MY KARNATAKA CUISINE; FIRST EDITION!

A note: I know some of you are waiting for the details of my experience of the LASIK eye surgery.Here is the LASIK post I promised you.Hope reading about my experience helps you in anyway to decide whether you should have one too!:)

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About Karnataka state:
(formerly known as "Mysore state" (NOT Prince! HaHa!!)
Below, a carved envelope opener made of Mysore Sandalwood in Mysore, ornate Horse and an Elephant made in India.

Karnataka, used to be called as Karu-nadu (a geographically elevated land or the land of the fragrant black soil)) in ancient times,also called as Kannada Nadu (Land of the Kannadigas). Situated in the South of India,one of the four southern Indian states, Karnataka's history and culture takes us back to pre-historic times. The earliest find of the stone age period in India was a hand axe at Lingasugur in Raichur district. The Ashoka's rock edicts found in the state indicate that major parts of Northern Karnataka were under the Maurya dynasty.
Kannada is the principal language of Karnataka. The earliest known classic literature is "Kaviraja Marga", which dates from the 9th century.Pampa, Ponna and Ranna - the three gems of Kannada literature, developed a mixed form of poetry and prose in their writings in the 10th to the 12th century.Krishna Deva Raya,the King (ruled from 1509-29 AD), himself was a poet and wrote in Sanskrit.
Dance and Music, is expressed through the popular song, dance and entertainment form called "Doddata" and "Yakshagana" in South Karnataka, open air folk theater or "Bayalaata" in other parts.
Art: Chalukya, Vijayanagara, Hoysala Dynasties made a great contribution to the enrichment of Karnataka in the form of development of architectural wonders building magnificent Temples and the Muslim influence on Karnataka's art and architecture is no less.



A majestic 58 feet digambara statue of "Gommateshwara"(Jain's Lord Bahubali) in Shravana Belagola ("Monk of the White pond") built in 980 AD, World's second largest dome the "Gol Gumbaz", fort at Gulbarga, Madrasah at Bidar,to name a few.Not to forget our own "Tiger of Mysore" Tipu Sultan, a muslim king, who fought for us against the British! After the decline of Tipu Sultan, a Hindu princely family took over Mysore state, they re Wodeyar dynasty of Mysore. Mysore is also famous intricate wood carving and intricate Ornaments sold all over the World!



Bengalooru, also called a "Garden city" which has green land of Cubbon Park and the enchanting botanical gardens with Glass-House of Lalbagh in the capital,is the capital of Karnataka. A fast growing software industry now it's been nicknamed as "India's Silicon Valley"!

Karnataka has a rich and distinctive variety of wildlife with Bannerghatta National Park. Famous wildlife sanctuaries are Bandipur, Nagarahole and Dandeli and the Ranganathittu Bird's Sanctuary and also a place for trees like Sandal(Sandalwood),Jalari which are exclusively grown in Karanataka.All these info obtained from various sites as a result of searching on the internet as I have linked. Karnataka cuisine, of course, I have talked about it in my previous post!:)


Now few of my own Karnataka dishes!

Crispy, crunchy and delicious Pakodas:
My maternal grandmother's plantation (Malnaadu) style Pakodas, not only they are excellent to eat fresh of the fryer with chutney, you can also store these for 3-4 days in glass jar to snack on later! Enjoy :)


1. In a wide pan, mix 1 cup EACH of Rice flour, plain flour and Besan/gram/Chickpea flour, salt, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp crushed coriander seeds, 14 tsp crushed Fennel seeds,and 1/2 tsp of baking soda well.
2. Heat 3 tbsp of oil in a little pan until very hot and pour this on flour mix.Rub in until it resembles bread crumbs.
3. Chop 1 onion very finely, 2-3 green chillies finely chopped, 2 tbsp Cilantro, few curry leaves,add to the flour and mix well.
4. Add a tbsp pf water at a time to make a very stiff dough(must not be soft and watery),just wet enough to make about 2" balls.
5. Heat oil, drop the small balls and deep fry until golden.drain on paper towels. Serve with coconut-mint chutney.

Kayi Masale` Chitranna:
This is one of favorite rice dish which I make sometimes on Sundays for lunch, my mother's recipe for coconut masala chitranna, which makes a ordinary Chitranna all dressed up and ready to parrtayy!!;p


You need:
2 cups rice, cooked and cooled in a pan, 1 cup frozen Greenpeas, 1 large Lime cut in to half, salt to taste.
To Grind until slightly coarse paste with very little water:
1 cup coconut, 3 garlic, 1" ginger, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 3 or more green chillies, few curry , mint leaves and coriander leaves/ cilantro, 4 cloves and 1" cinnamon.
Season: 3 tbsp oil, 2 large onions, thinly sliced.
To make it:
1. Heat oil, fry onions until the edges are slightly golden. Turn down the heat, squeeze in half the lime or Lemon juice, ground masala, green peas, salt.Mix well.
2. Let it simmer for 3 mins until you get a mass.DO NOT cook too much.
3. Add to cooled rice by ladlefuls and toss.Adjust the salt and lemon juice.
3. Serve with yogurt Raita and crisps.

