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The Complete History of Mysore

Chapter 18 · 17th century – present

Cuisine

Palace kitchens, Brahmin vegetarian traditions and the invention of Mysore pak and the Mysore masala dosa.

18.1The palace table

Mysore pak — a rich confection of gram flour, ghee and sugar — is traditionally said to have been created in the palace kitchens of Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV by the cook Kakasura Madappa, whose family later founded the Guru Sweet Mart in the city.[1]

18.2Everyday dishes

The regional repertoire includes bisi bele bath (a spiced rice-lentil dish associated with the Mysore court), ragi mudde with soppu saaru in the rural south, chitranna, obbattu/holige, kesari bath, and the buttery Mysore masala dosa served with red chutney — the Mylari-style dosa of Mysuru being a distinct local form.[2]

18.3Coffee, filter and street

South Indian filter coffee, using beans grown in the neighbouring Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru hills, is central to the city's daily rhythm, and long-running establishments around Devaraja Market and the palace precinct anchor a street-food culture of chats, mangalore bajji and seasonal mango and jackfruit preparations.[3]

References and footnotes

  1. [1]"Mysore pak", Wikipedia. Link
  2. [2]"Karnataka cuisine" and "Masala dosa", Wikipedia. Link
  3. [3]Karnataka Tourism, Mysuru food guide. Link