Cuisine of Karnataka
Encyclopedia
The cuisine of Karnataka includes many vegetarian and non-vegetarian cuisines. The varieties reflect influences from and to the food habits of many regions and communities from the three neighbouring South Indian states, as well as the state of Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...

 to its north. Some typical dishes include Bisi bele bath
Bisi Bele Bath
Bisi bele bhath is a rice-based dish with its origins in the state of Karnataka, India. Bisi-bele-bhaath translates to hot-lentil-rice in the Kannada language. It is also known as Bisi bele huliyanna. The traditional preparation of this dish is quite elaborate and involves the use of spicy masala,...

, Jolada rotti
Jolada rotti
Jolada rotti is a specialty North Karnataka unleavened Indian bread made out of jowar . The name literally translates into jowar bread....

, Chapati
Chapati
Chapati or Chapatti or Chapathi is an unleavened flatbread from the Indian subcontinent. Versions of it are found in Turkmenistan and in East African countries Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania...

, Ragi rotti
Ragi rotti
Ragi Rotti is a breakfast item unique to the state of Karnataka, India. It is mostly popular in the rural areas of Southern Karnataka. It is made of ragi flour. Ragi-Rotti means ragi-pancake in the native language, Kannada. It is prepared in the same way as Akki rotti. The ragi flour is mixed...

, Akki rotti
Akki rotti
Akki Rotti is a rice-based breakfast item unique to the state of Karnataka, India. Akki-Rotti means rice-pancake in the native language, Kannada. It is made of rice flour which is mixed with salt and water and kneaded well to make a soft dough. Sliced onions and carrots, chopped coriander and...

, Saaru, Huli, Vangi Bath, Khara Bath, Kesari Bath, Davanagere Benne Dosa, Ragi mudde
Ragi mudde
Ragi mudde also Ragi Sangati is a wholesome meal in Karnataka and Rayalaseema region in India. It is mainly popular with the rural folk of Karnataka...

, and Uppittu
Upma
Upma is a popular Indian breakfast dish originating in South India.-Etymology:The general name of the dish in most languages is formed from two words : salt and flour...

. The famous Masala Dosa traces its origin to Udupi cuisine
Udupi cuisine
Udupi cuisine is a world-renowned cuisine of South India. It forms an important part of the Cuisine of Karnataka and takes its name from Udupi, a town on the southwest coast of India in the state of Karnataka. The Udupi cuisine has its origin in the Ashta mathas of Udupi founded by...

. Plain and Rave Idli, MysoreMasala Dosa and Maddur Vade
Maddur vada
Maddur vade is a type of vade or snack item which is unique to the state of Karnataka, India. Also known as Maddur vada, this snack derives its name from the town of Maddur which is in the Mandya district of Karnataka. Maddur lies between the cities of Bangalore and Mysore and Maddur Vada is...

 are popular in South Karnataka. Coorg district is famous for spicy varieties of pork curries while coastal Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...

 boasts of many tasty seafood specialities. Among sweets, Mysore Pak
Mysore pak
Mysore pak is a sweet dish of Karnataka, India, usually served as dessert. It is made of generous amounts of ghee , sugar and gram flour....

, Holige, or, Obbattu, Dharwad pedha
Dharwad pedha
Dharwad pedha is a sweet delicacy unique to the state of Karnataka, India. It derives its name from the city of Dharwad in Karnataka.This sweet's history is around 175 years old.-History:...

, Chiroti are well known.

Although the ingredients differ from one region to another, a typical Kannadiga Oota (Kannadiga meal) includes the following dishes in the order specified and is served on a banana leaf: Uppu(salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...

),
Kosambari, Pickle, Palya, Gojju, Raita, Dessert (Yes, it is a tradition to start your meal with a dessert - Paaysa), Thovve, Chitranna, Rice and Ghee

After serving ghee to everyone, one may start the meal. This is done to ensure that everyone seated has been served all the dishes completely.

What follows next is a series of soup like dishes such as Saaru, Muddipalya, Majjige Huli or Kootu which is eaten with hot rice. Gojju or raita is served next; two or three desserts are served; fried dishes such as Aambode or Bonda are served next. The meal ends with a serving of curd rice.

It is believed that every meal is a wholesome meal containing essential components of a healthy meal such as proteins, carbohydrates and vitamins.

There is some diversity in core food habits of North and South Karnataka.
While northern-style dishes have jola
Sorghum
Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, one of which is raised for grain and many of which are used as fodder plants either cultivated or as part of pasture. The plants are cultivated in warmer climates worldwide. Species are native to tropical and subtropical regions of all continents...

 and rice as the primary cereals the south uses ragi
Finger millet
Eleusine coracana, commonly Finger millet , also known as African millet or Ragi is an annual plant widely grown as a cereal in the arid areas of Africa and Asia. E...

 and rice.

North Karnataka cuisine

The North Karnataka cuisine can be primarily found in the northern districts of Karnataka, including Bidar
Bidar District
Bidar is a district of Karnataka state in southern India. The historic city of Bidar is the administrative centre of the district. The district is located in the northeastern corner of the state, near the borders with Andhra Pradesh to the east and Maharashtra to the north and west...

, Kalburgi
Gulbarga District
Gulbarga district is one of the 30 districts of Karnataka state in southern India. Gulbarga city is the administrative headquarters of the district...

, Yadgir
Yadgir
Yadgir is a town and the administrative headquarters of the newly created Yadagiri district in the Indian state of Karnataka. On 10 April 2010, it was officially declared as 30th district of Karnataka State. It is also the administrative headquarters of Yadgir taluk, one of the three taluks of the...

, Vijapura, Bagalakote
Bagalkot district
Bāgalkot district is an administrative district in the Indian state of Karnataka. The district headquarters is located in the town of Bagalkot. The district is located in northern Karnataka and borders Belgaum, Gadag, Koppal, Raichur and Bijapur...

, Belagaavi
Belgaum district
Belgaum district is a district in the state of Karnataka, India. The city of Belgaum is the district headquarters in North Karnataka. By the 2011 Census of India, it had a population of 4778439...

, Raayachooru
Raichur district
Raichur District is an administrative district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located in the northeast part of the state and is bounded by Yadgir district in the north, Bijapur and Bagalkot district in the northwest, Koppal district in the west, Bellary district in the south, Anantapur...

, Dharwad
Dharwad District
Dharwad District is an administrative district of the state of Karnataka in southern India. Dharwad is the cultural headquarters of North Karnataka....

, Davangere, Gadag
Gadag District
Gadag District had a population of 971,952 of which 35.21% was urban as of 2001. Population increased 13.14% in the decade 1991-2001. The District is bounded on the north by Bagalkot District, on the east by Koppal District, on the southeast by Bellary District, on the southwest by Haveri...

, Haveri
Haveri District
Haveri is a district in the state of Karnataka, India with the potential to become a tourist hub. As of 2001, it had a population of 1,439,116 of which 20.78% were urban residents.-Tourism:Examples of tourist attractions in the district:...

, Koppala
Koppal district
Koppal district is an administrative district in the state of Karnataka in India. In the past Koppal was referred to as 'Kopana Nagara'. Hampi, a World heritage center, covers some areas of Koppal District. It is situated approximately 38 km away...

 and western and northern areas of Ballari. The cuisine is also considered a specialty in the cities of Southern Karnataka like Bengaluru and Mysuru, with several restaurants offering this cuisine to meet the growing demand.

