RAG Demo

Author: Abhishek

  • Double ka Meetha

    Double ka meetha is a royal Hyderabadi dessert that is said to descend from the Mughal shahi tukda. The name comes from double roti, the old Hyderabadi term for bread, which doubles in size as the dough rises. It is served at weddings, during Ramzan and at Eid, often next to qubani ka meetha.

    Slices of bread are fried golden in ghee, soaked in a cardamom-saffron sugar syrup and then cooked with reduced milk until they soak it all up. The result is soft and moist, almost like a set pudding, but still with some texture from the crisp fried bread. It is very rich, sweet and fragrant.

    At a glance

    RegionTelangana
    CuisineHyderabadi
    DietVegetarian
    CourseDessert
    Prep time10 minutes
    Cook time40 minutes
    Total time50 minutes
    Serves6
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientsbread / ghee / milk / sugar / saffron

    Ingredients

    • 8 slices white bread, a day old, crusts removed, cut into triangles
    • 1/2 cup ghee for frying
    • 1 litre full-fat milk
    • 1/2 cup sugar for the syrup
    • 1/2 cup water
    • 2 tbsp sugar for the milk
    • a pinch of saffron soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk
    • 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
    • 2 tbsp khoya (optional)
    • 12 almonds, sliced
    • 10 pistachios, sliced
    • 10 cashews, halved

    Method

    1. Simmer the milk in a heavy pan on medium-low heat for 25-30 minutes, stirring often, until it reduces to about half. Add 2 tbsp sugar, the saffron milk, cardamom and khoya if using.
    2. Meanwhile, make a syrup by boiling 1/2 cup sugar with 1/2 cup water for 5 minutes until slightly sticky but not stringy. Add a pinch of cardamom.
    3. Heat ghee in a frying pan on medium-low heat and fry the bread triangles in batches for 1-2 minutes per side until crisp and evenly golden. Drain.
    4. Fry the almonds, pistachios and cashews in the remaining ghee until lightly golden and keep aside.
    5. Dip each fried bread slice quickly into the warm sugar syrup and arrange them in a single layer in a wide pan.
    6. Pour the reduced milk over the bread. Cook on low heat for 5-6 minutes until the bread absorbs most of the milk and turns soft but still holds its shape.
    7. Garnish with the fried nuts. Serve warm or chilled.

    Tips

    • Day-old bread fries crisper and absorbs less ghee.
    • Fry slowly on medium-low heat; quick-fried bread is golden outside but soggy inside.
    • For a shortcut, use a can of condensed milk mixed with 1 cup milk instead of reducing.

    Serve with

    Served after biryani at weddings and Eid dinners.

  • Mirchi ka Salan

    Mirchi ka salan is a Hyderabadi curry of long, mildly hot green chillies cooked in a nutty, sour gravy. It is the traditional accompaniment to biryani, and no Hyderabadi wedding feast serves biryani without it. The gravy, made of roasted peanuts, sesame and dry coconut with tamarind, is closely related to the base used for bagara baingan.

    The salan is thick, tangy and slightly sweet, with a deep nutty flavour from the roasted seeds. The chillies are slit, fried and then simmered so they turn soft and absorb the gravy without losing their shape. It cuts through the richness of biryani, and many people also eat it with plain rice or roti.

    At a glance

    RegionTelangana
    CuisineHyderabadi
    DietVegan
    CourseSide dish
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time50 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsgreen chillies / peanuts / sesame seeds / dry coconut / tamarind

    Ingredients

    For the chillies

    • 250 g long, thick, mild green chillies (bhavnagari or banana peppers)
    • 3 tbsp oil

    For the paste

    • 3 tbsp raw peanuts
    • 2 tbsp white sesame seeds
    • 2 tbsp dry coconut, grated
    • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1 medium onion, sliced and roasted

    For the gravy

    • 2 tbsp oil
    • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1/4 tsp nigella seeds (kalonji)
    • 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
    • 1 sprig curry leaves
    • 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 tsp red chilli powder
    • 3 tbsp thick tamarind pulp
    • 1 tsp grated jaggery
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1.5 cups water

