Gudhudina Khaara Bajil is a labour of love. Hand-pounding the roasted spices gives this everyday Mangalorean breakfast a wonderful flavour. Thin poha, freshly grated coconut and a coarse spice mix come together in a breakfast I love serving with a banana on the side, especially the dwarf Kadoli bananas.
Like Mom and Amma, I roast a stash of Byadagi chillies in a little oil and keep them ready. My masala dabba also always has dry-roasted coriander and cumin seeds. With those spices prepared ahead, this becomes a no-cook breakfast, unless I decide to add the optional nesal or tadka.
A mortar and pestle is my favourite way to make the spice mix, but a spice grinder works too. Keep the mixture coarse and serve the bajil as soon as it is mixed.
Gudhudina Khaara Bajil
Ingredients
Bajil
- 2 cups thin poha
- 1 cup freshly grated coconut
Spice mix
- ½ cup jaggery
- 5–6 Byadagi chillies
- 1½ tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ¼ tsp turmeric (haldi)
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp oil, for roasting the chillies
Optional nesal/tadka
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp urad dal
- 1 Byadagi chilli
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- Oil, for tempering (quantity not specified in the caption)
Instructions
Method
- Dry-roast the coriander and cumin seeds. Skip this step if using spices that have already been roasted.
- Roast the Byadagi chillies in 1 tsp oil. Skip this step if using chillies that have already been roasted in oil.
- Hand-pound the roasted spices in a mortar and pestle, or use a spice grinder. Add the jaggery, turmeric and salt, then pound further to make a coarse mixture.
- Add around 2 tbsp of the spice mix to the thin poha. Add the freshly grated coconut and mix well by hand. Add more spice mix and coconut if desired.
- For the optional tempering, heat oil in a small pan. Add the mustard seeds, urad dal, Byadagi chilli and curry leaves. Pour the tempering over the poha mixture.
- Serve immediately after mixing, with a banana on the side if desired.
Notes
- Use thin poha, as specified in the original recipe. No soaking or rinsing step appears in the caption.
- The recipe makes a spice mix; start with around 2 tbsp in the bajil and adjust to preference. Do not assume the full spice mixture must be added.
- The nesal or tadka is optional.
- With roasted spices ready, the bajil can be mixed without cooking when the tempering is omitted.
A bonus use for the spice mix
I also like saving the spice mix for a quick, homestyle charmuri. Mix it with roasted murmura, extra jaggery, warm coconut oil and plenty of chopped sweet raw onions.
