Udupi cuisine

Udupi cuisineis acuisineofSouth India.It forms an important part ofTuluvacuisine and takes its name fromUdupi, a city on the southwest coast ofIndiain theTulunaduregion of the state ofKarnataka.
Most of Udupi cuisine isstrictly vegetarian.  However, other elements of Udupi cuisine are non-vegetarian and common toMangalorean cuisine.
Udupi cuisine has its origin in theUdupi Sri Krishna Mathafounded byMadhvacharya. The cuisine was developed byMadhva Brahminsto offer different kinds of food toKrishnaat the Udupi Krishna Temple.  Hence, Udupi cuisine is also synonymously known as Madhva cuisine.
Udupi cuisine comprises dishes made primarily from grains, beans, vegetables, and fruits. The variety and range of dishes is wide, and a hallmark of the cuisine involves the use of locally available ingredients. The famous dosa (thick crisp pancakes, plain or masala when stuffed with potatoes) is said to have originated from this cuisine.
Following the tradition ofchaaturmasa vrata, which is a restriction of certain food ingredients in a certain period or season, may have led to the innovation of a variety of dishes inUdupicuisine. Pumpkins andgourdsare the main ingredients insambar, a stew prepared with ground coconut and coconut oil as its base.
The ubiquitous Indian dishdosahas its origins in Udupi, according toP. Thankappan Nair.Saaru, a spicy pepper water, is another essential part of the menu, and so arejackfruit,colocasialeaves, raw green bananas,mango pickle, red chillies, and salt.Adyes(dumplings),ajadinas(dry curries or stir fry curries), andchutneys, including one made of the skin of theridge gourd, are specialities.
The full course Udupi meal is served on aplantainleaf, which is traditionally kept on the ground. The dishes are served in a particular sequence, and each dish is placed on a particular spot of the plantain leaf. All the people eating this meal are expected to begin and end eating the meal together. A person cannot get up in middle of the meal, even though he has finished his meal. The start and end of meal is done by saying "Govinda," the name of Lord Vishnu. A typical meal is served with the following (in sequence):
Depending upon the occasion, individual taste, and money, each dish may be made from different ingredients.
Udupi or Udipi restaurants serving Udupi cuisine can be found all over India and many parts of the world. In the past, these restaurants were run by cooks and priests trained at Krishna matha in Udupi.With rising popularity, many others have entered this business claiming to serve authentic Udupi cuisine.Most Udupi restaurants are family run, with ownership passing among kith and kin of the original owner.Udupi restaurants have undergone many changes in their menu in recent times, adapting to changing economic structure and social statuses in India. They have included vegetarian delicacies from other Indian cuisines.
The first major Udupi restaurant owner,K. Krishna Rao, began his career in food service as an attendant in ceremonies held by theSri Krishna Temple, wherein food was served to gatherings of the temple staff and pilgrims.In 1922, he moved toMadrasand joined Sharada Vilas Brahmins Hotel inGeorge Townas a kitchen servant.He is the inventor of Masala Dosa. In 1925, his employer offered him one of his restaurants for ₹700 monthly. In 1939 Rao started his first hotel Udupi Sri Krishna Vilas, now called Old Woodlands.The other prominent chain of Udupi restaurant is the Dasaprakash group, founded by K. Seetharama Rao, who gave up a low-grade salaried position inMangaloreto join his brothers' snack food (tiffin) business inMysorein 1921.
In 1923, a major flood devastated Udupi and caused mass migration of male workers and professionals to large cities. This led to a rising demand for low-cost public eating places.Several prominent Udupi restaurants such as Dasaprakash in Mysore, Udupi Sri Krishna Bhavan and Mavalli Tiffin Rooms inBangalore, were set up to cater to this demand.These restaurants were vegetarian, employedOBCsand upper-caste Hindus from Udupi, and initially, segregated seating spaces along caste lines.
Mumbai, Madras, Mysore, and Bangalore were important destinations for migrants from Udupi, and many restaurants were set up there.InMatungain Mumbai, many Udupi restaurants such as Ramanayaks and Cafe Madras were established in the 1930s and 1940s.In the following decades, Udupi restaurants spread to all states and are now found in every corner of India. Eventually, it crossed national boundaries and reached cities with Indian diasporas around the world.