    Method

    1. Wash and dry the chillies. Slit each lengthwise without cutting through, and scrape out some seeds if you want less heat.
    2. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a kadai and fry the chillies on medium heat for 3-4 minutes, turning, until blistered in spots. Remove and set aside.
    3. Dry roast the peanuts for 4-5 minutes until golden, then the sesame seeds until they pop, then the coconut until light brown, and finally the coriander and cumin for a minute. Grind with the roasted onion and a little water to a smooth paste.
    4. In the same kadai, add 2 tbsp oil and splutter mustard, cumin, nigella and fenugreek seeds. Add curry leaves and ginger-garlic paste and fry for 1 minute.
    5. Add the ground paste, turmeric and chilli powder and fry on low heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until the paste darkens slightly and oil begins to separate.
    6. Add tamarind pulp, jaggery, salt and water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
    7. Add the fried chillies and simmer on low heat for 8-10 minutes until the gravy is thick, oil floats on top, and the chillies are tender.
    8. Rest for 30 minutes before serving; the flavour improves as it sits.

    Tips

    • Choose thick, long chillies with low heat; small spicy ones make it too fierce.
    • Roast each seed separately as they brown at different rates.
    • The salan should be thick and oily on top, not watery.

    Serve with

    Hyderabadi biryani with burani raita, or with bagara rice.

  • Hyderabadi Haleem

    Haleem came to Hyderabad from Arab soldiers in the Nizam's army and is now the defining food of Ramzan in the city, so famous that it carries a Geographical Indication tag. Through the fasting month, eateries cook it overnight in huge brick bhattis, the meat and grain stirred and pounded for hours with long wooden ghotnis.

    It is thick, sticky and smooth, with the meat fully broken into strands that bind with the wheat and lentils. The flavour is meaty and gently spiced, lifted at the table with ghee, fried onions, mint, ginger juliennes and lemon. It is eaten at iftar to break the fast, as a rich, filling meal.

    At a glance

    RegionTelangana
    CuisineHyderabadi
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time180 minutes
    Total time210 minutes
    Serves6
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyHard
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientsmutton / broken wheat / lentils / ghee / fried onions

    Ingredients

    For the grains

    • 1 cup broken wheat (dalia) or whole wheat, soaked 4 hours
    • 2 tbsp chana dal
    • 2 tbsp toor dal
    • 1 tbsp urad dal
    • 1 tbsp moong dal
    • 2 tbsp barley (optional)
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 tsp salt

    For the meat

    • 750 g boneless mutton, plus a few bones for flavour
    • 1 cup curd
    • 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 2 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
    • 2 tsp garam masala
    • 6 green chillies, crushed
    • 1/2 cup chopped mint
    • 1/2 cup chopped coriander
    • 1 cup fried onions
    • 1/4 cup ghee
    • 1.5 tsp salt
    • 4 cups water

    For topping

    • 1/4 cup ghee
    • 1 cup fried onions
    • 1 inch ginger, julienned
    • mint and coriander leaves
    • lemon wedges
    • cashews fried in ghee (optional)

    Method

    1. Pressure cook the soaked wheat, dals and barley with turmeric, salt and 5 cups water for 8-10 whistles until completely soft. Blend or mash to a smooth paste.
    2. In a large heavy pot, heat the ghee and add the mutton, ginger-garlic paste, chilli powder, turmeric and green chillies. Fry on high heat for 5 minutes.
    3. Add curd, garam masala, salt, half the mint and coriander, the fried onions and 4 cups water. Pressure cook for 6-8 whistles, or simmer covered for 1.5 hours, until the mutton falls apart.
    4. Remove the bones. Shred the meat with two forks, or pulse briefly in a blender with its stock, until it is in fine strands.
    5. Combine the meat and its stock with the wheat-lentil paste in the heavy pot. Cook on low heat for 40-60 minutes, stirring and beating vigorously with a wooden masher every few minutes, until the mixture is thick, stretchy and smooth and the meat is completely amalgamated. Add hot water if it gets too stiff.
    6. Stir in the remaining mint and coriander. The haleem should be thick but spoonable, with ghee glistening on top.
    7. To serve, ladle into bowls, pour hot ghee over each and top with fried onions, ginger, mint, coriander and cashews, with lemon on the side.

