INDIAN CUISINE

 

BENGALI CUISINE:

HISTORY: 

1) A distinct culinary tradition emerged in Bengal based on the availability of local ingredients. The great river systems, heat and humidity combine with the fertile soil to allow rice and an abundance of vegetables to thrive; these became the corner stones of the diet. Mangoes, bananas, coconuts, and cane sugar grew in abundance; fish, milk, and meat were plentiful; yogurt and spices such as ginger and black mustard would season the dishes.  

2) Even though fish and meat were generally popular, there was a predisposition to vegetarianism, based on religious principles, that has continued to the present.  

3) Rice, the staple of Bengalis since ancient times, has remained untouched by the currents of religious change and its preparation has held to a continuing high standard. One crop a year was sufficient to sustain the people, providing ample leisure time for the Bengalis to pursue cultural ideals: folklore, music, and the culinary arts. Before the arrival of Europeans in the early 16th century, the staple of Bengali cuisine was locally grown rice, as it is today. According to Shunya Purana, a medieval text, fifty kinds of rice were grown in Bengal. 

4) In the 9th and 10th century, there were over 40 varieties of rice, 60 kinds of fruits and more than 120 varieties of vegetables in Bengal. Vegetables included cucumber, carrot, various kinds of gourds, garlic, fenugreek, radish, lotus root, mushroom, eggplant, and green leafy vegetables. Among the fruits eaten were peaches, water melon, banana, mango, amalaka, lime (nimbu), grapes, oranges (imported from China or Indochina around the beginning of the Christian era), pear (also introduced by the Chinese), jujube, almond, walnuts, coconut, pomegranates, bananas, and many fruits with no Western equivalent. 

5) Until the 12th century, spices used in Bengali cooking were limited to turmeric, ginger, mustard seed, long pepper, poppy seeds, asafoetida, and sour lemon. Long pepper was replaced first by black peppercorns brought from the west coast of India and later by the cheaper chili, which thrived in Bengali soil. Spice traders also brought cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves. Various methods of preparation were used, including frying in both shallow and deep fat. Cooking media included ghee by those who could afford it, mustard oil, still popular today in Bengal, and sesame oil. 

6) The European traders introduced food from the New World - potatoes, chillies, and tomatoes. Bengalis incorporated them into their diet, combining them with a variety of native ingredients creating new dishes.  

7) The Bengali love of sweets goes back into the Middle Ages. Sugar has been grown in Bengal and India since ancient times, as indicated by its Sanskrit name, sharkara. Texts dating back to the 12th and 13th century texts describe a number of dishes based  on milk, partly thickened milk, and milk solids. 

BENGAL, the laud of maach (fish) and bhat (rice), of rosogolla and sandesh. The cuisine of West Bengal differs from that of Bangladesh. The Brahmins of Bengal eat fish and no celebration is complete without it. The market is flooded at anytime with all sizes and shapes of carp, salmon, hilsa, bhetki, rui, magur, prawns, koi etc which can be fried, steamed or stewed with curd. Most of the Bengalis will not touch the salt water fish complaining that the fish is not sweet enough. Historically, food in Bengal has always 

been strongly seasonal. The range of food materials in moist and fertile Bengal is exceptionally wide, ranging from cereals, tubers and rhizomes, vegetables, green pot herbs to a variety of spices and fish. 

The most important part eating Bengali food is eating each dish separately with a little bit of rice. Bengali cuisine is a combination of vegetarian and non – vegetarian dishes. A day begins with moori (puffed rice) with potatoes, cucumber, green chilli and mustard oil, tea or milk.   

CUISINE CHARACTERISTICS: 

1. The staple food of Bengal is rice and fish. The fishes commonly used in this cuisine includes Hilsa (Ilish), Carp (Rui), Dried fish (shootki), Indian butter fish (pabda), Clown knife fish (Chitol maach), Mango fish (Topsey), Sea Bass (Bhetki), Prawns / Shrimps (Golda chingri / kucho chingri), Catfish (Tangra / Magur), Perch (koi), Katla. Lightly fermented rice is also used as breakfast in rural and agrarian communities (panta bhat). 

2. The principal medium of cooking is mustard oil. A distinct flavour is imparted to the fish dishes by frying them in mustard oil, before cooking them in the gravy. Mustard paste is also commonly used for the preparation of gravies. 

3. Fish is also steamed by the Bengalis (e.g, Bhapa Ilish ). The most preferred form of meat in Bengal is mutton, or goat meat. Khashi (castrated goat) or Kochi pantha (kid goat), is also common. 

4. Special seasonings such as i) panch phoron - a combination of Cumin seeds (jeera), Fennel seeds (mouri), mustard seeds (sorse), Methi seeds and onion seeds (kalonjee). Sometime Celery seeds (radhuni) also becomes a part of the panch phoron.  (ii) Radhuni (iii) Poppy seeds (posto) are extensively used in the cuisine. 

5. The garam masala made up of Cloves (laung), Cinnamon (dalchini),  Nutmeg (Jaiphal), Mace (Javitri), small and large cardamom (Elichi) etc.  

6. Bengalis also eat flowers like those of bokphul, pumpkin, banana, water reeds, tender drumsticks and peels of potato or pumpkin. 

7. A lunch consists of Rice, Bhaja (assorted fried items including vegetables and fish), Leafy vegetable - Saag (palong saag, Pui saag, Lal saag etc), Sukto, Various dals (lentil) such as Moong, Masoor, Beuli, Arhar, Cholar dal etc, followed by different Vegetarian preparations, Fish and Meat (Chicken or Mutton) preparations. This is followed by the Chutney and papad and finally the sweets of which there are endless mouth watering varieties such as Rosogolla, Sandesh, Misti doi, Rabri, Mihidana, Sitabhog, Rajbhog, Kamalabhog, Kalakad etc 

8. Roti, Paratha, Luchi are also common. 

9. The very common snacks include the “Jhal moori” various kinds of Telebhaja (Chops - vegetable, egg etc, Beguni, Peyazi), kachudi, singhada, egg roll, chicken roll, puckha (puffed mini stuffed with mashed potato and dipped in tamarind water), nimkis (maida dough rice with black onion seeds shaped into triangles and deep fried), chanachur etc. 

10. Sweet Dishes reflect a special culinary expertise of the state and the variety is one of the largest in the global culinary spectacle. The most common ones include: Rosogolla, Sandesh (Narompak – soft or korapak – hard), Misti doi, Rabri, Mihidana, Sitabhog, Rajbhog, Kamalabhog, Kalakad, Chum chum, Jolbhora, ladycanny/ladykini, Chaler payash, Chenar payash, darbesh, Malpoa, shor bhaja, langcha etc. The two basic ingredients of Bengali sweets are sugar and milk. The milk is thickened either by boiling it down to make a thick liquid called khoa, or by curdling it with lemon juice or yogurt to produce curds, called channa. Sugar is not the only ingredient with which the sweetness is imparted in the sweets, various jaggery (gur) which includes patali gur, khejur gur (date jaggey) etc. The main body of the sweets are mostly made of coconut, til seeds, rice, rice flour, refined flour etc apart from Chenna.  

Traditional home made delicacies include the following: 

• Various kinds of Pitha (a pancake like sweet base of semolina or flour which is rolled around a variety of fillings like coconut and kheer and fried in ghee - chandrapuli, gokul, pati shapta, chitai piţha, aski pithe, muger puli and dudh puli). Pithas are usually made from rice or wheat flour mixed with sugar, jaggery, grated coconut etc. These are usually enjoyed with the sweet syrups of Khejur gur (Date tree molasses)/ they are usually fried or steamed – the most common ones include bhapapitha (steamed), Pakanpitha (fried) and Pulipitha (dumplings) 

• Moa (flat rice or puffed rice bound with jaggery cooked to a correct degree and then made into dumplings). Another popular kind of moa is Jaynagarer Moa, a moya particularly made in Jaynagar, South 24 Parganas district, Paschimbanga (West Bengal) which uses khoi and a sugar-milk-spices mixture as binder. Moas are made specially during winter. 

• Naru (Grated coconut or til seeds bound with cooked jiggery or sugar and formed into dumplings) etc.  

• Aamsotto (thickened mango pulp) is another home made delicacy. 

 A TYPICAL BENGALI MEAL STRUCTURE 

The procession of tastes at a meal runs from a bitter start to a sweet finish.  

• To start with, especially at lunch, is Sukto.  

• Rice is first savoured with ghee, salt and green chillis, then comes dhal accompanied by fried vegetables (bhaja) or boiled vegetables (bhate), followed by spiced vegetables like dalna or ghonto.  

• Then comes fish preparations, first lightly-spiced ones like maccher jhol, and then those more heavily spiced. 

• This would be followed by a sweet-sour ambal or tauk (chutney) and fried papads. The chutney is typically tangy and sweet;  usually made of aam (mangoes), tomatoes, anarôsh (pineapple), tetul (tamarind), pepe (papaya), or just a combination of fruits and dry fruits called mixed fruit chutney served in biye badi (marriage). 

• A dessert of mishti-doi (sweet curds), accompanied by dry sweets, or of payesh, accompanied by fruits like the mango, will end the meal, with paan (betel leaves) as a terminal digestive. 

Traditionally meals were served on a bell-metal thala (plate) and in the batis (bowls, except for the sour items).  The night meal omits shukto and could include luchis, a palao and a dalna of various delicately spiced vegetables. 

COMMON BENGALI COOKING STYLES: 

1. AMBAL : A sour dish made either with several vegetables or with fish, the sourness being produced by the addition of tamarind pulp.  

2. BHAJA : Anything fried, either by itself or in batter.  

3. BHAPA : Fish or vegetables steamed with oil and spices. A classic steaming technique is to wrap the fish in banana leaf to give it a faint musky, smoky scent.  

