotel, Mangala Bar & Try unique staples like moode (cylindrical Restaurant or Mary bai ‘mai jowan’ (literally, idlis steamed in screwpine leaves), gunda (rice ‘mum’s food’) for a taste. dumpling steamed in leaf cups) and khotte Kori-roti is a traditional dish of the (idlis steamed in jackfruit leaves). Bunts or Tuluvas (Tulu-speaking community)

Cuisine of karnataka Being a coastal tract, coconut is widely with flavourful chicken curry served with used – as oil, in grated form or as coconut crisp wafer-thin roti made from boiled rice. 44 In the past, koli-katta or cock fighting competitions were common and the losing Bhatkal Halwa rooster usually ended up becoming ‘chicken The coastal town of Bhatkal is pulimunchi’, a curry named after its puli famous for its godi halwa, a gluti- (sour)-munchi (spicy) flavour. Seafood is nous sweet made of godi or wheat aplenty with iconic Bunt dishes like kane milk. Pick up a box from Hashim (ladyfish) masala fry, bolanjir (silverfish) rava Bakery or the historic Bhatkal fry and anjal (kingfish) tawa fry, topped with Sandow Halwa crunchy red masala fried in coconut oil. The fleshy and tangy bimbli fruit (Averrhoa bilimbi) is widely pickled and used as a souring agent especially for boothai (sardine) sukka. Eat at Coconut Grove or Narayana’s near the jetty. Gaud Saraswat Brahmin or GSB cuisine is dominated by hing or asafoetida. Despite being Brahmins, they follow a pescatarian diet as GSBs are believed to have migrated from Gaud (Bengal) to the Saraswati river system, where a severe famine led them to milk andfresh ground masalaisadigestive Kadi, apiquantblendofkokum, coconut Sol widely usedassouringagents incurries. and teppal(aSichuanpepperrelative) are Kokum(garcinia) andcurry). gram stirfry stapleof farmer andthe like sungtasong(thickprawncurry) resonates withKonkani flavoursanddishes southofGoa, Karwar cashew). Located side dishlike tindli-moi andavegetable withfishfry usually served along thecoastrightuptoUttaraKannada, prawns. and vermicelli delicate with shaiyya jhingabiryani lessly withArabia.Theymake anexquisite from Konkani, while local tastes blend seam- heavily borrows dialect Their arrived’. newly ‘the or Nav-ayaths called community new a form to GSBs and Jains local with mingled bian sailorswhocamehere fortradeinter Ara - baingan kakhatta(sourbrinjalcurry). and vinegar) cashew in (onion sirke kapyaaz with paired often biryanis, its for known the coasttooldporttownofBhatkal, up Continue Home. Lunch Shetty legendary and chicken gheeroast were birthedinthe rean hotspotwhere theKundapur chicken and sheerkorma koli norchad(stuffedfriedchicken), biryani pancake), pinyanappa(steamedeggdessert), rare delicacieslike kalathappa isknownfor trading communityofBearys a GSBfishthaliandassortedfries.The eat fish.GiriManja’sistheplacetosample Fish curry-rice forms themajorstapleall forms Fish curry-rice Further north,Kundapur isanepicu- (vermicelli payasa). (vermicelli -saaru (horse- kulith upkari-saaru (ivygourd withraw (thick savoury (thicksavoury - masala) at Hotel Amrut. masala) atHotel Amrut. or buttergarlicprawnsand tisrya (clam)sukkaatSwethaLunchHome mastani (mackerel), kalwa an assortmentofseafood from bandgauggi/ from Try Maharashtra,GoatoKarnataka. cooler popularallalongtheKonkan coast Above: Golibajje,anotherMangaloreanspeciality Top: KarakchaiandMangaloreanbuns n (oyster) sukkaand karle ambat

(crab 45 Regions Cuisine of karnataka

46 I began all it where to back brand culinary Tracingoldest India’s Udupi Cuisine in onehanda rodcurds tochurn with anda Udupi isworshippedasan infant,wielding rituals toworshipthegodchild. Krishnain philosophy anddeviseda set ofelegant sage foundedtheDvaitabranch ofHindu coast.The western a townonKarnataka’s established theSriKrishnaTemple inUdupi, when thesaintphilosopherMadhavacharya tion thatdatesbacktothe13thcentury, tradi - sciousness haslittledowithaculinary and toolittletodelight. double quicktime.Too muchpredictability in all out, step eat, in, ney.step who Folks sambarandchut- the regulation watery with served dosas vada, idli, Standard cities. sight always,atthe‘Udupis’thatdotour know iswhattheysee.Anditisn’t apretty can’t really faultmyfriends,forwhatthey I India. South from food fast veg cheap, this of near-ubiquity the of because also and idli-vada-sambar, to amounts ‘Udupi’ Mainly becausemostpeoplebelievethat or otherwise of Udupi vegetarian food. food. vegetarian Udupi of otherwise or time there’s adiscussiononthemerits - ’m usuallyinasilentminorityevery However, theUdupiofpopularcon - It wasapparently intriguing legend. dish islinked toan jaggery, thissweet Bengal gramand point. Prepared from makes anicecasein gods. TheHayagreeva fitforthe still istruly produce foodthatwasand traditionmerged to pi. Religion andculinary enough toensure thathehungaboutinUdu worship theLord,butalsohadtocookwell just theexactingritualsrequired tocorrectly not eight mathsthatsurroundithadtolearn daily basis. tees whothronged thetempleona cultivated thetraditionoffeedingdevo day.every Gradually, templeauthoritiesalso 14 different varieties—are offered totheLord where cooked delicacies—nofewerthan eats. Thisbeliefresulted inthe‘naivedya’, unless hewasenticedtostaybydelicious believed thatKrishnawouldwanderaway length ofrope intheother. Thedevout The Brahminsinthetempleand

- - experience to theUdupifood leaves iscentral in freshplantain Bottom: Serving Fluffy idlis Facing Page: 47 Regions Cuisine of karnataka

A traditional brahmin cook at Udupi’s Mitra Samaj shows off a giant dosa

offered to Lord Hayagreeva at Udupi’s Sri include majjige palidya, which is prepared Krishna Mutt by an ardent devotee. It is using ash gourd, coconut, cumin seeds and believed that the deity used to appear as a yoghurt; gulliappa, which uses rice and urad white horse and demolish the sweet dish dal flour and drakshi gojju, a sweet, sour and while his devotees chanted shlokas in his spicy gravy-based dish with lots of raisins. praise. Or modakka, which was used as a Other hot favourite is the huli, which in- cure whenever the Lord would fall ill. Then cludes a number of cooked vegetables, curry there was the bisi bele hulianna, made from leaves, lots of spices and coconut of course. spicy red gram, rice and vegetables. The light Then there’s gojju, a stew that’s sweet, tangy yet filling dish made sure that the lord could and spicy all at once. play after his meals. But, what we really need to be thankful The cuisine of Udupi, as we know it was to Udupi for is the classic Masala Dosa that a result of the culinary creativity of the Mad- has made its way to almost every nook and hava Brahmin cooks. Some of the all-time corner of every Indian town. In Udupi, they favourite delicacies in a typical Udupi platter make it golden brown and crispy. The potato cook the same batter used in normal round-cook thesame batterusedinnormal to mould different a use simply They shape. cylindrical its in lies idli the of variant this of uniqueness The gunda. or moode or the everpopularidli.It’s called Kaddubu and jaggery. they make usingfreshly ground coconut this withachutney around Udupialsoserves dishes andseafoodgravies.Manyeateries This dosaisbestsavoured withregional meat neer dosa,wherestandsforwater. “neer” whichiswhythedosacalled overnight, hence thelightness.Riceissoaked inwater rava masaladosa,it’sjustatadthinnerand less thesameasoneusedinmaking texture. Whilethericebatterusedismore or masala dosaisitsextremely lightandairy jari Dosa.Whatsetsitapartfrom theusual that UdupioffersistheNeerDosa,akaBaj blessed with. best masaladosas,yourpalatewilleverbe visit Pangala, oneofthe whichserves nipal, alsoknownasUdupi’stwintown,do get achancetovisitthestudenttownofMa onions atmostrestaurants inUdupi.Ifyou you couldalwaysaskforaseparatebowlof onions, thankstotheirtamasicquality. But masala dosasofUdupidon’t usuallyhave texture. Nottobemissedisthefactthat ter thatlendsthedosaitsmelt-in-the-mouth inside thedosa.It’sthisgenerous useofbut- even insertabananaleafwithfresh butter Palya inthelocalparlance.Somerestaurants mixture oftheUdupiMasala Dosaiscalled Udiupi also does a great version of of version great a does also Udiupi Another popularversionofthedosa

- - Cooked withsemolinaandveggies,upmaisapopularSouthIndianbreakfast Govinda orLordKrishnaaswealsoknow the peopleofUdupimake asmallprayerto start eatingandaftertheyfinishtheirmeal, designated spotontheleaf. Before they dishhasits in aparticularorder andevery placed ontheground. Thedishesare served onabananaleaf for starters,it’sserved Udupi meallookslike, onemayask.Well, right. own its in yeti orprawnchutney, anabsolutedelight with served best are idlis cooker. The sure pres - in alarge vesselinsideyour everyday put are moulds These leaves. jackfruit with made is Kaddubu shaping in used moulds conical the that fact the is interesting cess shaped idlis.Whatmakes thecookingpro- What exactlyawholesometraditional 49 Regions him. It’s not allowed to leave the meal half- used. These also work as a taste enhancer way. And rightfully so. After all, the food is in deserts like halwa and in the evergreen light on the stomach, thanks to the mild use sour rasam. Udupi cuisine also uses a lot of of spices and its non-greasy and low calorie leaves like those of valli colocasia, turmeric, character. curry, coriander and brahmi. To wash down The stew in a traditional Udupi meal is their food, an all-time favourite coolant that mainly cooked using pumpkins and gourds people of Udupi rely on is thambli. while the currys use raw banana skin. Chut- At home, the people of this region prefer neys are primarily all about coconut and so meals that are both light and cool, since they are the dry curries or ajadinas. The salad have to deal with the coastal heat. They fry in Udupi is called kosambri. For pickles, their season green veggies with ghee. These mango, pineapple, jackfruit and grapes are are then ground with pepper, coconut and cumin seeds. Buttermilk is used to lend the The evergreen sour rasam is an absolute delight for the palate thinness. Rice serves as the first course and sambar is a staple. Udupi rasam rounds off

Cuisine of karnataka the meals.

