I would respect any restaurant that takes brinjal seriously — it is a vegetable that many love to hate, but is a personal favourite with me. At Nalapaka, a vegetarian restaurant serving north Karnataka food in Rajajinagar, brinjal is a daily staple.
The versatile vegetable takes the form of ‘ennegai' (fried in oil and boiled in a tamarind mix) or ‘kothsu' (cooked with dal and spices) or a spicy fry, and makes its way into the filling lunch meal.
Mother's recipes
“Sometimes, it is prepared in the morning and served with sambar as a side dish for breakfast as well,” says Sanjiv M. Salimath, proprietor of the restaurant, delighted at having found someone with a particular interest in the vegetable. He started the restaurant eight years ago, when his mother lamented that traditional recipes that balanced nutrients with spices in just the right quantities, to suit climactic conditions of a region and one's lifestyle, are fading. The family hails from Bagalkot and all the recipes used in the restaurant are either Sanjiv's wife's or mother's.
“It is not true that fast-food is necessarily unhealthy,” Sanjiv argues. His point is made by the pace at which his staff serve tables, and the relish with which his customers polish off their food.
Meal on the leaf
On a wide plantain leaf, a salad of cucumber and onions is served first followed by the brinjal of the day. Sprouted pulses and another spiced vegetable join the brinjal, to await the restaurant speciality — jowar roti (sorghum bread). The coarse, dry and dark coloured jowar rotis are unique to Uttara Kannada cuisine, and are made fluffy and fresh at Nalapaka.
Served with stuffed chilli (the Simla mirch variety) and a generous dollop of butter, the jowar rotis are sufficient for a fulfilling meal, along with all the vegetables and pulses.
All the masala and powders used in the restaurant's recipes are prepared within its kitchens, supervised by Sanjiv's wife.
Even after you've had three of four jowar rotis, the restaurant would tempt you further with ‘chithranna' and plain rice with sambar, rasam and curd. But, my advice is, stick to the jowar roti, and ask for more servings of the chilli and the brinjal, for they are those rare healthy preparations that manage to be tasty and light too.
Thick curds and cool buttermilk are served in little cups, and are absolutely necessary after the spicy meal. The whole meal including a serving of ‘payasam' and betel leaf comes to Rs. 95.
Breakfast and dinner include rava idly, akki roti, bun mirchi, butter dosa, holige and much more, apart from mixed rice items such as vangi bath, bisibele bath and green peas bath.
Hotel Nalapaka is located at 28, 12th Main, 1st Block, Rajajinagar. Phone: 23523108.
