Cut your cooking time for Mangalorean dishes substantially by making Kundapur masala powder ahead of time. This spice blend or masala is what goes into most vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian Mangalorean dishes.
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Welcome to the world of Mangalorean cuisine!
For those new to Mangalorean food, I will start with a quick 101, and you will soon know why Kundapur masala or Kundapur taal powder (alternate name) is so important to Mangalorean cooking.
What exactly is Mangalorean cuisine?
In the southern part of India, and in the state of Karnataka lies a beautiful coastal city called Mangalore lined by coconut trees and bounded by the Arabian Sea to its west and the Western Ghats to its east.
Mangalore is a potpourri of people hailing from different ethnic communities such as Bunts, Mogaveeras, Billavas, Goud Saraswat Brahmins, Mangalorean Catholics, and the Bearys. The cuisine of these communities is collectively known as Mangalorean cuisine.
While each community has its specialty dishes, this blog primarily focuses on the recipes from the Bunt community (which I hail from). Kori Rutti (chicken curry), Meen Gassi (fish curry), Neer Dosa (Rice crepes), Bareda kai ajadina (Raw plantain dish) are some of the popular dishes from the Bunt community.
What’s common between all these dishes is the fact that they all use the same basic spices such as Byadgi chilies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black pepper seeds, and fenugreek (methi) seeds. Mangalorean dishes can be time-consuming to make because these spices need to be roasted, allowed to cool down before being ground into a fine masala or paste along with other ingredients such as onions, tomatoes, garlic, etc.
While my grandmom used to make this masala from scratch before every meal, busy, working women from my mother’s generation devised a way to make this spice blend ahead of time so that they could make Mangalorean food without spending as much time. That tradition continued with my generation as well. In fact, during my initial years of marriage, my mother-in-law and my mother would give me a good year’s worth of supply of homemade Kundapur masala every time I took a trip to India. After a few years, as I grew confident in my culinary skills, I started making my own.
Why the name Kundapur Masala?
Kundapur is a coastal town in Karnataka from where this recipe originated, hence the name. While this recipe originated from the bunts community, the Mangalorean Christian community also have their version of this masala, called as Bafat masala powder. Bafat masala and Kundapur taal masala are often used interchangeably.
Mangalorean recipes that use this masala powder
- Kori Gassi (Mangalorean chicken curry)
- Kori ajadina or chicken sukka (Dry chicken dish)
- Shrimp Ajadina (Dry shrimp/prawn Curry)
- Yeti Gassi (Shrimp curry)
- Baredakai Ajadina (Dry plantain dish)
How to make Kundapur masala powder
Note – This recipe uses dehydrated garlic cloves. Feel free to skip it and add garlic to this mix later when you are making your dish. To dehydrate garlic, roast the unpeeled garlic cloves in a pan on medium to low heat until crisp.
Bunts Style Kundapur Masala Powder
Ingredients
- 60 byadgi chilis, roughly 6 fistfuls
- 6 tablespoons coriander seeds, dhania
- 2 tablespoons cumin seeds, jeera
- 2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds, methi
- 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 10 garlic cloves, dehydrated and unpeeled, optional
Instructions
- Heat oil in a medium-sized pan and at medium heat.
- Add chilies to it and roast them till an aroma emanates from it.
- Remove the chilies and keep it aside.
- Then roast remaining ingredients (coriander seeds, cumin seeds, pepper seeds, and fenugreek seeds) for a minute or till it turns aromatic. Set it aside to cool it down (for approximately 10 minutes)
- Transfer them to a blender along with the chilies and dehydrated garlic cloves and grind them to a fine powder. Store it in an airtight container for future use.
- Note: To dehydrate garlic, roast the unpeeled garlic cloves in a pan on medium to low heat until crisp.
Disclaimer: Approximate Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and can vary depending on the exact ingredients/brands used. If you have health issues, please work with a registered dietician or nutritionist.
Nutrition
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Where can I get /Byadgi chillies here in the U.S? I am in California.
Thank you!
You should get it in the Indian stores. It is available online in Amazon as well.
Where can I buy this Kundapur Masala in Sydney
I am not sure – I am US-based.
I am US-based, Michael so I wouldn’t know but if you decide to make this at home, you know where to find the recipe 🙂
Hi Anu Shree..
Is this masala powder similar to Nana Shetty chicken masala powder available in shops?
Hi Pallavi, I am not sure about Nana Shetty chicken masala – never bought it but this masala is what my grandmom and mom used to make for kori ajadina and kori Agassi. I hope that helps.
Hi when is coconut oil used in this masala
Seema – it is used in the first step for frying chilies.
Hi Anu, I came across your blog accidentally and I must say it is very well written. I enjoyed reading your posts. However I would like to add that the Protestant Christians are very much a part of potpourri of people hailing from different ethnic communities in Mangalore. Many of the Protestants are Bunt converts ( like my family) and most of our family recipes are those used by the Bunt community since my great grandmother’s day. Mangalorean Protestant Cuisine is a one of a kind experience. And their food is just awesome and very different to Mangalorean Catholic Cuisine. I teach Mangalorean Protestant Cuisine to international tourists and write about my culinary experiences in my blog www,theversatilehousewives.com
I am on instagram as @theversatilehousewives
Do take a look when you have the time and I look forward to reading more of your posts. Warm Regards, Ruth Isaac, Kuala Lumpur
Hi Ruth – Thanks for stopping by and sharing about Protestant Christians. I learned something new today. I checked out your blog and it was an interesting read. Good luck with your blog.
Hi Any
I am just a crazy fan of Fish Gassi … Meen Gassi as it is popularly known in South India…
I have had some amazing Gassi curries while on my work trips to Mangalore and also some ordered at home from some good restaurants in Mumbai run by Mangolarean Shettys.
Just 2 questions here on the masala recipe
1. What oil to use for best flavors on this masala
2. Would Tamarind be an equivalent replacement for Jaargey (i jumped from Fish curry recipe page to the masala page…and hence questions from both in one page)
Hi Haren – Thanks for stopping by. Traditionally Mangaloreans cook with coconut oil, that’s what my grandmom used for all curries. And tamarind can be used as a substitute for jaargey.
Hi
I’m komal from Mysore .. masala looks good but can u share how to make in little quantity .. to use it for one or two times?
Hi, Komal – For one dish, this is the ratio I would use – 10 byadgi chilies,1 tablespoon coriander seeds, 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1/4 teaspoon methi seeds,7-8 pepper seeds. Let me know if you have any additional questions.