The following is the typical menu of a vegetarian Northern Karnataka meal :
  • Rotti / Bhakri
    Bhakri
    Bhakri is a round flat unleavened bread often used in the cuisine of western and central India, especially in the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Malwa, Goa and northern Karnataka . It is coarser than a roti and can be compared to a British biscuit with respect to hardness.Bhakri as...

     - Thin flatbread usually made from Jowar
    Sorghum
    Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, one of which is raised for grain and many of which are used as fodder plants either cultivated or as part of pasture. The plants are cultivated in warmer climates worldwide. Species are native to tropical and subtropical regions of all continents...

     flour
    Flour
    Flour is a powder which is made by grinding cereal grains, other seeds or roots . It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cultures, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...

    , baked on fire or iron skillet. Bajra
    Pearl millet
    Pearl millet is the most widely grown type of millet. Grown in Africa and the Indian subcontinent since prehistoric times, it is generally accepted that pearl millet originated in Africa and was subsequently introduced into India. The center of diversity, and suggested area of domestication, for...

     and Wheat
    Wheat
    Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...

     flour is also used as an alternative.
  • Enne-gai / Tumbu-gai - Small badane kaayi bulbs stuffed with dry stuffing
    Stuffing
    In cooking, stuffing or filling is an edible substance or mixture, often a starch, used to fill a cavity in another food item...

     including ground peanut
    Peanut
    The peanut, or groundnut , is a species in the legume or "bean" family , so it is not a nut. The peanut was probably first cultivated in the valleys of Peru. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing tall...

    , ground sesame
    Sesame
    Sesame is a flowering plant in the genus Sesamum. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cultivated for its edible seeds, which grow in pods....

    , ginger, garlic, garam masala
    Garam masala
    Garam masala is a blend of ground spices common in North Indian and other South Asian cuisines. It is used alone or with other seasonings. The word garam refers to intensity of the spices rather than capsaicin content...

    , salt, and then sauteed with onions and other spices. Aubergine is also substituted with any other suitable vegetable.
  • Shenga
    Peanut
    The peanut, or groundnut , is a species in the legume or "bean" family , so it is not a nut. The peanut was probably first cultivated in the valleys of Peru. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing tall...

    /Ellu
    Sesame
    Sesame is a flowering plant in the genus Sesamum. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cultivated for its edible seeds, which grow in pods....

     chutney - A variety of powder/dry chutney made from ground peanut or sesame.
  • Kempu
    Red
    Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked eye...

     Khaara, also called "Ranjaka" - chutney paste made with/of red chillis, consumed as a condiment
  • Kosambari
    Kosambari
    Kosambari or Koshambari is a salad made from pulses and seasoned with mustard seeds. The pulses generally used are split bengal gram and split Green gram...

  • Bele
    Dal
    Dal is a preparation of pulses which have been stripped of their outer hulls and split. It also refers to the thick stew prepared from these, an important part of Indian, Nepali, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, and Bangladeshi cuisine...

     or kaaLu palya - Split
    Dal
    Dal is a preparation of pulses which have been stripped of their outer hulls and split. It also refers to the thick stew prepared from these, an important part of Indian, Nepali, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, and Bangladeshi cuisine...

    , whole or sprouted kadale
    Chickpea
    The chickpea is a legume of the family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae...

    , hesaru, togari or masoor, cooked with greens
    Leaf vegetable
    Leaf vegetables, also called potherbs, green vegetables, greens, leafy greens or salad greens, are plant leaves eaten as a vegetable, sometimes accompanied by tender petioles and shoots...

     such as methi, spinach
    Spinach
    Spinach is an edible flowering plant in the family of Amaranthaceae. It is native to central and southwestern Asia. It is an annual plant , which grows to a height of up to 30 cm. Spinach may survive over winter in temperate regions...

    , sabbasige
    Dill
    Dill is a perennial herb. It is the sole species of the genus Anethum, though classified by some botanists in a related genus as Peucedanum graveolens C.B.Clarke.-Growth:...

    and spring onion, and sauteed with onions, ginger, garlic and other spices.
  • mosaru bajji or raitha - salad involving yogurt
  • Raw Salads - of spring onion, onion
    Onion
    The onion , also known as the bulb onion, common onion and garden onion, is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. The genus Allium also contains a number of other species variously referred to as onions and cultivated for food, such as the Japanese bunching onion The onion...

    , green chili
    Chili pepper
    Chili pepper is the fruit of plants from the genus Capsicum, members of the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The term in British English and in Australia, New Zealand, India, Malaysia and other Asian countries is just chilli without pepper.Chili peppers originated in the Americas...

    , methi leaves, sometimes with oggaraNe
    Chaunk
    Chaunk ; sometimes spelled chhaunk, chounk, chonk, chhounk, or chhonk; also called tarka, tadka, bagar, phoron in Bengali, vaghaar in Gujarati, Thalimpu or popu ; and often translated as tempering is a garnish and/or...

    of sasive
    Mustard seed
    Mustard seeds are the small round seeds of various mustard plants. The seeds are usually about 1 or 2 mm in diameter. Mustard seeds may be colored from yellowish white to black. They are important spices in many regional foods. The seeds can come from three different plants: black mustard , brown...

     and/or jeerige
    Cumin
    Cumin is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native from the east Mediterranean to India. Its seeds are used in the cuisines of many different cultures, in both whole and ground form.-Etymology:...

  • Anna - Rice
  • Saaru - Tangy soup made with pepper, cumin, coriander seeds tomatoes and/or tamarind.
  • Happala
    Papadum
    Papadum, also known as papad in Northern India, , pappadam in Malayalam, happala in Kannada, appalam in Tamil, appadum in Telugu, pappadum or poppadom in the UK, is a thin, crisp Indian preparation sometimes described as a cracker. It is typically served as an accompaniment to a meal in India...

  • Mosaru and majjige
    Buttermilk
    Buttermilk refers to a number of dairy drinks. Originally, buttermilk was the liquid left behind after churning butter out of cream. It also refers to a range of fermented milk drinks, common in warm climates where unrefrigerated fresh milk otherwise sours quickly...

  • beNNe
    Butter
    Butter is a dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented cream or milk. It is generally used as a spread and a condiment, as well as in cooking applications, such as baking, sauce making, and pan frying...

     or tuppa
    Ghee
    Ghee is a class of clarified butter that originated in South Asia and is commonly used in South Asian cuisine....

  • Jhunuka or - Salty, Masala Cakes made from Channa Dal powder
  • Herbs - Like, Spinach, Methi and Hakkarike
  • Vegetables - Onions, Green Chilly, Radish, Cucumbar and Carrots


South Karnataka cuisine

The South Karnataka or old Mysore region also known as Bayaluseeme or the plains including the present-day Kolara
Kolar district
Kolar district is a district in Karnataka state of India. The town of Kolar is the district headquarters. Kolar district is located in the southern region of the State and is the eastern-most district of the Karnataka State...

, Bengalooru
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...

, Mysooru
Mysore district
Mysore District is an administrative district located in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. The district is bounded by Mandya district to the northeast, Chamrajanagar district to the southeast, Kerala state to the south, Kodagu district to the west, and Hassan district to the north...

