Karnataka Culinary Magic

The southern Indian state of Karnataka is blessed with an ancient culinary heritage. A traditional Karnataka meal is served on a banana leaf (patravali) or ‘muttuga’ leaves stitched together. A usually sumptuous spread, its menu items include protein-rich cereal salads like kosambri, playas and gojju (a vegetable cooked in tamarind juice with chilli powder), tovve (cooked dal without too much seasoning), huli ( a thick broth of lentils and vegetables cooked together with ground coconut, spices, tamarind and chilli powder) and pappad, all eaten with variety of rice based dishes, including vangibhath (spice rice with egg plants) and pulliyogare (rice flavoured with tamarind juice and spiced with groundnuts). Formal meals always culminate with the chitranna or rice flavoured with lemon juice, spiced with green chilli and turmeric powder and sprinkled with fried groundnuts and coriander leaves.

North Karnadas have a taste for wheat and jowar rotis (bread made of millet), which are savoured with a variety of chutneys and spicy curries most notable being the yenne badanekayi (brinjal curry). Mangaloreans combine fresh coconut and chillies to create wide variety of fruits and huge repertoire of rice preparations. It is the offerings of Udipi (also a town) that have become universal in India as South Indian food. The ubiquitous dosai has its origin in Udipi as do a plethora of South Indian vegetarian offerings.

The most distinctive Karnataka dish, however, is the bisibelebhath, a unique combination of rice, dal, tamarind, chilli powder and a dash of cinnamon. In rural areas, ragi(steam cooked finger millet rolled into large balls) is served either with mutton curry or soppina saaru.

The cuisines of Malnad is a fusion of Coorgi and Mangalorean fare, with signature dishes such as the midigayi pickle made from small raw mangoes, sandige, avalakki, (beaten rice) and talipittu (bread made of rice flour).