Mangalore Buns ; Meatless Monday

What exactly is Mangalore Buns?? Like the name suggests, it is Buns that is found in the small city in Southern India. So what is buns?? It is basically fried dough, the batter for which is made with banana and yogurt. It is absolutely delicious! It can be served hot or even after it has cooled down. It is not oily while eating and does not loose it's taste upon getting cold. It is soft and fluffy on the inside.  It is ubiquitous in all the small restaurants and tea stalls in that region. It is usually served for breakfast and for evening tea, accompanying either tea or coffee.

 It is quite easy to make.It can be made sweet or savory.  In the hotels it is served with coconut ginger chutney or sometimes sambar too.  My mother likes to add black pepper powder in the batter so that it can be eaten as is. Some add cumin seeds or a pinch of cumin powder hot flavor. I like it plain without anything in the batter or accompanying it. I modified it for my little ones by sprinkling powdered sugar on top and calling it a giant munchkin. They relished it and wanted me to make more. It is a great way to use over-ripe mushy bananas! Do give it a try. Here is the easy recipe:

Servings: 8-10

Prep time: 4-5 hours ( which includes the fermentation time)
Cook time: 20-30mins ( to roll and fry the entire batch)Total time: 4.5- 5.5 hours

Ingredients:

Overripe bananas: 2 medium sized ( 4, if small), peeled and mashed.
Yogurt ( curd): 1 cup
Sugar: 1 tbsp
Salt: 1/4 tsp
Baking soda: 1/4 tsp
All purpose flour/ maida: 2 cups
Besan ( chick pea flour): 1/4 cup
Oil for frying.

Method:

In a bowl , add the mashed bananas, yogurt, salt, sugar & baking soda and mix well. To this add the besan ( chick pea flour) and the maida ( all purpose flour) slowly and make a dough. The dough will be slightly shaggy. If you need, you can add slightly more maida and knead. There is no need to knead too much. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and keep aside for 3-4 hours. I like to make my dough at night and use it next morning for breakfast.

Pinch lemon-sized dough and make a ball. Dip it in maida and roll it into a thick poori. You can use a rolling pin or use your hands to shape the poori. Repeat this with all available dough.

Heat cooking oil in a kadai/ wok on medium flame. Once the oil is adequately hot, drop the rolled bun into the oil. Cook it on one side for 2-3 mins on low flame. Gently tap on it until it puffs up.  Flip it and cook the other side for 2 mins. It should turn a nice reddish brown.

 If you rush or fry on high flame, the out side will burn and the inside will remain uncooked. Therefore it is essential to make sure that the oil is hot but frying is done on medium-low flame.

Serve hot as is or with chutney/ sambar.

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

I find it easier to flatten and roll the dough in maida and then shape it using my hands. You want to ensure that the poori is thick and evenly flattened.

Tip for healthy living:

All fried food must be eaten in moderation. Try to pair it with something healthy so that the meal is balance and  complete and also there is no overindulgence.

Food for thought:

No one wants advice-only corroboration. John Steinbeck

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