Top 12 Mangalorean Food Items You Must Try
Food is something that transcends time and space and even has the power to remind you of the past. There are many people, from celebrities to politicians, who come back to Mangalore just to remind themselves of their past by visiting their old hangouts and eating Mangalorean food. Mangalore cuisine is unique as there are many communities that call this coastal city home. Apart from Udupi, this is the only city where you will get to eat traditional Konkani, GSB, and Tuluva foods. Many people who have visited Mangalore have fallen in love with the food and crave for another taste long after they have returned.
Also read: 11 best places to visit in Mangalore
12 Mangalorean Food Items You Must Try In Mangalore
1. The Tea Snack So Unique To Mangalore: Mangalore Bajji, Goli Baje
A snack so synonymous with the city itself, goli bajje is also known as Mangalore bajji or Mangalore bonda. A popular Mangalorean food item, goli baje is commonly eaten for breakfast or at tea-time and is available in almost all eateries in the city. Goli baje is also popular in Udupi, which is about 55 kilometers north of Mangalore city. This deep fried Mangalore food is made mainly of maida (all-purpose flour), curd, as well as coriander leaves, curry leaves and green chilies to add a savoury goodness. The batter is traditionally left to ferment anywhere from a few hours to overnight (baking soda is not used in this method). It is the fermentation that gives the goli baje a mild tangy flavour and keeps the end product light and fluffy. Baking soda is used to reduce the fermentation time. Mangalore bajji are light brown and crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside and are generally paired with coconut chutney or other spicy variety of chutney like tomato chutney, onion chutney or pudina/mint chutney, You can also eat them plain. You must try these soft and spongy fried delights to figure out why they are so irresistible.
2. A Mangalorean’s Favourite Fried Wafer And Chicken Combination: Kori Roti
Kori roti is another popular Mangalorean food and is a strange, yet delicious combination of fried wafers and spicy chicken curry. The rotis are basically rice paste spread thin on large tavas and heated till they become crispy. The spicy chicken curry, which is prepared with a red chili base and coconut milk, is then poured over the rice wafers. The chicken curry, also known as kori ghassi, is creamy (because of the coconut milk) and spicy. The roti of this Tuluva dish was traditionally made by the women in the house. Now, however, the roti is available in almost all grocery stores in Mangalore. This popular Mangalorean dish, which is generally eaten for lunch, is also available in all non-veg restaurants that serve Mangalorean food. This is one dish you absolutely must try at least once in your life. If you want a vegan or vegetarian version of this dish, you can always pair the roti with a vegetable gravy as eating it plain just isn’t as fun.
3. The Mangalorean Chaat: Mandakki/Churumuri
If you love bhel puri, you will love its Mangalorean version. Churumuri or mandakki, like bhel puri, is a dish whose main ingredient is puffed rice. This popular Mangalorean food is a mix of cooked puffed rice, fresh vegetables, and spice powders. When it’s in season, you can also find bits of raw mango in this snack, which gives it a sour and tangy kick that is loved by so many. Like most Mangaloreans, you can make your churumuri at home and specialise it by adding other ingredients like groundnuts or sev or coriander leaves, and enjoy it with a cup of tea or coffee. Churumuri is mainly eaten as a snack and is a popular street food in Mangalore. It is also one of the main street foods found on the many beaches of the coastal city. It can also be found in chaat stalls in and around Mangalore. This is a must try as the kick from the raw mangoes and the overall tanginess of this street food is incomparable. Additionally, this is also a great vegan option.
4. The ‘King’ Of All Mangalorean Food: Anjal Fry
In Mangalore, seer fish, commonly known as kingfish, is a popular delicacy. Since Mangalore is a coastal city, this fish is available in the markets on a daily basis. The fried version of this expensive seafood item is known as anjal fry in Tulu and is quite popular amongst all Mangalorean dishes, eaten along with boiled rice, fish gravy and a vegetable side dish. While the quality and freshness of the fish plays an important role, the taste mostly depends on the masala used to marinate the fish. The spicy masala in which the fish is coated is mainly made of red chilies, ginger, garlic, tamarind, and coriander seeds. This dish can be found in restaurants that serve seafood, however, the taste and quality may differ. Hotel Narayana and Giri Manja’s, both in Bunder, are some of the best places in the city to tuck into some well-made and delicious seer fish fry. A good thick slice of anjal fry will put you in a good mood any day, and will make you crave for more.