, Tumakooru
Tumkur district
Tumkur district is an administrative district in the state of Karnataka in India. The district headquarters are located at Tumkur. The district occupies an area of 10,598 km² and had a population of 2,584,711, of which 19.62% were urban as of 2001...

, Mandya, Haasana
Hassan district
Hassan is a district in Karnataka state, India. The district headquarters are Hassan.Hassan district was the seat of the Hoysala Empire which at its peak ruled large parts of south India from Belur as its early capital and Halebidu as its later capital during the period 1000 - 1334 CE...

, Chamarajanagara.
Ragi
Finger millet
Eleusine coracana, commonly Finger millet , also known as African millet or Ragi is an annual plant widely grown as a cereal in the arid areas of Africa and Asia. E...

 and Rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...

 are the most important staple grains, Jowar and bajra
Pearl millet
Pearl millet is the most widely grown type of millet. Grown in Africa and the Indian subcontinent since prehistoric times, it is generally accepted that pearl millet originated in Africa and was subsequently introduced into India. The center of diversity, and suggested area of domestication, for...

 are also cultivated and consumed in the drier parts of the region. The first meal of the day is the breakfast which is quite substantial. Regular meals consists of Ragi
Finger millet
Eleusine coracana, commonly Finger millet , also known as African millet or Ragi is an annual plant widely grown as a cereal in the arid areas of Africa and Asia. E...

 mudde or steamed dumpling made from ragi flour, a curry to roll bits of the dumpling often called Saaru, Rice and Yogurt. Optional accompaniments include a salad called Kosambari
Kosambari
Kosambari or Koshambari is a salad made from pulses and seasoned with mustard seeds. The pulses generally used are split bengal gram and split Green gram...

, various Palyas (fried, boiled or sauteed spicy vegetables) and assorted pickles.

Formal vegetarian meals are usually served in a particular order and required to be consumed in a particular order as well. These meals are served on Plantain leaves or Mutuka leaves, dry Tendu
Tendu
Tendu means "stretched" or "pulled" in French. It also may refer to:* Tendu, Indre, a commune in France* tendu, local name of the tree Diospyros melanoxylon * battement tendu, a dance or ballet movement...

-like leaves staples together into big circular discs. First accompaniments are served which includes variety of Palya, Kosambari, sweet-savory gojju, hot spicy chutney Pickles, bajji, bonda, vade, Papads. The first course alternated between sweets and rice preparation. The second course is a set of curries to be consumed with rice. It generally starts with Tovve, a mild lentil dish laced with ghee, Majjige Huli, vegetables simmered in a mild yogurt sauce, followed by Huli, lentils and vegetables spiced and tempered with ghee
Ghee
Ghee is a class of clarified butter that originated in South Asia and is commonly used in South Asian cuisine....

, mustard
Mustard seed
Mustard seeds are the small round seeds of various mustard plants. The seeds are usually about 1 or 2 mm in diameter. Mustard seeds may be colored from yellowish white to black. They are important spices in many regional foods. The seeds can come from three different plants: black mustard , brown...

, asafoetida
Asafoetida
Asafoetida , alternative spelling asafetida, is the dried latex exuded from the living underground rhizome or tap root of several species of Ferula, which is a perennial herb...

 and curry leaves. This is followed by tili Saaru which is a thin lentil stock spiced and laced with ghee and curry leaves. The final course of the meal is rice and curd
Curd
Curds are a dairy product obtained by curdling milk with rennet or an edible acidic substance such as lemon juice or vinegar, and then draining off the liquid portion. The increased acidity causes the milk proteins to tangle into solid masses, or curds. The remaining liquid, which contains only...

 with pickles. Buttermilk is also served to be consumed at the end of the meal.

The Hilly district of Kodagu
Kodagu
Kodagu , also known by its anglicised former name of Coorg, is an administrative district in Karnataka, India. It occupies an area of in the Western Ghats of southwestern Karnataka. As of 2001, the population was 548,561, 13.74% of which resided in the district's urban centres, making it the least...

 (Coorg) also has its own unique cuisine which includes spicy meat (Pandi (Pork) Curry, Chicken, Mutton), Kadumbutt(Round balls made up of rice), Paputt, Thaliyaputt. The spicy meat curries derives a tangy taste from Kokum Kachampuli.

Karnataka cuisine-common to all regions

Some common vegetarian dishes prepared on a regular basis are:

Rice dishes

  • Bisi bele bath
    Bisi Bele Bath
    Bisi bele bhath is a rice-based dish with its origins in the state of Karnataka, India. Bisi-bele-bhaath translates to hot-lentil-rice in the Kannada language. It is also known as Bisi bele huliyanna. The traditional preparation of this dish is quite elaborate and involves the use of spicy masala,...

     - rice cooked with dal, vegetables and spices; like huli with rice, but often richer
  • Vaangi baath - cooked rice mixed with vegetables cooked in oil and spices; the vegetables are usually made into a palya beforehand and the vaangi baath mixed before serving
  • Chitranna
    Chitranna
    Chitranna is a rice-based dish mostly prepared in homes in the southern part of India. It usually involves mixing boiled rice with something called gojju or Chitrannada Gojju...

     - cooked rice flavoured with spices, particularly oil-popped mustard seeds and turmeric
  • Mosaranna - curd rice sometimes given a fried spicy touch with fried lentils and oil-popped mustard seeds.
  • Puliyogare
    Puliyogare
    Puliyogare is a South Indian rice preparation usually eaten as a snack. Puliyogare is also known as huḷianna in some parts of Karnataka, puḷihora in Andhra Pradesh, Puliyodarai,Puliyorai in Tamil and tamarind rice in English.It is traditionally made using steamed or boiled rice mixed with...

     - cooked rice flavoured with spicy tamarind paste
  • Maavinkaayi chitranna - cooked rice flavoured with raw green mango and spices
  • Nimbekaayi chitranna - cooked rice flavoured with lemon and spices
  • Avalakki - Akki (means rice), avalakki is baked flat rice that is soaked briefly and stirfried with cumin seeds, turmeric powder, peanuts, onions, green chillies, garnished with shredded coconuts and cilantro leaves.
  • Mandakki - Puffed rice that is soaked briefly and stirfried with cumin seeds, turmeric powder, peanuts, roasted ground grams, onions, green chillies, garnished with shredded coconuts and cilantro leaves.

"Breads"

  • Ragi rotti
    Ragi rotti
    Ragi Rotti is a breakfast item unique to the state of Karnataka, India. It is mostly popular in the rural areas of Southern Karnataka. It is made of ragi flour. Ragi-Rotti means ragi-pancake in the native language, Kannada. It is prepared in the same way as Akki rotti. The ragi flour is mixed...

     - A flat thick pancake made with ragi dough and flavoured with chillies and onions; the dough is shaped and flattened by hand.
  • Akki rotti
    Akki rotti
    Akki Rotti is a rice-based breakfast item unique to the state of Karnataka, India. Akki-Rotti means rice-pancake in the native language, Kannada. It is made of rice flour which is mixed with salt and water and kneaded well to make a soft dough. Sliced onions and carrots, chopped coriander and...

     - A thick, flat pancake-like dish made with a dough of rice flour, chillies, onions and salt; the dough is shaped and flattened by hand.
  • Jolada rotti
    Jolada rotti
    Jolada rotti is a specialty North Karnataka unleavened Indian bread made out of jowar . The name literally translates into jowar bread....

