Food from South of India - Karnataka

The area commonly referred to as ‘South India’ consists of four states – Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.  Whilst the Southern states have several unifying cultural elements, each state is distinct with its unique language, culture, and cuisine.

Karnataka 

Karnataka is a very visible part of the world economy today, as its capital city Bangalore is the hub of India’s information technology boom.  Karnataka has a proud history of several powerful ruling dynasties, who left the state with a fine tradition of art and culture, evident in spectacular temples and palaces, a  rich trove of literature,  composers and practioners of both Carnatic and Hindustani classical music, and the Mysore style of Bharatanatyam dance. 

K.T. Acharya, in his excellent book ‘A Historical Dictionary of Indian Food’ notes that the food of Karnataka is documented as early as AD 920, in the Vaddaradane written by Shivakotyacharya and in about twenty three other historical texts. More comprehensive documentation can be found in the Supa Shastra written by Mangarasa in AD 1516, which is a book completely devoted to food. These texts primarily deal with Brahmin vegetarian food, reflecting the experience of the Brahmin authors. Only about one-third of the people of Karnataka are vegetarian, and there are umpteen non-vegetarian dishes unique to the state.  For example, the people of the hilly regions of Coorg are connoisseurs of meat and known for their spicy pork dishes (‘Pandi curry’). 

Rice is the most important staple in Karnataka, although wheat and ragi (‘finger millet’) are also consumed in about equal proportions.  The state is known for its preparations of rice cooked with clarified butter (‘ghee’) and flavored with different vegetables to yield a variety of unique combinations.  The extremely popular ‘Bisi-bhele-bhaath’ for example includes tamarind, red lentils, potatoes, carrots, beans, peas, fenugreek, coriander and cashewnuts amongst other ingredients.  Wheat and ragi are commonly ground into flour, mixed with water to yield a dough, and spices, vegetables and lentil flour added for taste. These are cooked in a variety of ways – cooked on griddles, baked between hot plates with live coals, baked on heated tiles (‘kenchu’), or stuffed with ingredients including sugar, raisins, lentils and cooked as a ball of dough between coals.  

Karnataka is also known for its pickles and relishes, with the Hindu religious text ‘Lingapurana’ mentioning fifty types of pickles.  One common type is ‘balaka’, made by soaking large chilies in salt water and or/ buttermilk for several days, drying the chilies, and frying just before the meal as a spicy accompaniment to rice dishes.

The state boasts a vast repertoire of sweet dishes which have been in existence for over a thousand years. A common base for several desserts is rice or wheat noodles boiled in sweetened milk, and then flavored with spices such as saffron. ‘Kesari bhaath’ is one such traditional favorite, made of sweetened wheat grits flavored with saffron.  Several deep fried delicacies were made of a rice flour base, sweetened with jaggery, with coconut often added. Variety was introduced both in flavorings and shape. For example, dough rolled out fine and made into thin cylinders would result in a very different texture from a more viscous mixture extruded directly into hot oil as a coil and fried.

One of the most popular types of cuisine in India comes from Karnataka’s Udipi region, famous for its Krishna temple. Udupi cuisine was developed by the Shivalli Madhwa Brahmins who had to ritually prepare religious food offerings to the temple deity. The cuisine and follows the ingredients and method of preparation mentioned in the Hindu holy scriptures (‘Vedas’). It is strictly vegetarian, without the use of even onion and garlic. The most popular dish is undoubtedly the masala dosa, which is a thin pancake made of finely ground rice and lentil flour cooked on a griddle and stuffed with a savory potato mixture.

In contrast the Coorg region of Karnataka, known for its hilly topography, forests and spice plantations, is home to one of the state’s most ardent meat loving communities. Meat features in many festivals and ceremonies related to birth, marriage and death and is only taboo during festivals that have been influenced by Brahmin traditions. Hunting, both for food and as a pastime, was a Coorgi tradition and the people enjoy both game meat and the domestic variety, particularly pork. Meat was also smoked and dried for use during the monsoon season when it was harder to hunt, and often salted meat or fish was smoked in a reed basket hung over the fireplace in the traditional Coorgi kitchen.  Fish and meat were also made into spicy chutneys and pickles.  Vegetarian delicacies were made of food items native to the region such as mushrooms, jackfruit, ferns, bamboo shoots, banana and yams.

Sources

A Historical Dictionary of Indian Food (KT Acharya)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karnataka

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuisine_of_Karnataka

http://www.coorgrecipes.com/coorg_cuisine.asp

http://www.indialine.com/travel/karnataka/cuisine.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Udupi