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Oota Aita at Oota Bangalore?
For over two years, a team of chefs, writers and videography crew travelled the length and breadth of Karnataka including Coorg, Malnad, Western Ghats, Mangalore, Uttar Kannada, North Canara Coast, Hyderabad-Karnataka region, North Karnataka, Mysore, Bengaluru, and South Karnataka to do research on traditional cuisine.
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In Search of Coffee in Coorg
The husband-wife team are third generation coffee farmers and founders of fivefarms.in – one of India’s premium single estate coffee stores. Subbaiah told me that they believe in very traditional plantation skills but ensure that they apply only modern roasting and grinding techniques to their coffee beans. They conduct Seed to Cup tours of the coffee estate. I learnt the history of how coffee was discovered and brought to India, its culture, farming techniques including harvesting, inspection of the coffee plants, and production process from its raw state.
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Kalyan, the Meat Chef
In India, the Bannur mutton is considered as expensive. These sheep have more than average muscle-to-fat-ratio and the thin layer of fat is evenly distributed over their bodies and therefore the meat becomes tender so fast when cooked and taste flavourful!
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Meat Feast at Karnivore Kitchen
Kalyan’s speciality is Old Bangalore Naati Oota. This cuisine is influenced by early migrants from Tamil Nadu, Andra Pradesh and parts of Karnataka who settled in Bengaluru in the early 20th century. The dishes are predominantly non-vegetarian.
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Kartha Masala -Dark Masala
𝗞𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗮 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗮 literally translated as “dark masala”. The whole spices are dry roasted, a shade darker than you would normally roast the spices and then grind these spices into a fine powder. The longer dry roasting adds a smoky-earthy taste to the curry.
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I Met Kaveri Ponnapa!
I met author 𝗞𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶 𝗣𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗮𝗽𝗮 in Bengaluru earlier this month. She has a Master’s Degree in Social Anthropology from the School of Oriental and African Studies, London. She authored 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗞𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘃𝗮𝘀. She spent more than 8 years to do extensive research on the Kodava people for this 350-page book and I must salute her for the patience and passion.
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Traditional Coorg Lunch
Being at the kitchen with Kaveri and watching her cook, talking about food, smelling all that food being cooked right under my nose, truly whetted a great appetite. The lunch was outstanding, so satisfying and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
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Snack Queen of Karaikudi!
Indians love snacking, especially those made at home. I do remember my primary and secondary school days when Amma used to make certain snacks for tea time. By 4.30 pm we would be seated and served with snacks (usually savouries like bhaji and pakoras or murukku) and cups of hot thick milk tea. It was family bonding time for us. The culture is the same with Indians all over the world. Tea-time is relished as everyone shares their experience and aspirations with family members. While the North Indians are associated with rich, milk based sweets, the South Indians’ favourites are deep fried savoury snacks.
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Quaint Ayyanar temple in Kothamangalam
I found this quaint Ayyanar temple in Kothamangalam, Karaikudi. Ayannar is the Tamil deity worshipped by villagers in India. He is said to look after the villages, ensuring there is enough rain and sunshine for good harvest and He is the protector of the villagers. He is always depicted on or by the side of a white stallion with a sword in his hand! Therefore, it is natural for devotees to make offerings of terracotta horses especially hand-made by non-Brahamin potter priests. These colourful and beautiful clay horses are supposed to watch over their Lord Ayyanar at the temple over the centuries.
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The Bangala – Unforgettable Chettinad Cuisine
The verandahs are huge and had plush old fashioned rattan furniture. Every floor has old fashioned wood and glass cupboards filled with a good selection of books. Coffee table books on Tamil Nadu, Colonial England, Chettinad and India in general are also on display. This personal touch is important for hotels. I have come across hotels that make a library of books left behind by the guests. But at the Bangala, the books are specially chosen for the eyes of the guests.
