Foodie's Paradise: Jolada Rotti Oota

I had been dreaming of authentic Jolada Rotti Oota ever since I left Dharwad after graduation. And then comes my dear friend Arun who not only shares delicious picture of Jolada Rotti Oota at Kamat’s but also with a description that almost made me chase him and commit murder!!! What a show off!!!

Well, I would have done so If I had missed eating it to my heart’s content this time when we visited India. It was the last day of our trip and we were in Bengaluru, at my sister’s new home and feeling kind of miserable for our short trip getting over so soon. To cheer us up my sister and her hubby decided to take us for homely food and no prizes for guessing what we had!!! Yes, Jolada Rotti Oota on a green plantain leaf at Pai’s. Boy!!! I was shaking with happiness. It was the best meal, apart from home meals, I have ever had. Thankfully we had our camera with us and I could quickly click few pictures before dropping the camera to attack the food. Sorry if you find the images to be little blur and grainy. I could hardly resist myself from attacking the food than sitting there and clicking while everyone in my table was already busy stuffing their mouth.

The waiters came one by one, as if they were the performers on stage and wanted to impress you with their performance. It seemed like as though they were in a decorating spree of big banana leaf in front of you like an artist’s colour palette. First a pinch of salt on top left corner and then some pickle. Then came raw onions, a sliver of lime followed by hot Chilli-Garlic Chutney, which needs to be mixed with Curd Rice in order to withstand the spice. The series of colours on artist’s palette look-a-like banana leaf continues with the dollop of butter which is meant to be spread on hot Jolada Rotti, Spicy Peanut Chuteny and Green Chillies. Then comes the Pachadi- a raita made of cucumber, onion and tomato in thin curds, Roasted Papad, bowl of thick Curds/Yogurt and Spiced Buttermilk. And how can I forget to mention the Spicy yet delicious Mirchi Bhajji, where green chilli is dipped in spiced gram flour batter and deep fried and also slightly spicied cake made of some kind of flour which was utterly delicious (Sorry, I cant recall the name. I'll be gratefull if you can tell me what it is called and what it is made of. Tell me the recipe and make me your slave;).

Then comes the main dishes. Soppina Palya, a lentil dish cooked with greens like Menthe (Methi/Fenugreek Leaves) or Palak (Spinach) is the standard dish. Kaalina Palya, curry made with pulses and Peanut decorates right top end of the leaf. Then comes the highlight of Jolada Rotti Oota, the Ennegai/Yennegai which is a curry made of small, tender Brinjals/Eggplants cooked in a thick and mouth wateringly delicious gravy of onion, coconut and spices. The Jolada Rotti still hot and right out of Tawa was served.


As if by magic, the waiters come just when you finish the Rotti and serve you another fresh, hot rotti from tawa. This surprisingly soft and fluffy rotties with butter are dipped in different curries and enjoyed. The meals here are all-you-can-eat type where you can eat how many ever rotties with countless number of servings of your choice of curries till you get exhausted of eating and literally beg them to stop serving. With great difficulty I managed to eat 3 Rotties and the waiters seemed little upset with that!!! They insisted on serving another Rotti!!! Can you believe that? Which restaurant here would be willing to do that for you?

And yet the meal was not over as the next stage was with Rice. Along came Rasam, Dal and Sambar (Sorry no pictures!). The Rasam was unbelievably delicious and the Sambar was just out of this world!! Oh yes, I am a foodie through and through and in spite of my tummy about to burst I managed to eat two spoons each of Rasam and Sambar Rice.

And man, just when I was about to burst they came and served this cant-afford-to-miss Gulab Jamun, sweet made using Khova and dipped in sugar syrup and Basundi, north Karnataka’s special sweet made using milk and saffron. Oh!!! I just died and reached heaven!


The whole meal was just wonderful treat as the oil was used sparingly in almost all the items and the flavours were rustic, home like and just unforgettable. The meal ends with a banana and Paan (Beetle leaves stuffed with sweet and mouth fresher ingredients). The standard meals costs around Rs. 60/- (£0.75) and the special meals (with sweets) is priced at around Rs. 100/- (£1.20). Now that’s one place which is not just affordable but is also serves you authentic food and healthy as the whole meal goes easy on the use of oil. What more foodie can ask for!!!

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Notes:

My humble Jolada Rotti Oota.
Kamat's Yatri Nivas, Bengaluru: Lunch on a Banana Leaf by Arun.

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And before I forget, dear Swati sent me across “You Make My Day” award. Thanks my dear. For me each and every readers of Monsoon Spice make my day with your witty comments and feedbacks. Thank YOU dear readers. You truly make my each and every day :)

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Update:

That spiced cake is called Koordha Hittina Pallya and is traditinally made by grinding green chillies unlike the ones showed here in picture which has red chilli powder in it. Thank you Komal for this piece of information. Now I am keeping my fingers crossed for her to mail me the recipe which she says quite simple to make.

For all the foodies interested in having Jolada Rotti Oota in Bangalore, here is the address

Pai Refreshment
Sangeeth Lodge
Seshadri Road, Anand Rao Circle
Gandhi Nagar
Bangalore - 560009
Landmark: Near Kapali Theatre
Phone: 080-22286750

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