For visitors to Bangalore, the authentic local sweets are perfect with an arousing aroma and the richness of ghee. The South Indian dishes are made with coconut, tamarind, rice, and curry leaves, and dishes like dosas and idlis are eaten all over India. The lovers of such dishes come from all regions in India but the dishes in South India are specialized. More dishes are the hidden treasure of this land and the sweets of this region are completely unknown. The dishes are rich, traditional, and experimental but still stick to the culture and roots. Religious customs and love for God are also shown as many of these sweets are offered to the temples.
20. Mysore Pak
This signature sweet of Karnataka was created by a chief chef of the royal court 100 years ago. It is prepared with ghee, gram flour, and sugar it has a history of accidental discovery. This is a rich creamy cookie and it is given at weddings and other festivals in South India. This sweet improved as time went by but people still find the original version.
19. Badam Halva
This is a traditional pudding made with soaked almonds, ghee, and milk. It has the flavor of cardamom, nuts, and saffron which is served on any occasion. You can enjoy it as it is a popular dish in Karnataka and it is also nutritious. It improves brain health. The South Indian style of heavy sweet is made with clarified butter and it melts in your mouth.
18. Kajjaya
This traditional deep-fried snack is made with grounded rice and jaggery. It is made at festivals as a popular dessert in South India. It is not easy to prepare because it needs reasonable consistency and time to cook too. It has ingredients like rice flour, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds.
17. Sajjappa
This is a traditional special sweet of Karnataka which is preserved without a refrigerator. It is stuffed with coconut and jaggery for festivals in Karnataka, Mysore, and Bangalore. This is a delicious sweet made with flour, suji, and deep-fried in coastal regions of Karnataka. This is a simple recipe for an old sweet dish from South Karnataka.
16. Dharwad Peda
This is made with Dharwadi buffalo milk and homemade paneer with brown color. This was created by a family that lived in Uttar Pradesh and made with sweetened khoya. All its ingredients like milk, paneer, and khoya are flavored with a soft texture. The caramelized khoya is made into small balls and coated with powdered sugar.
15. Belagavi Kunda
It originated in north Karnataka and is made with heated thickened milk, cardamom powder, dry fruits, and sugar. This is cooked with caramelized sugar for festivals like Dussehra, Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, and Sankranti. This is a special Kunda dessert influenced by Rajasthan which has cashew nuts for the sweet tooth and sweet cravings.
14. Gulbarga’s Malpuri
This is a rich sweet dripping from Mangalore with sugar syrup and stuffed with khoya. It is a traditional sweet full of natural ingredients like buttermilk, rice flour, and sugar. This evening snack is made with ghee and maida. The edges are full of rich ghee and sooji. The center is soft and it is deep-fried.
13. Halbai
This is a popular sweet of Karnataka which is a halwa or burfi. It is cooked with rice, wheat, poha, jaggery, coconut, or rava and it is known to be a tough dish to prepare but it uses fewer ingredients. They need to be well proportioned and the consistency should be paid full attention to. It is a dish from Mangalore which is a healthy breakfast snack.
12. Chiroti
It is a traditional sweet that originated in Karnataka and is served in marriages and festivals. It is cooked with maida, ghee, almonds, cashew, and sugar rolled into the dough. It is deep-fried in refined oil until it is golden brown and it is an Indian pastry enjoyed with sweetened milk.
11. Obbattu
This is an experiment with a South Indian Puran Poli and a desirable recipe of flatbreads. It is a flatbread that is popular in Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. It is a special item with perfect texture and smooth stuffing. It is made at festivals and special events in Karnataka.
10. Karadantu
It is made of edible gum with dry fruits, fried gram flour, jaggery, and groundnut which is found in local markets. This is sticky and a combination of flavors made with raisins, cashews, almonds, nutmeg, and peanuts. It has perfect color and the jaggery is brought from Kolhapur. It is nutritious and full of high protein.
9. Hayagreeva
This richly composed traditional dish is made with chana dal, jaggery, and fresh coconut. It is served to Gods as an offering, especially to Lord Vishnu. It has stuffing and it has a thick texture. This is a simple recipe that is prepared with dry coconut, ghee, Bengal gram, and dry fruits and nuts. It is prepared in Navratri in South India.
8. Kesari Bhaat
This is the most loved breakfast of Karnataka on festive occasions. This Indian version of a rice pudding has a yellow color because of saffron or turmeric. It is made with roasted Rava, pineapple, apple, sugar, and cardamom. It is a healthy dish loaded with the goodness of nuts and it is best served when warm.
7. Payasam
This South Indian dish is not just a version of the kheer but it is a creamier and more flavorful pudding. It is made of milk, moong dal, chana dal, rice, and jaggery. It is much thinner and it is golden brown caramelized compared to the typical kheer. It is healthy and made for festivals and religious ceremonies.
6. Godi Kadi Payasa
Broken wheat is used to prepare this payasam which is famous in South India. It is a healthy option for everyone and also for diabetic patients. It is a must-included special relished item in this region and it is made with coconut milk, cardamom, and ghee. It has a low-calorie composition and creamy texture with a rich nourishing taste.
5. Jackfruit Halwa
This rich fruit is fresh, golden, and craved and the halwa prepared with the fruit is easy to cook. It also has ingredients like jaggery, ghee, and cardamom with ripe jackfruit which is pureed, crushed, and chopped. This is the popular dessert in Kerala and South India. The ingredients give a fresh fruity flavor to its sweetness.
4. Karigadabu
The filling is made by mixing all dry-form ingredients like coconut powder, sugar, and cardamom powder. This is the favorite snack and traditional sweet of Karnataka during Ganesh Chaturthi. The sweet filling is made of coconut and fried gram flour for small dumplings. Jackfruit is a tropical fruit and a special sweet fruit.
3. Jangiri
This is sweet from the family of Jalebi but it’s a new version and it is sugar-coated. It is dripping with sweet syrup and fried hot like the jalebi in local stalls. This is a part of our festivals and the difference comes from its regions. Jalebi was created by Mughal era people in North India and Jangiri is from Kerala. The South Indian version is healthy, made with different flour and it also has a different shape.
2. Peni
This is a delicious layered and crispy deep-fried puri. It has basic ingredients like cardamom, nuts, and powdered sugar. It is popular in Tamil Nadu for festivals and special events. It is a special sweet of almonds, Rava, ghee, and malai. It is the traditional dish and deep-fried in sugar syrup.
1. Sweet Pongal
This South Indian dish is cooked with ghee, moong, rice, sugar, cow’s milk, cardamom, and nuts. This traditional sweet is made for Makar Sankranti or Pongal festival and as offerings to Gods. It is served to Sun God or in Durga temples as a ritual of gratitude and it is one of the many Pongal recipes that follow tradition.