4. BHATE : Any vegetable, such as potatoes, beans, pumpkins or even dal, first boiled whole and then mashed and seasoned with mustard oil or ghee and spices.  

5. BHUNA : A term of Urdu origin, meaning fried for a long time with ground and whole spices over high heat. Usually applied to meat.  

6. DALNA : Mixed vegetables (echor) or eggs, cooked in a medium thick gravy seasoned with ground spices, ginger especially garom mashla (hot spices) and a touch of ghee.  

7. DOM : Vegetables, especially potatoes, or meat, cooked over a covered pot slowly over a low heat.  

8. GHANTO : Different complementary vegetables (e.g., cabbage, green peas, potatoes or banana blossom, coconut, chickpeas) are chopped or finely grated and cooked with both a phoron and ground spices. Dried pellets of dal (boris) are often added to the ghanto. Ghee is commonly added at the end. Non-vegetarian ghantos are also made, with fish or fish heads added to vegetables. The famous murighanto is made with fish heads cooked in a fine variety of rice. Some ghantos are very dry while others a thick and juicy.  

9. JHAL : Literally, hot. A great favourite in West Bengali households, this is made with fish or shrimp or crab, first lightly fried and then cooked in a light sauce of ground red chilli or ground mustard and a flavoring of panch-phoron or kala jeera. Being dryish it is often eaten with a little bit of dal pored over the rice.  

10. JHOL : A light fish or vegetable stew seasoned with ground spices like ginger, cumin, coriander, chilli and turmeric with pieces of fish and longitudinal slices of vegetables floating in it. The gravy is thin yet extremely flavourful. Whole green chillies are usually added at the end and green coriander leaves are used to season for extra taste.  

11. KALIA : A very rich preparation of fish, meat or vegetables using a lot of oil and ghee with a sauce usually based on ground ginger and onion paste and garom mashla.  

12. KOFTAS (or Boras) : Ground meat or vegetable croquettes bound together by spices and/or eggs served alone or in savoury gravy.  

13. KORMA : Another term of Urdu origin, meaning meat or chicken cooked in a mild yoghurt based gravy with ghee instead of oil.  

14. KASSA: This is a way of cooking for specially red meats like lamb or mutton is bhunoad in a very thick spicy masala of onion, ginger, garlic, chilli powder, turmeric powder and cumin powder and made into a gravy sort. 

15. PORA : Literally, burnt. Vegetables are wrapped in leaves and roasted over a wood or charcoal fire. Some, like eggplants (brinjals/aubergines), are put directly over the flames. Before eating the roasted vegetable is mixed with oil and spices.  

16. PHORON: It is predominantly the kind of tempering, which is used in the preparation of lentils, with various lentils having their own tempering.  

COMMON BENGALI COOKING EQUIPMENTS: 

1. Bonti :- A curved raised blade attached to a long, flat cutting vegetables, fish and meat. The bonti used for fish and meat is kept separate from vegetable bonti and the non-veg ansh-bonti (ansh implies scales of fish). 

2. Hari :-A cooking pot with a rounded bottom, slightly narrowed at the neck with a wide rim to facilitate holding, while draining excess of rice water.  

3. Dekchi :-Referred as saucepan without a handle, usually of greater depth. Used for boiling, sautéing 

4. Karai :-A cooking pot shaped like a Chinese wok, but much deeper. Used for deep frying, stirfrying as well as for preparations and sauces and gravy. It’s usually made of iron or aluminium and usually has two-looped handles. 

5. Tawa :-It’s a griddle, used for making porothas. 

6. Thala :-A circular plate of authentically brass, but now a days of steel, on which food is served. 

7. Khunti :-Long handled implement of steel or iron with a flat thin belt-shaped piece, used as stirrers. 

8. Hatha :-A metal spoon with indention, used as stirrers and also for transferring food stuffs. 

9. Sarashi :-An equipment, used for holding vessels hot on range. 

10. Chakni :-A sieve. 

11. Chamuch :-A spoon. 

12. Sheel nora :-Grinding stone, slab of 16 inches by 10 inches and a small bolster-shaped stone roller     9 inches long. Both the slab and roller are chipped from time to time as they are worn smooth. 

13. Hamal Dista :-Motar and pestle, which could be used in place of sheelnora. Usually used for grinding spices to a fine powder or to a fine paste with the addition of water. 

14. Dhenki: A long wooden board mounted on a short pedestal, in the middle, much like a sea-saw. The tradition Bengali instrument of taking the husk off the rice. 

15. Ghutni: It is a wooden hand blender used for pureeing lentils and sauces. 

16. Jhanjri: It is a large wier meshed flat spoon used for deep frying fish or breads. 

17. Belun chaki: Round pastry board and rolling pin. 

18. Kuruni: It is a uni - tasker, to grate coconuts. 

BENGALI FOOD ITEMS:    ghee bhat 

• Dolma or Patoler Dolma: The name is coming from Turkey, but the food is different. The vegetable Patol is stuffed either with a combination of grated coconut, chickpeas, etc. or more commonly with fish and then fried. The fish is boiled with turmeric and salt, then bones are removed and then onion, ginger and garam masala are fried in oil and boiled fish is added and churned to prepare the stuffing. 

• Paturi: Typically fish, seasoned with spices (usually shorshe) wrapped in banana leaves and steamed or roasted over a charcoal fire.  

• Polau: Fragrant dish of rice with ghee, spices and small pieces of vegetables. Long grained aromatic rice is usually used, but some aromatic short grained versions such as Kalijira or Gobindobhog may also be used. 

• Tarakri : A general term often used in Bengal the way `curry` is used in English. Originally from Persian, the word first meant uncooked garden vegetables. From this it was a natural extension to mean cooked vegetables or even fish and vegetables cooked together. 

• Chorchori : Usually a vegetable dish with one or more varieties of vegetables cut into longish strips, sometimes with the stalks of leafy greens added, all lightly seasoned with spices like mustard or poppy seeds and flavoured with a phoron. The skin and bone of large fish like bhetki or chitol can be made into a chachchari called kanta-chachchari, kanta, meaning fish-bone.  

• Chhanchra : A combination dish made with different vegetables, portions of fish head and fish oil (entrails). 

• Chhenchki : Tiny pieces of one or more vegetable - or, sometimes even the peels (of potatoes, lau, pumpkin or patol for example) - usually flavored with panch-phoron or whole mustard seeds or kala jeera. Chopped onion and garlic can also be used, but hardly any ground spices.  

• Chitol Macher muitha: Chitol is a fish specially consumed during the Durga puja. The meat from the back part after removing the bones is shaped into koftas and simmered into a gravy. 

• Chingri malai curry: The preparation is a speciality of the cuisine and is normally prepared during the special occasions. Prawns are stewed in a gravy made with boiled onion paste, thickened with coconut milk with a touch of red chilli powder and turmeric.  

• Doi maach: This is a classical preparation of Bengal in which the fish is stewed in a yoghurt based gravy. 

• Kasha mangsho: This is a semi – dry preparation of the lamb that gets a unique dark colour from the iron kadhai in which it is cooked and caramelized sugar. This can be had with luchi. 

• Dhokar dalna: A gram flour batter is cooked with spices and then spread on a tray and steamed. It is then cut into small pieces in the shape of a diamond and deep – fat fried. The fried dumplings are now stewed in a gravy of boiled onion paste, thickened with gram flour and whole spices. 

• Kobiraji cutlet: This preparation is made from the chicken breast which is marinated with turmeric, salt, ginger and garlic paste, onion paste,  green chillies and red chilli powder. The marinated chicken is coated in alight batter of rice flour and eggs and deep fat fried until golden brown.  

• Aloo posto: Potatoes are cooked in freshly ground  poppy seed paste and flavoured with diffetent spices and turmeric. 

• Chop: Croquettes, usually coated with crushed biscuit or breadcrumbs.  

• Cutlet: Very different from the Cutlets of the Brits, this is referred typically to a crumb coated thinly spread out dough, made generally of chicken/mutton minced, mixed together with onion, bread crumbs and chillies. Generally it is then dipped in egg and coated in breadcrumb, fried and served with thin julienne of cucumber, carrots, radish and onions. Often an egg mixed with a teaspoon or two water and a pinch of salt is dropped on top of the frying cutlet, to make it into a "Kabiraji" the Bengali pronunciation of a "Coverage" Cutlet, influenced by the British. 

• Shukto: This is a dish that is essential bitter, made up of neem or other bitter leaves, bitter gourd, brinjals, potatoes, radish and green bananas, with spices like turmeric, ginger, mustard and radhuni (celery seed) pastes.  

• Shak: Any kind of green leafy vegetable, like spinach and mustard greens, often cooked till just wilted in a touch of oil and tempering of nigela seeds. 

BENGALI BREADS: Though Bengalis, primarily loves to eat rice, yet there are a few typical Bengali Breads, which are quite famous in various parts of Bengal. Some of the prominent among these are, 

1. Luchi :-Eaten for mainly snacks, equivalent to the north Indian poories (the difference is that luchi is made out of refined flour and fried without colour) and taken very commonly with cholar dal tempered with coconut. 

2. Khasta Luchi :-The dough is much richer with fat and flaky. Hence, known as khasta kachuri. 

3. Porotha :-It is a kind of flaky bread, made out of whole wheat flour and is essentially triangular in shape. 

4. Roti :-Whole wheat flour bread, toasted on griddle. 

5. Radhabollobbi :-An urad dal stuffed poori made out of whole wheat flour normally had with aloo dom. 

6. Dhakai porotha :-Flaky, layered bread from Dhaka in Bangladesh. 

7. Matter (green peas) kachuri:-Flaky bread, stuffed with matar (green peas) paste and deep-fried. Heing is commonly used in the green peas mixture. 

