Mangalorean Catholic Cuisine - Vegetarian Cuisine

Vegetarian Cuisine

The "Balthazaar Chutney" is a popular condiment. The dish originated when Balthazaar, a Mangalorean Catholic nobleman, was taken prisoner by Tippu Sultan in 1784 during the Captivity of Mangalorean Catholics at Seringapatam. Unable to stomach the indifferent camp food, he offered to make a chutney for the captured Mangalorean Catholics.

The Pollu, a type of Sambhar with Galmbi (powdered dried fish) or Kambulmas (Dried Tuna) is popular. The traditional Fode is a popular pickle. Thail Piao, which means literally vegetables dumped with oil and onions and left to boil on the fire wood is quite popular. Karamb (Cucumber salad) and Foka (Lady’s finger combined with cashewnuts). The Appam (rice balls) and Panpole (a type of pancake) are popular delicacies made of soaked rice, water and salt. The Thath Bakri is a banana leaf rice dish made with ground red boiled rice mixed with raw scraped coconut and roasted on a tava on a banana leaf. The Mitais, Mandas, Ushae, Pitae and Mani are well known sweet dishes.

Kuswar is a term often used to mention a set of unique Christmas goodies which are part of the cuisine of the Mangalorean Catholic community There are as many as 22 different traditional recipes that form this distinct flavour of Christmas celebration in Mangalore. Neuries are puffs stuffed with plums, nuts, and fried theel (sesame) and sugar. Kidyo or Kulkuls are curly concoctions dipped in sugar treacle, pathekas are savoury of green nandarkai bananas, theel laddus and jaw snapping Golios. Macaroons is what Manglore is famous for and the subtle flavored rose cookies are a hot favorite. But it is the Rich Plum Cake which takes the better part of a week to make. Candied fruit, plums, currents, raisins are dexterously cut and soaked in rum. Flour sieved and gently warmed in the sun. Nuts shelled and chopped and the whole family comes together to make the cake. Jobs are allotted, one to whip up the eggs, while another creams the butter and sugar, cake tins are lined, and a strong pair of arms requisitioned to do the final mixing and stirring.

Patrode or Pathrade, a dish of colocasia leaves stuffed with rice, dal, jaggery, coconut, and spices is also popular. The Mangalorean Catholic version of this steamed delicacy is a slight variation on the Tuluva recipe. More spicy, it is fried in Meet Mirsang (salt and chilly), a red chilli masala, which is a popular condiment used to flavour Mangalorean Catholic dishes.