Karnataka Curry Families - A Primer

One Page Cookbooks Karnataka Curry Families – A Primer All recipes copyrighted. No reproduction / commercial use without permission. Siramki@Gmail.com
1.: Mosaru Bajji (Raw Yogurt curry) Basic Recipe : Tomato Mosaru Bajji Take half a handful of chopped Tomato. Add a chopped green chili, two pinches each of chopped coriander leaves and salt. Mix in a cup of yogurt. Consistency: Thickish) Can use in any salad vegetable (onions, cucumber, radish,..) or boiled vegetable (potato, raw banana etc) or stir fried vegetables ( Okra, eggplant etc). Add garnish (see sidebar) and serve.	Karnataka curries - Building blocks : Tamarind, Tuvar dal, Coconut & Yogurt Key Starches: Rice & Millets ( Ragi, Jowar, Bajra) Typical breakfast::Thatte Idli, Vade, Poori, Set dosa, Masal dosa, Rave dosa, Neer dosa Uppittu, Avalakki, , Kadabu, Akki roti, Ragi roti, Ragi Mudde, Kesari Bath, Sajje Roti with Chuutney / Saagu/ Huli. Lunch : Rice with a variety of curries listed to the left., Puliyogare, Bisi Bele Bath, Vaangi Bhat ,Chitranna are also common. Key Flavourings: Mustard, Curry leaves, Asafetida, Turmeric, Chili powder, Coriander powder, Cumin. Universal flavouring /Garnish Heat half a spoon of oil. Add two pinches of mustard, a pinch of curry leaves and asafetida. This is the universal flavouring cum garnish for all south Indian curries. Curry Bases: Tamarind, yogurt, Spinach, Coconut, lentils Preferred fats: Peanut oil, Sesame oil, Coconut oil (Coastal regions), Ghee, melted butter. Protein Source: Lentils (Tuvar dal, Mung dal, Horse gram), Fish and seafood), Chicken, Mutton & Eggs. Beef & Pork (consumed in Coorg) are uncommon. Common Vegetables: Eggplant,, French beans, Cauliflower, Radish, Potato, Squash, Spinach, raw banana, yam, onion, tomato. , Gourds (snake, bottle, bitter, ash, ridge), Colocasia leaves, bamboo shoots, Baby jackfruit,, etc. Souring agents :, Tamarind, Yogurt, Raw Mango, Tomatoes, Kokkum. .Desserts: Sweets from cooked down milk (Payasa), Sweets from milk solids (payda), Obbittu, Sugar syrup based sweets (Jalebi, Unde), Mysorepak, Pastries (Mandige, Chiroti, Peni) Shopping List: 500 ml : yogurt 250 gms : Carrot, Coconut, Tuvar dal. Bell pepper, Eggplant, Tomato 100 gms : Salt, Garlic, Ginger, Tamarind paste , Horse gram, Pineapple, Ghee, Mung dal, Curry leaves. 50 gms : Mustard, Asafetida, Dry red chilies, Green chili, Cumin seeds, Coriander seeds, Turmeric powder, Chili powder, Fenugreek , Jaggery, Niger seeds, Poppy seeds.
2.: Podi (Powdered spicy lentils) Basic Recipe : Uchellu Podi Heat a pan. Add half a handful of a mix of horse gram & niger seeds (Guizotia abyssinica, Tamil: Karunjeeragam). Add to a pan. Stir and roast on low fire till they redden. Let cool. Blend to a powder with a red chili, a pinch of cumin and two pinches of salt. Eat mixed with hot cooked rice,/ sorghum rotis.
3.: Tambli (Blended Yogurt- Coconut curry) Basic Recipe : Shunti Tambli Take half a handful of grated coconut. Blend to a paste with a small green chili, a small bit of ginger, a couple of pinches of salt and 2 spoons of water. Mix in a cup of yogurt.