50 No English please... Achyuth Holla’s family has run the Mitra Samaj Restaurant in Udupi’s temple square since 1949. “Today anyone who opens a vegetarian restaurant serving idli, dosa, vada feels free to add the Udupi tag, authentica- tion just does not exist,” complains Holla. It isn’t difficult for me to agree with him. The taste of goli baje, a maida savoury, deep-fried in coconut oil and served with freshly ground coconut chutney at Mitra Samaj, I have never yet encountered elsewhere. As also the pineapple ksheera, a rava-based sweet served with spicy upma. This breakfast treat is served from 5am onwards as bells toll in the adja- cent temple courtyard. So entwined with the temple is the tradition of Udupi cooking that even the vegetables used are chosen according to a greenish brinjal thatgrows onlyinthe hamlet fashioned around themattigulla,asquat asthevariety ofdishes none asscrumptious that tilltodaytypifyUdupi food.Butthere’s aries, thesechefsdevisedsignature dishes beetroot, radish,carrotorpapaya cooking—notomato, cauliflower,everyday offered tothegodsandbyextensionunfitfor lish’ vegetableswere alsodeemedunfittobe tooaredrumsticks notincluded.Later, ‘Eng- ties. Vegetables suchasgherkin,spinachand and garlicare taboofortheirtamasicquali rigorous systemlaiddownbypriests.Onion The simpleyetfillingUdupithaliatMTR Instead, withinthestrictsatvicbound - - temple complex dwindling,theysigned onas they foundemploymentopportunities atthe twin skillsetsoftheUdupi Brahmins.Once aromatic spices. lightly fried,thegullaglistensinacloudof jeera, red chilli,tamarindandsalt.When a ground mixture ofalittlecoconut,methi, on afresher aspect.Itisthenstuffedwith blackandthevegetable takes water turns The slicedgullaissoaked inwatertillthe outarangeofmattigulla delicacies. turn sect ofBrahminsfrom thevillageofShivalli of Matti.Cookswhohailprimarilyfrom a Rituals andcookingwere clearlythe 51 Regions cooks at private homes or made their way to Outlook—Fresh off the leaf Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and the towns Several moons ago, a hungry Outlook correspondent paid of Maharashtra. In 1924, the brothers Maiya a visit to Udupi’s Mitra Samaj Restaurant on Car Street, from the village of Kota landed in Bengaluru, in search of the reason why all of India knows the word where one worked as the cook in the home Udupi. Somewhere amidst the flavours of the pancake, of a British judge. The brothers then set up a the savoury potatoes, the spicy-sour sambar and the cool snack outlet in the city’s Lalbagh Fort Road, coconut chutney, enlightenment dawned. How could a serving idlis and coffee, calling it the Brah- nation not be seduced by such perfect blends of flavour min Coffee House, for the next 26 years. and texture? Many moons after that hot afternoon in By 1950, the Maiyas had moved to larger Udupi, Outlook Traveller revisited the town for 52 Week- premises nearby, renaming the hotel Mavalli end Breaks from Bengaluru. To our delight, Mitra Samaj Tiffin Rooms or MTR. Today after 80 years had rechristened its premium dish as the Outlook Dosa of business, MTR is more an institution than in honour of our humble story on their hallowed offering. a hotel, where customers queue up at 6 am Our name has been immortalised in the polysyllabic stream for a taste of the legendary breakfast.

Cuisine of karnataka that is the Udupi waiter’s menu. We’d like to thank them Hemamalini Maiya, who now runs here for giving us a place in eternity. When in Udupi, do the restaurant, says while they no longer 52 pay a visit to Mitra Samaj and have a bite of Outlook. You use coconut oil to season their dishes, the may find some of our editorials unpalatable, but we guar- Udupi connection lingers in the taste of their antee the spicy stuffing in the crispiest dosa on Earth will sambar and rasam. “I try to include seasonal give you nothing to complain about. specialties from Udupi—for instance, the badanekai huli will in season have the matti gulla in it,” she says. Her personal Udupi favourite is bol huli made from matti gulla. The sliced and soaked gulla is cooked in a thin gravy made of ground coconut, green chillies, tamarind and coriander seeds with a touch of jaggery and seasoned with coriander leaves. Udupi Brahmin men are traditionally peerless cooks. As PN Narasimha Murthy, an Udupi-based historian, explains: “The monastic tradition for all priests at the Sri Krishna temple and the ashta mathas meant that all temple cooks had to be male.” So where does that leave the women? What such astheleaves ofthebrahmioryelemuri sidered theultimatecoolant.Seasonalgreens Then thethambli,asummer speciality, con- conut, green chilliesinamustard seasoning. made from soaked dalsmixedwithgrated co meal willconsistofsaladslike thekoosambri, tritious andcoolinginthecoastalheat.Soa They like theirfoodlight,easytodigest,nu and themilkfrom thecowsinherbackyard. vegetables andgreens from her frontyard in-law, thekitchenwith aladywhoruns in Udupi.Shetakes metomeethermother- professor ofliterature andaShivalliBrahmin wonder, asImake mywaytomeet Vasantha, cooks inthehomesofUdupiBrahmins,I Bisibelebath;drychickpeagravywithappam L-R: - - into cupsmade from leaves and jackfruit Udupi cuisineaswell.Idli batterispoured apartof variety ofsteamedfoodsform of jaggery. Udupi rasamthatbearsthetrademarkhint box). The mealisusuallyrounded offwith 15days(see sambar powderprepared every ground masalaincludingcoconutorwiththe comes thesambar, cooked either withfreshly withriceasthefirstcourse.Next and served jeera andcoconut,thinnedwithbuttermilk fried withgheeandthenground withpepper, handy—areor chathaisoppu—whatever’s or vitaminsoppu,skinandseedsofgourds, In keeping withcoastaltraditiona 53 Regions steamed. Ripe jackfruit is ground to a thick Udupi delicacy. A variation leaves out the doughy batter with coconut and steamed in buttermilk, and instead shapes the ground the leaves of the teak tree, to get a pink-hued batter into little curls to make crunchy kum- delicacy called pelakayida gatti that is served bla kai sandige. No part of the white pump- with honey. Leaves of the mundevu palm are kin is actually wasted, the skin and seeds and used to steam idlis that are locally known as soft core go to make the cooling thamblis, moode. A variant of this dish using a rava- while the vegetable will end up as a sweet based batter instead of rice is called kadubu dish, the famous kumbla kai halva, cooked ole and served as naivedya. in pure ghee with jaggery and roasted cashew A balanced, nutritious diet is central to nuts if not in a sambar. the philosophy of Udupi cooking; for their For those who believe that Udupi food protein content, lentils are a prominent fea- cannot do without large amounts of coco- ture. Udhina gojju, made from raw urad dal nut, the chefs have a treat for the summer ground with white pumpkin, green chillies, a months. When fresh pineapples, bitter gourd, pinch of asafoetida and thinned with but- mango and the local sour fruit amte kai flood

Cuisine of karnataka termilk is then seasoned with mustard and the markets, they roast some black til. Then red chillies in coconut oil to make a typical in a little coconut oil they fry red chillies, 54 urad dal, and fenugreek and grind it all with Spicy and delicious, kara kadubu are dumplings made with rice a little coconut and jaggery. To the boiling mixture they add the sliced fruits or vegetables, and as the mixture thickens, add a seasoning of mustard and red chillies to serve a dish that is tangy and incredibly aromatic. Through the monsoons, the Udupi Brahmins make spicy chutneys that go well with boiled rice. Freshly ground with colocasia leaves, ridge gourd, or yam and spiced with tamarind, red chilli and salt, these are a fiery addition to bland monsoon fare. No wonder then this faintly mocking proverb is so popular in the coastal towns: “Brahmana bhojana priya” (the Brahmin loves his food too well). If you live in an Indian city, you will no doubt find an ‘Udupi’ in your neigbourhood or in the next. But for a taste of authentic Udupi cuisine means, you would do well to 3pm and 9pm every dayatMitraSamaj,Car 3pm and9pm every of whichover1,000plates are soldbetween hot withchutney, orthe golibaje,adelicacy in theleavesofanativepalm, andserved restaurants. snack atsomeofthesewell-knownUdupi For more thanthestandard idli-vadadosa, healthy foodfrom thetempletownofUdupi. their lineagebacktothetraditionoftasteful, names willinmostcasesbeabletotrace a Kamat,ShanbhagorPai attachedtotheir withcare. Restaurants with pick theeatery quickly thanothervegetableoils also what reduces the shelf life of the powder as coconut oil spoils more taste of Udupi Brahmin masalas comes from the coconut oil. But it is Store incleanairtightcontainersforupto15days.Thedistinctive necessary. Mix all the fried ingredients and grind to a fine powder. if coconut oil.Replenish theoilslightlybetweeneachfrying Method Fry each of the ingredients separately in a little leaves; coconutcurry oil 10 gmfenugreek; 5gmasafoetida;onebunch ghati menasu red chillies; 25 gm cumin seeds; Ingredients 250 gm coriander seeds; 200 gm PowderSambar Brahmin Udupi Try the kadubuolle,ravabattersteamed cooking aspractised inthetempletown. taste inspired bytherichtraditionofsatvic Lalbagh Road, beartracesofthatdistinctive and rasamatMavalliTiffin Rooms (MTR), thepineapplehalwa,sambar In Bengaluru, HotelAyodhya Kodialbail,try Mangalore. partatraditional coastalbreakfast,that form of moode,palmleafidliandragiporridge pound intothetemplepremises. For ataste these tamasicfoodsdriftacross thecom- uses noonionorgarlic,lestevenawhiffof compound, thisrestaurant setupin1949, Sreet, adjacenttothetemple Udupi.Located n 55 Regions Cuisine of karnataka