    Tips

    • The long, patient beating is what gives haleem its silky, elastic texture; do not skip it.
    • Use a mix of bone-in and boneless mutton for better flavour.
    • Haleem thickens as it cools; loosen leftovers with hot water while reheating.

    Serve with

    Lemon wedges and extra fried onions; Hyderabadis often add a spoon of shorba.

  • Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani

    Hyderabadi biryani grew out of the kitchens of the Nizams, and its most prized form is the kachchi style, where raw marinated meat and par-boiled rice are layered and cooked together under a seal. The meat cooks in the steam of the rice while the rice absorbs the juices of the meat. Getting both done at once is the test of a biryani cook.

    The finished biryani has long, separate grains of basmati in white, yellow and saffron-orange, with tender chicken that is spiced, tangy from curd and lemon, and fragrant with mint, fried onions and kewra. It is the dish of every Hyderabadi wedding and Eid, and of countless Sunday lunches. Every family guards its own ratio of rice to meat and its own garam masala blend.

    At a glance

    RegionTelangana
    CuisineHyderabadi
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseRice
    Prep time40 minutes
    Cook time60 minutes
    Total time100 minutes
    Serves5
    Spice levelHot
    DifficultyHard
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientschicken / basmati rice / curd / fried onions / saffron

    Ingredients

    For the marinade

    • 1 kg chicken, large bone-in pieces
    • 1 cup thick curd
    • 1.5 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 2 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1.5 tsp garam masala
    • 1/2 tsp shahi jeera, crushed
    • 4 green chillies, slit
    • 1/2 cup chopped mint
    • 1/2 cup chopped coriander
    • 1 cup birista (fried onions from 3 large onions)
    • 3 tbsp lemon juice
    • 3 tbsp ghee
    • 2 tbsp oil from frying the onions
    • 1.5 tsp salt

    For the rice

    • 3 cups aged basmati rice, soaked 30 minutes
    • 12 cups water
    • 2 tbsp salt
    • 4 green cardamoms, 4 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon, 2 bay leaves
    • 1 tsp shahi jeera
    • 1 tbsp oil

    For layering

    • a large pinch of saffron in 1/4 cup warm milk
    • 3 tbsp ghee
    • 2 tbsp chopped mint
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
    • 1/2 cup birista
    • 1 tsp kewra water
    • atta dough for sealing

    Method

    1. Mix all the marinade ingredients into the chicken in the heavy, wide pot you will cook the biryani in. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Bring to room temperature before cooking.
    2. Bring 12 cups of water to a rolling boil with the salt, whole spices, shahi jeera and oil. The water should taste distinctly salty.
    3. Add the drained rice. Boil on high heat and start checking at 4 minutes: when the grains are about 70 percent cooked, they break when pressed but still have a firm core, scoop out a third of the rice with a slotted spoon and spread it over the chicken.
    4. Boil the remaining rice for another minute and layer half of it over the first layer. Cook the rest another minute until about 85 percent done and spread it on top. Drain well, so very little water goes into the pot.
    5. Drizzle the saffron milk, ghee and kewra water over the rice and scatter mint, coriander and the remaining birista.
    6. Seal the lid with a rope of atta dough, or cover tightly with foil and then the lid.
    7. Cook on high heat for 5 minutes until you hear the marinade sizzle and steam starts to build. Then place the pot on a hot iron tawa and cook on low heat for 35-40 minutes.
    8. Switch off and rest for 10 minutes. Open the seal and serve by scooping from the side so each portion has chicken from the bottom and rice from all layers.

    Tips

    • Use a heavy pot and a tawa underneath during dum to prevent the chicken from burning.
    • Large chicken pieces with bone hold up to the long dum without drying out.
    • Aged basmati gives long, separate grains; new-crop rice breaks.

