Cuisine of Karnataka - Malenadu Cuisine

Malenadu Cuisine

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. 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 the favored 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 usually prepared by grinding rice with other ingredients such as chili, 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 - 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..
• Thumbuli - 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 mavinahannina saaru - a sweet and sour saaru made with whole tiny ripe mangoes. Served with cooked rice.
• kaapi-Coffee- 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.