Healing coastal nibbles

The Kanara Coast is a region along the coast — from Mangalore to Karwar covering the interiors of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi district and Uttara Kannada. This area is well-known for its seafood and unique variety of vegetarian food.  The communities that have a major presence here are the Gaud Saraswat Brahmin (GSB), Saraswat Brahmins, Bunts, Navayathi Muslims, Halakki’s, and the Siddhi’s, among others. Each of these communities has their own distinct cuisine and dietary preferences.  The Dakshin Kannada region has specialties by the GSB community whose use of asafoetida in most food sets them apart from other communities. Their Manji Alepiao Gassi (pomfret ginger onion curry) is a popular home dish that goes best with rice. 

Going north along the coast, Udupi is the region that gave birth to the famous “Udupi restaurants” the world over. This region is mainly vegetarian owing to its large population of Brahmins. They use Brahmi (Indian pennywort leaves) to make a Tambuli (buttermilk) that helps in enhancing memory and its called “Brahmi Tambuli”.  The Kanara region also has a very unique variant of the humble idli called Khotte (similar to a dumpling), made of fermented rice batter that’s been poured into small containers made of jackfruit leaves or screw pine leaf, that’s stitched together with twigs and then steamed. This gives a unique flavour and aroma to the Khotte. 

The Dasola Yelé Khotté (hibiscus leaf Khotté) is an unusual variant with fresh green hibiscus leaves added to the batter which gives it a healing touch.    The region of Bhatkal is home to the Navayathi (newly-arrived) Muslims, renowned for their shaiyya jhinga biryani (vermicelli prawn biryani) — a unique delicate mix of rice vermicelli and fresh prawns cooked with a lot of care for special occasions.  The foodscape of Karnataka is vast and unique, and the best way to experience it is to travel and engage with locals and I am sure you will have many stories of your own to share with the world. 

DASOLA YELÉ KHOTTÉ (hibiscus leaf steamed dumpling)

Only the tender leaves of the white hibiscus plant are used 
Ingredients                                                  
1 kg sona masuri rice
500 gm urad dal 
150 gm tender hibiscus leaves 
Salt to taste
1 dollop butter

DASOLA YELÉ KHOTTÉ

Method
For the batter, grind sona masuri rice and urad dal with salt into a paste, and leave it to ferment overnight. 
The tender hibiscus leaves are made into a paste with a little water. The batter should be idli style and slightly grainy. 
Whisk in the hibiscus leaf paste into the batter well, till it mixes well. 
Add a little water to make it less thick, if required. 
The filling should be carefully poured into little leaf baskets or khotte made with tender jackfruit leaves and stitched with sticks or twigs. 
Fill the batter into the basket till it is ¾ full, and place it in a steamer. 
Let it cook for 20 minutes, serve hot. 
— Best eaten with a  dollop of butter

BRAHMI TAMBULI (Indian pennywort leaves buttermilk)

This leaf is a memory enhancer
Ingredients                                                  
20 gm brahmi leaves (available in special nurseries)
1 tsp ghee
5-6 chana dal 
5-6 coriander seeds
1 heaped tbsp grated coconut
½ tsp onion (chopped)
1 small pinch ginger (chopped)
¼ green chilli (chopped)
250 ml curd
For the seasoning:
1 tsp ghee 
1 red chilli 
1 pinch mustard seeds 
10-12 curry leaves

Method
Heat half a spoon of ghee in a pan. 
Add brahmi leaves and stir-fry till they wilt. Set aside.
To the same pan, add a little ghee, chana dal and coriander seeds. Let it brown, and set it aside with the brahmi. 
Add grated coconut, chopped onion, a small pinch of chopped ginger and chopped green chilli in a blender, make a fine paste. 
To this, add curd and mix well. Finally, add salt. 
For seasoning, add a spoon of ghee to the pan, one red chilli that’s been crumbled and a pinch of mustard seeds. 
After it splutters, add curry leaves. 
 This seasoning is poured onto the thambuli and it is ready. 

Goes best with steamed rice. 
 

Shaiyya Jhinga Biryani (Vermicelli Prawn Biryani)

Ingredients                                                  

 

1 kg white prawns (600 gm after shelling)  750 gm rava semiya

450 gm sliced onions  

50 ml oil

6 green chillies (slit)

150 gm sliced tomato

5 green cardamom,

6-7 cloves

½” cinnamon

Juice of 2 lemons

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp jeera

1 tsp dhaniya powder

¼ tsp turmeric

1 tsp red chillies 1 tsp jeera powder

A handful of fried onions

2 tsp coriander

1 handful of mint

1 handful of curry leaves

1½ tsp ginger-garlic-turmeric paste

2 tbsp curd

Ghee + oil (50 ml each)

Few drops of saffron colour

Method
Clean white prawns. They lose 40 per cent on shelling, so a kilo becomes 600 gm.
Tip: Wash prawns with vinegar, and soak in vinegar. Wash it once more, and use, otherwise it releases water.
Heat oil in a kadai. 
Add sliced onions and slit green chillies. 
Add sliced tomatoes and fry well. Sprinkle salt. 
While the onions cook, boil water in a vessel to prepare semiya.
Add green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and salt to the boiling water.
As the water comes to a boil, add semiya. 
Boil for under a minute. Makes sure it just blanches. 
Add lemon juice to prevent sticking. Strain and cool.
To the onions, add garam masala, jeera powder, dhaniya powder, turmeric, red chillies and jeera seeds. 
Add fried onions and a handful of coriander, mint and curry leaves. 
Check seasoning. Add a oil or salt if required. 
Add ginger-garlic-turmeric paste (add early as prawns cook fast.)
Add white prawns, stir. 
Add curd to the prawns, stir well. Cook for two to three minutes. 
Check for seasoning, add red chilli for colour. Take the prawns off the heat. 
Add vermicelli. 
Add fried onions, coriander and mint as garnishing.
Layer it with semiya again. 
Sprinkle ghee and oil for enhanced flavour and saffron colouring (biryani).
Put it on dum for about five to ten minutes and it’s ready to serve. 

— The writer is a consultant chef and founder of a traditional food restaurant Oota in Benglauru.  His insta handle is www.instagram.com/chefmanjit.