4.: Paalya (Dry curry) Basic Recipe : Carrot Paalya Heat a spoon of oil. Add two pinches of mustard, a pinch each of asafetida and turmeric.. Add a handful of chopped carrots. Blend half a handful of coconut with a green chili and two pinches of salt. Add to pan. Sprinkle some water, stir and cook till carrots are cooked. Add garnish and serve. Can use a variety of stir fried / boiled vegetables ( Potato, okra, eggplant, beans, Ivy gourd etc) (Microwaving vegetables for 2-3 minutes before cooking shortens cooking time)
5.: Gojju (Sweet & Sour Stew) Basic Recipe : Pineapple Gojju Heat a spoon of oil. Add two pinches of mustard, a pinch of curry leaves and asafetida. Add a handful of chopped pineapple and half a handful of grated coconut. Mix a spoon of tamarind paste in a cup of water. Add two pinches each of salt and chili powder. Simmer for ten minutes. Garnish and serve.
6.: Tovve (Lentil curry) Basic Recipe : Hesarubele Tovve: In a pressure cooker with the lid open, heat a spoon of ghee. Add two pinches of mustard, a torn red chili, a pinch each of curry leaves and asafetida. Add half a cup of mung dal (and a cup (200 ml) of water. Mix in two pinches each of turmeric powder and salt. Add a slit green chili. Close and pressure cook for two whistles. Let cool and mash. Add garnish and serve. Can use tuvar dal. A variety of additives ( ridge gourd, spinach etc) can be pressure cooked along with dal.
7.: Saagu (Coconut stew) Basic Recipe : Carrot Saagu Blend half a handful of grated coconut, 4 pinches of poppy seeds, 3 cashew nuts, 2 pinches of salt and a green chili to a paste. Heat half a spoon of oil. Add two pinches of mustard and cumin. Add a handful of chopped bell peppers. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the blended paste and a cup of water. Stir and cook on gentle heat for around 5 minutes till all are cooked.
8.:. Saaru (Thin curry from stock) Basic Recipe : Bas Saaru In a pressure cooker add a cup of water and half a cup of horse gram. Pressure cook for four whistles. Let cool, drain out solids and reserve water. Heat half a spoon of ghee. Add a pinch of mustard seeds, cumin, a chopped garlic clove, two curry leaves and a pinch of asafetida. Add the reserved water, two pinches of salt and simmer for 5 minutes.( Can use vegetable stock instead of lentil stock )
9.: Majjige Huli (Buttermilk Stew) Basic Recipe : Soak two pinches of coriander seeds, tuvar dal, rice in water for 30 mins. Blend to a paste with half a handful of chopped coconut, a pinch of ginger, turmeric powder, a green chili and two pinches of salt. Mix in a cup of yogurt. Add garnish and serve (Consistency: Soupy). Can mix in a variety of boiled vegetables (gourds, potato, beans) or stir fried veggies (tomato / okra). Can also be simmered on gentle heat for 3 -5 minutes.
10.: Sambaru / Huli Tovve (Tamarind - Lentil Stew ) Basic Recipe : Potato Sambaru Heat a pan. Add four pinches of coriander seeds, a dry red chili, a pinch each of fenugreek & cumin. Stir and roast for a minute. Blend to a paste with 2 pinches of salt and half a handful of coconut. Mix half a spoon of tamarind paste in a cup of water. Mix in half a handful of boiled and mashed tuvar dal, a pinch each of turmeric powder, jaggery and half a handful of chopped and boiled potato (use any boiled / stir fried vegetable). Bring to a boil, mix in the blended spice paste and simmer for 5 minutes.