56 door (steamer) preparing hunched overabrassthon - who wouldspendhours an accomplishedcook, tales ofmyajji(granny), shifts. ending never in generations multiple feed to woodfires over urns gigantic in prepared meals lion away. Itbore thedistinctaroma ofamil- breath my took pantry mezzanine its with kitchen large The gamble! virtual a sleep made that minifissures through insects and rain sun, the in let roof Mangalore-tiled red sloping The sting! bee a than worse was mango, plucked freshly a from squirted sap acid the ‘sooney’, that discovered rapidly children we while grown-ups for time siesta meant Afternoons interiors. table us citybratsaswepeered- intoitsinscru captivated called, was it as ‘guwel’ or well, ancient The trees. mango and coconut with dotted grounds sprawling its nady,with T Sunshine & Sannas of Land The Mangalorean Cuisine My mother often narrated My motheroftennarrated aunt’s ancestralhomeinKanka- cuisine transportsmetomygrand Mangalorean of mention very he and being my soft-spoken father Sundays meantwalkingtothemarket with accompaniment ofmuchnoisyslurping! and dissectedtheeventsofweekto fry, dal andrice.Thefamilymetatthetable toprawn meant thatwecouldlookforward kicked offtheweekend celebrations,which comfort food!Saturday formally afternoons withpiping hotrice….aah, served curry trees toprocure mangoesforaripemango summer skinningourkneesclamberingup borders. Aschildren, wespentamemorable their sobriquetfrom theirgossamer, lace–like signature dish–‘lace’appamsthatderived was oftenbeggedbyherfamilytomake her My motherwasnomeancookherself, and (clam)curry.with aspicycoconutmarwai pundi (steamedricedumplings)tobeeaten accompaniments Neer dosaand Bottom: different chutneys be savouredwith Tuppa dosa,to Facing Page:

57 Regions his second-in-command while he purchased textures. Called ‘Kudla’, ‘Mangaluru’ or the our Sabbath treat of fish, mutton, chicken or more anglicized Mangalore, this sleepy town prawn in rotation. Oh, happy days! of yore is now a bustling city, rubbing shoul- For those new to the region, Manga- ders with its more renowned counterparts. lorean cuisine is an umbrella term for the The soul of Mangalorean cuisine lies cuisine of diverse communities like the Tulu- in its liberal use of coconut– combined with vas, the Mangalorean Catholics, the Muslims ginger, garlic, red chillies and a slew of spices, (Bearys) and the Saraswat Brahmin commu- it gives Mangalorean cuisine that authentic nities. Each of them made this coastal town zing. When combined with seafood like crab, in the Dakshina Kannada district their home clam, prawn or fish, it leaves a vivid sensory over the centuries, resulting in a vibrant cui- imprint indeed. sine with multiple ingredients, flavours and I never did have the pleasure of savouring my ajji’s cooking, but often sensed her Ragi idli at Sri Ram Restaurant in Mangalore passion for perfection through the utensils that were lovingly handed down from genera-

Cuisine of karnataka tion to generation. Her wickedly heavy dos- agriddle now nestles in my sister’s kitchen, as 58 do the kadepina kallu (grinding stone), and the pickle jars, redolent of a more gracious era when every morsel was savoured, with the subtle flavours playing a symphony on one’s palate. Rice appears in various avatars in Tu- luva cooking like idlis, dosas, appams, neer dosa, thelao and the wafer-thin kori rotti, which is softened by drenching it in thick coconut curries. The love affair with rice continues with shaavige (string hoppers) also slathered with curries for the ultimate gastronomic experience. Bangude (mackerel), bhutai (sardine), kaane (ladyfish), prawns, crab and clams are hauled in fresh from the seas by the Mogaveeras, a community of fishermen. They are either fried to a crisp with a rava coating, or dunked in pulimunchi (tamarind) and coconut based curries. quaint miniature spoons.Those partakingof gara (ghee)issprinkledon thericewith sequence, onspecificareas oftheleaf. Abbhi - the floor, inaparticular theitemsare served ongreen plantainleavesplacedon Served payasa (ricepudding),amongotheritems. bonda, chakkuli andvadaparamannaor Idlisoup),frieditemslike (a spicywatery Bengal gram),chitranna(spicedrice),saaru kosambari (seasonedsaladmadefrom split elsewhere seemlike paleimposters. temple townwhichexplainswhydosasmade believed tohaveoriginatedinthisbeautiful peopleintobelievers!Thedosais sine turns boon bythegods,andonebiteoftheircui cooks, asthelegendgoes,were granteda mushroomed alloverthecountry. Udupi to thescores ofUdupirestaurants thathave and needsnointroduction, thanksmainly should berightupyourstreet! snacks) dal vadas)andthukdis(friedsavoury bajjes (onionfritters),chattambades(chana bajjes (deepfriedmaidafritters),neerulli of fried food, then look no further – form goli padas completethepicture. (sweet potato),khara(chilli)andgujjepap them, like Oliver, wantingmore! Kereng andcoconutwouldleave rice, dal,jaggery labar spinach)dalandpathrademadewith curry,shavings, gujje(jackfruit) bassale(Ma - withcoconut kin-like vegetable)garnished like badane(brinjal)sambar, manoli(agher A typicalUdupimealwouldconsistof Udupi cuisineispredominantly sattvik If youcraveforcaloriebombsinthe Vegetarians needn’t despairasdishes - - - dry dishwithchanadal andcoconut) dry cabbageupkari(a usal orblackpeascurry), cies includetandalachevade (ricepuriswith Goan counterparts.Their vegetarian delica dish).They share aclosebondwith their gourd) andbibbeupkari(acashewbased in coconutmilk),pagilapodi(deepfried val(vegetables chane gashi(chanacurry), kadgi chakkococonutgravy), (rawjackfruit and mangoinaspicysweetcoconutgravy), boiled lentils),avnasambesasam(pineapple famed fortheirdaalithoy(moderatelyspiced end withthechantingof“Govinda”. finished before rising.Allmealsbeginand has a mealare expectedtowaittilleveryone Bunt cuisine (thali) at Mangalore at (thali) cuisine Bunt The Konkani speakingcommunityis - 59 Regions patholi (steamed rice rolls with coconut and jaggery, served during Ganesh Chaturthi, much like the Maharashtrian modaks). For sheer simplicity, there is nothing to beat daali thoy, or kolmbo, a Konkan style sambar. Kadambi is an idli-like dish favoured in the rainy season, made with cucumber. At local weddings, the biscuit ambado, a kind of vada, is served. The Konkan answer to the north Indian kadhi is the jeer mirya kadhi, which is served with rice. Gajbaje randayi is a mixed vegetable curry to suit all tastes. The Muslim community (Bearys), also known as Byaris, trace their roots as far back as the 7th century. Historically, the Beary community cultivated trading links with the Moplahs

