MANGALORE BUNS - BANANA POORI

    When we talk about a lot of South Indian Tiffin items, we see that most of its origin starts from Udupi.  Udupi Cuisine has a global recognition for its unique dishes, and the variety of popular vegetarian dishes has a wide fan following around the world. Right from simple Dosa, Idli, Khara Bhath, Vada to the most popular 'Masala Dose' all found its origin in Udupi.

    Madhavacharya, the sage who found the Dvaita Hindu philosophy, established the Sri Krishna Temple in Udupi, a town on Karnataka’s western coast. In this Udupi temple, Lord Krishna is worshipped as an infant. The devout believed that Krishna would wander away, so they found a way to entice him and make him stay by serving delicious naivedyams.  Not less than 14 different varieties of dishes are offered to the Lord every day. The tradition has led to feeding a thronging number of devotees on a daily basis in Udupi Sri Krishna Temple.  Rituals and cooking were clearly the twin skill sets of the Udupi Brahmins. And when the jobs at the temple dwindled, the Brahmins started working as cooks at private homes.  Gradually, Udupi Cuisine found its way through the country. 

   Today, let's see a unique dish from Udupi Cuisine - Mangalore Buns. They are unique to the Mangalore-Udupi region. Though it's called a "Bun", the name is quite misleading, and it is more or less a variation of Poori/Puri.  In simple terms, it is called 'Banana Poori'.  It can be called as a Bun for the reason that it is soft and fluffs up when deep-fried, and it is soft and spongy. We can call it as a Poori, as the recipe is more or less the same as the one for a traditional Puri/Poori.  Mangalore Buns alias Banana Poori is a Deep-fried dish, made with Wheat flour, Bananas and a bit of spices like Cumin.  It has a wonderful air pockets within when deep-fried, and it turns out to be soft, fluffy, spongy with a mild sweet note & Banana flavour.

MANGALORE BUNS - BANANA POORI

    When my daughter said, Mangalore Buns, I was wondering what kind of bun it was and when she shared the recipe, I was taken aback seeing a Poori with Bananas.  Initially, as sceptical as ever, I procrastinated the idea, until she ordered these Mangalore Buns at MTR, our regular visit whenever we are in KL.  My initial inhibitions vanished the moment I tasted it, and the very week I made the recipe at home.  Even for the first time, the recipe came out as perfectly as it is, and I was literally overwhelmed by the texture of the Buns and the satiating feeling I personally felt after eating Mangalore Buns.  Now I can say that Mangalore Buns are added into my personal favourite list.

    These Mangalore Buns can be eaten as a snack along with a hot cup of coffee or a Tea.  Or else, simply serve it as a breakfast or dinner along with a simple Coconut Chutney/ Vegetable Kuruma/Potato Sagu/Potato Masala.

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Cuisine - Udupi, Mangalore (Karnataka)
Course - Main Course
Difficulty - Medium
Serves - 2
Yields - 6 - 7 Mangalore Buns
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 5–10 Minutes
Leavening Time - 3 - 4 Hours
Cooking Time - 20 - 30 Minutes

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HOW TO MAKE MANGALORE BUNS - BANANA POORI

MANGALORE BUNS - BANANA POORI

INGREDIENTS:

For the Dough:

All-Purpose Flour - 1 Cup
Banana - 1 No (big-sized)
Sugar - 2–3 Teaspoons
Cumin Seeds - 1 Teaspoon
Curd/Yoghurt - 21/2 Tablespoons
Salt - To Taste
Baking Soda - 1/8 Teaspoon
Oil/Ghee - 2 Teaspoons
Water- as required

To Deep Fry:

Oil - to Deep Fry

MANGALORE BUNS - BANANA POORI

 

METHOD:

KNEADING THE DOUGH:

• Mash or grind the Banana along with sugar into a fine paste.
• Pour in the Curd/Yoghurt and Oil into it.
• Mix well until well combined.
  
• Sieve All-Purpose Flour with Baking Powder & Salt, once.
• Add the flour mixture along with the banana mixture.
• Knead the dough, adding a little water.  Add water only if required.
• Knead it into a stiff dough. 
• Cover the bowl and let it rest for 3–4 hours.

NOTES:

• The moisture content from the Banana and sugar would be more than enough to knead the dough.  Add water only if required.
• The amount of water totally depends on the type of All-purpose Flour used.  Adjust Accordingly.
• If you need more water, do not add directly to the flour mix. Just sprinkle a bit at a time and knead it.
  
• The longer you knead the dough, it tends to become soft and pliable. 
• The dough should be stiff, but soft and without any cracks.
• This is a mildly sweet dish. Sweetness from the bananas gives a tinge of sweetness to the Poori, adjust the amount of sugar to suit your sweet preference.

  MANGALORE BUNS - BANANA POORI

  
  

RESTING THE DOUGH:

• Wrap the well-kneaded dough with a wet kitchen towel/cling film/ plastic wrap, or cover the bowl tightly with a lid.
• Leave the dough aside, for at least 3 - 4 Hours.
• Covering the dough traps moisture, otherwise, it will dry out forming a crust.
• And keep the dough covered all the time.
• If time permits, rest the dough for an extra hour in cold weather conditions. 
• Warm weather softens the dough quickly.

ROLLING THE DOUGH:   

METHOD:

• Divide the dough into equal portions.
• Roll out each portion into medium-sized, slightly thick circles.
• Roll them with even thickness.
• Dust the rolling board with dry flour while rolling the dough.
• Do not use too much flour while you roll the dough.

MANGALORE BUNS - BANANA POORI

 

DEEP FRYING THE MANGALORE BUNS

• Heat the oil in a deep pan on a high flame and allow the oil to smoke off.
• Lower the flame to medium-high.
• Gently drop the rolled Mangalore Bun, one at a time, into the hot oil.
• Carefully and gently press the Mangalore Bun with the slotted spoon until it fluffs up.
• Flip the Mangalore Bun and cook on the other side.
• Fry the Mangalore Bun until it turns into golden brown.
• Do not fry the Mangalore Bun on a high flame or allow it to burn.
• Once fried, remove the Mangalore Bun from the oil with a slotted spoon
• Allow it to drain on clean Paper towels.
• Follow the suit for the rest of the Mangalore Buns.
• Serve Mangalore Buns hot with Coconut Chutney/ Vegetable Kuruma/Potato Sagu/Potato Masala or any other side dish of your choice. 
• Can serve it as a tea time snack. 
  

 

MANGALORE BUNS - BANANA POORI

 

NOTES:

• Do not overheat the Oil while frying the Mangalore Buns.
• Deep-fry the Mangalore Buns on a medium-high flame.
• Serve Mangalore Buns hot or at room temperature.
• This Mangalore Bun recipe retains softness and fluffiness even after a long time.
• Mangalore Buns can be stored for a couple of days @ room temperature in an airtight container.