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Tag: Karnataka

  • Neer Dosa

    Neer dosa, meaning water dosa in Tulu, is a breakfast staple of the Mangalore and Udupi region. The batter is made only from soaked rice and a little coconut, ground fine and thinned with water until it is almost like milk. It needs no fermentation, so it can be made the same morning.

    The dosas are thin, soft and delicate with a lacy surface full of tiny holes, and they are cooked on one side only, never crisped or browned. They are folded into triangles and served with coconut chutney or, in Mangalorean homes, with chicken curry or kori gassi. The mild flavour makes them a perfect partner for rich, spicy gravies.

    At a glance

    RegionKarnataka
    CuisineMangalorean
    DietVegan
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time40 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice / coconut / water

    Ingredients

    • 1.5 cups raw rice (dosa rice or sona masoori), soaked 4-6 hours
    • 1/2 cup freshly grated coconut
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • about 3 cups water
    • oil for greasing the tawa

    Method

    1. Drain the soaked rice and grind it with the coconut and 1 cup water to a very smooth batter. Rub a little between your fingers; it should feel completely fine with no grit.
    2. Transfer to a bowl, add salt and stir in about 2 cups more water to get a very thin batter, like thin buttermilk.
    3. Heat a nonstick or well-seasoned iron tawa on medium-high heat. Grease lightly with oil.
    4. Stir the batter well each time, since the rice settles at the bottom. Take a ladleful and pour it from the edge of the tawa in a circle, moving inwards to fill the gaps. Do not spread with the ladle.
    5. Cover and cook for about 1 minute until the top looks set and white, with tiny holes, and the edges start to lift. It should not brown.
    6. Without flipping, fold the dosa in half and then in half again to form a triangle, and lift it onto a plate.
    7. Grease the tawa lightly again and repeat. Do not stack hot dosas flat or they stick; keep them folded and slightly apart.

    Tips

    • The batter must be very thin; if the dosa is thick or does not form holes, add more water.
    • A hot tawa is essential for the lacy pattern, but reduce heat if the dosas start browning.
    • Use the batter within the day; it does not need or benefit from fermentation.

    Serve with

    Coconut chutney, kori gassi (Mangalorean chicken curry), or jaggery with grated coconut.

  • Mangalorean Chicken Ghee Roast

    Chicken ghee roast was popularised in the 1950s by Shetty Lunch Home in Kundapur and later spread across Mangalore and the rest of India. It is a dish of the Bunt community, and its intensity comes from a paste of roasted Byadgi chillies, coriander, cumin, pepper, fenugreek and garlic, cooked in plenty of ghee with tamarind and jaggery.

    The result is a deep red, semi-dry dish with a glossy coating of masala. It is tangy, smoky, spicy and buttery all at once, with the ghee carrying the aroma. Despite the colour, Byadgi chillies keep the heat manageable. It is served as a starter or with neer dosa, appam or kori rotti.

    At a glance

    RegionKarnataka
    CuisineMangalorean
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time35 minutes
    Total time65 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelHot
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientschicken / ghee / byadgi chillies / tamarind / garlic

    Ingredients

    For the marinade

    • 750 g chicken, small bone-in pieces
    • 1/2 cup thick curd
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 tbsp lemon juice
    • 1 tsp salt

    For the roast masala

    • 15 Byadgi chillies, seeds removed
    • 2 tbsp coriander seeds
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1 tsp black peppercorns
    • 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
    • 4 cloves
    • 12 garlic cloves
    • 2 tsp tamarind paste

    For the roast

    • 6 tbsp ghee, divided
    • 1 tsp grated jaggery
    • salt to taste
    • 1 sprig curry leaves

    Method

    1. Marinate the chicken in curd, turmeric, lemon juice and salt for at least 30 minutes.
    2. Dry roast the chillies on low heat for 1-2 minutes until crisp but not dark. Remove, then roast coriander, cumin, pepper, fenugreek and cloves for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
    3. Soak the roasted chillies in 1/4 cup warm water for 10 minutes, then grind everything with the garlic and tamarind to a very smooth paste, using the soaking water.
    4. Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a heavy pan. Add the chicken and cook on medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes, until browned and almost cooked through. Remove the chicken, leaving the juices in the pan.
    5. Add 3 tbsp ghee to the pan, lower the heat to medium and add the ground paste. Fry, stirring constantly, for 8-10 minutes until it darkens slightly, smells roasted and the ghee separates. Add a splash of water if it sticks.
    6. Add the chicken with its juices, the jaggery and salt. Toss on medium heat for 8-10 minutes until the masala thickens and coats the chicken.
    7. Add the remaining tablespoon of ghee and the curry leaves and roast for 2 more minutes until glossy. Serve hot.

    Tips

    • Byadgi chillies are essential for the colour; Kashmiri chillies are the closest substitute.
    • Roasting the paste in ghee until it separates is what gives the dish its depth; do not cut this short.
    • Prawns or paneer can be made the same way; reduce the cooking time accordingly.

    Serve with

    Neer dosa, appam, kori rotti or ghee rice, or on its own as a starter.

  • Kanthapura

    Kanthapura is a hillside village in the Kara district of South India, close to a British-owned coffee estate. Its story is told by Achakka, an elderly Brahmin widow, in the manner of a sthala-purana, the traditional legend of a place, so village gods, gossip and politics flow together in one breathless voice.

    The change begins when Moorthy, a young Brahmin who has returned from the city as a follower of Gandhi, starts spinning khadi, mixing with Pariahs and urging the villagers to join the non-cooperation movement. Opposition comes from the orthodox priest, the British-backed police and the estate's managers, and the women of the village, led by the widow Rangamma, become central to the resistance.

    Published in 1938, Raja Rao's first novel is famous for its preface, which argued that Indians must write English in a rhythm of their own. Its long, comma-strung sentences imitate oral storytelling, and it remains a key novel of the freedom struggle seen from below.

    Book details

    AuthorRaja Rao
    First published1938
    Original languageEnglish
    GenreClassic
    TypeFiction
    Pages (approx.)240
    SettingKanthapura, a village in Karnataka (Mysore region), early 1930s

    Themes

    • Gandhian movement
    • Caste reform
    • Women's resistance
    • Village life
    • Colonial oppression

    Who should read it

    Readers interested in how the freedom movement transformed rural India, told in a distinctive oral style.