Divide and Devour - A Culinary Adventure across India
I have been thinking about this for a few months now. I wanted to do a
feature on different countries and their food. But then a whole lot of
people were doing it. Also Ingredients sourcing was a big job.Then my focus shifted to India and its states.
India with its different cultures and variety will be a great challenge. India comprises of 29 states and 7 union territories.
When I started reading about the states, I found out that the food preparation varies based on the district too.I also realized that each recipe differs from one family to another. I cannot do much at that level so I have decided to do the second best. I shall try and cover each state in India, district-wise.
I am hoping this will be a great learning experience, and a chance to kick that fussy eater out of me who does not make friends easily. I have also discovered that some food practices overlap across districts and It is difficult to pin the origin of a dish to one district alone. So, whenever this happens, I shall pick recipes that are common to that region.I have not set any hard rules. Since I am the boss here, I might bend or break the rules as I see fit.
So what say? You think I should warn my husband. He should probably be ok, the only person I am worried about is me. I can survive the south and the direct north, but the other two directions worry me. I have not tried their cuisine much. That is where I expect to cheat.
Karnataka is the first state in this lineup.
Since I call Bangalore my home, and I also see myself living here for a good part of my life, I would like to start with Karnataka first.
There are 30 Districts in Karnataka.
1. Bagalkote
2. Bangalore Rural,
3. Bangalore Urban,
4. Belgaum,
5. Bellary,
6. Bidar,
7. Bijapur,
8. Chamarajanagar,
9. Chikkaballapur,
10. Chikkamagaluru,
11. Chitradurga,
12. Dakshina Kannada,
13. Davanagere,
14. Dharwad,
15. Gadag,
16. Gulbarga,
17. Hassan,
18. Haveri,
19. Kodagu,
20. Kolar,
21. Koppal,
22. Mandya,
23. Mysore,
24. Raichur,
25. Ramanagara,
26. Shimoga,
27. Tumkur,
28. Udupi,
29. Uttara Kannada
30. Yadgir
Karnataka Cuisine :
Karnataka cuisine is generally classified into North Karnataka Cuisine and South Karnataka Cuisine.
The North Karnataka cuisine can be primarily found in the northern districts of Karnataka which include Dharwad, Hubli, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Belgaum, Bidar, Yadgir, Bagalkot, Raichur, Davangere, Gadag, Haveri, Koppal and western and northern areas of Bellary.North Karnataka Cuisine is also seen to be widely influenced by Maharashtra.
South Karnataka or old Mysore region also known as Bayaluseeme or the plains including the present-day Kolara, Bengalooru, Mysooru, Tumakooru, Mandya, Haasana, Chamarajanagara.
Other prominent cuisines are Udupi, Malenadu Cuisine and Kodagu Cuisine.
The coastal districts are famous for their sea food varieties. The Cuisine differs from rest of Karnataka and is referred to as Navyath Cuisine.
Like any other place, the bordering districts food culture seems to merge with the neighboring states. So,For example,I noticed a famous dish from Belgaum is actually from Maharashtra.
Since I am not aware of Karnataka Cuisine, I read through a number of Karnataka Food blogs and Google has been my best friend throughout. North Karnataka uses lot of peanuts in their cuisine. I have also noticed that their recipes are generally very healthy. Pulses, Grains and greens are generously used.
Source : Wikipedia and a whole lot of food blogs.
Image Source : 1.http://www.theindiatravelguide.com/test/main1.htm
2. Mapofbangalore.com
**********************************************************************************
Here goes the first dish under this feature.
District : Dharwad
Recipe : Badanekayi Ennegayi
This dish is a Dharwad specialty. Now, I share a special connection with Dharwad. My friend, a very dear one is from Dharwad. When I first moved to Bangalore, and joined work, I was seriously lost.I kept to myself and was thankful if no one spoke to me the whole day. I was the only girl in the team. I look back, I do not think it was a big deal. But back then, It was a grave situation.
A week later, as I walk along the Office space, I see a new recruit sitting with the HR team. I was hoping ( and praying) that she joins our team. And yes, My prayers were answered.