Cuisine of karnataka of the Malabar Coast and the Arabs. In fact, the word ‘beary’ is believed to have originated from 60 the word ‘byara’, the Tulu word for trader. This predominantly trading community enjoyed royal patronage. They developed a cuisine that, while inspired by the indigenous Tuluva cuisine, bore the distinct imprint of their rapport with the Arabs and the Moplahs. The Byaris are famed for their take on the ubiquitous biryani. The Beary version is notori- ously spicy, reflecting the regional penchant for all exotic spices. Many traditional Tuluva community dishes have made their way into Beary cuisine like the different versions of rice dumplings (bassale and erchiro pundi). Their sweet dishes include the neiyappa, a deep fried ghee flavoured dish made of rice flour and jaggery and the pudyampule, a mildly sweet rice-based dish specially prepared to welcome a groom when he visits his bride’s house. The muttere appam (a sooji and vegetable appam), methero and chiroti (deep friedlayered floureaten galore buns(madewithbananas andflour) thy questisatanend!Ranging from Man- over atavaonbananaleaf. boiled riceblendedwithcoconutandroasted thath bakriisabananaleafdishthatuses salad) are popularvegetariandishes.The with cashewnuts,andkaramba(cucumber fish) or kumbulmaas (dried tuna) added to it. sambar-like dishhasgalmbi(powdered dried few daysbefore aCatholicwedding.Pollu, a during theanointingceremony thatisheld a thatisserved kadhi isacoconutmilkcurry atweddingdinners.Rosachiroast served can beseenintheirlaitao, whichisapork maas (chicken). ThePortuguese influence (beef), bokrea maas(mutton)andkunkda lorean Catholiccuisine,asare bifamaas are popularitemsinManga fish roe curry with dukramaas(pork),porkbafat,sorpotel, cuisine blendinwiththelocalcuisine. turies. Years oflivinginMangalore sawtheir Goa Inquisitionbetweenthe16th–18thcen during thePortuguese-Maratha warsandthe ancestors migratingtotheCanararegion munity isbelievedtobeofGoanorigin,their draws inspirationfrom theArabic‘fatirah’. – adumplingstuffedwithnutsandraisins satility ofthiscommunity. pattir TheBeary’s based dish)demonstratetheincredible ver gravy), nombure kanchi (a riceandlentil kanji (moongdalvadasinmustard flavoured Fear not,thou loversofsweetdishes… Foka, finger adishcombininglady’s Sannas (idlisfluffedwithtoddy)served Most oftheMangalorean Catholiccom - - - - Chicken ghee roast ghee Chicken Above: ing ititstrademark flavour. andnuts,whicharefruit soakedgiv- inrum, de resistance. Itismadewithraisins,candied variety. Theplumcake is,ofcourse,thepiece conceivable table ladenwithgoodiesof every cookies completetheimageofaChristmas (sesame laddoos),macaroons andcrisprose vouries madeofgreen bananas),theelundes pathekas(sa- fork tinesanddippedinsyrup), and sesameseeds,kulkuls (flourrolled along Newries (gujiyas)stuffedwithplums,nuts forallChristmastreats. aterm with ‘kuswar’, Mangalorean Catholicssurpassthemselves galorean cuisinehasitall!ComeDecember, and ravaundes(semolinaladdoos),Man- with sugarandmilk)toholige(puranpolis) FacingPage: n A huge catch at a at catch huge A fishing dock fishing 61 Regions Cuisine of karnataka

Making sannas (idli fluffed with toddy or yeast) at a restaurant in Mangalore Mangalorean Food Trail

teering clear of structured the colours of shopping bags while that put this seaport town on the menus and fine ambiences, gulls and auctioneers cry out to food map. SMangaluru’s iconic restau- be heard along the Old Port road. Three kilometres away, an- rants are a delicious invite to eat First customers hustle and jostle other tribe of early birds gather at like a local and be well on the way for their share of kane (ladyfish), Mangaluru’s most recommended to discovering the land’s soul. prawns, anjal (kingfish), crab, ban- breakfast destination, New Taj As the small clock hand sleep- gude (mackerel) and more. Fishing Mahal Café. At this decades-old ily saunters past 6am, the fishing boats stand sentinel as the buys joint, where shutters open even dock at Dhakke is awash with reach warm kitchens where meats before sunrise, the welcome is by activity. Blue, yellow and orange and masalas are topped off by all the soul-lifting aroma of fresh filter crates overflowing with fish marry forms of coconut to create dishes coffee and the chief host is camara- its GoudSaraswat Brahmin(GSB) interiors tofindaspotfavoured for nondescript façadeandthe dim Restaurant. beyond the Look odhya aliasRamBhavan Veg from thecaféstandsHotelAy- and themultitudeofguestsaffirm. the three-generational ownership arethe mornings absolutelylegit, der andghee.Sweetsomethingsin using ashgourd, cardamom pow bread) andkashihalwa,prepared holige (atypeofsweetenedflat end, patrons leavewithpacksof Asmeals (wheat) halwaarrive. the café’sfamousbananaandgodi of conversations lullasservings pers are putdownandmultilingual conut chutney. Soon,localnewspa- withasideofco these are served fried toanelegantgoldencrisp, flour andextra-ripebananas eager togetontheroad. Madeof lege studentsandweddingparties buns are devoured bysleepycol- Plates oftheiconicMangalore of gheethatglistenonthesurface. unmindful ofthecopiousamounts fully digintoplatesoftuppadosa, favorites. Walkers andjoggersglee- and offerabriefonthetown’s to tablesthatare mostly shared pictures onFacebook) usher you Gowda wholaterasksifyou’llpost derie. Wizened waiters(like Mr. B. At justastone’sthrow away - - - pinwheels) isalocalrecommenda pathrode (steamedcolocasialeaves ishowyouroll, the If savoury the waysoflivingandcooking. ing aninstantconnectionbetween trees,a coupleofjackfruit draw- trees, apatchofplantainyieldand the townhaveumpteencoconut is fried.Mosttraditionalhousesin leaveswhilethelatter or turmeric issteamedinteak,banana former as themainingredients andthe pods, rice,coconutandjaggery (fritters). Bothhaveripejackfruit with afilling)andappaorgariyo patholi (thinandlongdumplings fare andseasonalspecials. Like A chickpea dish at New TajNew at dish Cafe chickpea Mahal A - need amealon thego. with spoonsandplates,should you restaurant packsorders, replete chilli. Absolutelythoughtful, the with coconutchipsandByadgi preparation ofsplitpulsescooked withtovey,The dishisserved a a distinctflavourandfragrance. that holdsthebatterandlends aminibasketpinned toform leavesarejackfruit strategically that goesintoitsmaking.Four is worthanorder forthework type ofBondassteamedricecake) traditional preparations. Kottige (a jaggery, oustingrefined sugarfrom coconut shavingssweetenedwith aportionof The platealsocarries a tarttomatoandonionchutney. neer dosathatisaccompaniedby and settleforthethinlacy provide. Sitdownincoolenvirons places like HotelJanathaDeluxe and airconditioned spotsthat often leavesyoucravinglighteats thesugarstash. carry sure tobringyourownclothbag jalebi amongstothervarieties.Be amouth-wateringgrape that serves shares spacewithasweetsshop fame,Ayodhya on itsyesteryear shallow-fried ortempered. Resting for overanhourandsometimes lined withspicybatter, steamed tion. Theleavesare painstakingly Mangaluru’s tropical climate Mangaluru’s

63 Regions As lunch hour looms, hop into the two levels (the top has a ladies’ back to 1966, this modest estab- an autorickshaw and make your section), a plate of boiled rice with lishment is a ticket to the best in way to Car Street. Before long, the sides of a vegetable, tangy mango the Catholic culinary ledger. Pair narrow roads lined by shops with pickle and fish curry instantly fluffy, toddy-laced sannas with wooden slat doors are bathed in appears. A glass of lukewarm rice sorpotel (a fiery, sticky pork meat the aroma of coconut oil. Destina- water is next. Then arrives the dish that ages deliciously) or the tion Giri Manja’s. Famous even showstopper – a large round plate, baffat aka dukra maas that is across the waters, this seafood its circumference dripping with oil, slow-cooked to a beautiful ten- joint has its kitchen housed in a holding the day’s best fresh catch derness that is worthy of poetry. tiled-roof house on one side of – kingfish, mackerel and more. The The key is a fragrant spice mix the road with a brightly-lit seating highlight, however, is a hot and fu- (chillies, peppercorns, cumin and space on the other. Chances are riously salty powder that is mostly more) that can be bought as a that you’ve already been educated fried remnants of the marination. souvenir from Konkan Traders about the offerings. A staple of fish Think meat and auto driv- or Don Stores. If your heart curry meals and any of the specials ers turned local gourmets head doesn’t say pig out, settle for

Cuisine of karnataka of which the anjal masala fry (a towards William Pereira’s Hotel. Mangaluru’s beloved export, big fillet of kingfish slathered with Located in a complex that dates chicken ghee roast, at Maha- 64 feisty spices), the prawns tawa raja’s and Anupam’s at Abhiman masala, the crab ghee roast and Idlis steamed in jackfruit leaves Residency. Or the evergreen kori the deep-fried bhutai (sardine) are rotti. Follow the much-trodden much-loved. If unsure, the friendly path to Shetty’s Kori Roti, ask waiter will reel off a list just like for a takeaway (strictly advised) the hawkers at the dock, instantly and head home to douse the flat, translating when met with quizzi- wafer-thin dried rice crepes with cal looks. And here’s a tip: skip the the accompanying spicy, coconut- aerated drinks and ask for a bonda based chicken gravy. lime. You’ll thank us! Sunset hours in the port town If one half of the city heads to see the colours effortlessly spill- Giri Manja’s, others pledge loyalty ing onto the culinary trail. Many to Hotel Narayana at Bunder. a hand wields paper cones filled Painted a cheerful orange and with wispy white churmuri (spiced swathed in aromas of the sea, this puffed rice) while amber fillings weathered house stands for heart- peek from the insides of biscuit filling meals, pocket-friendly ex- roti, a type of deep-fried bread. periences and vows to return. The Along the old-school laminate second you are seated on one of tables of Hotel Karthik at Kottara, induced happiness. nuts, willleaveyoutasting sugar- and cake with loaded Italian), even aremote resemblance tothe not (no, edition tiramisu the less, Chocolate andcoffeebeingtime- andvanillaicecreams. strawberry followedbyscoopsof fruits dry and jelly with topped ice-cream vibrant medley: alayerofkesar a is latter The gadbad. the or is synonymouswiththeirparfait your favoritedessertquotesand all to justice does Ideal parlours, cream ice of chain old An Chowki. Kottara at Ideal or Lalbagh at coastal townisatriptoPabbas this in commandment food repeated oft dinner, the or lunch soothing green canopies. for long-windingdrivewaysand testimony tothetown’s softcorner house namedSaldale,anelegant here, besure tolookacross toa side ofnostalgia.Whenaround upwitha crispy layer)are served balls spongyontheinsidewitha of orange-tingedgolibajje(flour tion. At Woodlands Hotel,plates layers ofcreamy milkanddecoc fee thatfeature separatedancing voured withthespecialtea orcof sea-green walls.Theseare bestsa- fritters) strike acontrastagainst baje(onion golden brown neerulli Be it day or night, breakfast, breakfast, night, or day it Be - - loved restaurants are reminders of humble settings,thetown’s most- blow from thesea. catch awhiffofthewinds that catch andthelonecatpausingto theearly waitingtoferry trucks hours, theonlyonesaround are Once lightsare offinthewee rest easy.steamed andthesugary to helpthefried,fiery, the glasses withpipinghotlimetea midnight, BombayLuckyfills last todownshutters,waypast time icecream time.Probably the as 7am,Idealisouttomake every Vadas beingfriedatMangalore’sSriRamVeg Restaurant Content tooperateintheir With outletsopeningasearly abandon and love. slow andcookingwithabsolute beauty ofcookingsimple, cooking cards andsheetsofpaper. Andthe where peopleknowtheirfoodsans are builtlonger. Atimeandplace no placeforscreens andtables community asconversationsmake the tables.Adeep-rooted senseof sured. Fresh catch,from theseato ingredients dried,roasted andtrea- their kitchens.Carefully curated women whotookprideinwhatleft pered withstoriesofmenand down through generations,pep- to standfor. Recipes safelyhanded what foodoncestoodandought n 65 Regions Cuisine of karnataka

