The cuisine of a country, state or region is influenced mainly by the people living there. But, like Portuguese controlled most of Goa or the Mughlai did for most northern India, many other areas credit their cuisine to inhabitants who came in many years ago. Mangalorean cuisine, for instance, is a celebration of different communities too. From local communities like the Tuluvas, Rajapur and Saraswat Brahmins to Goud Saraswat Brahmins, Mangalorean Catholics, and the Bearys, Mangalorean food is rich in rich fare that brings out the regional nuances, styles and flavour of different ingredients of all Mangalorean communities.
The delicacies of Mangalore are pretty spicy and has certain common ingredients across all homes- fresh coconut, curry leaves, ginger, garlic and chilli, commonly Byadgi. While the cooking method may vary in Mangalorean communities, the ingredients remain the same for most delicacies. While Udupi- the vegetarian cuisine of Mangalore, is known popularly throughout the country, fish is one of the staples in Mangalorean homes as it is a coastal town. Mangalore is perfect for those who love to sample unique treats using an eclectic mix of culinary delights. Here are five of the best Mangalorean delicacies you must try:
1. Chicken Sukka
Also called kori sukka or kori ajadina, chicken sukka is native to the Tulu community. The word 'sukka' is derived from the Hindi word 'sukha', which means 'dry', and this dish makes for an intensely flavourful dish, full of spices, freshly grated coconut and ghee. A special masala called Kundapur masala powder too is used in the preparation.
2. Mangalore Buns
Call it the Indianised version of sweet doughnuts; Mangalore Buns are sweet banana puris eaten in the coastal town as an everyday snack. It is a comforting amalgamation of mashed banana with dough, sugar, salt and cumin, making for a great breakfast when served with coconut chutney and sambar.
3. Chicken Ghee Roast
Ghee roast is one term I’ve come across several times, especially when dining at a south Indian restaurant, as ghee roast dosa, but I never tried it. But this one time, I decided to give it a shot. The moment the ghee-roast dosa arrived, I couldn’t resist after just one bite. The filling tasted a bit different, and it was simply delicious. Ghee Roast is a special Mangalorean preparation that was innovated about 50 years ago at a family-run kitchen as a simple experiment. It is a speciality of Mangalorean cuisine today wherein the special masala is prepared with freshly ground Bydagi chillies. These are roasted with dollops of fresh ghee, which is obtained from buffalo milk. In the recipe of chicken ghee roast, the marinated chicken is cooked with this special masala in loads of ghee for a few hours. Sounds interesting? Try it at home.
4. Kori Gassi
Taste of tangy tamarind stirred in with a fresh homemade masala of red chillies, peppercorn, fenugreek, mustard and garlic along with cumin and more. Kori Gassi is a must-try for anyone who loves chicken curries. 'Kori' translates to chicken, and 'gassi' means curry, and this Mangalorean delicacy is just hard to resist.
5. Neer Dosa
A slightly more popular Mangalorean delicacy in the country, Neer Dosa in Tulu translates to 'water dosa'. And the dish is exactly that. It derives its name from the watery consistency of the batter. The dosa is most popularly accompanied with coconut chutney and sambar, but it goes well with coconut milk and even sagu.
So which Mangalorean delicacy are you going to try next? Let us know.