Mangalorean Cuisine is a collective name given to the cuisine of Tulu Nadu region of India. It comprises of cuisines like Udupi as well as cuisine of other Mangalorean communities like that of the Mogaveeras, Billavas, Bunts, Saraswat Brahmins, Mangalorean Catholics and the Bearys. Mangalorean cuisine is highly influenced by the South Indian cuisine. This cuisine is popular for its distinct flavour. Mangalorean recipes are generally spicy in nature.
Types of Mangalorean Cuisine
Rice is the staple food of the Mangalorean people. Mangaloreans are fond of rice in different forms- red grain rice, sannas (idli fluffed with toddy or yeast), pancakes, Akki Roti, and Neer Dosa. "Patrode", a special dish prepared by steaming stuffed colocasia leaves, is a delicacy not to be missed. "Akki Roti" is a rice roti famous not only in Mangalore but also in Malnad and Kodagu.
Coconut plays an important role in Mangalorean cuisine. The vegetarian cuisine is known as Udupi cuisine. Various ingredients used in Mangalorean Curry are curry leaves, gingers, garlic and chillies. Interestingly, many Mangaloreans also prefer using fruits in their cuisines. Fruits like jackfruits, bamboo shoot, breadfruit, raw banana, spinach, sweet cucumber, etc are highly used to add an authentic taste to the food.
Some of the famous Mangalorean cuisines are "idli-sambar", "kori rotti" and "ole bella" i.e., palm jaggery. The sweet dishes include "Gudbud ice-cream", "halwa" which is available in three flavours i.e., guava, wheat and banana etc.
Mangaloreans are quite health conscious hence they prefer jaggery made of palm instead of sugar. Besides this, three other ingredients namely raw mango, tamarind and kokum are used for adding flavours to any Mangalorean dish.
Mangalorean Catholic Cuisine
As Christianity forms a major part of the religion in Mangalore; the Mangalorean Catholic Cuisine is widely influenced by the Mangalorean, Goan and Portuguese cuisines. Some of the popular Mangalorean Catholic dishes are "balthazaar chutney", the "pollu" with "galmbi" or "kambulmas", "fode" (traditional pickle), "thail piao", "karamb" (cucumber salad), "foka" (lady"s finger combined with cashewnuts), "thath bakri" and "mitais", "mandas", "ushae", "pitae" and "mani" as sweet dishes. The "Appam" (rice balls) and "Panpole" (a type of congee) are also popular delicacies made of soaked rice, water and salt.
Festival purpose Mangalorean Cuisine
Mangalorean cuisine gets widened during the time of Christmas. There are as many as 22 different traditional recipes that form this distinct flavour of Christmas celebration in Mangalore. Some of the traditional Christmas delicacies include "neuries" (puffs stuffed with plums, nuts, sesame and sugar), "kidyo/ kulkuls" (curly concoctions dipped in sugar treacle), "pathekas" (savoury of green nandarkai bananas), "theel laddoos", "golios", "macaroons", "rose cookies", "plum cake" and "patrode/ pathrade" (colocasia leaves stuffed with rice, dal, jaggery, coconut and spices).