66 (banana stem) and suvarnagadde (yam). (banana stem) andsuvarnagadde are madefrom beetroot, carrot,baledindu cucumber. Traditional saladscalledkismuri tils) orsweetoneswithcoconut, pumpkinor khara kadabu(riceenvelopes withspicedlen bus (steameddumplings)–beitthesavoury outa plethoraofkada (colocasia) andchurn delicacies from kallele(bambooshoot),kesa ment ofsteamedfare. up TheGowdasrustle mushrooms andhoney, besidesanassort- andwildproduceherbs, ferns like bamboo, tracts ofCoorg andMalnadare knownfor Running inlandparalleltothecoast,hill Malnad Facing Page:

Coconuts arefoundinabundanceMalnad; - - fortifies against minorailments. pepper, red chili, cumin,garlicandonion, dry spiced with shunti (ginger)andbella(jaggery) munity. Shunti Bellada Kashaya, made from with Vitamin im- Candincreases thebody’s or gooseberry) and fresh coconut, is packed likayi tambulimadeofdriednellikayi(amla is alightlyspicedaperitifcooler. Vonagiru nel- made from fresh turmeric root and buttermilk, to combat the cold climes. Arshina tambuli, chutneys and tambulis (medicinal coolers) hashis (raita), delightful gojjus(curries), a scientific approach to food and churn out also hometoHaviyakBrahmins,whohave Above: AMalnadlunchmealfeaturingpathrode Besides Jains and Lingayats, Malnad is n

67 Regions Cuisine of karnataka

68 D Coorg of food traditional leaves—the and shoots Meats, Kodava Cuisine with akkiroti orriceflatbreads andellupajji which isprepared from pumpkinsserved fast wouldgenerallyinclude kumbala curry, simpler side.Aquintessential Kodava break- that continue to define Kodava food. of theseasonsandproduce oftheland sociable as the Kodavas are, it is the rhythms comes toCoorg for. Andwell-travelled and off-from-the-world feeling is what everyone whelming feelingisoneofseclusion.Thiscut- dense thickets ofcoffee. of longdrivewaysoronhilltops,shrouded by from theroad, alwaystucked awayattheend which are nowhomestays,are rarely visible ber). Theplantationbungalows,manyof of therotund Mangalore sautekaayi(cucum displays, thebrightgreen andyellowstripes and, alwaysprominent amongthevegetable its inevitableseedybar, manyporkshops the occasionalsmalltownmarket square with coffee estatecutupbywindinghillroads and Kodava mealsare primarilyonthe atthesebungalows, theover Arriving essentially onebigtree-shadowed lose one’sbearings.Thedistrictis riving around Coorg, it’seasyto - - way. Food that offers way.offers that Food large a in cuisine Kodava impacted also have tions like toeatpork. practiced, people hunting is no more flavour. Nowthat its specialsmoky but alsoprovided it kept themeatdry ing flame.Thisnotonly wooden slattedframesplacedoverthecook Kodavas. in Thegamemeatwaspreserved meat usedtobecooked andeatenbythe the day, whenhuntingwasallowed,thegame andculture. Backin influenced byitshistory diet. ThefoodofKodagu hasbeenlargely behind porkbeingapartoftheregion’s daily a regular basis.There’s aninteresting history tarian andconsumefish,meatporkon of theKodagu region are largely non-vege meat anditsunderpinningisrice.Thelocals pletes themeal. or sesamechutney. Acuppahotcoffeecom Climatic condi- The centrepiece ofKodava cuisineis - - - jackfruit semi-fried tender palaya, adishof Bottom: Chake Kodava meal A wholesome Facing Page: 69 Regions thermal warmth is consumed during the es include coconuts, jackfruit, plantain and winter season and monsoons. While pork mango. Some people also use the rare wild remains a staple throughout the year, sea- mushrooms while bamboo shoots are also food offerings are mostly cooked during the extensively used during monsoons. If you monsoon season. love mushrooms, you will also love the spicy An array of spices ranging from cumin Kummu curry. The best part about Kodava seeds to black pepper is used in the making cuisine is perhaps the fact that it is cooked of these non-vegetarian delicacies. You will in such a way that the natural taste of the also come across a lot of ginger and jiggery key ingredients used is always retained. For being used in the cuisine of this region. They instance, Kodavas allow bamboo shoots to lend the dishes their peculiar sweetness. Ko- sour in its own waters, when making Bamboo dava cuisine is also one of the only cuisines Shoot Curry. The bamboo shoots are har- in south India which depends on the use of vested before they get too hard. On peeling fruits, plant stems and ferns to a great extent. the bamboo shoots, the tender part inside is Those with a sweet tooth will love akki used for making the dish.

Cuisine of karnataka payasa- the humble rice pudding, which The coffee plantations of Kodagu were a is usually prepared during festive seasons. 19th-century British enterprise; before that 70 Among the locally grown vegetables and it was rice that ruled the land. “The wealth fruits, some of the most used in Kodava dish- of our ancestors was paddy and cattle,” said coffee planter Madan Somana, who with his Kaad mangia curry uses mangoes and jaggery wife Anita runs the BB Estate Homestay in Kadagadal. The paddy fields needed protection from predators such as wild boars which were often shot and then eaten, says Madan, as an explanation for the origin of that prince of Kodava dishes, pandi curry—succulent pork cubes coated in a tangy, smooth and very dark masala. Pandi has come to represent the special- ness of Kodava cuisine—not only because it is one of those rare South Indian pork dishes but also for its unique taste. Pandi is tantalising partly because the dry spices used in it— pepper, coriander and cumin among them— are roasted before they are ground, giving the gravy a deliciously toasty flavour. The other of anotherrarity—tender bambooshoot or essential ingredient, Anitahassetoutaplate inwhich,unlikecurries, pandi, coconutisan bowls ofkoli (chicken) andkuru(beans) homeland afterlonginevitably do. Among guests clamourforit;Kodavas visitingthe outside Coorg. Anitasaysthatmanyofher sometimes setuphomeinsidepigs. cholesterol andzapsthenastycreatures that it,fights gency tothemeat,helpspreserve dozen yearsormore,pun- addsthatcrucial creates acondimentthathasshelflifeof inedible intheraw, butpulpedandthickened thatis vital factoriskachampuli,alocalfruit curry chicken fry;Porktraditional naked L-R: Pandi is hard to resist and difficult to get ootis; theirstandard dessertpayasais broken of steamedrice).Theirrotis are akki(rice) balls be eatenwithkadambuttu (small,firm only pa-puttu, andinsistingthat pandicurry out deliciousriceandcoconut cakes called over thericenoodle-like noolputtu,turning tions ofold—pouringthinchicken curry continue tohonourthoserice-eatingtradi muchofitanymore, they do notgrow very ness andjuicinessoftheshootsdominate. leavesandred chillies,lettingthesour curry then usuallyseasonedwithmustard seeds, in wateroverthreeitand daystoferment baimbale. Thisseasonalvegetableissoaked As forpaddy, even thoughtheKodavas - - 71 Regions rice cooked in coconut and jaggery; and Ko- is made during festivals and weddings. The dava snacks, such as badokajaya and chikka- dish is best enjoyed with pandi curry and lunde, are, inevitably, made of rice flour. chicken curry. Akki roti is possibly the most popular At the Tata-owned Cottabetta Bunga- among them all. Prepared from rice flour, low in Pollibetta, chef Girish, who was from this easy to make dish is extremely filling neighbouring Hassan District, handed me and forms a major part of lunch and din- some freshly plucked leaves. We had just ner meals. Thanks to abundance of paddy eaten a meal of fantastic pandi, the spices cultivation, rice is an integral part of Kodava perfectly balanced with the meat, along with cuisine. But akki roti or otti is not the only chicken curry, nool puttu, kadambuttu and a way Kodavas consume their rice. They make lovely dish of stirfried black-eyed beans and paputtu using steamed rice and coconut horse gram called usli. I enquired of Girish cakes, rice string hoppers noolputtu, steamed about Kodava vegetarian cuisine. “This rice dumplings kadambuttu and fermented is called harive soppu,” he said about the and steamed rice cakes thaliya puttu. It leaves. “Grows in the wild. We cook it into a