5. Mangaloreans’ Favourite Versatile Masala: Ghee Roast
Ghee roast is a type of gravy masala in which you can cook anything from chicken to prawns, or even paneer. This is a popular Mangalorean food and the main ingredient of this dish is red chilies, spices roasted in lots of ghee, and other spices like curry leaves, pepper etc. The red chilies give the gravy a rich red colour and spicy heat, while the ghee and the roasted spices give the gravy its iconic fragrance. The richest and heaviest of Mangalore dishes, ghee roast is eaten mainly for lunch and/or dinner, quite often during get-togethers and other similar occasions. You have to try ghee roast of any variety to truly appreciate the genius behind this dish. Shetty Lunch Home, a restaurant in Mangalore that was founded in Kundapur (a town close to Udupi), claims to have created this rich and fragrant dish. This popular Mangalore food can be found in most non-veg restaurants in the city, however, it is best to try this dish at the place that created it in the first place.
6. An Iconic Mangalorean Breakfast Food Item: Mangalore Buns
The Mangalore bun is a popular Mangalorean food that is consumed either for breakfast or as an evening snack. This iconic part of Mangalore cuisine is made of a dough whose main component is over-ripe bananas along with some spices, and is deep fried. Like the goli baje, Mangalore buns are also traditionally fermented which helps the dough become soft and pliable. A common misconception is that the Mangalore bun is an Indian version of the regular bun, but it is actually a local spin on the north Indian bhatura. These delectable food items are thick, yet light, fluffy, fragrant and mildly sweet, and can be found in most restaurants in the city. Just the aroma of the buns can make one’s mouth water. The bananas give the buns a mild sweetness. They are usually paired with spicy sambar and coconut chutney and can even be enjoyed with tea or coffee. They can also be eaten plain. In some places, these buns are paired with potato palya or vegetable kurma.
Also read: How many of these authentic Indian breakfast dishes have you tried?
7. Every Mangalorean’s Favourite Combo: Neer Dosa And Chicken Sukka
Everyone loves a good combo and there is no better combination for a Mangalorean than neer dosa and chicken sukka. Neer dosa (neer means water) is a rather watery batter made of ground rice, that is thinly spread over a hot pan and fried. This Tuluva dish is generally paired with many types of gravies, however, the most iconic combination is with chicken sukka. Kori sukka or chicken sukka is a dry chicken dish from the Konkan coast, the masala of which contains grated coconut and a whole lot of spices like red chilies, tamarind etc. While neer dosa is also eaten as a breakfast item along with coconut milk or spicy coconut chutney, and chicken sukka is also eaten with chapathi or boiled rice, the combination of the two is something extraordinary and must be tasted at least once in a lifetime. While neer dosa can be found in almost all restaurants, because it is a vegetarian food item, chicken sukka is found in most non-vegetarian restaurants that serve Mangalore cuisine. Vegans and vegetarians can pair this dosa with any gravy dish of their choice.
8. A Special Tuluva Tangy-Spicy Fish Curry: Bangude Pulimunchi
Bangude is Tulu for mackerel, while puli means tamarind and munchi means chili. Among all the Mangalorean food, this dish is unique as, true to its name, bangude pulimunchi is both tangy and spicy. Considering that Mangalore is a coastal city, mackerel is available here in plenty and can be found in many Mangalore dishes. Traditionally, this thick consistency curry consists of roasted spices, onions, garlic, and tamarind and is prepared in a clay vessel which amplifies its earthy flavours. Bangude pulimunchi is typically paired with steamed or boiled rice, however, it can also be paired with neer dosa. This dish is available in most seafood restaurants in the city and should be tried by those who can tolerate really spicy food.