    Serve with

    Mirchi ka salan and onion-cucumber raita (burani).

  • Goli Baje

    Goli baje is the tea-time snack of Mangalore and Udupi, sold in every hotel and canteen along the coast. Also called Mangalore bajji or Mangalore bonda, it is made from maida and sour curd fermented briefly so the batter becomes light and airy. The name refers to its round, golf-ball shape.

    The fritters are golden and slightly crisp outside, with a soft, spongy, almost bread-like interior studded with green chillies, ginger, curry leaves and coconut bits. The sourness of the curd gives a pleasant tang. They are eaten hot with coconut chutney and a cup of tea or coffee. They are best within minutes of frying, while the outside is still crisp.

    At a glance

    RegionKarnataka
    CuisineMangalorean
    DietVegetarian
    CourseSnack
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time20 minutes
    Total time35 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientsmaida / curd / green chillies / ginger / coconut

    Ingredients

    • 1.5 cups maida
    • 1 cup sour curd
    • 1 tbsp rice flour
    • 1 tsp sugar
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • 1/4 tsp baking soda
    • 2 green chillies, finely chopped
    • 1 inch ginger, finely chopped
    • 1 sprig curry leaves, chopped
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
    • 2 tbsp coconut bits or grated coconut
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • oil for deep frying

    Method

    1. Whisk the curd, sugar, salt and baking soda in a bowl until frothy. Leave for 5 minutes.
    2. Add the maida and rice flour and mix to a very thick, sticky batter. It should drop off a spoon slowly, not flow. Add a spoon of water only if absolutely needed.
    3. Beat the batter vigorously with your hand or a spoon for 3-4 minutes. This incorporates air and makes the bajji fluffy.
    4. Cover and rest for 2-3 hours at room temperature until it rises slightly.
    5. Stir in the green chillies, ginger, curry leaves, coriander, coconut and cumin.
    6. Heat oil on medium heat. Wet your fingers, take small lime-sized portions of batter and drop them into the oil.
    7. Fry on medium heat for 4-5 minutes, turning, until they puff up and turn deep golden on all sides.
    8. Drain on a rack and serve hot.

    Tips

    • Very sour curd gives the best flavour and rise.
    • The batter must be thick; a runny batter makes flat, oily bajji.
    • If the oil is too hot, the bajji brown outside and stay raw inside; test with one first.

    Serve with

    Coconut chutney and hot tea or filter coffee.

  • Vangi Bath

    Vangi bath, brinjal rice, is one of the classic chitranna-style mixed rices of Karnataka, served in Bengaluru and Mysuru homes and in Udupi restaurants. It uses small purple or green brinjals cooked with a special masala of roasted chana dal, urad dal, coriander, red chillies, cinnamon, cloves and dry coconut, and then mixed with cooked rice.

    Each grain is coated in a reddish-brown masala, with soft brinjal pieces throughout. The flavour is warm and slightly tangy, with sweetness from jaggery and crunch from peanuts or cashews. It is popular as a lunchbox meal and as a light weekend lunch with raita. It also packs well for picnics and train journeys because it tastes good at room temperature.

    At a glance

    RegionKarnataka
    CuisineKannada
    DietVegan
    CourseRice
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time45 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice / brinjal / tamarind / dry coconut / peanuts

    Ingredients

    For the vangi bath powder

    • 1 tbsp chana dal
    • 1 tbsp urad dal
    • 2 tbsp coriander seeds
    • 6 Byadgi chillies
    • 1 inch cinnamon
    • 3 cloves
    • 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
    • 2 tbsp dry coconut (kopra), grated

    For the bath

    • 3 cups cooked rice, cooled
    • 250 g small brinjals, cut into thin strips
    • 3 tbsp oil
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1 tsp chana dal
    • 1 tsp urad dal
    • 2 tbsp peanuts
    • 1 sprig curry leaves
    • 1/4 tsp asafoetida
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 tbsp thick tamarind paste
    • 1 tsp grated jaggery
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