Cuisine of karnataka would not be an exaggeration to say that rice vegetable.” He forayed into the garden a sec- finds itself at the heart of Kodava cuisine. Of ond time to get a small chakke (jackfruit) for 72 these, kadambuttu is the most popular as it photographer Jyothy, who wanted to see how it might look placed alongside the bowl of Rice puttu, spicy egg roast curry and moong dal curry cooked chakke, which was also part of lunch. It was jackfruit season; everywhere on the drive we spotted the pendulous fruit hanging heavy on trees. We later encountered it on many tables. This breaking off conversation to get something to show from the garden ran through the course of my trip—a wonderfully spontaneous gesture that said a great deal about how organic the Kodavas’ relationship with eating and cooking continued to be. At Alath-Cad, where the food was arguably the best to be had anywhere in Coorg, there were fruit trees on the estate and the vegetables on Mrs Muddaiah’s table were seasonal and, again, occasionally wild. It was there that we tasted the sublime kaad mangia (wild vessels. This lets the juice of the fruit which vessels. This lets thejuiceoffruit inbasketsThe cookputsthefruits overlarge from oftheKodambuli theripefruits fruit. to theBalsamicvinegar, whichis extracted Kodagu. You cansaythatit’stheiranswer householdin finds itselfinalmostevery Estate innearbyKakkabe. whichwelatersampled atPalacewild fruit), made ofkaipuli(orbitterorange,yetanother chutney ment toakkiottis,asisamarvellous lots oflime—aseasonalbreakfast accompani and worked intoachutneywithcoconutand Coorg. are Theseedsofthejackfruit boiled further evidentinthemanychutneysof The innovativeuseoflocalingredients was seasoning butalsobringabouttheflavour. asa their chutneys.Notonlydotheyserve The Kodavas mostlyuseonionandgarlicfor and picklesthatworkasgreat tastemakers. is alsoblessedwithitsshare ofyumchutneys they prefer tothecommonervariety. me thetiny, locallygrown green chilliesthat with,andshowed she usedtoseasonbiryanis for someleavesfrom herallspicetree, which milk sweetcalledhalbai,MrsMuddaiahsent Kodava staple),aswellariceandcoconut wonderful koli barthad(chicken fry, another In betweensharingrecipes withmeforher is. Theresult wassweetandsourheaven. in manyofthesamedarkspicesthatpandi andcooked wassweetenedwithjaggery fruit ground, thetree beinghard toclimb.The species thatisgathered only whenitfallsto madefromofatall thefruit mango) curry Kachampuli isanotheringredient which othercuisine,KodavaLike every cuisine - Papittu (rice cakes) and kadampittu (rice balls) (rice kadampittu Papittuand cakes) (rice gun thathad thusfarbeenlyinginnocuously conversation uncovered adouble-barrelshot- most oftheyearandatsome pointinour expensive ingredient readymade nowadays. cess ofmakingit;mostbuythisprecious and show usanddescribedthepainstakingpro- Vanita brought outabottleofkachampulito green thatgrows inthewild—kakey toppu. the table,there wasasmallbowlofanother at delicious pandiandkoot (vegetable)curry Vanita Bhimmiah,amongthetureens of the spacioushomeofregal andfriendly the evergreen Pandi curry. agent inmanyKodava specialities,including extract thickens andactsasaperfectsouring intopulp.Eventually,gradually turns the Vanita livesaloneonherplantation for Coorg,In southern atIrpuResort, setin 73 Regions in a corner. She strikes an impressive pose called madd toppu (‘medicine leaf’) which with the twelve bore but confessed to never blooms for only a couple of days in August. having had occasion to use it. While the The water in which it’s boiled is used to cook Kodavas have, since the mid-19th century, rice in or eaten with honey. Vincy sticks to the freedom to carry firearms in the district tradition even with the food—her yummy without a licence, and while many still live a chicken fry and rich nai kool (ghee rice) are life their ancestors would recognise, it has to cooked on a wood fire, and she shared recipes be said that there doesn’t seem to be much with us for rare Kodava delicacies such as wild boar left to hunt. kuvale putt—the flesh of a tender jackfruit Prasad and Vincy Apparanda run Palace mixed with broken rice and steamed in a Estate and are particular about the traditions banana leaf. of their community and the ways in which The Kodavas themselves don’t eat a these are changing. We have heard about the great deal of the food that they are famous harvest festival and the one dedicated to the for. Mrs Muddaiah of Alath-Cad talked of worship of the river goddess Kaveri. At Palace chapatis made of wheat and soya flour and

Cuisine of karnataka Estate we learnt about the lesser known Kak- Anita Somana said that her dinner is often kada Padinett, a ritual plucking of a wild leaf soup with brown bread. While health con- 74 cerns have distanced the community from its Naayekulle (ghee rice) makes the mouth water rice- and meatrich diet, tourists and home- sick Kodavas continue to keep the Kodava- cuisine alive. During weddings, Kodavas like to go the old school way of sit-down feasts where the hosts serve the guests. Traditional favourites during wedding meals include pandi curry, kadambuttu and payasa. Kodagu is not only known for its coffee, but will also delight you with its special wines and absolutely divine beverages. Local fruits like gooseberry, oranges, grapes, chick- oo and beetle nut leaves are used to make homemade wines. Toddy, also known as Bolle Kall is another hot favourite of Kodavas and they use pine and coconut trees to make it. From red to green to pink, the wines of Koda- vas are as appealing as refreshing. n most famous restaurant—East End Madikeri experience.Thetown’s isaworthwhile ing theafternoon cooked pandiandacoldbeerdur them chemicals.Aplateof freshly plantation anddoesnotfeed Aiyana rears hisownpigson bus stand)whoseownerGanesh Capitol Bar(nearMadikeri private is another placeworthtrying andfive kindsofpork. fry) barthadh (tenderbambooshoot Kodava dishesincludingbaimbale rant ambienceandafullmenuof Post Office)hasmore ofarestau- (Madikeri MainRoad, opposite is alwaysexcellent.Coorg Cuisine the daily side dish of vegetable dry a toor(arhar) dalbase—aswellas of the day—a mix of vegetables in etarian dishestoo. Thekoot curry theveg- but onemustdefinitelytry dard of pandi and chicken curry They make thenon-vegetarianstan- and down to the perfect rasam. ing with her always delicious pandi isastarcook,start- wife, Leelavati, byMrLipton.His Bazaar) run M Kodagu Trail in Food For thoseintentonjustpandi, Comforts, near Janata Food (HotelCaveri adikeri’s best is Folksy - would behard tomiss.Bamboo tinuities in the food of this region down theWestern Ghats,thecon - vegetarian thalis. and for theirsuperbchicken fry Kodavareally serve food,except a must-doeventhoughitdoesnot special of kheema dosa. EastEndis meatballs, andthelateafternoon and by itsfamousmuttonbiryani Kodava canbeseen,drawn gentry —is where bothtouristsaswell Hotel (GeneralThimmaiahRoad) A typical Coorgi meal served at a restaurant in Madikeri in restaurant a at served meal Coorgi typical A Were one to eat one’s way Coorg’s got the pandi! Most importantly, of course, only seafood marginal toitscuisine. while the location of Coorg makes Kodavas go easy with the coconut, Mangaloreans and Malayalis, the of SriLanka).Yet unlike boththe galore (aswellasthestringhoppers of Coorg andtheshavigeofMan- appam of Kerala is the nool puttu tu, whichtheycallmoode.Theidi- Mangaloreans callspundi,andput- too, asiskadambuttu,whichthe shoot is a part of Mangalorean food n 75 Regions North Karnataka Lingayats form a prominent community in North Karnataka and are vegetarians. In the hardy plains of North Karnataka jola The twin towns of Hubballi-Dharwad are (jowar or sorghum) is the primary staple dotted with Lingayat khanavalis (eateries) consumed as jolada roti (flatbread); some like Basaveshwara Khanavali and Basappa prefer it kadak (crisp). Meals customarily be- Khanavali that serve jolada roti with yenne gin with menthya pachadi (fenugreek salad) badnekayi (brinjal curry), jhunka (steamed and heirloom cucumbers. Methi leaves help gram flour cubes) and hesarakalu palya cut cholesterol, control diabetes and act as (whole green gram curry), liberally sprinkled roughage. The country cucumbers have less with gural or uchhel pudi that imparts water content with tiny closely packed seeds characteristic taste. Buttermilk and majjige that makes them crunchier. Also served along saaru (buttermilk curry) help combat the hot with the meal are assorted pudis (powders) climate. Durgada Bail, Hubballi’s legendary packed with protein that make great dietary Khau Galli (Eat Street) fires up the evening additives – agasi (flax seed), gural or ucchelu with stalls serving chaat, bhelpuri, ‘tomato’