SEASONAL AND FESTIVAL CONNECTION WITH BENGALI FOOD: The Bengali calendar is a solar one based on the six seasons – two months for each of Grishma, Summer; Barsha, Monsoon; Sharat and Hemanta, early and late Autumn; Sheet, Winter and Basanta, Spring. 

Summer – Grishma :- 

• Summer vegetables include lau, white gourd, or okra or potol, the small striped gourd or parwal, karola and uchche  

• Meat, eggs, onions and garlic, on the other hand, are studiously avoided.  

• Neembegun – where small dices of aubergines are fried with the leaves of neem trees is said to have anti-chicken pox properly.  

• Especially for lunch menus during summer sukto (a stew of seasonal vegetables, with bitterish in taste) is an integral part of every household menu. And, among the other dishes which makes up the menu, are Moong dal, Masoor dal and lemon, Macher jhol, lau-chingiri, lau-ghanto etc 

Monsoon – Rainy (Borsha): 

• The most well-known Bengali dish associated with the monsoon is Khichuri, rice and dal cooked together and panchphoran and ghee. There are of course many kinds of khichuris, depending on what kind of dal is being used. The consistency may be thin, thick or dry and fluffy like a pilaf, plain or with seasonal winter vegetables like new potatoes, green peas and cauliflower added to the basic rice-dal mixture. The one constant factor is the use of atap rice, usually of the short-grained variety.  

• The vegetable varieties include kachu or taro, pumpkin, kumro, green like shashni shak, puishak, kachu shak. The monsoon is also associated with the ilish, called hilsa by the British. It is referred to as the caviar of the tropics. 

Sharat – Hemanta – Autumn :- 

• It’s the season of festivity. First too come is Lord Biswakarma (god of tools) in which day fire is not lighted in any household. So, all the foods are cooked a day prior and hard. Next, to come is goddess Durga. The day of Astami is purely vegetarian, whereby for lunch we have khichuri, with papors and pickles, and at dinner after spending the whole evening Pandal hopping, there would be round golden fried luchis, puffed up like a balloon. However, if a lot of fat is observed during the process of making the dough, the bread instead of becoming puffy becomes flaky and is known as khasta luchi. Though luchis, can be eaten with anything, the two classical vegetarian dishes associated with this ceremonial occasion; a potato dish called alur dam, and a dal made with yellow splitpeas and tiny pieces of coconut. Alur dam to Bengali means a dish of potatoes, usually whole or quartered, cooked with a thick spicy sauce. It is usually eaten with luchis or wheat-flour chapatis, but not rice. And the dessert course being kheer (simply reduced milk) or payeesh (rice cooked in milk and cardamoms flavour). Navami, being the last day of Durga’s stay, is gastronomically opposite of Ashtami, meat eating is the order of the day, but without any onion or garlic. And on the evening of Bijoya Dashami, the images in the community pandals are loaded on to trucks and taken to the nearest river, the Hooghly in Calcutta, for the final site of bhashan – throwing them into water. It is then in the wake of departed Goddess, that the most beautiful aspect of Bijoya Dashami comes discarding all ill-feelings of hostility, anger and enimity. Within the family the younger people touch their elders’ feet (pranom) and receive their blessings, while contemporaries embrace each other with good wishes. As the evening deepens, relative's friends and neighbours drop in to convey their Bijoya greetings. They are offered sweets.  

• By the end of the month of Kartik (October), urban Bengalis resume there normal pattern of life in school, college and offices. But in rural Bengal this is a time of great expectation. For the following month, Agrahayan (November), is also the time to harvest the rice that gave the region its soubriquet, ‘Golden Bengal’ (Sonar Bangla). The name itself, Agrahayan, is compounded of two words – agra (best or foremost) and hayan (unhusked rice). 

• Once the rice has been harvested, rural Bengal propitiates the gods for their bounty through the joyful festival of nabanno, which literally means ‘new rice’. An offering to god of milk, gur, pieces of sugar cane, bananas and above all the new rice. 

Sheet – Winter : 

• In the country one can feast your eyes on fields of mustard awash in yellow blossom, on patches of maroony-red lalshak, on the subtle greens of cabbages on the earth and the climbing vine of the lau spreading over thatched roofs and bamboo frames.  

• In the city markets the rich, purple aubergines are offset by snowy-white cauliflower's peeking from within their leaves, carrots, tomatoes, beet, cucumbers, scallions and bunches of delicate corriander leaves invite you to stop cooking and make only salads.  

• The infinite variety of leafy, green spinach, mustard, laushak, betoshak, muloshak, 

• But somehow the most important and joyful thing about winter to a Bengali is the opportunity and ability to eat far more abundantly than during any other season, to indulge in all the rich meats, prawns, eggs and fish dishes.  

• The colonial years have left behind the festivities of Christmas and New Year which the Bengali has enthusiastically adopted and the early winter month of Poush sees the pithaparban, a folk festival designed specially for the making and eating of large quantities of sweet. 

• Cabbages, potatoes and peas became the base for a spicy winter ghanto which rivals the mochar ghanta has been a favourite since medieval times.  

• Cauliflower's, combined with potatoes, were made into a rich and fragrant dalna that was a wonderful variation of the summer specialty, the potal and potato dalna.  

• As for green peas, the Bengali spurned the plain boiled version served on the dinner tables of his British ruler and made delectable savories like matarshutir kachuri or chirar pulao or the filling for shingara (Samosas) with them, aside from adding them to other vegetable dishes. 

• Perhaps, one of the major festivals of winter is the Saraswati puja – goddesses of books and the official harbinger of spring. During Saraswati Puja, eating of Gotasheddho is compulsory, whereby none of the vegetables are cut and one just boiled whole. The goddess is offered fruits like apple, shakalu, sugar-cane bits, bananas, dates and kul (a kind of plum) that would be offered to the goddess. The bananas offered to Saraswati are special type, very sweet, but full of large black seeds.  

UNIQUENESS OF BENGALI CUISINE: 

An abundant land provides for an abundant table. The nature and variety of dishes found in Bengali cooking are unique even in India. Fish cookery is one of its better-known features and distinguishes it from the cooking of the landlocked regions. Bengal's countless rivers, ponds and lakes teem with many kinds of freshwater fish that closely resemble catfish, bass, shad or mullet. Bengalis prepare fish in innumerable ways - steamed or braised, or stewed with greens or other vegetables and with sauces that are mustard based or thickened with poppyseeds. You will not find these types of fish dishes elsewhere in India. Bengalis also excel in the cooking of vegetables. They prepare a variety of the imaginative dishes using the many types of vegetables that grow here year round. They can make ambrosial dishes out of the oftentimes rejected peels, stalks and leaves of vegetables. They use fuel-efficient methods, such as steaming fish or vegetables in a small covered bowl nestled at the top of the rice cooker. 

The use of spices for both fish and vegetable dishes is quite extensive and includes many combinations not found in other parts of India. Examples are the onion-flavored kalonji seeds and five-spice (a mixture of cumin, fennel, fenugreek, kalonji, and black mustard). The trump card card of Bengali cooking probably is the addition of this phoron, a combination of whole spices, fried and added at the start or finish of cooking as a flavouring special to each dish. Bengalis share a love of whole black mustard with South Indians, but the use of freshly ground mustard paste is unique to Bengal. 

• All of India clamors for Bengali sweets. Although grains, beans and vegetables are used in preparing many deserts, as in other regions, the most delicious varieties are dairy-based and uniquely Bengali. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MAHARASHTRIAN CUISINE 

INTRODUCTION: 

It is well known that the people of Maharashtra consider their food as Anna he poornabrahma meaning they consider anna, or food, equal to Brahma, or the creator of the universe. Food is God and should be worshipped. Apart from this, the people of this state also believe in offering their food first to the lord as a thanksgiving for all that He has given. Especially, on festive occasions, some specific mithais (sweets) are offered such as Ukadiche Modak (Ganesh Chaturthi) and Satyanarayan Puja Sheera. 

Overlooking the vast expanse of the Arabian Sea, Maharashtra cuisine is largely influenced by seafoods and the cuisine that is popular in the interiors of the state presents a strong blend of the traditional and the contemporary preparations. The coastline of Maharashtra is usually called the Konkan and boasts its own Konkani cuisine, which is a harmonized combination of Malvani, Gaud Saraswat Brahmin, and Goan cuisines. Besides the coastal Maharashtra cuisine, the interior of Maharashtra or the Vidarbha area has its own distinctive cuisine known as the Varadi cuisine. 

GENERAL FEATURES OR CUISINE CHARACTERISTICS: 

• Rice is the staple food grain in Maharashtra cuisine, alike the many other states of India. The staple in the Vidarbha region hardly eat rice and their most preferred staple is jowar and bajra. All nonvegetarian and vegetarian dishes of Maharashtra cuisine are eaten with boiled rice or with bhakris, which are soft rotis made of rice flour. Special rice puris called vada and amboli, which is a pancake made of fermented rice, urad dal, and semolina, are also eaten as a part of the main meal. 

• Cereals  are also commonly eaten in the coastal part of the state which includes Vatana, Val, Moong and  Arhar. 

• The Maharashtra cuisine includes an enormous variety of vegetables in the regular diet and lots of fish and coconuts are used. Grated coconuts spice many kinds of dishes in Maharashtra cuisine. Coconut is extensively used in cooking and as an embellishment. In the coastal cuisine of Maharashtra, fresh coconut is added to the dishes, while in the Vidarbha region, powdered coconut is used for cooking. 

• In Maharashtra cuisine, peanuts and cashew nuts are widely used in vegetables and peanut oil is used as the main cooking medium.  

• Wide use of kokum, which is a deep purple berry that has a pleasing sweet and sour taste is also seen in Maharashtra. 