    Method

    1. Dry roast the chana dal, urad dal, coriander, chillies, cinnamon, cloves and fenugreek on low heat for 4-5 minutes until golden and fragrant. Add the coconut and roast 1 minute more. Cool and grind to a fine powder.
    2. Keep the cut brinjals in salted water until needed so they do not discolour, then drain.
    3. Heat oil in a wide kadai. Fry the peanuts until crunchy, then add mustard seeds. When they splutter add chana dal and urad dal and fry until golden. Add curry leaves, asafoetida and turmeric.
    4. Add the brinjals and salt and toss. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the brinjals are soft but not mushy.
    5. Add the tamarind paste and jaggery and cook for 2 minutes until the raw smell goes.
    6. Add 2.5 tbsp of the vangi bath powder and stir for 1 minute until the brinjals are coated.
    7. Add the rice and gently fold everything together on low heat for 2 minutes until evenly mixed. Taste and add more powder or salt if needed.
    8. Garnish with coriander and serve warm.

    Tips

    • Use small, tender brinjals with few seeds.
    • Cooked rice should be cool and separate, or the bath turns mushy.
    • A tablespoon of ghee mixed in at the end adds a lovely richness.

    Serve with

    Onion-cucumber raita and papad or potato chips.

  • Coorg Pandi Curry

    Pandi curry, pork curry, is the most celebrated dish of the Kodavas, the people of Kodagu (Coorg) in the Western Ghats. Wild boar hunting was part of Kodava tradition, and today farmed pork is cooked the same way for weddings, Puthari, the harvest festival, and family gatherings. Its defining ingredient is kachampuli, a dark, thick vinegar made from the fruit of the Garcinia gummi-gutta tree.

    The curry is almost black, thanks to spices roasted until very dark. It is sour, peppery and rich, with fatty pork pieces that turn tender and absorb the masala. Kodavas eat it with kadambuttu, steamed rice balls, or akki otti, a thin rice flatbread. A small glass of homemade wine or a cold drink usually comes with it at Kodava celebrations.

    At a glance

    RegionKarnataka
    CuisineKodava
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time25 minutes
    Cook time60 minutes
    Total time85 minutes
    Serves5
    Spice levelHot
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientspork / kachampuli / black pepper / onion / garlic

    Ingredients

    For the pork

    • 1 kg pork with fat and skin, cut into 3 cm cubes
    • 1 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1.5 tsp salt
    • 1 tsp red chilli powder

    For the roasted masala

    • 3 tbsp coriander seeds
    • 1.5 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1 tbsp black peppercorns
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
    • 4 cloves
    • 2 inch cinnamon
    • 6 dry red chillies

    For the curry

    • 2 large onions, roughly chopped
    • 1.5 inch ginger
    • 15 garlic cloves
    • 4 green chillies
    • 1 sprig curry leaves
    • 2-3 tsp kachampuli (Coorg vinegar), to taste
    • 1 cup water

    Method

    1. Rub the pork with turmeric, salt and chilli powder and keep for 20 minutes.
    2. Grind the onions, ginger, garlic and green chillies to a coarse paste.
    3. Put the pork and the onion paste in a heavy pot with 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, then cover and cook on low-medium heat for 35-40 minutes until the pork is tender and has released its fat. You can also pressure cook for 4-5 whistles.
    4. Meanwhile dry roast the coriander, cumin, pepper, mustard, fenugreek, cloves, cinnamon and chillies in a heavy pan on low-medium heat, stirring constantly, for 10-12 minutes until they turn very dark brown, almost black, but not burnt. Cool and grind to a fine powder.
    5. Add 3-4 tbsp of the roasted masala powder to the pork and mix. The curry will turn dark.
    6. Cook uncovered on medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring, until the gravy thickens and the pork fat separates and coats the meat.
    7. Add the kachampuli a teaspoon at a time, tasting after each, until the curry is distinctly sour. Add curry leaves, simmer 2 minutes and switch off.
    8. Rest for an hour if you can; pandi curry tastes best the next day.