Gojju varieties ( Karnataka's sweet and sour stews)

Gojju is a  classic Kannadiga curry. It  is a flavoured sweet and sour thick stew where the sourness is balanced by the sweetness of jaggery. It is the closest equivalent to the kulambu of Tamilnadu and pulusu of Andhra. 

Gojju is eaten mixed with rice or  with sorghum / rice flatbreads ( jolada roti / akki roti). It is also mixed with in flattened rice  ( poha / aval)and served for breakfast as Gojju avval / Gojju avalakkai. Due to its high acidic content, a Gojju lasts for 2-3 days without refrigeration. Nowhere in India would you see a pineapple curry, but in south Karnataka, where Pineapple gojju is much loved and is an essential part of the  wedding feast. Gojju need not be limited to local vegetables / additives listed above. Feel free to use your favourite vegetables. 

Unlike the Tamil kulambu, which is often cooked with meat, it would be uncommon to find meat in a Gojju. The Tamil word Gothsu, a thick sour curry, is probably derived from Gojju.

 

Naming Gojjus : Gojjus can take their name from either the base used ( eg: Pineapple Gojju),  from the flavouring used (eg: methi gojju,) or from  the additves used (eg: Bendekai Gojju). They are also named after the dish it is eaten with ( eg: Pongal gojju) or after a combination of all the above (eg: Kumabalakayi Mosaru Gojju).  Gojju has the consistency of a thick soup. If your gojju is thin,  dissolve 2-3 pinches of rice / gram flour in a spoon of water and mix into the simmering gojju to thicken it.

 

For detailed recipes and great pictures, check out model recipes from my fellow bloggers below :

 RV’s Radish Gojju

Anu’s Shallot Gojju

Sushma’s Gojju with Karnataka’s speciality additive Colocasia leaves.

Krishnaveni’s Eggplant Gojju which could as well be Tamilnadu’s Kathirikkai Gothsu, her  Eggplant Mosaru Gojju which uses yogurt as a souring agent and an interesting gojju made from turkey berry.

Ramya’s Pineapple Gojju

Saagu Variations ( Karnataka's Coconut stews)

Saagu, a classic Kannadiga curry is a flavoured coconut stew in which vegetables are simmered. It is the closest equivalent to the kuruma of Tamilnadu and Kormas of North India. Saagu is eaten mixed with rice, flatbreads ( poori / chappati), rava idli or set dosa. Saagu can be cooked with any vegetable, but the ones listed here are the most common.

 Like any curry cooked with coconut / coconut milk, cooking saagu for long makes it split into solid and liquid portions. The goal is to have a creamy saagu. So cook it on low heat with constant stirring for as short a time as possible. Using boiled vegetables greatly shortens the cooking time and reduces the risk of the saagu curdling. 

Naming Saagu : Saagu can take their name from either the base used ( eg: Baadami saagu),  from the flavouring used (eg: Masala saagu,) or from  the additves used (eg: Batani Saagu). They are also named after the dish it is eaten with ( eg: Rava Idli saagu) or after a region ( eg: Malenadu saagu) or after a combination of all the above (eg: Baadami masala potato saagu).

Saagu has the consistency of a thick, chunky soup. If your saagu is thin,  dissolve 2-3 pinches of rice / gram flour in a spoon of water and mix into the simmering saagu to thicken it.:

 
Though traditionally eaten with rotis or rice, a saagu goes equally well as a sauce with pasta or noodles. Being very mild, it serves an excellent introduction to south Indian cuisine.

 The base : Saagus  are cooked with a variety of  bases , though a blended mixture of coconut, poppy seeds, chilies are found in most  saagus. As listed in column 1, a variety of goodies are blended in to create different classes of saagus.

The flavouring : The common south Indian flavouring of fried mustard, curry leaves and asafetida is used in most saagus. Different combinations of common south Indians flavourings are also used as listed in column 2.

Additives used.: Almost  all vegetables or a mixture of them are used in saagu. The most common ones are listed in column 3. Most vegetables can be boiled and added to saagu. Vegetables can also be stir fried and then mixed in.

Cooking vegetables beforehand greatly shortens saagu cooking time.

 Stir frying : Heat a spoon of oil. Add a handful of chopped vegetables. Sprinkle some water and stir fry for 3 - 5 minutes.

Boiling :Bring a liter of water to a boil. Add a spoon of salt. Add a handful of chopped vegetables. Cook for 5 - 8 minutes. Pour in a colander to drain water.

Microwaving : Add a handful of chopped vegetables to a microwave safe cup. Sprinkle a bit of water. Cover loosely and cook on high for 2 - 4 minutes.

 Pressure cooking : Add two handfuls of chopped vegetables to a pressure cooker. Add half a cup of water, Pressure cook on medium heat for 1 whistle.

 Easy Saagu powder : Take three pinches of cumin, a clove, a small bit of cinnamon,a pinch of pepercorns, half a handful dry coconut flakes, two dry red chilies, four pinches of poppy seeds, two pinches of rice or roasted gram and two pinches of salt. Blend all to a powder. For instant saagu, just mix the powder with the base, add boiled vegetables, simmer for 5 minutes and serve.

 For detailed recipes and great pictures, check out the model recipes from my fellow bloggers.