     - A flat pancake dish made with a dough of Sorghum flour and salt; the dough is shaped and flattened by hand. Jowar may be sometimes replaced with bajra.
  • Ragi mudde
    Ragi mudde
    Ragi mudde also Ragi Sangati is a wholesome meal in Karnataka and Rayalaseema region in India. It is mainly popular with the rural folk of Karnataka...

     - Steamed dumplings made by adding ragi flour to boiling water.
  • Gunpongalu - Also known as Gundupongla, Mane Kaavali (skillet with houses), or Poddu. It is made with a rice batter (similar to dose) and cooked in a special skillet with compartments.
  • Chapathi - flat unleavened bread made from wheat flour, water, oil and salt. Unlike rottis, the dough rolled with a rolling-pin.

Chutneys

  • Kadalekaayi chutney
  • Hurali chutney
  • Kaayi chutney- grated coconut ground with dal (kadale) salted and garnished with oil-fried mustard and curry leaves
  • Kaayi chutney (green) - grated coconut ground with dal, green chillies and coriander salted and garnished with oil-fried mustard and curry leaves
  • Kaayi chutney (red) - grated coconut chutney ground with dal and dried red chillies salted and garnished with oil-fried mustard and curry leaves
  • Maavina chutney - grated raw green mango ground with grated coconut, dal, salted and garnished oil-fried mustard and curry leaves.
  • Heerekai chutney - grated ridge-gourd peel ground with grated coconut, dal, salted and garnished oil-fried mustard and curry leaves.
  • Eerulli chutney - grated onion peel ground with grated coconut, dal, salted and garnished oil-fried mustard and curry leaves.
  • Uddina Bele chutney - Fried Black Gram Dal with Tamarind, Red Chillies, salted and garnished oil-fried mustard and curry leaves.
  • pudina chutney-fry pudina leaves along onion, groundnut, black gram, green chilli, tamrind.add sugar and grind to fine paste.

Palya or side dishes

  • Hurali kaayi palya
  • Hurali palya
  • Hurali appala
  • Badnekaayi palya
  • Bendekaayi palya
  • Allugade palya

Kosambari

A salad prepared using simple ingredients such as lentils, green chillies and finely chopped coriander. The dish is generally finished with a tempering of mustard seeds and asafotida. Common variants include kosambari made with the above ingredients in addition to grated cucumber or carrot.

Sweet and spicy dishes

  • Menasinakaayi gojju
  • HuNuse gojju - made with tamarind
  • Bendekaayi gojju - boiled ladies-finger vegetable (okra
    Okra
    Okra is a flowering plant in the mallow family. It is valued for its edible green seed pods. The geographical origin of okra is disputed, with supporters of South Asian, Ethiopian and West African origins...

    ) cooked in a gravy sweetend with jaggery and soured by tamarind.
  • Tomato gojju - cooked cut or mashed tomato with a sweet-sour gravy.
  • EeruLLi (Onion) and Tomato gojju - cooked cut or mashed tomato mixed with cut onion with a sweet-sour gravy.
  • Haagalakaayi gojju - Bittergourd pieces marinated with salt and turmeric to remove some bitterness cooked with a sweet and sour gravy.
  • Thondekaayi gojju

Saaru (Main course)

  • Huli
    Huli
    The Huli are an indigenous people that live in the Southern Highlands of Papua New Guinea. Latest estimates put their numbers at around 150,000, while they have been living in the area where they now reside for about 1000 years...

    - Combination of vegetables and lentils simmered with spices, coconut, tamarind and seasoned with Ghee
    Ghee
    Ghee is a class of clarified butter that originated in South Asia and is commonly used in South Asian cuisine....

    , asafoetida
    Asafoetida
    Asafoetida , alternative spelling asafetida, is the dried latex exuded from the living underground rhizome or tap root of several species of Ferula, which is a perennial herb...

    , curry leaves and mustard
    Mustard seed
    Mustard seeds are the small round seeds of various mustard plants. The seeds are usually about 1 or 2 mm in diameter. Mustard seeds may be colored from yellowish white to black. They are important spices in many regional foods. The seeds can come from three different plants: black mustard , brown...

    , it is an integral part of every formal meal.
  • Majjige Huli- Cooked vegetables simmered in yogurt with coconut, spices, asafoetida
    Asafoetida
    Asafoetida , alternative spelling asafetida, is the dried latex exuded from the living underground rhizome or tap root of several species of Ferula, which is a perennial herb...

    , curry leaves and mustard
    Mustard seed
    Mustard seeds are the small round seeds of various mustard plants. The seeds are usually about 1 or 2 mm in diameter. Mustard seeds may be colored from yellowish white to black. They are important spices in many regional foods. The seeds can come from three different plants: black mustard , brown...

    .
  • Tovve- Mushy lentils cooked till creamy, spiked with spices and Ghee
    Ghee
    Ghee is a class of clarified butter that originated in South Asia and is commonly used in South Asian cuisine....

    . Vegetables are also added to this dish like Ridged gourd, cucumber etc.
  • Obbatinna saaru - made from the left over broth while preparing the sweet obbattu.
  • Bas saaru - made from the broth of boiled lentils and spring beans
  • Mosoppinna/HuLisoppu saaru - made from lentils and spinach
  • Maskai- Combination of vegetables cooked and mashed with spices and seasoning.
  • meNasina saaru - rasam made from pepper, turmeric, and other spices
  • BeLe saaru - has toor dal as one of the ingredients
  • kaaLinna saaru- Legumes cooked with coconut, spices, tamarind and tempered with asafoetida
    Asafoetida
    Asafoetida , alternative spelling asafetida, is the dried latex exuded from the living underground rhizome or tap root of several species of Ferula, which is a perennial herb...

    , curry leaves and mustard
    Mustard seed
    Mustard seeds are the small round seeds of various mustard plants. The seeds are usually about 1 or 2 mm in diameter. Mustard seeds may be colored from yellowish white to black. They are important spices in many regional foods. The seeds can come from three different plants: black mustard , brown...

    . Popular legumes include Kadale kaalu or Chickpeas, Alasande Kaalu black eye peas, Hesaru kaalu moong beans, Hurali kaalu Horse gram
    Horse gram
    Horse Gram is one of the lesser known beans. The whole seeds of horse gram are generally utilized as cattle feed. However, it is consumed as a whole seed, as sprouts, or as whole meal by a large population in rural areas of southern India. Medical uses of these legumes have been discussed...

    , Avare kaalu Indian beans
  • Haagalakaayi saaru: Haagalakai, the Indian bitter gourd is simmered with coconut, tamarind and spices and spiked with Jaggery and asafoetida
    Asafoetida
    Asafoetida , alternative spelling asafetida, is the dried latex exuded from the living underground rhizome or tap root of several species of Ferula, which is a perennial herb...

    , curry leaves and mustard
    Mustard seed
    Mustard seeds are the small round seeds of various mustard plants. The seeds are usually about 1 or 2 mm in diameter. Mustard seeds may be colored from yellowish white to black. They are important spices in many regional foods. The seeds can come from three different plants: black mustard , brown...