• Jaggery and tamarind are also used in most vegetables or lentils so that the Maharashtra cuisine pertains a sweet and sour flavor while the kala masala (special mixture of spices) is added to make the food spicy.  

• Among seafood of Maharashtra cuisine, the most popular fish is bombil or the Bombay duck which is normally served batter fried and crisp, while in the vegetarian fare; the most popular vegetables are brinjals. Bangda or mackerel is another popular fish in coastal Maharashtra. It is curried with red chilies, ginger and triphal. Pomfret is another popular fish eaten barbecued, stuffed, fried or curried. Besides fish, crabs, prawns, shellfish and lobsters are also relished by the coastal Maharashtrians.  

• Maharashtra cuisine is incomplete without papads, which are eaten roasted or fried. A typical feature of Marathi food is the masala papad in which finely chopped onions, green chilies and chat masala are speckled over roasted or fried papads.  

• The most popular dessert of Maharashtra is the puran poli, roti stuffed with a sweet mixture of jaggery and gram flour. 

• In Maharashtra, the regional festivals and food go together and every dish brings a special significance along with it. Among Maharashtra cuisine, Chaat is probably the most loved snacks, followed by bhelpuri, pani puri, pav bhaji, and dosai. The paan culture has been raised to an art form amidst Maharashtra cuisine. The famous Cold and Sweet paan is sweet filling and chilled.  

COOKING STYLES IN MAHARASHTRA 

• Maharashtrian meals are scientifically planned and cooked-the golden rule being that the cooking medium must not be seen.  

• The vegetables are more or less steamed and lightly seasoned so as to retain their nutritional value.  

• There is almost no deep frying and roasting.  

CULINARY REGIONS IN MAHARASHTRA: 

KONKAN (SOUTH – EAST): 

• This region is further divided into Raigarh, Sindhurgarh, and Ratnagiri, on the coastal line. 

• The cuisine of Konkan mainly comprises of fish. A special spice called Tirphal is used as a common souring agent in the fish. 

• The gravies are more coconut - based.  

• The cuisine of Sindhurgarh comprises various types of pancakes such as ambodi, which is made from fermented rice and urad dal. 

• Sabudana khichdi, a savoury product made from Sago and Groundnuts, also come from this part of the state.  

• Thalipith is another type of pancake usually made with a combination of rice and various pulses and is often eaten for breakfast.  

• Varieties of seafood such as sharks, crabs and prawns are often cooked in the form of curries or even prepared dry. 

• Usals, which are made from cereals, accompany fish curries in this part of the state. The Brahmins from the Konkan region are Vegetarians and they consume usals made from cereals. 

 

The food of the Konkanastha Brahmins is different as they use more of tamarind and jaggery to flavour their food. 

• The use of asafetida (heing) is also very common here. 

• The people from the region of Raigarh have a different method of cooking. They mostly use groundnut oil for their cooking. French beans are grown over here in large scale and hence popularly used in the cuisine. The fish curry is stewed along with vegetables such as potatoes, cauliflowers and brinjals. The locals here prefer lamb over chicken and the famous preparation of sukhe mutton or dry lamb comes from here.  

VIDARBHA  (NORTH – EAST): 

• This region includes the districts of Nagpur, Chandrapur and Yeotmal. 

• The main profession of the people here is farming and they mostly eat a dish called hurda, which is roasted raw jowar mixed with curd. 

• The food is ver spicyand is usually dry or mixed with ginger, green chillies, and lime. 

• Vada bhaat or lentil fritters mixed with boiled rice are very commonly consumed in this region. 

• The famous poha comes from this region of Maharashtra.  

• Fruits like oranges grow in abundance here. 

MARATHWAD (EAST): 

• This region comprises of Aurangabad, Nander, Latur. 

• Moderately spiced food is preferred here.  

• Freshly gound masalas are preferred here to flavor the food 

• Chutneys are prepared here out of the peels of vegetables such as doodhi. These chutneys have a flavor of their own and they are eaten along with the food for lunch as well as dinner. 

KOLHAPUR (SOUTH): 

• Kolhapur is a region in the south central part of Maharashtra. the other places include Satara, Sangli and  Solapur. The people dwelling here are mostly non – vegetarian. 

• This is a very dry region with scanty rainfall and people face a lot of hardship due to water scarcity. 

• Crops which need less moisture to grow such as jowar is extensively grown here and bhakri made from it is also consumed. 

• The gravies are hot and spicy with a fiery colour but the excellent taste is brought about by the mingling of the right spices in right proportion.  

• The famous lavangi mirchi i.e, small hot green chillies come from this region. 

The non – vegetarian dishes consumed are mutton and chicken items – Mutton Kolhapuri is the most well – known of all. Desi chicken or gavthi kombdi is preferred to the regular broiler variety. Crabs that are found in the river water are also popular. 

• Poha, sheera, kurdai, malpua etc are some of the popular snacks during the tea time.  

WESTERN GHATS (THE WESTERN COASTLINE) 

• The Western Ghats consist of the North – west coastline along the Arabian Sea. 

• The important cities along the coastline are Nasik, Pune and Mumbai.  

• The people of this region eat moderately spiced or very less spicy food.  

• Bombay duck or bombil is a dried variety of fish which is very popular. It is prepared in gravy or just stir – fried and served. 

• Papad, pickle, chutney, and koshimbir (salad with some coconut, peanuts, and tempering) are popular accompaniments of food in this region. 

• The cooking styles and procedures of the Brahmin communities in this region (Deshasthas, Karhade, and Saraswats)  are almost the same and have great simplicity. 

• The spices are just enough to enhance and bring out the original flavour of the food. 

• Breakfast consists of onion or potato poha or sheera and thalipith. Sometimes dadpe poha is made from pressed rice, onions, salt, green chillies, green coriander, and lime juice and then tempered with heing, curry leaves, and mustard. Main meals consist of boiled rice; varan (plain toovar dal) with some with some ghee in it; polis (which is a local term for rotis or flat Indian breads made from flour; two vegetable dishes, one being dry potato preparation and the other a choice of tondle, gavar, or stuffed brinjal; a koshimbir; chutneys of garlic or peanuts and a lemon wedge. 

• Curd and buttermilk, aamtis and usals of cereals, vegetables, onions, ginger, garlic, chillies, turmeric, and goda masala are used.   

SERVING A MAHARASTRIAN MEAL 

• In Maharashtra, even an everyday meal consists of several accompaniments that are set out in a particular manner in the taat (platter).  

• The taat vadhany (method of setting food on the platter) is an art.  

• It starts with a bit of salt at the top center of the taat. On its left is set a small piece of lemon. Then follows the chutney (spicy accompaniment made of ground coconut and green chilies), koshimbir (salad), bharit (lightly cooked or raw vegetable in yogurt) in that order.  

• The vegetable with gravy never precedes the dry vegetable because the gravy will run into it.  

• Once everyone is seated the woman of the house will serve the rice, pour a little toop (clarified butter) and varan (lentil) on it and then the meal begins after a short thanksgiving.  

The people of Maharashtra are known for aesthetic presentation of food. In formal meals, the guests sit on floor rugs or red wooden seats and eat from silver or metal thalis and bowls, placed on a raised chowrang, a short decorative table. To avoid mixing of flavors, each guest is given a bowl of saffron scented water to dip fingers in before starting to eat the next delicacy. 

• Snacking is a favorite pastime of this city of Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra. Chaat is probably the most widely eaten food in the city, followed by bhelpuri, pani puri, pav bhaji, and dosai.  

• For those looking for non-vegetarian snacks, there are the Muslim kebabs, baida roti (an egg roti stuffed with minced meat), tandoori chicken, seekh kebabs, and fish koliwada. 

FESTIVE FOOD IN MAHARASHTRA 

Gudi Padwa, Holi, Haritalika, Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, Makara Sankranti are some of the festivals native to the state of Maharashtra. And some special foods during these festival times are as follows: 

• Gudi Padwa: Soonth Panak, Sprouted Chana Usal  

• Holi: Puran Poli 

• Haritalika: Coconut Potali 

• Ganesh Chaturthi: Karanji, Chakli  

• Diwali: Shankarpali, Badam Halwa, Chakli, Karanji. 

• Makar Sakranti: Shengdana Chikki 

  

Food in Weddings: 

After the marriage ceremony is done with, guests sit down to a traditional meal served on a banana leaf. The meal is entirely vegetarian in nature and is created without any onion or garlic. It consists of a selection of vegetables in coconut gravy, green mango chutney, cucumber and peanut salad, rice, puris, golden dal called ‘varan’ and a sweet dish like jalebi, creamy basundi or saffron-scented shrikhand. ‘Mattha’ or coriander-flavored, salted buttermilk complements the meal, which ends with a sweet ‘paan’ called `vida. 

MAHARASHTRIAN COOKING EQUIPMENTS 

• CHOOL: It is a cooking stove made out of mud. Dry cow dung or wood is used for firing the stove. 

• THIKRA: This is a tawa made from mud which is used to make breads. This gives an earthly flavor to the dish 

• MANDE TAWA: This is a wok – like equipment made out of a special earthenware pot. This pot is upturned and fire is lit from the bottom. Mande is made out of a dough of rawa and maida. Powdered sugar and a bit of atta are stuffed in the dough dumplings which are flattened into rotis on the hand, something like the roomali roti found in the north. 

MODAK PATRA: This is copper vessel made for making modaks.  

• PATA – WARWANTA: It is a rectangular piece of stone, approximately 2ft by 1ft on which the spices are ground with a stone pestle. 

• GUNDPONGLU TAWA: This is a tawa that resembles an idli tawa and is used for making steamed dumplings. 

• KHALBHTTA: It is a cast iron vessel which is used to powder dry masalas and spices. A heavy iron rod is used to pound the spices. 