Roopa’s Rava idli Saagu

Rashmi’s mixed vegetable saagu

Vaani’s vegetable saagu

Nags’ masala saagu

Sushma’s Bombay saagu

Prathiba’s potato saagu

10 Simple Udupi Curries

This is my submission to Moonspice's Regional Cuisines of India, started by Lakshmi. This cookbook lists 10 Udupi curries, greatly simplified so that a first time cook can easily cook them. For more detailed  recipes, check out Rajalakshmi’s ‘Udupi Cuisine’, published by Prism books. The following curries are listed in this cookbook :

1. Kosambari (Soaked lentil salad) The use of soaked mung dal in salad is an Udupi innovation

2.: Mosaru bajji (Cucumber Yogurt curry) is a raita flavoured by South Indian spices.

3.: Shunti Tambli: (Ginger yogurt curry) is a blended mixture of ginger and coconut mixed in with yogurt.

4.: Shunti Gojju (Ginger Chutney) is ginger blended with coconut, pepper and mango powder into a chutney.

5.: Bele Gojju (Chana dal Tamarind chutney)is roasted chana dal blended with coconut and tamarind into a thick chutney.

6.: Yellu Chutney (Sesame Chutney) is toasted sesame seeds blended with pepper, coconut and mango powder.

7.: Maavu Amtekai Hasi Chutney (Mango chutney) is roasted urad dal blended with raw mango, red chili and coconut.

8.: Majjige huli (Yogurt curry) is local vegetables simmered in coconut paste, which is then mixed with yogurt.

9.: Hurida Udnittu (Roasted gram in yogurt) is roasted and powdered urad dal mixed in with yogurt, chilies and ginger

10.: Tovve (Spiced lentil curry) is boiled tuvar dal flavoured by asafetida and lemon juice.

Karnataka Kitchen Virgin's Survival Manual - Veg

Click the image on the left to see the cookbook. This cookbook focuses on basic Karnataka recipes anyone can cook up on the very first try. Absolutely no knowledge / skill is assumed on the part of the reader. The following recipes are listed in this cookbook. 

No Cook recipes :
Shunti Tambli
Mosaru Baji
Kosambari 

Simple Curries
Yellu Chutney (Sesame Chutney)
Majjige huli (Yogurt curry)
Paalya
Saagu 

Lentil curries
Dali Tovve (Spiced lentil curry)
Saaru

 Light Dishes :
Avalalkki Vaggarane (Stir fried rice flakes) : 
Nimbekaayi Chitranna.( Lemon rice)
Mavinkaayi Chitranna( Mango rice)
Mosaranna (Curd rice)
Akki Roti / Ragi Roti  (Rice/ Red millet flatbread)