Channige or Kadalebele Huli:
This my favorite huli/side dish of all to be devoured with hot Dosas! A wonderful tasty recipe is from my Mysore paternal grandmother's (actually they live in a (coconut and Sugarcane) farm around the town called Chamarajanagara, which is the birth place of our Mysore Maharaja Late.JayaChamarajendra Wodeyar)home, where dosas,Idlis are staple and coconut, poppy seeds masala is ground every single day to add to MOST side dishes with gravy!:D


you need:
3 cups Sorekai or any gourd or veg you like chopped,1/2 cup Channa dal(Kadalebele in kannada),cooked together but not too soft,dal should be still whole but cooked.Cook Chana dal separately if you can't keep the grains intact in the microwave.
To roast with little oil:
1 1/2 tbsp Coriander seeds,1/2 tsp Methi seeds/fenugreek seeds, 2-3 red dry chillies,1" cinnamon stick,2 cloves, until reddish,add to coconut masala and grind.
To grind to a smooth paste with little water:
1/4 cup fresh coconut, roasted spices, 2 tsp Poppy seeds (Gasagase) a slice of onion, 1 garlic, 1 tbsp roasted gram(Hurikadale), few sprigs of curry and coriander leaves,1 tsp tamarind juice.(A standard masala for Saaru or any other gravy dishes in my Mysore ajji's kitchen along with some Saaru powder!)
Season: 1 tbsp oil, 1/2 tbsp ghee, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 2 dry red chillies,1-2 broken dry red chillies,1/2 small onion,few curry leaves. 1-2 Tomatoes (optional)
To Make it;
1. Heat oil and ghee,add seasoning ingredients, when reddish,add cooked veggies and Chana dal,salt,tomatoes. Simmer until oil shows on top slightly.Turn down the heat.
2. Add ground masala, and simmer on low heat for 10 mins until you get a good aroma.
3. Adjust the salt,heat and tanginess of tamarind and garnish with Cilantro.
4. Serve with rice or Dosas.

Mysore Maduve` Kajjaya!:D
Maduve is wedding in Kannada. When I was a young girl,I remember eating these yummy (homemade by women in the family kitchen for the crowd!) Kajjayas at every wedding we went to around Mysore villages like my older uncle's wedding. These days,I don't see these anymore but wedding sweets are usually Boondi Laddus ,often made by hired cooks outside under the huge canopy!! Sad, but true that these Kajjayas like many traditional sweets are almost extinct now.I tried to recreate these to the best of my abilities without knowing the exact proportions!

In fact, real Kajjayas are darker, larger and thicker circles than you see here in the picture, may be because of the dark colored homemade jaggery they used. I used golden Jaggery with makes these into Red heads than olden day brunettes!! Hahaha! They taste yummy though like real Kajjayas nevertheless with different look!:)
you Need:
1 cup Rice flour, 1/2 cup Wheat flour, 1/3 cup Jaggery powder ,1/3 cup dry or fresh grated Coconut, 1/2 tsp Cardamom Powder,1/8 tsp baking soda, 3 tbsp Poppy seeds (Gasagase), 1 tbsp hot ghee, fresh oil to fry.

To make it:

1. Mix rice and wheat flour, add coconut, cardamoms pd, hot ghee, jaggery powder and mix well.
2. Add tbsp water at a time to make very thick batter like you do for Pakodas.Let it rest for 15mins. Heat the oil to fry to 350F. or moderately hot too fry Kajjayas slowly.
3. Take a mustard bottles with top sliced of to make bigger hole or a icing funnel without attachment.Fill in the thick batter.
4. Squeeze out circles into the oil with a big hole inside,fry until golden red both sides.DO NOT let it burn.
5. Drain and store. Very tasty to eat, almost like sweet Kodubales but should lot plumper!
Anybody knows the real authentic recipe for Kajjayas, please let me know! For darker Kajjayas ,you can add some dark molasses too. I forgot that I had it in the pantry!!;P

There they are, as authentic as I can get about Mysore and Malenadu dishes. I will post my summer Garden post for GBP next week. Have a great weekend while I cool my corneas!! ;D