• PURANCHEY YANTRA: This is a kind of sieve. It is used for making a paste of chana dal and jaggery used for making puran poli. 

• VEELI: This is a sickle – shaped blade fixed on a wooden block used for slicing and chopping of vegetables.  

MAHARASHTRIAN DISHES 

• GHADICHI POLI or CHAPATI: Unleavened flat bread made of wheat, more common in urban areas. 

• BHAKRI: Bread made from millets like jowar and bajra, form part of daily food in rural areas. 

• PACHADI: A typical Maharashtrian dish which is tender brinjals cooked with green mangoes and ornamented with coconut and jaggery. 

• MASALEY BHAAT: The rice and brinjal preparations, flavoured with the red chillies, is commonly made during the marriage ceremonies. 

• PATAL BHAJI: A typical dish of Maharashtra cuisine is the patal bhaji, a sweet and sour dish flavored with groundnuts. 

• VARAN: It is a plain non-spicy or lightly spiced lentil flavoured heing and jiggery, made with split Pigeon pea (Toor dal). 

• KATACHI AMTI: It is a sour lentil preparation from chana dal, normally preferred on the day of Holi. 

• TOMATO SAAR: Maharashtrian spicy tomato soup. 

• THALIPITH: A type of pancake. Usually spicy and is eaten with curd. 

• VADA PAV: Popular Maharashtrian dish consisting of fried mashed-potato dumpling (vada), eaten sandwiched in a bun (pav). This is referred to as Indian version of burger and is almost always accompanied with the famous red chutney made from garlic and chillies, and fried green chilles.  

• PAMPHLET TRIPHAL AMBAT: This is a traditional dish in which fish (Pomfret) is cooked in creamy coconut gravy that greatly enhances its taste. 

• SUNGTACHI-HINGA KODI: A popular prawn dish is the sungtachi-hinga kodi, which consists of prawns in coconut gravy, blended with spices and asafoetida. 

BHARLI WANGI: This is a very traditional Marathi curry, Bharli Vangi or "Stuffed Eggplant". 

Whenever one feels like eating something spicy in meals, this is a favorite option in all Marathi families. It goes great with poli, bhakri or rice. 

• DADPE POHE: Another variety of Pohe from Maharashtra. A simple and spicy and non fried snack at any time.  In Marathi "Dadpane' means giving pressure. While soaking Poha, we cover it with plate and keep some weight on it. So it is called as 'Dadpe Pohe'. 

• SHANKARPALYA: These are savoury and sweet snacks made with flour. Flour, oil , salt and water are kneaded to form a firm dough. It is then rolled out thin and cut into various shapes. These are deep fat fried until crisp. 

• SWEET DISHES OF MAHARASHTRIAN CUISINE: 

a) Puran Poli: It is one of the most popular sweet item in the Maharashtrian cuisine. It is made from jaggery (molasses or gur), yellow gram (chana) dal, pain flour, cardamom powder and ghee (clarified butter). It is made at almost all festivals. A meal containing puran poli is considered "heavy" by Marathi people. 

b) Gulachi Poli : Made specially on Makar Sankranti in typical Brahmin households, the Gulachi poli is a heavy meal similar to the Puran Poli. It is made with a stuffing of soft/shredded Jaggery mixed with toasted, ground Til (white sesame seeds)and some gram flour which has been toasted to golden in plenty of pure Ghee. The dish is made like a paratha i.e. the stuffed roti is fried on Pure ghee till crisp on both side. Tastes heavenly when eaten slightly warm with loads of ghee. 

c) Modak: This is a sweet dumpling popular in Western India. The sweet filling is made of fresh coconut and jaggery while the shell is of rice flour. The dumpling can be fried or steamed. The steamed version is eaten hot with ghee. Modak has a special importance in the worship of the Hindu god Ganesh. 

d) Karanji: is a deep fried dumpling with a filling of grated coconut sweetened with jaggery and flavoured with powdered cardamom seeds. It is also known as Kanavale. It is one of the popular sweets prepared for Diwali celebrations. 

e) Chiroti: Made by combination of rawa  - Semolina and maida Plain flour 

f) Basundi puri: reduced milk with sugar and flavoured with cardamom (basundi0 is relished with deep – fried poories on the auspicious day of Dusshera. 

h) Shikran: An instant sweet dish made from banana, milk and sugar. 

i) Shrikhand: Sweetened yogurt flavoured with saffron, cardamom and charoli nuts. 

j) Narali Bhaat : The sea is worshipped by the Koli community of Maharashtra and people offer coconuts to the sea. Sweet rice made by them using coconut with special flavoring given by cardamon and cloves. This is the special dish for the festival; of Narali Pornima which falls on the Full moon day in the Hindu month of Shravan (August). 

 

 

 

TAMIL NADU CUISINE 

INTRODUCTION 

Tamil Nadu is famous for its deep belief that serving food to others is a service to humanity, as is common in many regions of India. The region has a rich cuisine involving both traditional vegetarian, as well as non-vegetarian dishes. Tamil cuisine was developed by Tamilians many centuries ago in Southern India. It is characterized by the use of rice, legumes and lentils, its distinct aroma and flavour achieved by the blending of spices including curry leaves, tamarind, coriander, ginger, garlic, chilli, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, cumin, nutmeg, coconut and rosewater. 

REGIONAL CUISINE 

Over a period of time, each geographical area where Tamils have lived has developed its own distinct variant of the common dishes in addition to dishes native to itself. The four divisions of ancient Tamilakam are the primary means of dividing Tamil cuisine.  

• The Chettinad region comprising Karaikudi and adjoining areas is known for both traditional vegetarian dishes like idiyappam, uthappam, paal paniyaram and non-vegetarian dishes made primarily using chicken. Chettinad cuisine has gained popularity in non-Tamil speaking areas as well. 

• Madurai, Tirunelveli and the other southern districts of Tamil Nadu are known for nonvegetarian food made of mutton, chicken and fish. Paratha made with maida or all-purpose flour, and loosely similar to the north Indian wheat flour-based Paratha, is served at food outlets in Tamil Nadu, especially in districts like Madurai, Virudhunagar, Tuticorin, Tirunelveli and the adjoining areas. Madurai has its own unique foods such as jigarthanda, muttaiparotta (minced parotta and scrambled egg), paruthipal (made of cottonseeds),Karidosai (dosai with mutton stuffing) & ennaidosai (dosai with lots of oil) which are rarely found in other parts of Tamil Nadu. 

• Nanjilnadu (Kanyakumari district) region is famous for its fish curry since the region is surrounded by the three great water bodies of Asia: (Indian ocean, Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal). Fish forms an integral part of life. Owing to its unique cultural affinity and the availability of coconut, coconut oil forms a base for almost all the preparations of the region. 

• The western Kongunadu region has specialities like Santhakai/Sandhavai (a noodle like item of rice), Oputtu (a sweet tasting pizza-like dish that is dry outside with a sweet stuffing), and kola urundai 

(meatballs), Thengai Paal (sweet hot milk made of jaggery, coconut and cotton seeds), Ulundu 

Kali(Sweet made out of Jaggery, Gingely Oil and Black Gram), Ragi puttumavu, Arisi Puttumavu, 

Vazhaipoo Poriyal, Kambu Paniyaram, Ragi Pakoda, Thengai Parpi, Kadalai Urundai, Ellu Urundai, Pori Urundai. The natural crops of this region forms the main ingredients in this Kongunadu cuisine 

Ceylon Tamil cuisine, bears similarities to Tamil Nadu cuisine but also has many unique vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. It features dishes such as (steamed rice cake) and idiyappam or sevai, (known in other parts of the world as string hoppers). 

Eating-out in its capital city Chennai, is a great experience and provides a glimpse of the unique lifestyle of the city. Chennai is known for its cuisine, brought to the city by people who have migrated from different parts of Tamil Nadu. Chennai has a large collection of restaurants, some of them are unique 'Speciality Restaurants,' which serve 'Indian Cuisine' with an ambience to match, while most others cater South Indian tiffin and meals, at very reasonable prices. 

  

COOKING EQUIPMENTS 

• EYYA CHOMBU: It is a vessel made from lead to impart the right flavour to rasam 

• KAL CHATTI: It is a stoneware used for preparing tempering 

• KUZIAPPA CHATTI: It is normally made of heavy bronze. It is circular in shape and has shallow depressions resembling a cup. The leftover sour dosa batter is poured inside it and cooked. 

• THENKUZAL NAAZHI: This equipment is used for making crisp lentil fritters called murukkus. It can also be used to press the rice dough to make vermicelli. 

• DOSA THIRUPPI: A flat slicer that is used for spreading oil on the dosa and also for scraping dosa off the hot plate or tawa. 

• ADDAIKAL: it is a thicker tawa than the dosa tawa usually used for cooking addai and hence the name. 

• IDLI PANAI: This vessel is used for making idlis, as many as 40-50 idlis can be made together depending on the number of plated used. 

• THURUVAMMAI: It si an equipment, used both as a coconut scraper and as a vegetable chopper. This is used in some households to cut fish or meat. 

• URULI: It is very heavy pot that is used for cooking. Sambhar, vegetables and meat are using are usually cooked using the vessel. They come in a range of sizes depending on the quantity of food to be cooked. This is a very beneficial vessel because the food cooked in this vessel remains hot for a long time.   

FEATURES OF THE CUISINE 

• Coconut oil is used as the medium of cooking. Gingelly oil or sesame seed oil is used for finishing some dishes. 

• Rice is the staple food of Tamil Nadu. Parboiled rice is eaten for its high nutritive value and this dominates in all the dishes starting from appetizers to desserts. They eat Rice (staple diet) with sambar, dhal, kootu, vegetable curry, papad, buttermilk. Black rice (Kavunarisi) is used commonly in Chettinad cuisine to prepare sweet puddings. 