1001 Tambli ( Blended coconut sour curry)

One Page Cookbooks 1001 Tambli ( Konkani blended coconut sour curry) All recipes copyrighted. No reproduction / commercial use without permission. Siramki@Gmail.com
This cookbook lists 1000 Tambli recipes from 000 to 999. The three digits denote the base, flavouring & additives. Master Recipe:: To a blender/ mixie, add half a handful of chopped coconut, a small chopped green chili(or a dry red chili) and three pinches of salt. Blend to a smooth paste, adding a spoon or two of water. Add a base from column 1, an additive from column 3 and blend again. Mix in a cup of yogurt. Mix with flavouring from column 2 and serve. (Instead of yogurt you can also use buttermilk or half a spoon of tamarind paste/ kokum syrup dissolved in a cup of water).
Base	Flavouring	Additive
0.: None	0.: Mustard Heat half a spoon of oil. Add a pinch of mustard.	0.: Veggies Take ½ handful of chopped veggies like carrot/ cucumber.
1.: Dhania Take three pinches of coriander seeds.	1.: Cumin Heat a spoon of oil. Add a pinch of cumin	1.: Spinach Take half a handful of chopped spinach (raw or stir fried).
2.: Ginger Take a small bit of ginger	2.: Curry leaves Heat a spoon of oil. Add a pinch of mustard and a few curry leaves.	2.: Onion Take half a handful of chopped onions / shallots/ spring onions. Need not be blended. Mix & serve.
3.: Garlic Take a chopped garlic clove.	3.: Cilantro Take three pinches of chopped cilantro.	3.: Flowers Take a handful of tender banana flowers./ Ixora Grandiflora.
4.: Cumin Take two pinches of cumin.	4.: Asafetida Heat a spoon of oil. Add a pinch of mustard and a pinch of asafetida. .	4.: Other Leaves Take half a handful of chopped, tender leaves of cashew, mango, lemon, pomegranate, cauliflower etc.,
5.: Fenugreek Take a pinch of fenugreek powder.	5.: Lentils Heat a spoon of oil. Add two pinches of mustard and urad dal. Stir for a few seconds.	5.: Pickles Take half a handful of chopped mango / gooseberry pickled in brine.
6.: Sesame Take three pinches of sesame seeds.	6.: Fenugreek Heat a spoon of oil. Add a pinch each of mustard and fenugreek.	6.:. Herbs Take half a handful of chopped mint / cilantro.
7.: Poppy Seeds Take three pinches of poppy seeds.	7.: Red Chili Heat a spoon of oil. Add a pinch each of mustard, a few curry leaves and a torn red chili. Stir for a few seconds.	7.: Seeds Take half a handful of snake gourd one peeled, chopped and boiled jack fruit seed or cucumber seeds..
8.: Pepper , Take two pinches of pepper powder.	8.: Turmeric Heat a spoon of oil. Add a pinch each of mustard, a few curry leaves and a pinch of turmeric powder. Remove from fire.	8.: Others Take two small bits of sun dried pomegranate skin/ gooseberry. Soak in water for an hour. Drain. Or stir fry half a handful of ridge gourd peel.
9.: Fusion Use your fav base or any combo of the above.	9.: Fusion Use your favourite base or use any combo of the above.	9.: Fusion Use your fav additive or use any combination of the above.
Sample Recipes :: Soppina Tambli 001 :: Jeerage Carrot Tambli 400 :: Mente Kande Tambli 520 :: Kodi ere Tambli 014
e Tambli is a much loved, uncooked, blended sour curry revered in Karnataka / Konkani / Udupi cuisine. “Tambali antha ootavilla kambali antha hodikeyilla” A play on the words Tambli (the curry) and Kambli (a blanket), this Kannada saying avers that there is no meal like the one with Tambli and no better way to keep warm than the Kambli. Tambli can be looked at as a combination of two classic families – the raita and the coconut chutney. Almost anything blended in with coconut tastes good and almost anything mixed with yogurt tastes good. So it is no wonder that almost anything blended into a Tambli turns out to be delicious. The list of possible Tamblis are endless, and therein lies the genius of Indian cuisine!	A Tambli is always uncooked, served cold, sour, and has coconut. Apart from these basic guidelines, it is so versatile that almost anything can be blended in. Depending on what base ( column 1) is blended in, the name of the Tambli changes as in Jeerage Tambli (Cumin), Mente Tambli (Fenugreek), Kottambari Tambli (Dhania), Shunti Tambli (Ginger), Yellu Tambli (Sesame seeds), Shunti Tambli ( ginger) and so on. A variety of flavouring is mixed in the Tambli just before serving as listed in column 2, though a Tambli tastes just great without any additional flavouring. Almost anything edible can be blended into the Tambli as listed in column 3 to create a never ending variety of Tamblis. These change name of Tambli as in Bondi Tambli (Grilled Banana flower), Daasavala Poo Tambli (with chopped Hibiscus flower), Kotte Tambli (with mashed Jackfruit seeds), Soppina Tambli (spinach), Kodi ere Tambli (Tender leaves of mango, cashew, lemon/ pomegranate), Kukku Tambli (with pickled mangoes), Saute Bith Tambli (Cucumber seeds), Nelli Tambli (fresh/ sun dried Gooseberry), Nellindi Tambli (Pickled gooseberry), Koodi Tambli (Tender Guava leaves) etc.,. When onion/ hibiscus flowers are added to the tambli, they are not blended to a paste, but are just chopped up and mixed in. Alle Kande Tambli (Ginger- onion) and Kande Tambli (Onion) are popular, but Tamblis cooked in the temple town of Udupi, do not use onion. Finally, we have new families of Tamblis made from other souring agents, (kokum syrup/ tamarind) like the .Kokum Tambli. All Tamblis are served cold and eaten mixed with cooked rice, at the very beginning of a meal.