     The bitterness of the gourd is cut through by the sweetness of the jaggery and tartness of the tamarind.
  • Gojju- traditionally this is thicker than the Saaru but thinner than chutney. It is served with hot rice and is sweet, tangy and spicy. It is served in between courses as a palate cleanser. It is made from diverse ingredients including eggplants, okra, fenugreek, tamarind, pineapple, bitter gourd, tomatoes, lemon-lime, etc.
  • Tambli - A yogurt based cold dish served with hot gravy. Optional ingredients in this dish includes vegetables and greens.
  • Fish / Mutton / Chicken Saaru - A very famous local curry made mainly from assorted spices and meats. Often mixed and eaten with Ragi Balls and Rice or Bhakri


Sweets

  • Huggi - cooked rice and kadale
    Dal
    Dal is a preparation of pulses which have been stripped of their outer hulls and split. It also refers to the thick stew prepared from these, an important part of Indian, Nepali, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, and Bangladeshi cuisine...

     or hesaru, with coconut, milk, elakki
    Cardamom
    Cardamom refers to several plants of the genera Elettaria and Amomum in the ginger family Zingiberaceae. Both genera are native to India and Bhutan; they are recognised by their small seed pod, triangular in cross-section and spindle-shaped, with a thin papery outer shell and small black seeds...

     and sweetened with bella
    Jaggery
    Jaggery is a traditional unrefined non-centrifugal whole cane sugar consumed in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. It is a concentrated product of cane juice without separation of the molasses and crystals, and can vary from golden brown to dark brown in color...

     (jaggery)
  • GiNNu - sweetened, flavoured and steam boiled colostrum
    Colostrum
    Colostrum is a form of milk produced by the mammary glands of mammals in late pregnancy. Most species will generate colostrum just prior to giving birth...

     of cow, buffalo or goat
  • Kajjaya - Rice and jaggery fritters deep fried in Ghee
    Ghee
    Ghee is a class of clarified butter that originated in South Asia and is commonly used in South Asian cuisine....

    .
  • Kadabu - deep fried (kari kadubu) or steamed pastry with assorted sweet filling.
  • karjikaayi - deep fried crisp pastry with dry sweet filling
  • unde - ball shaped sweets with the following variations :
chikkina unDe - eLLu
Sesame
Sesame is a flowering plant in the genus Sesamum. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cultivated for its edible seeds, which grow in pods....

 and bella
Jaggery
Jaggery is a traditional unrefined non-centrifugal whole cane sugar consumed in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. It is a concentrated product of cane juice without separation of the molasses and crystals, and can vary from golden brown to dark brown in color...

chigaLi unDe - made from ellu
Sesame
Sesame is a flowering plant in the genus Sesamum. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cultivated for its edible seeds, which grow in pods....

rave unDe - made from semolina
Semolina
Semolina is the coarse, purified wheat middlings of durum wheat used in making pasta, and also used for breakfast cereals and puddings. Semolina is also used to designate coarse middlings from other varieties of wheat, and from other grains such as rice and corn.-Name:The term semolina derives from...

shenga unDe - made from peanut
Peanut
The peanut, or groundnut , is a species in the legume or "bean" family , so it is not a nut. The peanut was probably first cultivated in the valleys of Peru. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing tall...

mandakki unDe - made from mandakki
Puffed rice
Puffed rice is a type of puffed grain made from rice; usually made by heating rice kernels under high pressure in the presence of steam, though the method of manufacture varies widely.-Origin:Pori has been mentioned in various Tamil...

avalakki unDe - made from avalakki
Ladoo - made of deep fried chickpea flour droplets and formed into balls that are dipped in sugar syrup.
Hesarunde Moong dal ladoo.
Godhiunde- made from Wheat
Gulaadike Unde- made from Maida and Sugar - A Davangere speciality,
Besanunde - made from besan
tambittu - made from rice or wheat flour and jaggery.
sikkinunde - made from jaggery, dried coconut and maida .
  • paayasa
    Kheer
    Kheer also known as Payasam or Payesh is a rice pudding, which is a traditional South Asian sweet dish...

     - milk and jaggery/sugar based porridge
    Porridge
    Porridge is a dish made by boiling oats or other cereal meals in water, milk, or both. It is usually served hot in a bowl or dish...

    , with the following variations :
beLe
Dal
Dal is a preparation of pulses which have been stripped of their outer hulls and split. It also refers to the thick stew prepared from these, an important part of Indian, Nepali, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, and Bangladeshi cuisine...

 - made from split kadale
Chana
Chana may refer to :*Chana , alternate transliteration of Hannah, a Biblical character*Chana, Illinois, an unincorporated community*chickpea *Amphoe Chana, a district in Songkhla Province, southern Thailand...

 or hesaru
Jeerige
Cumin
Cumin is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native from the east Mediterranean to India. Its seeds are used in the cuisines of many different cultures, in both whole and ground form.-Etymology:...

Gasa-gase
Poppy Seeds
Poppy Seeds, released in 1971, was the second and final studio album from Vancouver, British Columbia band The Poppy Family. The album has yet to be released on modern formats and remains a rare vinyl....

Sabbakki or Seeme Akki
Tapioca
Tapioca is a starch extracted Manihot esculenta. This species, native to the Amazon, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and most of the West Indies, is now cultivated worldwide and has many names, including cassava, manioc, aipim,...

Shavige
Vermicelli
Vermicelli is a traditional type of pasta round in section that is thicker than spaghetti.-Vermicelli thickness comparison:In USA, the National Pasta Association, founded in 1904, lists, together with various spelling mistakes, vermicelli as a thinner type of spaghetti.-History in Italy:In...

Anna
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...

Halasu
Rave
Semolina
Semolina is the coarse, purified wheat middlings of durum wheat used in making pasta, and also used for breakfast cereals and puddings. Semolina is also used to designate coarse middlings from other varieties of wheat, and from other grains such as rice and corn.-Name:The term semolina derives from...

Nuts like cashew and almond, and dry fruits like raisins.
  • obbattu or hOLige - stuffed or plain sweet flat bread/pancake/crepe
    Crêpe
    A crêpe or crepe , is a type of very thin pancake, usually made from wheat flour or buckwheat flour . The word is of French origin, deriving from the Latin crispa, meaning "curled". While crêpes originate from Brittany, a region in the northwest of France, their consumption is widespread in France...

     with variations including :
beLe
Dal
Dal is a preparation of pulses which have been stripped of their outer hulls and split. It also refers to the thick stew prepared from these, an important part of Indian, Nepali, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, and Bangladeshi cuisine...

 - made from togari or kadale
Chana
Chana may refer to :*Chana , alternate transliteration of Hannah, a Biblical character*Chana, Illinois, an unincorporated community*chickpea *Amphoe Chana, a district in Songkhla Province, southern Thailand...

 beLe.
kaayi
Coconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...

 - The filling is made from coconut and jaggery
sakkare
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...

 -Filling made of sugar and desiccated coconut
shenga
Peanut
The peanut, or groundnut , is a species in the legume or "bean" family , so it is not a nut. The peanut was probably first cultivated in the valleys of Peru. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing tall...