• Arhar dal, urad dal and chana dal are the commonly used lentils.  

• Rice is usually combined with the lentils to make various dishes like idlis, dosas, vadas, uttapams. These are usually fermented for easy digestion as well as development of the typical sour flavour. 

• Coconut, tamarind and asafoetida are a must for almost all vegetarian recipes.  

• Tamil people use a variety of ingredients like ginger, garlic, pepper, nutmeg, tamarind, chilly, cumin, cardamom, coconut, Marathi mokku (capers), Stone flower (kalpasi), Fresh neem flower (Veepam poo) and curry leaves to give aroma and superb taste to their foods. 

• Food is generally more towards the spicy (due to the use of crushed black pepper corn, red and green chillies) and sour side (which is due to fermentation and also due to the extensive use of tamarind). 

• Curd also finds a common use in the cuisine and is utilised to balance the hotness which results due to the use of spices. 

• Coconut chutney and sambar invariably form a part of most of the Tamil dishes. Mulaga podi (a powdered mix of several dried lentils with oil or ghee)is also serves at times. 

• Use of various seafoods and chicken is also common.  

• A major feature of Tamil Nadu cuisine is the wide varieties of Tiffin items. They are served in the evening as a snack and a few tiffin items also feature in the breakfast. Dishes like idli, sevai, upma, pongal,, uttapam, dosai, puttu, aval, chapathi, adai, Vadai. 

• Filter coffee is the main beverage along with this tiffin. 

Tamil feast - Virundhu Sappadu 

During a Virundhu Sappadu, the feastly meal, the guests sits on a mat and the meal is served on a banana leaf which is spread in front of the guests. Traditionally, the banana leaf is laid so that the leaf tip is pointed left. 

The dishes are served in a particular order, and each dish has its own specific spot on the leaf. Everyone starts together and ends the meal together.  

The top half of the banana leaf is for the side dishes and the bottom part is for the main dish. Payasam, Kesari, Sweet Pongal or any Dessert also occupies a portion of the bottom part. The top left includes a pinch of salt, a dash of pickle and a spoon of salad, a spoon of pachadi. In the middle of the leaf there may be a banana chips, potato chips and fried papads and a vadai. The top right hand corner is reserved for spicy foods including a wide array of curries and gravies. Dry and wet curries are placed one after the other. They are called poriyal and koothu. A minimum of three curries are served in a feast.  

Traditionally, sweets are eaten first. Sambar rice is eaten first with a spoon of ghee. This is followed by Kuzhambu and then Rasam. Finally rice with curd or buttermilk is eaten at the end of the meal. In the end, the meal is complete with a banana. 

The style of service and the items offered in Virundhu Sappadu has got regional variations too. 

 A TAMIL MEAL DESIGN 

Breakfast or tiffin includes idli (steamed rice cakes), dosai (a pancake made from a batter of rice and lentils crisp fried on a pan), vada (deep fried doughnuts made from a batter of lentils), pongal (a mash of rice and lentils boiled together and seasoned with ghee, cashew nuts, pepper and cumin seed), uppuma 

(cooked semolina seasoned in oil with mustard, pepper, cumin seed and dry lentils.)  

There are several variations of the dishes mentioned above which are eaten with coconut chutney, sambar (seasoned lentil broth) and mulaga podi (a powdered mix of several dried lentils eaten with oil).  

Lunch or meals consists of cooked rice served with an array of vegetable dishes, sambar, chutneys, rasam (a hot broth made with tamarind juice and pepper) and curd                 (yogurt - Moru/Thayir). For a non-vegetarian lunch, curries or dishes cooked with mutton, chicken or fish is included. The meals is incomplete without crisp papads or appalam. After finishing their meal, they like to have payasam. 

For dinner, Tamilians eat uthappam, dosa, idli or simply rice kanji (gruel). They also have milk before going to bed. 

FILTER COFFEE OF TAMIL NADU – A NOTE 

The making of the famous filter coffee is traditional, where coffee beans are first roasted and then ground. The powder is then added into a filter and boiling hot water is added to it, to prepare the decoction. The decoction is then added to milk with sugar. The drink is poured from one container to another in rapid succession to make an ideal frothy cup of filter coffee. It is also known as meter kapee as it is poured from a small steel glass  into a bowl (katori) and vice varsa from almost a distance of a meter to make it frothy. 

   

SOME SPECIALITY ITEMS OF THE CUISINE: 

KOLAMBHU: Kolambhu or kozhambu is a thin stew of vegetables with spices. It can also be of various types. The most common type is moar kolambhu, where buttermilk is used as the base and thickened with a paste of rice and lentils to make it into a spicy stew with vegetables inside. 

DOSA / DOSAI: These are made from rice and urad dal and the batter is fermented. This fermented batter is cooked on a large tawa in shape of pancakes. They are filled with various types of fillings. The various types of dosa found here includes the following: 

i. Kal dosa: This dosa is made from the same batter made with rice and urad dal, the only difference is the consistency of this batter is thick and is cooked on a thick iron pans to resemble the an uttapam. 

ii. Adai: This batter is made by grinding soaked parboiled rice, red gram, Bengal gram and black gram. Both red and green chillies are used to make the adai spicy. Although it is prepared like any other dosa, it must be spread slightly thicker than  the regular dosa. A hole is created in the centre and a few table spoons of oil are poured inside the hole. The adai is cooked on both sides.  

iii. Rava dosa: the dosa batter is made by combining semolina with rice flour and spiced with grated ginger and green chillies. The batter is really thin and is sprinkled over a large tawa to prepare a crisp rava dosa. 

IDLI: Idlis made in South India are of various kinds and each has its own traditional ways. The process of cooking is however common for all which is steaming. The most common one is made with urad dal and parboiled rice. The batter is made by grinding both separately and leaving it overnight to ferment. The next day it is steamed in the idli vessel. A few examples of different idlis include: a) Rava idli: it is made by using semolina, cashewnuts and yoghurt. b)Vermicelli idli: the base is same as that of Rava idli but fried vermicelli is added to the batter and then the idlis are prepared.  

 PAYASAM: It is a sweet preparation and various kinds of payasam are eaten on various festive occasions. Few common payasams are as follows: 

i) Pal payasam: this payasam is made with rice and milk and is made similar to a kheer. 

ii) Parupu payasam: this is made by cooking lentils in milk and jiggery. iii) Aval payasam: This payasam is made by cooking flaked rice with jiggery and milk. 

PACHADI: These can be regarded as South Indian raitas. A variety of ingredients such as grated carrots, deep fried sliced okra, roasted and mashed brinjals etc are mixed along with smooth thick curd to prepare pachadi. These are served tempered with curry leaves, mustard, urad dal, and whole red chillies. The ingredient used with the curd can be sauted or deep fat fried before being added to it. 

KOOTTU: There are many varieties of koottu. It is usually made by boiling green gram  along with bite size pieces of vegetables and also fruits such as jackfruit and raw bananas. It is flavoured with turmeric and red chillies. Grated coconut and rice paste are used for thickening the koottu. It is usually finished with coconut oil. 

VADAI:  This can be termed as a fritter. Various kinds of vadai are prepared under Tamil cuisine. A few of the common vadais are as follows: 

  

i) Ulundhu vada: It is prepared by making a coarse paste of soaked urad dal and combining the same with chopped onion, green chillies, coriander, and asafoetida. This paste is then shaped as roundels and a hole is made in the centre using wet hands. These are then deep fat fried in hot oil until crisp. 

ii) Kola vadai: Flaked rice is soaked in water and then squeezed out. It is kneaded into a dough and combined with grated coconut, green chillies and ginger. They are rolled into small balls and then into half in thick slices. Each slice is shallow fried until crisp and then served. 

THENKUZALS AND MURUKKU: These are commonly eaten snacks prepared on many festive occasions and marriages. Various kinds of thenkuzals are popularly made in Tamil Nadu. Rice flour and lentil flour are kneaded along with ghee and spices and pressed through a perforated die of a thenkuzal press into hot oil. They are fried until crisp. Murukku is even crispier and is pressed through a circular die of thenkuzal press in circular motions. 

 

 

 

  

 

 CHETTINAD CUISINE: 

Chettinad is a region of the Sivaganga district of southern Tamil Nadu. Karaikudi is known as the capital of Chettinad, which includes Karaikudi and 74 other villages. Chettinad is the homeland of the Nattukottai Chettiars (Nagarathar), a prosperous banking and business community, many of whose members migrated to South and Southeast Asia, particularly Ceylon and Burma, in the19th and early 20th centuries. The people of Chettinad speak Tamil. Chettinad is one of the driest regions of south India. 

Culinary delicacies:  

Chettinad is known for its culinary delicacies. Chettinad food, now is one of the many reasons why people get to know Chettinad. Chettinad food is essentially spicy, with a standard full meal consisting of cooked dhal, eggplant (brinjal) curry, drumstick, sambar, ghee for flavouring rice, and sweetmeats like payasam and paal paniyaram.  

The classical "kara kozhambu" is widely regarded as the best tasting south indian sambar. Chettinad cuisine hails from the deep southern region of Tamil Nadu. Chettinad cuisine is far from the bland cuisine of traditional Tamilian Brahmins—it is one of the spiciest, oiliest and most aromatic in India. The dishes are hot and pungent with fresh ground masalas.  

Although the Chettiars are well known for their delicious vegetarian preparations, their repertoire of food items is famous and includes all manner of fish, fowl and meats. They also use carefully preserved sun-dried legumes and berries that the Chettiar ladies make into curries. They also use a variety of sun dried meats reflecting the dry environment of the region. Oil and spices are liberally used in cooking and most dishes have generous amounts of peppercorn, cinnamon, bay leaves, cardamom, fenugreek, saunf, nutmeg, green and red chillies, marathi mokku, anasipoo, kalpasi, patthar ke phool etc. Tamarind is also used in this cuisine. 

