‘Coastal food culture is aligned with nature’

The food culture of coastal Karnataka is aligned with nature. The food that is consumed not only fills the belly but also acts as medicine, said B. Shivarama Shetty, retired professor of Mangalore University’s SVP Institute of Kannada Studies, at B.C. Road on Sunday.

In his keynote speech at the workshop on ‘Disappearing Tulu Nadu Food Culture’ at the Rani Abbakka Tulu Museum, Dr. Shetty said the food consumed in the coastal region changes with seasons and meets the needs of the body for that season. Food here is indigenous preventive medicine. The ‘Aati Kashaya’ consumed in the present rainy season has medicinal value, he said.

Writer Rajashri Perla said the food culture of residents of the plains in the coastal region was different from the culture of those residing close to the coast and those in the ghat areas. The traditional method of preparing dishes gave them a distinct taste that cannot be replicated using steel vessels or gas stoves, she said.

Popular food vlogger Sudarshan Bhat Bedradi from Kasaragod in Kerala said he has been creating videos on traditional coastal dishes and posting them on social media. “I show the traditional way of preparing dishes to the present generation, who is largely disconnected from these methods,” Mr. Bedradi said. In the present ‘Aati’ season, when it rains heavily, dishes are traditionally prepared using leaves, sprouts, cucumber, banana, and jackfruit seeds, he said.

Artiste Purushottam Adve, who comes from a family of cooks, said the new generation would get hooked on traditional coastal food if it learns about the health benefits of the dishes.

The workshop was conducted by the Rani Abbakka Tulu Adhyayana Kendra in association with the India Foundation for the Arts.