 - The filling is made of peanuts and jaggery. In Northern Karnataka, this variety is called kaayi hOLige, the kaayi referring to peanut (as opposed to coconut in Southern Karnataka).
  • sakkare achhu - little sugar statues/toys made during Sankranti
    Sankranti
    Sankranthi means transmigration of Sun from one Rāshi to the other. Hence there are 12 such Sankrantis in all.* Makara Sankaranti: or Sankranti or Sankranthi marks the transition of...

  • Haalubaayi - A fudge made with ground rice, jaggery and coconut.
  • mysore pak
    Mysore pak
    Mysore pak is a sweet dish of Karnataka, India, usually served as dessert. It is made of generous amounts of ghee , sugar and gram flour....

    - A fudge made with Chickpea flour, sugar and ghee
    Ghee
    Ghee is a class of clarified butter that originated in South Asia and is commonly used in South Asian cuisine....

    .
  • dharwad pedha
    Dharwad pedha
    Dharwad pedha is a sweet delicacy unique to the state of Karnataka, India. It derives its name from the city of Dharwad in Karnataka.This sweet's history is around 175 years old.-History:...

    - Milk scalded and thickened with sugar. Synonymous with Dharwad
    Dharwad
    Dharwad, also known as Dharwar, is a city and a DISTRICT PLACE in India's Karnataka state.Dharwad is the administrative seat of the Dharwad District. The municipality of Hubli-Dharwad covers an area of 200.23 km²...

  • karadantu
    Karadantu
    Karadantu is a sweet delicacy unique to the state of Karnataka, India. Karadantu means fried-edible gum in the local language, Kannada. It is made of edible gum mixed with dry fruits and has a chewy texture. The other ingredients used in its preparation are fried bengal gram flour, jaggery and...

     - Gokak town in Belgaum district of Karnataka is famous for the karadantu, the most famous form has a mixture of dry fruits and edible gum.
  • sheekaraNi - pulp of ripe fruit (usually mango or banana) with additions such as sugar, elakki
    Cardamom
    Cardamom refers to several plants of the genera Elettaria and Amomum in the ginger family Zingiberaceae. Both genera are native to India and Bhutan; they are recognised by their small seed pod, triangular in cross-section and spindle-shaped, with a thin papery outer shell and small black seeds...

    , jaakayi
    Nutmeg
    The nutmeg tree is any of several species of trees in genus Myristica. The most important commercial species is Myristica fragrans, an evergreen tree indigenous to the Banda Islands in the Moluccas of Indonesia...

    , jaapatri, milk, etc.
  • Damrottu - Ash gourd toasted in ghee and simmered with sugar, milk solids and sweet spices
  • Kunda - prepared from thickened milk, a speciality from BeLagaavi
    Belgaum
    Belgaum is a city and a municipal corporation in Belgaum district in the state of Karnataka, India. It is the fourth largest city of the state of Karnataka, the first three being Bangalore, Mysore, Hubli-Dharwad....

  • Badushah or Suralipoori
  • Senige Huggi - A very famous sweet made during diwali in Shikaripur near Shimoga
  • Sweet Pastries - The following can be grouped together. These are often accompanied by milled sugar, and/or warm milk flavoured with saffron and almonds.
mandige - huge flat leavened pastry. It is quite a treat to watch chefs making large (>36 inches in diameter) pastries with bare hands and baking them on upturned clay pots over fire.
This is an ancient dish mentioned in a few inscriptions as the Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...

ised mandaka. For instance, a Western Chalukya inscription of A.D. 1121 mentions that Govinda-Dandadhipa, a famous general of Vikramaditya VI
Vikramaditya VI
Vikramaditya VI became the Western Chalukya King after deposing his elder brother Somesvara II. Vikramaditya's reign is marked by the start of the Chalukya-Vikrama era. Vikramaditya VI was the greatest of the Western Chalukya kings and had the longest reign in the dynasty. He earned the title...

, is said to have made a provision for offering this dish as naivedya to Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...

, Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....

 and Maheshvara
Shive
A shive is a wooden or plastic fitting used in ale casks. It is found on the curved side of the cask, arranged so that when the cask is on its side and the keystone is at the lowest part of the rim, the shive will be the highest point of the cask....

, at Pauthage.
chiroti, pheni - fluffy and leavened pastry, sometimes called padaru pheni because it is leavened.
shaavige chiroti - vermicelli pastry.
  • kesaribhath, Sira - This is made of rice (or semolina in southern karnataka) cooked with sugar/jaggery, cardamom, saffron
    Saffron
    Saffron is a spice derived from the flower of Crocus sativus, commonly known as the saffron crocus. Crocus is a genus in the family Iridaceae. Each saffron crocus grows to and bears up to four flowers, each with three vivid crimson stigmas, which are each the distal end of a carpel...

    , milk, dry fruits (mostly raisins), and sometimes fresh fruits like banana, mango and pineapple. Popularly colored yellow/orange/saffron or left white. In North Karnataka, the semolina version is called Sihi Sajjige or Sheera or Sira; kesaribhath usually refers to the rice version.
  • Hayagreeva - A chickpea based dessert prepared on special occasions; popular amongst the Maadhwa
    Madhwas
    The Madhwa are one community of Brahmins of India, whose members follow the doctrine of Dvaita or Dualism as codified by Madhwa Acharya ....

     community
  • Paramanna - Rice pudding with Ghee
    Ghee
    Ghee is a class of clarified butter that originated in South Asia and is commonly used in South Asian cuisine....

     and Jaggery
  • Mamu Puri - Flour, Ghee
    Ghee
    Ghee is a class of clarified butter that originated in South Asia and is commonly used in South Asian cuisine....

    , Sugar
    Sugar
    Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...

    , Khoa, first khoa is packed between 2 halves of chapati
    Chapati
    Chapati or Chapatti or Chapathi is an unleavened flatbread from the Indian subcontinent. Versions of it are found in Turkmenistan and in East African countries Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania...

     then fried. It is exported mainly to gulf.
  • Maldi - A delicious sweet dish made of powdered 'baked wheat roties', poppy seed, jaggery, hurakadle (daria), and served with ghee. It is a must sweet on the occasion of marriages .

Pickles

Pickles are usually raw seasoned vegetables and sea food, but there are cooked varieties as well called Bisi Uppinakayi (hot pickle). The seasoning varies from plain salt to spices like green chilli, red chilli powder, black pepper, whole and powdered mustard seeds, coriander seeds, etc. They significantly differ from North Indian pickles or achar
Indian pickle
Indian pickles are made from certain individual varieties of vegetables and fruits that are chopped into small pieces and cooked in edible oils like sesame oil or brine with many different Indian spices like asafetida, red chili powder, turmeric, fenugreek and plenty of salt. Some regions also...

 in that considerably less oil is usually used in the pickles; salt is the main preservative.
  • Mavinkayi - Raw green mango
  • Midi Mavinkaayi - Immature raw mangoes, usually used whole
  • Amtekayi
  • Nimbekayi - Whole and sliced lemon and lime
  • Gaja Nimbekayi - A larger variety of lemon, resembling a grape fruit
  • Bettada Nellikayi
  • Nellikayi
    Indian gooseberry
    Phyllanthus emblica , the Indian gooseberry, or aamla, is a deciduous tree of the Phyllanthaceae family. It is known for its edible fruit of the same name.-Plant anatomy and harvesting:...

  • Tomato
    Tomato
    The word "tomato" may refer to the plant or the edible, typically red, fruit which it bears. Originating in South America, the tomato was spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in greenhouses in cooler...

