A popular choice at bars, and home alike, our humble peanut makes for a great snack. With India being the second-largest producer of the nut, and Karnataka being one of the major contributors, it is only natural how frequently it features our dishes. Its rich nutty flavour, sweet taste, crunchy texture makes it a great snack.
Here are some of the most popular peanut dishes of Bengaluru.
Congress peanuts
Peanuts, split, de-skinned, roasted and tossed with a tangy spice mix, will give you the much-loved quintessential Bengaluru snack, ‘Congress kadlekai’. Srinivasa Brahmin Bakery at Gandhi Bazar is where one should head if they are looking for the real, old-school snack. The simple and yet delicious dish has gone through several transformations. The ‘Khara Bun Congress’, wherein a soft masala bun is slathered with oodles of butter and stuffed with Congress peanuts, being the most popular variation.
Masala peanuts
Best served with a pint of cold beer, this spicy, sour, salty, crunchy mix made with lime juice, red onion, chillies, and cilantro and peanuts is a bar snack unlike any other. Walk into any bar, or any self-respecting pub, order a plate, scoop handfuls into your palm, and enjoy.
Kadle mittai
Popular across the country as ‘chikki’, ‘kadle mittai’ is a favourite among kids and adults, alike. The nutty and crunchy peanut brittle is made by roasting the peanuts and mixing it together in a thick jaggery syrup and then cooling it. This dish available in every grocery store is a dessert and a snack all at the same time.
Holige
Known to many as ‘obbatta’ or ‘puran poli’, ‘holige’ is another popular street food in Bengaluru. The round flatbread is made by pressing flat balls of dough with a variety of filling inside including peanut and sesame and cooking it on a pan. Head on to Mane Holige in Basavanagudi to try some never-been-heard-before varieties of the dish.
Whole peanuts
It seems like a disservice to not mention this simple snack found at every nook and cranny in the city. The sound of the peanut wala’s cart is enough to get some mouths watering. Dry-roasted peanuts, heavily salted and munched on hot, is an unrivalled snacking experience.