Mangalore is a city in Karnataka along the Konkan coast and as one of the major commercial centres of India, it is a city alive with energy and exemplifies the perfect combination of the cultural beauty of southern India and the growing high-tech cities of the future. Being on the coast has given Mangalore easy access to an abundant supply of basic ingredients like rice, seafood, and lots and lots of coconut, apart from an abundance of spices. As such, Mangalore street foods consist of these basic ingredients.
If you are ever in Mangalore and wish to try some dishes from the varied Mangalore cuisine, worry not, for there are plenty of restaurants where you can fulfil this desire. A few of these restaurants are the Taj Mahal Cafe, Juice Junction, Hotel Ayodhya, Rajalakshmi Chaat, and Chicken Tikka Halal. For those that wish to taste the best seafood in Mangalore, look no further than Giri Manjas, renowned for its fried seer fish. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, many have been unable to taste their favourite and are forced to cook simple dishes at home. However, there are some Mangalore dishes that you can make right at home.
Here are 10 popular Mangalore street foods you can make at home:
1. Mangalore Buns:
Inspired by the North Indian Batura, the Mangalore bun is made mainly of ripe bananas. It is an ideal breakfast and snack item and is generally paired with spicy coconut chutney. It can also be had with a nice hot cup of tea or coffee. Mangalore buns are popular because they are sweet, savoury, light, and fluffy. A good place to try this snack is generally the Taj Mahal Cafe or Hotel Shiv Sagar.
These buns from heaven are made of maida (all-purpose flour) that is infused with spices and ripe bananas. The ingredients are present in almost every home, which is why this an easy-to-make food item. You only need a few minutes to throw the batter together and then a few more minutes to deep fry them.
2. Kingfish/Seer fish fry:
The seerfish, often called the kingfish in Mangalore, are easily available in markets, however, they are quite expensive. While this fish is also cooked as a gravy, the fried version of this delicacy is widely popular. These tasty fish are rubbed with spices, fried, and finally topped with fresh coriander, resulting in a delicious and aromatic treat. A good place to try this dish is at Giri Manjas.
Seerfish fry, commonly known as anjal fry, is popular due to the fact that this fish is easy to find and is very tasty. This dish is easy to make as all it takes is to prepare the masala, rub and then marinate the fish for about 30 minutes and then shallow-fry it in oil. This dish is easy to prepare at home as the spices used to make the masala are found in every home and it takes about 45 minutes to prepare.
3. Samosas:
Samosas are a popular Mangalore street food and are essentially fritters made of maida with a filling made of potatoes cooked with masalas and spices, which are then deep-fried. This dish is popular due to the fact that it is tasty and easily available. A good place to try this snack is Juice Junction.
Maida is a common ingredient found in all Indian households as are potatoes, thus this snack is easy to prepare. It takes a little over 45 minutes to make this lovely snack.
4. Jalebi:
A well-known Indian sweet, Jalebis are made of sweetened maida which is deep-fried and coated with sugar. It sometimes has a sugar syrup filling.
While this sweet is common-place in Mangalore cuisine, it is popular throughout India due to its crispiness and sweetness. Hotel Ayodhya is a good place to try this snack. It usually takes 30 to 45 minutes to prepare this sweet dish.
5. Badam Milk:
A combination of milk and almonds (badam), Badam milk is loaded with rich ingredients like dry fruits and saffron. It is a simple beverage to be had instead of other foreign variants and is popular due to its simplicity and taste. This drink can be enjoyed at Rajalakshmi Chaat.
Badam milk is simple to make as it is a combination of milk and almonds which can then be further flavoured with saffron. It usually takes a little over 30 mins to prepare.
6. Kerala Paratha:
Kerala paratha is a deep-fried Indian flatbread made of maida. This kind of paratha, that originated in Kerala as suggested by the name, can be served with any type of curry, but is usually served with chicken curry. This is a popular south-Indian flatbread due to its fluffy yet crispy nature, when served fresh-off-the-pan. A good place to try this flatbread is Chicken Tikka Halal.
It is easy to make because the few ingredients needed are maida, eggs, baking soda, and a bit of oil to fry the dough. It takes a little less than an hour to make this flatbread depending on the quantity of the output.
7. Goli Bajji:
Goli Bajji is a tiny sourish-sweet plain soft bun either eaten plain or with chutney. It is a small ball of dough made of maida and curd which is then fried. A popular restaurant to have this snack at is Mitra Samaj.
This dish is easy to make due to the fact that the ingredients are easy to find and includes mostly maida, curd, and spices. It only takes 30 minutes to make this snack.
8. Gujje Podi:
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Another deep-fried Mangalore street food, Gujje Podi is basically thinly-sliced raw jackfruit dipped in a rich flavorful batter made of maida and spices. It can be eaten plain or with some tomato sauce. A great place to try this snack is the New Taj Mahal. Gujje Podi is popular in Mangalore because jackfruit grows in abundance here. It is also easy to make as jackfruit is easily available and the batter is easy to make. It takes about 30 minutes to make this dish.
9. Korri Roti:
Korri Roti is a popular combination of a crispy wafer-like flatbread and a side of chicken (korri) curry made of a red chilly base and coconut milk. This is a popular Mangalore street food because it is simple and is very tasty. A popular place to try this is Shetty’s Kori Roti.
This dish is easy to make at home as the main ingredient for the roti is rice flour readymade rotis are also available at general stores. It can also be had with any kind of chicken curry. The whole process of making the roti and the curry will take a little over an hour.
10. Mandakki:
More often known as Churumuri, Mandakki is a popular Mangalore street food that is commonly found on Mangalore’s beaches and in parks. Mandakki is a mix of boiled veggies, cooked puff rice, groundnuts, and masalas. It is popular because it combines a staple of the Indian diet, rice, and boiled vegetables and can be easily wrapped and eaten on-the-go.
It is easy to make as it only requires puffed rice, boiled vegetables, washed groundnuts, and the masala powder of your choosing. It takes between 15 and 20 minutes to make this dish.
Now that you have an idea of how easy it is to make your favourite Mangalore street food at home, it’s time to fire up the Google search engine, pick out your favourite recipe, and get cooking!