  • Heralikayi - a green citrus fruit, only the peel is used in the pickle.
  • Hagalakayi - bitter gourd
  • Prawn, shrimp and crab, especially in coastal areas

Snacks

  • Bonda
    Bonda
    Bonda is a typical South Indian snack that has various sweet and spicy versions of it at different regions.-Preparation:The process of making a spicy bonda involves deep-frying potato filling dipped in gram flour batter.Bonda has a sweet and a spicy variant...

     or Bajji - deep fried vegetables (and sometimes chicken and seafood) in batter
  • Vadey - Ambode, Sabbakki vadey, Bele vadey etc.
  • Chakkuli
    Murukku
    Chakli or Murukku is a savoury snack popular in India and Sri Lanka, originating in the cuisine of the South and West India. It is also popular in places with large Indian populations.-History:...

  • Nippattu
  • Kodubale
  • Khaara Mandakki - Puffed rice with Hot Boondi and Khara
  • Aloo Bonda
  • baaLaka - deep fried vegetable and fruit chips or wafers. The vegetables are usually dried and seasoned with spices, and even butter milk. Common candidates are potato
    Potato
    The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...

    , sweet potato
    Sweet potato
    The sweet potato is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the family Convolvulaceae. Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting, tuberous roots are an important root vegetable. The young leaves and shoots are sometimes eaten as greens. Of the approximately 50 genera and more than 1,000 species of...

    , yam
    Yam (vegetable)
    Yam is the common name for some species in the genus Dioscorea . These are perennial herbaceous vines cultivated for the consumption of their starchy tubers in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Oceania...

    , cassava
    Cassava
    Cassava , also called yuca or manioc, a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae native to South America, is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates...

    , ripe jack fruit, banana
    Banana
    Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....

    , plantain
    Plantain
    Plantain is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa. The fruit they produce is generally used for cooking, in contrast to the soft, sweet banana...

    , chilli, bitter gourd, varieties of suitable green bean pods (usually gori kaayi/chaLLe kaayi), etc.

Udupi cuisine

Udupi cuisine takes its name from Udupi, a city on west coast of Karnataka. Udupi cuisine has its origin in Ashta mathas of Udupi founded by Shri Madhvacharya
Madhvacharya
Madhvācārya was the chief proponent of Tattvavāda "Philosophy of Reality", popularly known as the Dvaita school of Hindu philosophy. It is one of the three most influential Vedānta philosophies. Madhvācārya was one of the important philosophers during the Bhakti movement. He was a pioneer in...

.
Its core is a vast range of creative dishes emphasizing local vegetables and fruits.

Malenadu cuisine

The Malenadu of Karnataka can be culturally (on basis food culture) can be clearly divided as south malnad comprising Norhtern Somawarpete in Notrth Kodagu, Sakaleshapura, Mudigere, southern part of chickamagaluru taluk and western part of Belur and Alur taluks in Hassan. Central malnad consisting of chickamagalur, Koppa, malnad region of Shivmoga, and western ghat regions of Uttara Kannada. Even though Western ghat regions of Uttara knnada and Belagavi can be considered as Northern malnad the food culture of these regions is unaware to the rest of Malnad, may be due to inadequate communication with the other parts of malnad and Karnataka. Although many refer to the malenadu cuisine as an amalgam of Coorgi and Mangalorean cuisine, it has its own distinct style. And moreover Malenaadigaru(people hailing from Malnad) are considered to be natives to these part of Karnataka when compared with Coorgies( believed to be Greek soldires of Alexandar's era) and Bunts and Shetty's( Coastal, Mangalore, people who are claimed to be migrants, (Aarya's) from Northern India).
So rather Malenaadu cuisine has traveled to the kitchens of Kodavas and Bunts would be a sensible line. The word "Malenaadu" means "land of mountain ranges". The cuisine is heavily influenced by the variety of fruits and vegetables available in the rich forests of western ghats. The ingredients like tender bamboo shoots, colocassia leaves, turmeric leaves, raw jackfruit are easily found in the Sahyadri ranges.
Steaming is a favored the method of cooking in malenaadu. More often than not there is minimal use of oils in malenaadu cuisine.
  • Kaalu kadabu- small kadubus (dumplings) as small as Kaalu (beans) made by pounding water washed rice into powder and then steamed to make it enouigh sticky to make dumplings. Once the kadubus (thousands in number) are made is given typical malnad masale (red chili, oil, mustard, graped coconut, jeera, little tamrind juice, curry leaves, salt to taste, etc.) and served hot with hot thuppa (homemade ghee from cow's or buffalo's milk). Prepared around the region of Hanubalu, in Sakaleshpura taluk of Hassan district.
  • Chattituttu- An evenning snack ususlly prepared by grinding rice with other ingriedients such as chilli, salt, coconut and tiny square sliced onions are added to make a thick mixture. Which then will be spread (1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick and approximately 6 inches in diameter) over thoroughly oiled bisi henchu(hot tava) once it becomes hard enough kenda (burning charcoal) will be placed over it make it enough crispy. A delicious evening snack, mouth watering than paani puri and other stuffs. Prepared around the region of Hanubalu, in Sakaleshpura taluk of Hassan district.
  • kotte kadabu
  • kadabu
  • chicken saaru
  • chicken fry
  • voththu Shaavige with chicken curry
  • voththu shaavige with ghasghase paayasa or kaayi haalu - Steamed rice noodles with a sweet payasa or sweetened coconut milk.
  • votthushaavige uppittu - Steamed rice noodles stir fried with oil, mustard seeds, onions, green chillies and curry leaves.
  • akki rotti
    Akki rotti
    Akki Rotti is a rice-based breakfast item unique to the state of Karnataka, India. Akki-Rotti means rice-pancake in the native language, Kannada. It is made of rice flour which is mixed with salt and water and kneaded well to make a soft dough. Sliced onions and carrots, chopped coriander and...

     - rice rotti / flat bread made with rice.
  • Bamboo shoot pickle -Kalule` uppinakayi
  • Bamboo shoot curry - Kalule` palya
  • halasina haNinna kadabu, paayasa
  • Halasina haNinna happla
  • Maavina midi uppinnakkayi
  • Halasina haNinna dose - jackfruit dose
  • Akki Tari Kadabu - breakfast dish made with broken rice.
  • Gangala dose - steamed dosa
  • Angu or Thode-daaga - very thin sweet crepe made with a thin batter of rice and jaggery.
  • Kaayi Holige - a dessert made with fresh coconut ,jaggery and maida.
  • Haalu Payasa - rice pudding, falvored with turmeric leaves and cardamom.
  • Haalu Hittu - semi-soft milk pudding made with milk, rice paste and sugar.
  • Kesina Soppina Palya - A side dish prepared using colocasia leaves as the main ingredient. Served with akki rotti.
  • Kesuvina Gantu- A delicious dish made by rolling tender colocassia leaves and making a gantu( knot) sometimes a single hunk of rock salt and a garlic pettle willbe placed inside. The Gantu should be tight enough that it should not open while steaming. The steamed gantus are given little touch of tamrind juice and chilli. Can be consumed with akki rotti, rice, chapathi. Or just as it is.[Again a dish prepared in the region of Hanbalu in Sakaleshpura].
  • Thumbuli
    Thumbuli
    Thumbuli is a type of spicy gravy eaten in the Indian state of Karnataka. Thumbuli, being a curd based cuisine, is consumed with hot rice along with hot sambar usually....