Cuisine of karnataka (Niger seed) and the yummy shenga (ground- omelette and other snacks! L.E.A. (Lingayat nut) chutney. Educational Association) Canteen is known 76 for its terrific thuppa avalakki (beaten rice Below: Badnekeyae yennagai gojju; with ghee) and signature Masala Toast! Facing Page: Jowar roti with dal curry The region has several native vegetables and dishes unique to the region. Tingal avrekayi is a local bean available only for a tingalu (‘month’ in Kannada) while karchikai (Momordica cymbalaria) is a tiny pod vegetable that must be consumed immediately after harvest, before it bursts open. Both are made into palya (stir fry). Also popular are jowari dodda mensinkayi (stuffed country capsicum) and gulagayi yenagai (like a country cucumber). Besides jolada roti, North Karnataka has typical staples like dapati (mixed flour masala roti). Wheat is used to make kuchida kadabu (wheat dumpling), kudisida kadabu (stuffed dumpling) and uggi chapattis, steamed on green cornhusk and served with 77 Regions spicy kempu (red) chili chutney and ghee! in Dharwad serve kaima unde (keema ball), There’s a tradition of pasta making as well mutton chops, khara boti, tale mamsa (brain where little dough beads are pressed on a curry) and karadu (spicy) mutton. comb for stripes and shaped into miniature Northwest Karnataka shares a border shells or ‘shankha’. The broken wheat kheer with Maharashtra and the Maratha love soute bija huggi resembles tiny soute bija (cu- for spice is apparent in the erstwhile Brit- cumber seeds) and is a must in all Lingayat ish cantonment of Belagavi (Belgaum). Be marriages and functions! it rassa (fiery curries) or sukka (spicy dry Yet, all is not vegetarian up north. Savajis fry), red chili is essential and it’s easy to see or SSKs (Somavamsha Sahasrarjun Kshatri- why locals love their sweets too! Belgaum yas) claim descent from the mythic thousand- is known for its kunda or caramelized milk armed warrior Kartiveerya Arjun and mi- khova sweet and mandige (Konkani crepe grated from Central India to Karnataka and pancake). Mutton is the popular choice of Maharashtra. As kshatriyas, bold flavours of meat, sourced from sheep farms in Haveri meat and spice dominate their cuisine. Dur- while chilis are procured from Karnataka’s

Cuisine of karnataka ing Dussehra, they offer edimi (wheat-gram ‘Chili town’ Byadgi. The erstwhile Muslim flour dumplings), arithi (wheat flour diyas) principality of Savanur is legendary for Shiv- 78 and lalpani (liquor) to their paramount deity alal’s ‘khara’ (mixture) since 1931. Just past Bhavani. Eateries like Nakoda and Devika in Almatty Dam, Korti-Kolhar attracts travel- Hubli and Savaji Hotel Milan and Kathare’s lers with fresh fish from the Krishna river and matka curd, served with puttani-avalakki Bhatkali chicken biriyani garnished with dried red chillies (spicy Bengal gram powder and beaten rice). Vijayapura is legendary for its ‘Bijapur oota’, served in local eateries. The Hyderabad-Karnataka region, bor- dering Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, has culinary influences like a meat heavy, spicy cuisine and the use of gongura (sorrel leaves). Locally known as pundi palya, it is popular in Central and North Karnataka and often made into chutney or cooked with lentils or mutton. The addition of local Rayadurga brinjals to mamsa (mutton) pundi palya adds a typical flavour. Hyderabad-inspired dishes like dum biryani and dalcha (meat with lentils) are common in Kalaburagi. n The absolutely divine Dharwad PedaDharwad divine absolutely The pedas. However, itwaspopular Unnao duetoaplagueandmade fromThakur migratedtoDharwad 175 years,whenRamRatanSingh Peda’sDharwad legacygoesback PedaDharwad in ChappalBazaar. by ‘MamuJaankiMalpuri’,ashop Itwasmadefamous sugar syrup. stuffed withkhoaanddunked in malpua, thisdeep-friedsweetis malpuri. Nottobeconfusedwith khoa), itissynonymouswiththe like apaanwithstuffingof known foritspaanmithai(shaped While Kalaburagi(Gulbarga) is Malpuri Gulbarga’s Sweets ofNorthKarnataka - of castorsugar. is round andgrainy, withaveneer peda from thenorth,Dharwad Line Bazaar!Unlike itsflatcousins thearea thename shop earned Thakur. Thelongqueuesatthe ised byhisgrandsonBabuSingh dispensed from brasscontainerson ‘cycle’ khova,soldonbicycles and is famousforits Ballari (Bellary) Khova ‘Cycle’ Ballari folded similarlylike adosa. tavalikeupturned aroomali butis ghee andkhoa,itismadeonan A crepe withathinfillingofsugar, another sweet—mande or mandige. Belgaum (Belagavi)isknownfor Besides theeponymouskunda, Mandige Belgaum khoa andcreated Belgaumkunda. had coagulatedtowhichheadded By thetimehereturned,milk but forgot toswitchoffthestove. wasboilingmilk as Jakku Marwari, Gajanan Mithaiwala,betterknown had migratedfrom Marwar. Once accident thankstocookswho Belgaum kunda wascreated by KundaBelgaum Khova Store. Sweets andthepopularAbidCycle bicycles orhaveabiteatBombay vendors whotrawlthestreets on accentuates thetaste!Buyfrom eco-friendly salleafplates,which famous as‘Gokak’ karadantu. it wassoldatGokak,became the firstkaradantumaker. Because gappa AiholliofAmingad became tually karadantu.In1907, Savali ‘karida-antu’ (friedgum)andeven dients were fried,itwasalsocalled antu (ediblegum).Sincetheingre- of jaggery, nutsand fruits, dry Antinunde isateatimesnackmade antu Karidaa- Amingad/Gokak Amingad Karidaa-antu is loaded with nuts with loaded is Karidaa-antu Amingad n - - 79 Regions Recipes South Karnataka

Mysore Pak

Any discussion about Karnataka cuisine is incomplete without a mention of this absolutely melt-in-the-mouth delicacy from Mysore. Prepared with gram flour and loaded with ghee and sweetness, Mysore Pak originated in the royal kitchen of the Mysore Palace. The delicious dessert is known for its fine texture and a single piece is extremely filling and yet never enough.

Ingredients Water, ½ cup Gram Flour, ½ cup Ghee, 2 cups Cuisine of karnataka Sugar, 2 cups 80 Oil, ½ cup

Method

1. Pour oil in a vessel, add gram flour to it 4. Stir the gramflour and sugar syrup on a low and sieve it. flame and make sure there are no lumps. 2. Take another thick bottomed pan and add 5. Place this paste in a tray and allow it to set. water and sugar to it and make a sugar syrup. 6. Cut it into square pieces 3. Heat oil and ghee in another pan and add 7. Store in an airtight container. the sieved gram flour to the sugar syrup. 4. 3. 2. 1. Method poha andsabudanaofcourse,rise. quick to make. Usually, the batter is prepared a day prior to cooking by using black urad lentils, A popular breakfast serving, the South Karnataka version of the humble idli is super easy and make asmooth batter. Mix thispastewiththeurad dalpasteand and grindthemtogetherwith water. Add thesoaked rice,pohaandsabudana paste byaddingwater. asmooth Grind theuradlentilandform poha shouldbesoaked for1.5hours). for 4to5hours,whiletheuradlentiland (the riceandsabudanashouldbesoaked each oftheminseparatevessels Wash allthemainingredients andsoak Thatte Idli Thatte 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. Serve hot with sambar and coconut chutney. ing anidlisteamer. theidlissteamfor8to10minutesus Let batter init. Grease theidlimouldwithoilandpour time, addbakingsodaifyouwish. thebatterforrequiredAfter fermenting 10 to12hours. for Add salttothisbatterandletitferment Sunflower oiltogreasethemould Salt, totaste Baking Soda(optional), Sabudana, Poha, Black UradDal, Rice, 3cups Ingredients 1 cup ½ cup 1 cup 1/2tsp - 81 Recipes Recipes North Karnataka

Jhunka Vadi

These gramflour vadis are sweet, sour and spicy all at once. They can either be square shaped or diamond shaped. A traditional north Karnataka delicacy, the veggie delight will remind you of dhoklas from Gujarat.

Ingredients

Tamarind powder, 4tsp Asafoetida, ½ tsp Hot water, ½ cup Chopped coriander, 1 tbsp Gram Flour, 130gm Red chilli powder, 3 tsp Cuisine of karnataka Normal water, 1 ¼ cups Turmeric powder, ½ tsp 82 Jaggery, 3 tbsp For seasoning Salt, 2 tsp Oil, 2tbsp Fresh coconut and coriander Mustard seeds, ½ tsp for garnishing Cumin seeds, ½ tsp

Method

1. Take hot water and soak tamarind for at it to the spices. Add jaggery, salt and stir. least 30 minutes. 5. Now add the smooth gram flour batter 2. Mix water and gram flour to make a stirring continuously till it becomes thick smooth lump less batter. and leaves the sides of the pan. Transfer the 3. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. Once mixture to a greased plate. Smoothen the it crackles, add cumin seeds and asafoetida, surface with a spoon. coriander leaves, turmeric powder, red chilli 6. Once it sets, cut into shape of your choice. powder and coriander powder. Garnish with chopped coriander and fresh 4. Strain the water from the tamarind and add grated coconut. 2. 1. Method with tamarind gojju. isbestenjoyed duringfestivalsattheSriKrishnaMattinUdupi, thetraditionalsavoury served fromismadeusingriceandmoongdal.Mostly This traditionalporridge NorthKarnataka and cinnamon. Let itcooktillthe riceand and cinnamon. Let powder,and addturmeric cardamom, clove Once thepressure releases, open thecooker whistles are heard. 3 cupsofwaterandsaltto taste.Wait till3 Pressure cooktherice and moongdalwith Huggi 4. 3. serve hot serve Sprinkle theseasoningover thehuggyand to it. pan andaddingcinnamon andcardamom Prepare theseasoningbymeltinggheeina lentil are properly cooked. Cinnamon stick,1inch Cardamom, 1 Ghee, 1tbsp For seasoning Cinnamon stick,1inch Cardamom, 1 Turmeric powder, 1tsp Yellow splitmoongdal, Rice, 1cup Ingredients 1 cup 83 Recipes Recipes Coastal Karnataka

Goli Bajji

This popular tea time snack is popular in both Udupi and Mangalore. Prepared with plain flour, Goli Bajji is really easy to make and requires basic ingredients.