The meat is restricted to fish, prawn, lobster, crab, chicken and mutton. Chettiars do not eat beef and pork. Most of the dishes are eaten with rice and rice based accompaniments such as dosais, appams, iddiappams, adais and idlis. 

Some of the popular dishes in Chettinad menu are 

• Varuval -- a dry dish fried with onions and spices (chicken, fish or vegetables sautéed),  

• Poriyal – a curry 

• Kuzambu --which has the ingredients stewed in a gravy of coconut milk and spices.  

• Chicken chettinad 

In the same range, one can include the numerous pickles, powders, specially roasted and ground spices, dry snacks, papads, appalam and vada. 

Numerous shops now sell pre-packed snacks like murukkus (small spirals of fried rice dough), chips, thattai, masala vada and so on. 

The Chettinad people through their mercantile contacts with Burma, learnt to prepare a type of rice pudding made with sticky red rice. Kavunarisi – a black rice is also used to prepare desserts. 

 

 

 

 

HYDERABAD CUISINE 

INTRODUCTION 

Hyderabadi cuisine is a very sumptuous part of the Andhra Pradesh food. Hyderabadi cuisine is a princely legacy of the Nizams of Hyderabad, India. The city was founded by the Sultans of Golconda, who has developed its own cuisine over the centuries. It is heavily influenced by Turkish (Biryani), Arabic (Haleem), Mughlai and Tandoori, with considerable influence of the spices and herbs of the native Telugu and Marathwada cuisine. 

Hyderabadi Cuisine could be found in the kitchens of the former Hyderabad State that includes Telangana region, Marathwada region and Hyderabad Karanataka region. The Cuisine also contains city specific specialities like Aurangabad (Naan Qalia), Gulbarga (Tahari), Bidar (Kalyani Biryani) etc. 

The Cuisine of Hyderabad has been influenced by various regional and religious cuisines, both Indian and Foreign, despite which it has been able to create an identity of its own. It has also been able to contribute towards making Indian cuisine popular worldwide. 

The Masalas or the rich blend of herbs, spices and condiments give the dishes a base, or what is popularly known as "Gravy". Some of these blends are a well-kept secret that pass only down the family line or from the Ustad (Teacher) to his Shagird (Pupil). The head cooks or the "Khansas" were an asset to the house hold, and were treated with due respect. The word "Nawabi" is as synonymous with the Hyderabadi cuisine as "Shahi" is with Luknowi. These terms conjure delicacies that are rich in taste and texture with mouth-watering aromas. 

What makes the Hyderabadi Cuisine special is the use of special ingredients, carefully chosen and cooked to the right degree. The addition of a certain Herb, Spice, Condiment, or an amalgamation of these adds a unique taste and texture to the dish. The herbs and spices used and the method of preparation gives the dish its name. 

HISTORY 

The cuisine is a descendant of the Nizams. A 400-year history is behind the culinary delights of Hyderabadi food. It evolved in the kitchens of the Nizams, who elevated food to a sublime art form. Hyderabad cuisine is highly influenced by Mughals and partially by Arabic, Turkish and Irani food where rice, wheat and spices are widely used to great effect. It is also influenced by the native Telugu and Marathwada food, bringing in a unique taste to the dishes. 

In the past, the food was called Ghizaayat. The cuisine is linked to the nobles, who religiously maintain the authenticity of the past, and the recipes are a closely guarded secret. The royal cooks are known as Khansamas, highly regarded by the nobles.  

FEATURES OF THE CUISINE 

• It is a blend of Mughlai and North Indian cuisine, with an influence of the spices and herbs of the native Telugu food. 

• Traditional utensils made of copper, brass, earthen pots are used for cooking. Food is even cooked on heated stone slab.  

• All types of cooking involve the direct use of fire. There is a saying in Hyderabad, cooking patiently or ithmenaan se is the key; slow-cooking is the hallmark of Hyderabadi cuisine. The Slowcooking method has its influence from the Dum Pukht method used in Awadhi cuisine. 

• The cooking medium used is ghee. 

• The cuisine emphasises the use of ingredients that are carefully chosen and cooked to the right degree and time. Utmost attention is given to picking the right kind of spices, meat, rice, etc. Therefore, an addition of a certain herb, spice, condiment, or combination of all these add a distinct taste and aroma. 

• The key flavours are of coconut, tamarind, peanuts and sesame seeds which are extensively used in many dishes. The key difference from the North Indian cuisine is the presence of dry coconut and tamarind in its cuisine. Some typical ingredients include Betel roots (Pan ki jad) and Stone flower (patthar ke phool). 

• Of all the Muslim cuisine, Hyderabadi is the only cuisine the sub-continent that can boast of a major vegetarian element. This has much to do with the local influences. 

• The Hyderabadi meal is never complete without the bread from the kilns of the local bakers. The breads from this cuisine are equally popular, be it rich "Sheermal" or "lukmi" (bread stuffed with savoury mince meat). Bread is not only an accompaniment to the meal but also forms a base for a popular sweet dish "Double Ka Meetha". 

• In Hyderabad, presentation of food is also important which reflect richness of food and culture. Royal dining Hall was called Shahi Dastarkhana where royal families used to relax and party on the delicious Hyderabadi cuisine. 

EQUIPMENTS USED IN THE CUISINE 

• Heated stone slab (Pathaar): This was used in the making of kebabs. The stone was heated using live coals 

• Taatee (sigri): It consists of a metal framework that is heated by coal. The meat pieces are grilled on the framework. 

• Tandoor: A tandoor is a cylindrical clay oven used in cooking and baking. The heat for a tandoor was traditionally generated by a charcoal fire or wood fire, burning within the tandoor itself, thus exposing the food to both live-fire, radiant heat cooking, and hot-air, convection cooking  

• Skewers (saliyans): The meat was cooked over the flame by either coating the skewers with the meat or by piercing the meat with the skewer.  

HYDERABADI MEAL 

Shahi Dastarkhan is the dining place, where food is served and eaten. A chowki is a low table, instead of a dining table and cotton mattresses for squatting and bolsters for the back rest. The Dastarkhan is revered in the noble household. 

HYDERABADI FOOD 

BIRYANI: 

Hyderabadi Biryani is Hyderabad's most famous meat-and-rice dish; the Nizams served some 26 varieties of biryanis for their guests. An authentic Hyderabad meal invariably includes a mutton biryani. Hyderabadi Biryanis incorporating chicken, lamb or vegetables instead of mutton are also popular. Some are delicate in taste, some intoxicatingly aromatic, some flavoured with saffron, some flavoured with cream and others with rose water or screwpine flower water. ‘Dum’ style of cooking is followed to cook Biryanis. The types are as follows: 

• Hyderabadi Biryani - a traditional celebration meal of lamb and rice. 

• Kachche- gosht ki biriyani - raw meat is stir fried with spices(masalas) for couple of minutes and then covered with rice and put in the Dum Pukht (slow oven). 

• Hyderabad Zafrani Biryani - Saffron is soaked and mixed with the rice at the time it is put in the Dum Pukht. 

 

HYDERABADI HALEEM: 

Haleem is a seasonal delicacy of wheat, meat and cooked for hours to a porridge-like paste. This traditional wheat porridge has its roots in Arabia, known as harees. Haleem is a seasonal dish which is made during Ramzan (Ramadan). The high calorie haleem is an ideal way to break the ramzan fast. Haleem means patience, because it takes long hours to prepare (often a whole day) and served in the evenings. It is a popular starter at Hyderabadi Muslims weddings. 

KHORMA, SHORBA and KHALIA: 

These are the non-vegetarian curries made of meat. These are the pride of Hyderabadi cusine apart from Biryanis. The curries are distinguished based on colour, flavor and consistencies. Khormas have a light shade of red. Shorbas had a soup like consistency and are bright red in colour. Khalia ranges from dry to thick gravy-like and ranges from dark brown to dark green in colour. 

  

PATHAR-KA-GOSHT:  

Mutton/lamb seared on a stone slab found in Hyderabad. 

BAGHARA BAINGAN :  

Stuffed Eggplants, a delicacy where tender and fresh brinjals are stuffed with grounded peanut-coconut mixture and cooked in a rich and creamy paste. 

MIRCHI KA SAALAN:  

A dish that is made of any type of Mirchi (green chilli or Jalapenos) or banana peppers etc which is not too spicy or fiery. This is a traditional Hyderabad salan (gravy) made in a shallow wide flat bottomed handi. The salan is sealed in this handi and kept on low fire to cook with all the flavors trapped inside to give that authentic rich taste. The mirchi ka salan recipe stands out from the bunch of Chilli recipes from Hyderabad (capital city of Andhra). Whole green chillies (along with stems) are simmered in sesamepeanut and coconut spicy sauce. The dish is easy to prepare and has a refreshingly pleasing taste.  

PAAYA NAHARI:  

This is a typical item of Hyderabadi cuisine. It is a dish made from trotters. A rather unusual and typical hyderabadi recipe. The paaya (trotters) are boiled for a long time (normally overnight) with spices and then strained. It is normally served for breakfast along with breads. 

MURGH NIZAMI:  

A semi – dry chicken ‘masala’ cooked with yoghurt, nuts (cashewnut and peanut) and coconut and sunflower and seesame seeds. The gravy is yellow coloured. 

MURGH BADAMI: 

Murgh Badami is chicken made from cream and almonds and garnished with chopped almonds. 

