KarnatkaKarnatakaThe state of Karnataka has recipes, which though not as known as Andhra or Hyderabadi cuisine provide a very scrumptious meal. Various regions of Karnataka specialize in different aspects of cooking. While Mysore and its surroundings are typically vegetarian, along the long coastal Karnataka belt a lot of recipes in meat, fish and sea food are available.
The impact of Goa cuisine is also visible on the Mangalore coast, where a lot of people use coconut milk for cooking. In the interiors of Karnataka, sesame and groundnut oil are used as the main medium of cooking while coconut oil is used by the people in coastal region.
The staple food of Karnataka is rice, jowar (millets) and raggi. People in northern Karnataka are more into jowar, while those in Mysore prefer raggi. Coorg residents owing to their Greek ancestry have their distinct style of cooking. Also the influence of both Hindu and Muslim style of cooking is visible. A traditional Karnataka meal is laid out on patravali (banana leaf) or muttuga (leaves stitched together), and people sit on the mats or raised platforms to have the meal.
Karnataka Recipes
(* Specifies Changes for Healthy Diet)
Kesari Bhath (Dessert)Ingredients:| Regular | Improvised* |
| 1) 1 cup semolina (rava) | -do- |
| 2) 1 cup sugar | 2) ½ cup sugar |
| 3) 5 pcs almonds, slivered | 3) 3 pcs almonds, slivered |
| 4) 5 pcs pistas, slivered | 4) 3 pcs pistas, slivered |
| 5) 10-12 raisins | 5) 6-8 raisins |
| 6) ¼ tsp cardamom powder | -do- |
| 7) 2 pinches saffron, soaked in 1 tbsp warm milk | -do- |
| 8) Few drops yellow colour (optional) | -do- |
| 9) 3 tbsp ghee | 9) 2½ tbsp butter |
| 10) 2 ½ cups water | -do- |
Preparation
- Heat ghee in a large heavy pan, add rava.
- Stir and roast on low for 7-8 minutes or till aroma exudes.
- Side by side, put water to boil, add sugar, bring to a boil.
- Add boiling water to the rava, little at a time stirring continuously. Take care to protect hands from the spluttering.
- When well mixed, check rava grain between fingers and taste for sweetness.
- Adjust sweetness, and add more boiling water if grain is hard.
- Add the remaining ingredients, cover and simmer till ghee separates. Save a small amount of almonds and pistas for garnishing.
- Add colour if desired and mix well.
- Grease a katori or steel cup. Press hot bhath inside it, and unmould onto a plate.
- Garnish with a few slivers of almonds and pistas, serve hot.
Bisi Bele Bath
Ingredients:| Regular | Improvised* |
| 1) 1½ cups rice | -do- |
| 2) ½ cup tur dal | -do- |
| 3) 2 no small brinjals | -do- |
| 4) 1 fresh carrot | -do- |
| 5) 2 fresh drumsticks | -do- |
| 6) A small piece of vegetable marrow | -do- |
| 7) A handful of Madras onions | -do- |
| 8) A pinch turmeric powder | -do- |
| 9) 6 red chillies | -do- |
| 10) 4 green chillies | -do- |
| 11) 2 tsp mustard | -do- |
| 12) 20 gm cashew nut | 12) 10 gm cashew nut |
| 13) curry leaves few | -do- |
| 14) coriander leaves few | -do- |
| 15) Tamarind size of a lime | 15) No tamarind |
| 16) ghee for frying (as required) | -do- |
| 17) Salt to taste | -do- |
| For Powdering |
|
| 1) 1 tsp fenugreek seeds | -do- |
| 2) 1 tsp coriander seeds | -do- |
| 3) 6 red chillies | 3) 4 red chillies |
| 4) Grated coconut | -do- |
| For Masala |
|
| 1) 4-5 cardamoms | 1) 3-4 cardamoms |
| 2) 4-5 cloves | 2) 3-4 cloves |
| 3) ½ tsp aniseeds | -do- |
| 4) 1 tsp poppy seeds | -do- |
| 5) Cinnamon (small piece) | -do- |
Preparation- Peel Madras onions.
- Peel and cut vegetables into 1 inch pieces.
- Wash rice and dal thoroughly. Place it in a container with 21/2 cups of water, a pinch of turmeric powder and chopped vegetables.
- Heat a little oil in a frying pan and fry the ingredients for powdering until fenugreek turns golden brown in colour. Powder and keep aside.
- Heat some more oil and fry poppy seeds, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, aniseeds. Powder and keep aside.
- Soak tamarind in a little water and extract juice.
- Heat oil, add red and green chillies, mustard and curry leaves.
- When mustard crackles, add to rice and mix well. Add tamarind juice, salt to taste and mix thoroughly.
- Heat a little ghee and fry cashew nuts until golden brown in colour.
- Add to rice along with powdered ingredients and masala powder. Mix well. Remove from fire.
- Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and add some ghee just before serving.
Bharda PlayaIngredients:| Regular | Improvised* |
| 1) Soaked bengal gram (chana dal) - ½ cup | -do- |
| 2) Red chillies - 2-3nos | -do- |
| 3) Coriander powder - 1tsp | -do- |
| 4) Cumin (jeera) powder - 1tsp | -do- |
| 5) Asafeotida - 2 pinch | -do- |
| 6) Salt - to taste | -do- |
| 7) Vegetables (like, okra, bell pepper, methi, gawar (chaulikai)) | -do- |
| 8) Oil | -do- |
| 9) Mustard | -do- |
| 10) Turmeric powder - a pinch | -do- |
Preparation- Coarsely grind the soaked bengal gram dal and red chillies with coriander powder, cumin powder, a pinch of asafeotida and salt.
- Add very little water if necessary.
- Heat oil and season mustards. Add turmeric and asafeotida.
- Add any of the above mentioned vegetable and sauté them. Do not add water.
- Allow it to get tender and well cooked. To this add ground chana dal paste.
- Mix it well and keep of slow fire for 5 minutes. Serve hot with Chapattis.