Ingredients Maida or plain flour, 1 ½ cup Baking Soda, ¼ tsp Asafoetida, 1 pinch Salt, ¾ tsp

Cuisine of karnataka Buttermilk, 1 cup Finely chopped curry leaves, 2 84 tbsp Finely chopped ginger, 1 inch Grated coconut, 2 tbsp Oil for frying

Method

1. Take flour, baking soda, asafoetida and salt 5. Apply cold water to your hands and make in a bowl and mix well small balls from the batter and drop them 2. Add buttermilk or curd and mix well in one one by one into hot oil direction 6. Stir and fry them on medium flame 3. Add curry leaves, chilli, ginger and coconut in 7. Drain off the Goli Bajjis once they turn this batter and leave it covered for 3 hours golden brown and crisp 4. Mix the batter again after 3 hours 8. Serve with coconut chutney 4. Pour theground mixture inalarge vessel with somewater. smooth pastealongwiththe coconutmixture 3. Whenthismixture cools,grinditintoa chillies forabout5minutes onalowflame. fenugreek seeds,cumingarlicandred roast corianderseeds,peppercorns, 2. Dry 1. Method astheperfectdishtotreat yourguestsatdinner. serves the curry vour, roasted spices are generously used in its making. One of the best offerings from Mangalore, Also knownasKori GhassiorKori iscreamy andspicy. Rotti, thisdivinecurry For thebestfla- 8-10 minutes. for andfry conut, tamarindandturmeric Heat gheeinapanandaddonions,co Mangalore Chicken Curry Chicken Mangalore - serve hotwithchapatti orrice serve 8. Pour a tablespoon of ghee over the dish and chicken andstirwell 7. Finally, addthethickcoconut milktothe chicken isproperly cooked 6. Simmeritforaround 40minutestillthe ing chicken piecesandsalt 5. Addslicedonionsandletitboilafteradd water tothethickcoconutmilk) and addthincoconutmilk(madebyadding Salt, totaste,Curryleaves Thin coconutmilk,¾cup Thick coconutmilk,½cup Red chillies8, Peeled garlicpod,1 Cumin seeds,1tsp Fenugreek seeds, Peppercorns, 1tsp Coriander seeds,1tbsp Tamarind Ball, Grated coconut,¾cup Ghee, 2tbsp; Chicken, 1kg Ingredients Sliced onions,2 Kashmiri redchillies,12 1; ½ tsp Turmeric powder, ¾tsp - 85 Recipes Recipes Malnad-Western Ghats

Coorg Style Pandi Curry Cuisine of karnataka

Pandi Curry is to Coorg what Mysore Pak is to Mysore. The pork speciality is an all-time favourite for both Kodavas and tourists who visit Coorg. Rich in protein and other nutrients, pork meat is cooked in its own fat during the preparation of the dish. Known for its spicy and flavourful taste and rich texture, Pandi Curry is an absolute must-try dish from the treasure trove of Kodava cuisine. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. Method raw smellofonion andgarlicare gone. ittillthe Put thepasteinpanandfry Splutter mustard seedsinthisoil. Pour oilinapan andletitheat. leaves andcuminseeds. green chillies,garlic,ginger, coriander, curry Make acoarsepastebygrindingonions, these friedingredients. Form agaram masala powderbygrinding ingredients onamediumflame. its Prepare thegarammasala byfrying the meatmarinateforanhour. Apply themarinatingingredients andlet excess waterfrom themeat. Cut andwashtheporkpiecesdrain Mustard Seeds,asrequired Coriander leaves,abunch Cumin Seeds,1tsp Ingredients Green Chillies,6 Curry leaves, Oil, asrequired Garlic cloves,5 Salt, totaste Ginger, 1 Pork, 1kg Onion, 2 12 Black Vinegar, 2tsp Turmeric Powder, 1/4tsp Chilli Powder, 2tsp For marin Cinnamon bark, Cardamom, 3 Cloves, 3 Fennel seeds,1tsp Peppercorns, 2tsp Coriander seeds,5tsp To prep 14. 13. 12. 11. 10. 9. and letitcoatthemeat. Now putthemarinatedporkinthispaste ander leaves and serve hot with rice or roti. thedishwithfinelychoppedcori- Garnish paste driesupabit. minutes andkeep thepanopenedtill Allow thedishtocookfor10more made andstiritthoroughly. Now putthegarammasalapowderyou nicely. Remove thecontents thelidandchurn meat tocookfor1015minutes Cover thepanwithaplateandallow are thegr tion 1inch am s ala ala 87 Recipes 88 Cuisine of karnataka at a restaurant in Madikeri Madikeri in restaurant a at served meal Coorgi typical A 75, Page water mouth the makes rice) (ghee Naayekulle 74, Page balls) (rice Kadampittu and cakes) (rice Papittu 73, Page Traditionalcurry right; chicken 71, Page fry naked Pork left; 71, Page jaggery and mangoes uses curry mangia Kaad 70, Page jackfruit tender fried semi- of dish a palaya, Chake 69, Page meal Kodava wholesome A 68, Page dosas masala its for famous is Udupi 17, Page bloom full in Coffee 4-5, Page Jyothy chutneys different with savoured be Tuppato 56, dosa, Page bhara curry dal with roti Jowar 77, Page restaurant a at thali delectable-looking A 18, Page Alamy Book the Inside meal roti Jowar speciality Karnataka North a Oota, Rotti Jolada shutterstock Cover Front Suri Deepa k Design Cover Page 63, A chickpea dish at New TajNew at dish chickpea A 63, Page dock fishing a at catch huge A 60, Page Mangalore in Restaurant Ram Sri at Idli Ragi 58, Page nilotpal t / images Kara agarw baruah t al india picture Mangalore’s Sri Ram Veg Restaurant Veg Mangalore’sRam Sri at fried being Vadas 65, Page leaves jackfruit in steamed Idlis 64, Page Cafe Mahal thali at MTR MTR at thali Udupi filling yet simple The 51, Page Bhavan Vidyarthi at dosas Serving 43, Page restaurants famous most capital’sand Karnataka oldest the of one MTR, at dine Bengalureans 42, Page MTR at food enjoying People 14-15, Page kolari srikanth speciality Tulua roast, ghee Chicken top; 24, Page rosanna Mangalore in restaurant a at yeast) or toddy with fluffed (idli sannas Making 62, Page Mangalore at (Thali) cuisine Bunt 59, Page Dosa Masala 52, Page dosa giant a off shows Udupi’sSamaj Mitra at cook brahmin traditional A 48, Page market fish the at vendor A silverware: her Flaunting 22, Page prashant Page 9, A take on the chitranna, or the the or chitranna, the on take A 9, Page way traditional the made fry Fish middle; 8, Page curry Pandi top; 8, Page leaf banana big platter,on Food served 6-7, Page Appe) (Rice Paddus of plate A 3, Page shutterstock Photo Credits abrachen panjiar carrots and cauliflowers and carrots with made curry A bottom: 36, Page roast ghee Paneer top: 36, Page onions spring and rotti jolada featuring platter Karnataka north A 35, Page favourite hot a is capsicum country Stuffed 34, Page curry gourd ridge and rotti Jolada left; 33, Page Field Millet 32, Page idlis Ragi bottom; 31, Page rotis Ragi top; 31, Page falls Hogenakkal at Cauvery river The 30, Page recipes Malnad to central is pepper Black right; 29, Page Turmericleft: plantation 29, Page market vegetable a at sale for leaves Plantain 28, Page produce wild of reserves vast to home are Malenadu of tracts hill The 27, Page dosa masala a from different entirely is dosa Neer 26, Page chilli red dry with garnished sambar of bowl sumptous A 25, Page curry fish Tangybottom; Mangalorean 24, Page curry Fish 23, Page Coorg in plantation a in berries coffee unripe of Bunches 20-21, Page masala gunpowder and idlis leftover with made snack quick-fix a idlis, Podi right: 19, Page chutney and sambar with Vadas left; 19, Page Murudeshwar at coast Karavali colourful The 13, Page mist the through cutting plunge, Falls Jog otherworldly The 12, Page Karnataka of village remote a in field paddy through walk Villagers 10-11, Page recipe bath lemon Page 85, Mangalore Chicken Curry Chicken Mangalore 85, Page Huggi 83, Page Idli Thatte 81, Page Pak Mysore 80, Page chillies red dried with garnished biriyani chicken Bhatkali 78, Page curry dal moong and curry roast egg spicy puttu, Rice 72, Page pathrode featuring meal lunch Malnad A 67, Page Malnad in abundance in found are Coconuts 66, Page roast ghee Chicken 61, Page accompaniments and dosa Neer 57, Page Powder Sambar Brahmin Udupi 55, Page appam with gravy chickpea Dry right; 53, Page Bisibelebath left; 53, Page palate the for delight absolute an is rasam sour evergreen The 50, Page breakfast Indian South popular a is upma veggies, and semolina with Cooked 49, Page experience food Udupi the to central is leaves plantain fresh in Serving 47, Page idlis Fluffy 46, Page speciality Mangalorean another bajje, Goli bottom; 45, Page buns Mangalorean and chai Karak top; 45, Page dosas benne Fragrant right; 41, Page name same the of city the from come which vadas, Maddur left; 41, Page Pak Mysore 40, Page Sambar with Mudde Ragi 38-39, Page Kalaburagi of district border the into percolates biryani dum Hyderabadi iconic the of taste authentic The 37, Page

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