She joined our team and she was all that I was not.She was Bold, Outgoing and pretty. Yet, we had this connection. There has been no looking back since then. We have survived a whole lot of silly days and some serious ones. She has been very thoughtful and has helped me out of situations even without me hinting. She made my early days in Office a breeze. For all the above mentioned and the for all the "need not be mentioned" giggling days, I will ever be thankful.
Okay, Now give me a minute. I need to pull myself out from those fun days and settle down here.
Yes, Done.
Here is the recipe.
4 small round shaped Brinjal / Badanekayi / Eggplant
1 medium sized Onion - Chopped fine
Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
Tamarind - Small grape sized- Soaked in water for a few minutes
Peanuts - 4 tsp - I suggest roasting it separately and removing the skin before grinding it
Sesame seeds - 1 tsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Red Chillies - 3 long
Sambar powder - 1 tsp
Garlic - 5-6 pods - Crushed
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
3-4 tsp Oil
Method :
1. To a pan, heat 1 tsp oil and add crushed garlic, red chillies, sesame seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, sambar powder and roast them for about 4-5 minutes. Keep aside to cool.
2. Grind grated coconut, peanuts, salt, tamarind water and the above roasted masala into smooth thick paste by adding enough water.
3. Make 4 slits ( a PLUS sign) on the brinjals keeping the stems intact. Stuff the brinjals with the ground masala.
4. Add 2-3 tsp oil in a thick bottomed vessel / pan. Add finely chopped onions, turmeric powder and fry them until onions turn golden in color. Add stuffed brinjals and fry them for about 4-5 minutes in medium flame. Take care while turning the stuffed brinjals over. Ensure that the brinjal is cooked from all sides.
5. Add the rest of the ground paste, sufficient amount of water and cook covered.
6. Serve hot with roti or rice.
There are a number of versions on the Internet for this recipe. Some have subtle variations and others include spices. Maybe next time, I shall try adding cinnamon and cloves to the ground masala.
India with its different cultures and variety will be a great challenge. India comprises of 29 states and 7 union territories.
When I started reading about the states, I found out that the food preparation varies based on the district too.I also realized that each recipe differs from one family to another. I cannot do much at that level so I have decided to do the second best. I shall try and cover each state in India, district-wise.
I am hoping this will be a great learning experience, and a chance to kick that fussy eater out of me who does not make friends easily. I have also discovered that some food practices overlap across districts and It is difficult to pin the origin of a dish to one district alone. So, whenever this happens, I shall pick recipes that are common to that region.I have not set any hard rules. Since I am the boss here, I might bend or break the rules as I see fit.
So what say? You think I should warn my husband. He should probably be ok, the only person I am worried about is me. I can survive the south and the direct north, but the other two directions worry me. I have not tried their cuisine much. That is where I expect to cheat.
Karnataka is the first state in this lineup.
Since I call Bangalore my home, and I also see myself living here for a good part of my life, I would like to start with Karnataka first.
There are 30 Districts in Karnataka.
1. Bagalkote
2. Bangalore Rural,
3. Bangalore Urban,
4. Belgaum,
5. Bellary,
6. Bidar,
7. Bijapur,
8. Chamarajanagar,
9. Chikkaballapur,
10. Chikkamagaluru,
11. Chitradurga,
12. Dakshina Kannada,
13. Davanagere,
14. Dharwad,
15. Gadag,
16. Gulbarga,
17. Hassan,
18. Haveri,
19. Kodagu,
20. Kolar,
21. Koppal,
22. Mandya,
23. Mysore,
24. Raichur,
25. Ramanagara,
26. Shimoga,
27. Tumkur,
28. Udupi,
29. Uttara Kannada
30. Yadgir
Karnataka Cuisine :
Karnataka cuisine is generally classified into North Karnataka Cuisine and South Karnataka Cuisine.
The North Karnataka cuisine can be primarily found in the northern districts of Karnataka which include Dharwad, Hubli, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Belgaum, Bidar, Yadgir, Bagalkot, Raichur, Davangere, Gadag, Haveri, Koppal and western and northern areas of Bellary.North Karnataka Cuisine is also seen to be widely influenced by Maharashtra.