    Tips

    • Pork belly or shoulder with fat is essential; lean pork turns dry.
    • Roast the spices dark but stop before they burn, which makes the curry bitter.
    • If kachampuli is unavailable, a mix of malt vinegar and a little tamarind is a compromise, but the flavour differs.

    Serve with

    Kadambuttu (steamed rice balls), akki otti or plain rice.

  • Maddur Vada

    Maddur vada takes its name from the town of Maddur on the old Bengaluru-Mysuru highway and railway line. According to local lore, a vendor at the railway station improvised it in the early 1900s, and the vadas sold at Maddur Tiffanys and on the platforms became famous with travellers. Unlike the soft urad dal vada, it is made from rice flour, semolina and maida.

    It is flat, crunchy and golden, almost like a thick biscuit, packed with sweet onions, curry leaves, green chillies and ginger. The onions are mixed with hot oil before the water goes in, which keeps the vada crisp. It is a tea-time snack that stays crunchy for hours and travels well.

    At a glance

    RegionKarnataka
    CuisineKannada
    DietVegan
    CourseSnack
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time40 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientsrice flour / semolina / maida / onion / curry leaves

    Ingredients

    • 1/2 cup rice flour
    • 1/4 cup fine rava (semolina)
    • 1/4 cup maida
    • 2 medium onions, finely sliced
    • 2 green chillies, finely chopped
    • 1 inch ginger, finely chopped
    • 1 sprig curry leaves, chopped
    • 3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
    • 1/4 tsp asafoetida
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • 2 tbsp hot oil
    • about 1/4 cup water
    • oil for deep frying

    Method

    1. In a bowl, mix the onions, chillies, ginger, curry leaves, coriander, asafoetida and salt. Squeeze with your hands for a minute so the onions soften slightly.
    2. Add the rice flour, rava and maida and mix.
    3. Pour 2 tbsp very hot oil over the mixture and rub it in with a spoon, then your fingers. This is what makes the vadas crisp.
    4. Sprinkle water a little at a time and knead to a firm, non-sticky dough. The onions add moisture, so you need very little water.
    5. Heat oil for deep frying on medium heat. A small piece of dough should rise steadily, not instantly.
    6. Take a lemon-sized ball, place it on a greased plastic sheet or banana leaf, and pat it into a flat disc about 8 cm across and 5 mm thick.
    7. Slide the vadas into the oil one by one and fry on medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side until deep golden and crisp, turning once.
    8. Drain on a rack and serve hot or at room temperature.

    Tips

    • Fry on medium heat; on high heat they brown before they crisp through.
    • Keep the dough firm; a soft dough makes oily vadas.
    • Stored airtight, they stay crisp for a day.

    Serve with

    Coconut chutney and filter coffee or masala tea.

  • Akki Rotti

    Akki rotti, akki meaning rice in Kannada, is a breakfast flatbread from Karnataka made from rice flour mixed with vegetables and herbs. It is patted out by hand directly on a cold, greased tawa or on a banana leaf rather than rolled, which gives it its uneven, rustic look. In Malnad homes it is a staple, often made with dill (sabsige soppu) or grated cucumber.

    A good akki rotti is crisp and golden at the edges and soft inside, with green flecks of dill, chilli and coriander. It is savoury, mildly spicy and fragrant. Being made from rice flour it is naturally gluten free. It is eaten hot with chutney, a spoon of butter or a pickle.

