The Spellbinding Veg and Non Vegetarian Food of Coorg
In Coorg, Nature is seen as an ‘Open Theater’ where you can feel the adventures everyday. Although the Coorg seems attractive all the time, but for those who like rain, it is still a heaven on earth. This place is best for Solo travelers, but along with the place, it is also very famous for its unique flavors. There is no shortage of varieties here from vegetarian to non-vegetarian.
Kodagu cuisine
Original inhabitants of the misty, hilly town of Coorg are the Kodavas. Traditionally their main occupation, apart from growing coffee and pepper, was hunting therefore this reflects in their cuisine and general lifestyle too. So, the traditional Kodagu cuisine is quite high on spice and needless to say, it is absolutely delicious.
For breakfast, rice and kanji (vegetable- stew) is eaten. You also get traditional South Indian breakfast comprising rice iddiuppam, dosas, idlis, upma and uppam which you be eaten with coconut chutney, sambhar or vegetable stew.
Pandi Curry
Other item, especially for vegetarians, is Akki Roti which is the only item on Kodagu menu which comes in a form of a roti or pancake. But main ingredients of this roti have crumbled cooked rice and rice floor mixed with some seasoning and onions.
Along with rice, rice balls and Nooputtu (a Coorgi variant of iddiuppam) are eaten with mutton or chicken gravy. This region absolutely loves rice in its all forms and glory. Coorgis are not too high on sweets but you insist on eating a traditional dess.
Kachampuli
Kachampuli is a thick, black, pasty sauce which serves as the base for most Coorgi dishes, especially non-vegetarian ones. It is made from the slightly fermented juice of the Gummi-Gutta fruit, and is very sour with fruity notes. Most Coorgi households have it ready to use, as it acts like a preservative for chicken, mutton, and pork dishes.
Baimbale Kari
The bamboo shoot or baimbale curry is another famous dish from this region. With the onset of monsoon, fresh young bamboo shoots are collected before they become too hard. The shoots can even be salted and frozen to be cooked at any time of the year, and is cooked in gravy form which goes exceptionally well with rice or chapattis.