South Karnataka or old Mysore region also known as Bayaluseeme or the plains including the present-day Kolara, Bengalooru, Mysooru, Tumakooru, Mandya, Haasana, Chamarajanagara.
Other prominent cuisines are Udupi, Malenadu Cuisine and Kodagu Cuisine.
The coastal districts are famous for their sea food varieties. The Cuisine differs from rest of Karnataka and is referred to as Navyath Cuisine.
Like any other place, the bordering districts food culture seems to merge with the neighboring states. So,For example,I noticed a famous dish from Belgaum is actually from Maharashtra.
Since I am not aware of Karnataka Cuisine, I read through a number of Karnataka Food blogs and Google has been my best friend throughout. North Karnataka uses lot of peanuts in their cuisine. I have also noticed that their recipes are generally very healthy. Pulses, Grains and greens are generously used.
Source : Wikipedia and a whole lot of food blogs.
Image Source : 1.http://www.theindiatravelguide.com/test/main1.htm
2. Mapofbangalore.com
**********************************************************************************
Here goes the first dish under this feature.
District : Dharwad
Recipe : Badanekayi Ennegayi
Badanekayi Ennegayi
This dish is a Dharwad specialty. Now, I share a special connection with Dharwad. My friend, a very dear one is from Dharwad. When I first moved to Bangalore, and joined work, I was seriously lost.I kept to myself and was thankful if no one spoke to me the whole day. I was the only girl in the team. I look back, I do not think it was a big deal. But back then, It was a grave situation.
She joined our team and she was all that I was not.She was Bold, Outgoing and pretty. Yet, we had this connection. There has been no looking back since then. We have survived a whole lot of silly days and some serious ones. She has been very thoughtful and has helped me out of situations even without me hinting. She made my early days in Office a breeze. For all the above mentioned and the for all the "need not be mentioned" giggling days, I will ever be thankful.
Okay, Now give me a minute. I need to pull myself out from those fun days and settle down here.
Yes, Done.
Here is the recipe.
Ingredients :
4 small round shaped Brinjal / Badanekayi / Eggplant
1 medium sized Onion - Chopped fine
Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
Tamarind - Small grape sized- Soaked in water for a few minutes
Peanuts - 4 tsp - I suggest roasting it separately and removing the skin before grinding it
Sesame seeds - 1 tsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Red Chillies - 3 long
Sambar powder - 1 tsp
Garlic - 5-6 pods - Crushed
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
3-4 tsp Oil
Method :
1. To a pan, heat 1 tsp oil and add crushed garlic, red chillies, sesame seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, sambar powder and roast them for about 4-5 minutes. Keep aside to cool.
2. Grind grated coconut, peanuts, salt, tamarind water and the above roasted masala into smooth thick paste by adding enough water.
3. Make 4 slits ( a PLUS sign) on the brinjals keeping the stems intact. Stuff the brinjals with the ground masala.
4. Add 2-3 tsp oil in a thick bottomed vessel / pan. Add finely chopped onions, turmeric powder and fry them until onions turn golden in color. Add stuffed brinjals and fry them for about 4-5 minutes in medium flame. Take care while turning the stuffed brinjals over. Ensure that the brinjal is cooked from all sides.
5. Add the rest of the ground paste, sufficient amount of water and cook covered.
6. Serve hot with roti or rice.
Verdict :
We loved the groundnut flavor and it tasted great with rice. I assume the gravy dish would have worked well with rotis.
There are a number of versions on the Internet for this recipe. Some have subtle variations and others include spices. Maybe next time, I shall try adding cinnamon and cloves to the ground masala.
Note :
- This is basically a gravy side dish. I cooked it to a thick gravy. A while later, the gravy thickened into a thick paste. Anyways, the dish tasted great with rice. So add water as per your preference.
- I assumed what I ground was a fine paste but turned out that It could have been a lot more smooth. I loved the crunchiness though. I would suggest grinding it to a fine paste if you do not like the rough texture.
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