DALCHA GOSHT: 

This is basically a sourish lamb stew, simmered in a lentil puree. It is a common practice to combine meat and lentils to make it a complete nutritive dish. Meat is cooked along with chana dal and whole spices, and braised along with yoghurt until the meat is soft. The dish is then tempered wth ghee, garlic, and whole red chillies. 

CHAPA PULUSU:  

This is one of the most famous dishes in Hyderabadi cuisine. It is afish preparation made by marinating the fish in turmeric, salt and garlic. The gravy is made by cooking coconut milk, tempered with curry powder and whole red chillies, and flavoured with turmeric and tomatoes. 

KHUBANI KA MEETHA:  

Apricot Pudding, in which dry apricots are stewed in honey and topped with almond and cream. The original recipe is a translucent liquid. 

DOUBLE KA MEETHA:  

Bread Pudding topped with dry fruits, a derivative of mughlai dessert Shahi tukre. Here the bread is fried and soaked in sugar syrup before further processing 

GIL – E - FIRDAUS:   

This is a type of dessert made by cooking grated white marrow with milk and sugar, and thickened with sago seeds and khoya. This commonly flavoured with cardamom powder and rose essence, and garnished with slivered almonds and pistachio. 

  

 

SHIKAMPURI KEBAB:  

Shikampur Kebab (mutton mince cooked with cumin,cloves and cinnamon and bengal gram lentil until a proper binding is formed and stuffed with cottage cheese/ egg slice, mint, onions and green chillies) and gently grilled on a griddle or tawa with pure ghee till pink. Shikampur means ‘belly-full’ referring to the stuffing in the centre of the kebab. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CUISINE OF KARNATAKA 

INTRODUCTION 

Karnataka is a state which has a variety of cuisines grounded on traditional and special dishes of every community, The taste, flavour and the ingredient of the cuisine of Karnataka are very versatile and unique. It is a distinctive combination of different non-vegetarian and vegetarian dishes. One can find extensive diversity as Karnataka has a heavy influence of its neighbouring South Indian States and Maharashtra. 

REGIONAL COOKERY 

Mangalore 

The Mangalorian cuisine is generally spicy and rice based. Fruits are an integral part of the Mangalorean menu. Fresh coconut and chillies are important ingredients used in this cuisine. Rice is eaten in many forms like red grain rice, sannas (idli fluffed with toddy or yeast), pancakes, rice rottis, kori rotti (a dry, crisp, almost wafer-thin rice rotti which is served with chicken curry as a delicacy), and neer dosa. One of popular Mangalorian dishes is the spicy kane fry (ladyfish). Another popular dish of Mangalore is Patrode. It is steamed stuffed colocasia leaves, a specialty, worth tasting. The Akki rotti, or rice rotti of Mangalorian cuisine is also popular in Malnad and Kodagu.  

Malenadu and Malnad 

The word "Malenaadu" means "land of mountain ranges". The Malenadu of Karnataka can be culturally 

(on basis food culture) can be clearly divided as South Malnad comprising Northern Somawarpete in North 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. This cuisine is a blend of Coorgi and Mangalorean cuisine.  

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 the favoured method of cooking in Malenaadu. More often than not, there is minimal use of oils in malenaadu cuisine. Some of the major dishes of this cuisine are the midigayi pickle (small raw mango), sandige, avalakki (beaten rice), and talipittu (akki rotti made of rice flour).  

Udupi 

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. Its core is a vast range of creative dishes emphasizing local vegetables and fruits. The popular Masala Dosa is said to be originated from Udupi. Many other south Indian dishes are named after this town. The cuisine of Udupi is strictly vegetarian, deprived of onions and garlic. Sambar, Rasam, Adyes (dumplings), ajadinas (dry curries), and chutneys are the specialty of Udupi's cuisine. Some of the major ingredients used here are gourds, coconut, jackfruit, colocasia leaves, raw green bananas, mango pickle and red chillies.  

Kodagu 

The Hilly district of Kodagu (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. The cuisine of Kodava is quite different from the other cuisines of Karnataka. Apart from these, the koli curry (chicken curry), nool puttu (rice noodles), votti (rice rotti), and bembla curry (bamboo shoot curry) are also worth tasting. 

North Karnataka 

The North Karnataka cuisine can be primarily found in the northern districts of Karnataka, including 

Bidar, Kalburgi, Yadgir, Vijapura, Bagalakote, Belagaavi, Raayachooru, Dharwad, Davangere, Gadag, Haveri, Koppala and western and northern areas of Ballari. The cuisine is also considered a specialty in the cities of Southern Karnataka like Bengaluru and Mysuru. The wheat and jowar rottis (unleavened bread made of millet) are the popular delicacies of North Karnataka. Here, one can find a wide range of rottis like Jolada rotti, thali peet, khadak rotti and sajja rotti (bajra rotti). They are mainly served with a variety of chutneys or spicy curries. Other dishes with which these rottis are served are the yenne badanekayi, kaalu palya, soppu palya, usli (made from spicy sprouted gram) and jholka (made from channa dal flour). 

South Karnataka cuisine 

The South Karnataka or old Mysore region also known as Bayaluseeme or the plains including the present-day Kolara, Bengalooru, Mysooru, Tumakooru, Mandya, Haasana, Chamarajanagara. Ragi and Rice are the most important staple grains, Jowar and bajra 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 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, various Palyas (fried, boiled or sauteed spicy vegetables) and assorted pickles. 

KANNADIGA OOTA (KANNADIGA MEAL) 

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 (Patravali) or 'muttuga' leaves stitched together: Uppu(salt), Kosambari, Pickle, Palya, Gojju, Raita, Dessert (Yes, it is a tradition to start the 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 servedall 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. 

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-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, mustard, asafoetida 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 with pickles. 

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

A typical simple household meal consists of pickle, salad (kosambri), vegetable dish (palle) or lentil dish (kaal), chutneys, curd, bread (chapati, rotti etc), dessert (this does not have to be eaten at the end), rice and different curries/soups (saar) and finally curd rice.  

CULINARY FEATURES 

• The staple items of Karnataka's culinary culture are rice, raggi and jowar (millet), wheat. 

• Rice is cooked in a variety of ways. There are red grain rice, sannas, rice rotis and pancakes made of rice. 

• Regional cuisines include simple flavour of Northern Karnataka, fiery flavor of the Coastal Karnataka, unparallel flavour of Kodava and the seasonal flavour of southern Karnataka. 

• A typical Karnataka or Mysore meal is pure vegetarian cooked in sesame and ground nut oil. Coconut oil also finds popular use in coastal Karnataka. 

• This cuisine tends to use a lot of fresh coconut which is ground with other spices like chillies, coriander, cumin and tamarind, and sometimes curry leaves to make the basic curry paste, which forms the base for most of the curries.  

• The curries are tempered with hot oil, mustard seeds and curry leaves. 

• Vegetables are either steamed or stir-fried before adding to the curry paste, and boiled together. 

• Different meats such as chicken, mutton and pork is used in different parts of the state. Sea fish also feature prominently in the culinary fairs of coastal Karnataka. 

• Fruits, in their fresh as well as pickled forms, feature prominently in the food of Karnataka 

• Karnataka is famous for its desserts. Milk, vermicelli, sugar, coconuts, jaggery and various dry fruits are most commonly used in creating the desserts of Karnataka food. 

• The traditional meal constitutes of rice served with huli made from(spices, chili, different vegetables, lentils, and paste of coconut), kootu, saaru (pepper broth),puri, papad, curd, pickles, kosmabari (vegetable and lentil salad).Meals are specially served on the muttuga leaves or leaves of banana. Flavoured rice or Chitranna is also served up with lunch. 

 

Breakfasts consist of food items like dosas, uppittu, (prepared from semolina), thatte idlis also known as flat idlis, kesari bhaath (sweet dish prepared from ghee, cardamom, semolina and sugar), Khara bhaath etc. Set Dosa is also one of the popular food eaten in the breakfast, it is basically a set of 4 dosas, the combination specially includes rava dosa and masala dosa. These dosas are served with sambar and coconut chutney. All these food items are relished over a cup of coffee, as it is one of the most loved beverages in Karnataka. 

VARIOUS FOOD ITEMS FROM KARNATAKA CUISINE: 

Rice dishes 

• Bisi bele bath - 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 playa beforehand and the vaangi baath mixed before serving 

• Chitranna - 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 - 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 stir fried 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 - A flat thick pancake made with ragi dough and flavoured with chillies and onions; the dough is shaped and flattened by hand. 

• Akki rotti - 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 - 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 - 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 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. 

Saaru (Main course) 

 

• Huli- Combination of vegetables and lentils simmered with spices, coconut, tamarind and seasoned with Ghee, asafoetida, curry leaves and mustard, it is an integral part of every formal meal. 

• Majjige Huli- Cooked vegetables simmered in yogurt with coconut, spices, asafoetida, curry leaves and mustard. 

• Tovve- Mushy lentils cooked till creamy, spiked with spices and Ghee. 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. 

• Haagalakaayi saaru: Haagalakai, the Indian bitter gourd is simmered with coconut, tamarind and spices and spiked with Jaggery and asafoetida, curry leaves and mustard 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. 

Chutneys: 

• 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 oilfried mustard and curry leaves. 

• Uddina Bele chutney - Fried Black Gram Dal with Tamarind, Red Chillies, salted and garnished oil-fried mustard and curry leaves. 

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. 

 

Sweets: 

• Huggi - cooked rice and kadale or hesaru, with coconut, milk, elakki and sweetened with bella (jaggery) 

• Ginnu - sweetened, flavoured and steam boiled colostrum of cow, buffalo or goat 

• Kajjaya - Rice and jaggery fritters deep fried in Ghee. 

• Kadabu - deep fried (kari kadubu) or steamed pastry with assorted sweet filling. 

• Karjikaayi - deep fried crisp pastry with dry sweet filling.