While the masala dosa is arguably Karnataka’s most famous export, this region is known to have some of the most diverse cuisine in the country, a result of its multicultural heritage. From lightly spiced rice dishes and seafood to fiery meat curries and vegetable stir-fries, the avid food-lover will find it all a tantalising culinary adventure.

Karnataka is famed for its Udupi cuisine and dishes like plain and ravaidli, Mysore masala dosa and maddurvada are popular in south Karnataka. While the street food is delicious and can fill a recipe book on its own, Karnataka also has plenty of fresh, natural produce and traditional recipes invariably incorporate local ingredients like coconuts, fresh fish and vegetables. These recipes are prized by families and handed down from generation to generation, ensuring that even youngsters moving overseas carry treasured family favourites with them. Coorg is famous for its delicious varieties of spicy pork curries, while coastal Karnataka boasts of mouth-watering seafood specialities. A lot of these recipes are centred around religious festivals and celebrations, but are now so beloved that restaurants have created variations to suit modern palates and it isn’t unusual today to find establishments serving Udupi and Mangalorian cuisine in many parts of the world.