9. Light And Fluffy Cylindrical Idlis: Khottige/Mudde Tovey
Khottige and mudde are long cylindrical versions of idlis that are steamed in jackfruit and kedige (screw pine) leaves respectively instead of metal moulds. These soft and fragrant long idlis are often eaten with tovey, a dal prepared in the Goud-Saraswat-Brahmin Konkani (GSB) style that has lots of asafoetida. The best place to have this traditional Mangalorean food is in vegetarian restaurants that typically serve GSB cuisine. Although traditionally eaten with tovey, khottige and mudde can also be eaten with sambar or the regular dal fry. These are available fresh in certain vegetarian restaurants in the city and you can also find homemade khottige and mudde at local small grocery stores, although they might not be as fresh. Khottige and mudde tovey is a great dish if you are looking for a vegan option.
10. A Favourite Of The Catholic Community: Pork Bafat With Sannas
Pork bafat, a Portugese-influenced dish, is a favourite among Mangalore’s Catholic community. Typically eaten on Sundays, this dish is made of a mix of chilies, coriander, and pepper. The meat, including the fat, is slow cooked in the bafat masala for a few hours. The resulting aromatic curry is ready to be eaten with white fluffy sannas, which are idlis that are lighter and fluffier as they are made of a rice batter that is fermented with toddy. Sannas, unlike the regular flat idlis, are steamed in deep cup-like objects in a vessel. Unlike other Mangalorean food like chicken and seafood curries, pork dishes are not available in many restaurants in the city. Pork bafat can be found in restaurants such as Mangala Bar & Restaurant in Valencia, or can even be purchased from shops such as Don Stores in Milagres. If you like pork, this is one dish you will not want to miss.
11. Love Of The Konkanis And The Tuluvas: Kube Mutlim/Maruvaai Pundi
This is one of the few Mangalore dishes that is enjoyed by both the Konkani and Tulu communities of the city. Kube and maruvaai mean cockles in Konkani and Tulu respectively and mutlim and pundi mean rice dumplings in Konkani and Tulu. This yummy, creamy, and spicy dish is a thick gravy packed with rice dumplings and cockles. The ingredients that typically go into the gravy are grated coconut, coconut milk, long red chilies, garlic, pepper, coriander seeds, tamarind, and other spices. You must try this dish just to experience the unique blend of the mutlim, kube and gravy. This dish is eaten for either lunch, dinner, or both. This dish is not very easy to come by, even in seafood restaurants. The best way to get some of this Mangalorean food is to ask your Mangalorean friend, relative or host to cook you some. The mulim/pundi are vegan food items and taste great as is so, you can even eat them plain.
12. Mangalorean Version Of Gujarati Patra: Pathrode
This Mangalorean food item is similar to the Gujarati patra, however, the pathrode is made with a coconut and rice batter mixed with kesu yele or colocasia leaves. The Gujarati patra is made with a besan (gram flour) stuffing, however, the taste of these two dishes are almost the same because of the colocasia leaves. This dish can be enjoyed either as a snack or can be had as a side dish for lunch or dinner. To make this dish, tender colocasia leaves, that grow in most Mangalorean backyards, are smeared with a spicy and tangy masala and these are then stacked one on top of the other. The leaves are then steamed. It is then cut up and can be eaten plain, fried, or put in a spicy gravy. Each version of this dish is worth trying at least once. One thing to remember is that not all varieties of colocasia leaves are good for making this dish as the wrong variety can be an allergen and cause itching inside the mouth and throat. This dish is not readily available in restaurants and can only be prepared when the leaves are in season, which is around the monsoons. It is also a naturally vegan dish. Again, you’d better make some Mangalorean friends if you want to try this delight.
Also read: 12 best restaurants to try when in Mangalore
Prepared By Some But Loved By Many
Mangalore cuisine is loved by anyone who has been to the city and tasted the food. People who have been to Mangalore even for a short while, leave with at least one Mangalorean food item added to their list of favourite foods. This is because, while most Mangalore food is spicy, there are some that are slightly less spicy, so there is something for everyone. Not all Mangalore dishes are easy to make as some require a certain knack or knowledge that comes from living in the city and being part of the culture for years. However, this hasn’t stopped many from trying. Not many have succeeded, as the same taste cannot be replicated in other places. This probably has something to do with the fact that the ingredients used in traditional Mangalore cooking may not always be available, or may not be of a good quality when available. Many Mangaloreans no longer know how to prepare traditional Mangalorean food, which is a sad truth, but those with the knowledge and ability are always open to sharing with others.
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