    At a glance

    RegionKarnataka
    CuisineKannada
    DietVegan
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time45 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice flour / onion / dill leaves / coconut / green chillies

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups rice flour
    • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
    • 1/2 cup dill leaves, finely chopped
    • 1/4 cup grated coconut
    • 1 small carrot, grated (optional)
    • 2-3 green chillies, finely chopped
    • 1 inch ginger, grated
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
    • 1 tsp salt
    • about 1 cup warm water
    • oil for cooking

    Method

    1. Mix the rice flour, onion, dill, coconut, carrot, chillies, ginger, cumin, coriander and salt in a large bowl.
    2. Add warm water a little at a time and knead to a soft, slightly sticky dough that holds together. Rest for 10 minutes.
    3. Grease a cold, thick tawa with 1 tsp oil. Take a lemon-sized ball of dough and place it on the tawa.
    4. Wet your fingers and pat the dough out into a thin, even circle about 15 cm across, wetting your fingers often so it does not stick. Make 3-4 small holes in it with a finger.
    5. Pour a few drops of oil in each hole and around the edges. Place the tawa on medium heat, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes until the base is golden and crisp.
    6. Flip and cook for 1-2 minutes more until spotted golden. Remove.
    7. Cool the tawa under running water before shaping the next rotti, or use two tawas in rotation. Alternatively pat the rottis on a greased banana leaf or butter paper and transfer them to a hot tawa.

    Tips

    • The tawa must be cool when patting out the dough; a hot tawa makes it impossible to spread.
    • Warm water helps the rice flour bind.
    • Make the dough just before cooking; onions release water and make it soggy if it sits too long.

    Serve with

    Coconut chutney, ennegai, or white butter with chutney pudi.

  • Kori Rotti

    Kori rotti is the signature dish of the Bunt and Tuluva communities of coastal Karnataka. Kori means chicken in Tulu, and rotti here is not a flatbread but a brittle, paper-thin wafer made from boiled rice, cooked on a griddle and dried in the sun. The rottis are bought ready-made in Mangalore and keep for months.

    At the table the dry rottis are broken into a plate and the hot chicken curry, called kori gassi, is poured over them. The rotti softens slightly while still keeping some crunch. The gravy is rich with coconut, red with Byadgi chillies and tangy with tamarind. It is a feast dish, made for weddings, festivals and Sunday lunches.

    At a glance

    RegionKarnataka
    CuisineMangalorean
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time40 minutes
    Total time70 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelHot
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientschicken / coconut / byadgi chillies / rice rotti / tamarind

    Ingredients

    For the masala

    • 12 Byadgi chillies
    • 2 tbsp coriander seeds
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
    • 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
    • 1 tsp oil
    • 1.5 cups grated coconut
    • 1 small onion, sliced
    • 6 garlic cloves
    • small marble of tamarind
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

    For the curry

    • 750 g chicken, curry cut
    • 3 tbsp coconut oil or ghee
    • 1 large onion, finely sliced
    • 1 sprig curry leaves
    • 1 cup thin coconut milk or water
    • 1/2 cup thick coconut milk
    • 1.5 tsp salt, or to taste

    To serve

    • 8-10 dry rice rottis (Mangalore rotti)

    Method

    1. Roast the chillies, coriander, cumin, pepper and fenugreek in 1 tsp oil on low heat for 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Remove, then lightly roast the sliced onion and garlic in the same pan for 2 minutes.
    2. Grind the roasted spices, onion, garlic, coconut, tamarind and turmeric with about 1 cup water to a smooth, thick paste.
    3. Heat coconut oil in a heavy pan. Fry the sliced onion on medium heat for 6-7 minutes until golden, then add the curry leaves.
    4. Add the chicken and salt and saute on medium-high heat for 5 minutes until the pieces are sealed.
    5. Add the ground masala and fry with the chicken for 4-5 minutes on medium heat, stirring, until it no longer smells raw.
    6. Pour in the thin coconut milk or water, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes on low heat until the chicken is tender and oil rises to the top.
    7. Stir in the thick coconut milk and heat for 2 minutes without boiling. The gravy should be medium-thick and pourable.
    8. To serve, break 2-3 rottis into each plate and pour the hot gravy with chicken over them just before eating.

    Tips

    • Pour the gravy only at the table, or the rotti turns soggy.
    • Kori gassi should have plenty of gravy because the rotti absorbs a lot.
    • If rotti is unavailable, serve the gassi with neer dosa or steamed rice.

    Serve with

    The rice rottis themselves, with sliced onion and a wedge of lime.