     - a cool saaru usually made in summer using yogurt, ginger, pepper and other spices. Served with steamed rice.
  • Maaldi - a coarse cereal made from ground whole wheat, jaggery, black til and other ingredients. Usually served in a bowl with either milk or ghee.
  • Aralu pudi - a rice cereal made of ground toasted / puffed rice, Jaggery, Elaichi are pounded to powder thin. Usually served in a bowl with warm milk. This cereal is also used as a filling in a special dessert called hurulu kadabu.
  • Hoorulu kadabu - A traditional dessert made with aralu pudi, jaggery, coconut and other ingredients. The mixture is shaped and steamed in turmeric leaves.
  • Kaadu mavina haNnina saaru - a sweet and sour saaru made with whole tiny ripe mangoes. Served with cooked rice.
  • kaapi-Coffee
    Coffee
    Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...

    - fresh grounded, filtered coffee well mixed with thick milk and sugar is a must. It's served at least five to six times a day in coffee growing regions of malnad such as Somawarapete, Sakaleshapura, Mudigere, Chickamagaluru taluk and western part of Belur and Alur taluks in Hassan.

Kodagu cuisine

Kodagu's staple food is rice. Traditional dishes include
  • PanDi curry or pork curry
  • Kadambuttu or steamed rice dumplings
  • KoLi saaru or chicken curry
  • Bimbale curry or Bamboo shoot curry
  • Paputtu or steamed rice cake
  • Nool puttu and koLi curry

Mangalorean (Coastal Karnataka) cuisine

Coconut is widely used in the mangalore cuisine. Traditional dishes include
  • KaNe fry or lady fish fry
  • Anjal/surmai/Kingfish fry
  • Crab Masala
  • Bundas Sukka/squid sukka
  • Dry fish chutny
  • Marwai/koyyolu Sukka (Shell Fish)
  • KoRi sukka /chicken sukka
  • KoRi roti Crisp flat rice pancake roasted on griddle without oil . Can be stored up to 6 months. Usually served with chicken curry,
  • KoRi Pundi
  • kundapura chicken/ koli talu
  • Kappa rotti/odu dose
  • Buns, Goli baje, ambade
  • Masala dosa
  • Idli-vada Sambar
  • Biscut rotti
  • Patrode
    Patrode
    Patrode is a dish made in the Konkan region of the western coast of India. It is a popular dish for festive occasions among Konkanis. Regional variations of Patrode are Aluwadi made by the Marathis and Patra made by the Gujaratis, both of which are normally deep fried rather than steamed as in the...

    , a special dish prepared by steaming stuffed colocasia
    Colocasia
    Colocasia is a genus of 25 or more species of flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to tropical Polynesia and southeastern Asia. Common names include Elephant-ear, Taro, Cocoyam, Dasheen,Chembu, and Eddoe...

     leaves.
  • Neer dosa
    Neer dosa
    Neer dosa literally meaning Water dosa is a crepe prepared from rice batter. It is light type of dosa, an Indian dish. Neer dosa is a delicacy from Tulu Nadu region of Karnataka. 'Neer' is the word for water in Tulu and a few other Indian languages.-Basic cooking method:Rice is soaked in water for...

    , A soft thin pancake made of batter of boiled rice, coconut milk and salt
  • Appam , guriyyappa(paddu)
  • Coconut Chutney
    Coconut chutney
    Coconut chutney is a South Indian spicy chutney-side-dish and condiment, a speciality common in North Malabar. This is a coconut stew mixed with other species and served with Idli, Dosai and even with cooked rice. It is made with two methods: liquid and solid...

  • Uppittu
  • Beeja manoli upkari, or tendli and cashewnuts poriyal
  • wheat halwa, Kushmandu halwa
  • sheera
  • Sihi Samabar
  • menaskai
  • Jack fruit dishes
  • Modaka unde
  • Moode, Gunda
  • Semige/shyavige- Rice Noodle
  • Maavina Saaru preserved salted mango fruit cooked whole in a base of steam-cooked toor dal, eatend with red rice or Indian bread.
  • Saala
    Sääla
    Sääla is a village in Vigala Parish, Rapla County in western Estonia....

     - preserved salted jackfruit shallow fried with traditional oil-mustard seasoning. Eaten as a snack, or as dry vegetable in a meal.
  • Manni - is a traditional dessert made of rice, coconut and jaggery. It can also can be made of various flavours such as vegetables.
  • Ole Bella (Palm jaggery)
  • Halasina (Jackfruit) Happala, genasina(Sweet potato) happala

Navayath cuisine

The Navayath cuisine can be primarily found in the coastal districts of Karnataka, mainly in Uttara Kannada
Uttara Kannada
Uttara Kannada also known as North Canara or North Kanara, is a district in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. It is bordered by the state of Goa and Belgaum District to the north, Dharwad District and Haveri District to the east, Shimoga District and Udupi District to the south and the...

 and Udupi.
Rice, coconut, sea food, eggs, poultry, and mutton are widely used in the Navayath cuisine. Traditional dishes include
  • Ambut Lukha or fish curry prepared with coconut and spices.
  • Chambat Poli or flat rice pancake prepared by spreading batter on banana leaves and roasting on griddle with little oil . Usually served with mutton curry,
  • Navari, a special dish prepared by spreading rice batter with coconut filling stuffed in turmeric
    Turmeric
    Turmeric is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. It is native to tropical South Asia and needs temperatures between 20 °C and 30 °C and a considerable amount of annual rainfall to thrive...

     leaves. Filling may be sweet or spicy and cooking may be by steaming or by roasting on a griddle.
  • Shaofa pana appam
    Appam
    Appam, Aappam hoppers, are a type of food in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Sri Lankan cuisine. It is called chitau Pitha in Oriya, Paddu or Gulle Eriyappa in Kodava. It is known as ආප්ප in Sinhala. It is eaten most frequently for breakfast or dinner.Appum or aapum – pronunciation varies between regions...

    , A soft thin pancake made of batter of rice, coconut milk and fennel leaves
  • Mudkule Rice dough cooked in Prawn curry.
  • Bhatkal
    Bhatkal
    Bhatkal is also known as Batecala in some historical text especially in Portuguese history.Once ruled by Jain King Bhattakalanka and thus the name. Bhatkal is a port town in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka, India 126 km from Karwar. The town lies on NH-17 running between Mumbai and Mangalore...

     Biryani
    Biryani
    Biryani, biriani, or beriani is a set of rice-based foods made with spices, rice and meat, fish, eggs or vegetables. The name is derived from the Persian word beryā which means "fried" or "roasted"....

    , made of fish, shrimps, chicken or mutton with rice. It is famous globally.
  • Bhatkal halwa
  • Mushroom
    Mushroom
    A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus; hence the word "mushroom" is most often applied to those fungi that...

     curry from seasonal natural mushroom from nearby forest is a delicacy during monsoon.
  • Amatya Godan or payasam, made of hog plum, rice flour, and jaggery cooked in coconut milk.
  • Shinonya Nevari is a preparation of rice and coconut batter filled in mussels with spices and steamed like idlis.

External links

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