Dig into Hampi's local delicacy–Ragi Mudde

Granite boulder hills, mostly simple and a few ornamented temples, harmonious combinations of Indo-Islamic architecture, fluorescent green grass, thickets of trees, open skies and peace… I soak it all in on my three-day trip to Hampi. In fact, I allow myself to be engulfed in its calm, such that, by the last day, the shadows beneath my eyes disappear and my sunken eyes are no more sunken. The only thing to check off my to-do list now is a local meal. The staff at the hotel I'm staying at, tells me about ragi mudde, but don't know where to find it. But my guide, Gopal–I discover, after hours of walking, exploring and talking–is from Hampi! So I cross my fingers as I ask him whether he knows a place that serves it. He answers with a smile and takes me to a little open-air restaurant, Tamarind Tree Food Point, near Mallyavantha Hill. On our way, he warns me, "Ragi mudde is very heavy." It's also one of the reasons for its decreasing appeal among locals, who now live a modern, sedentary life compared to the physically-demanding one of pastoral days, when one needed meals that filled one up for the whole day.

Ragi mudde isn’t on the menu, but the waiter takes our order without hesitation. As I wait for it to arrive, watching other tourists relish their South Indian thalis, makes my mouth water. Alas, my food arrives too and to make me happy, on a banana leaf too! A round lump (mudde) of ragi and some rice (blended and cooked together in boiling water) sits next to a soulful banana flower curry. The combination works great, as the bland mudde, flavoured with salt alone, makes me crave some spice, which the thick, yellow curry generously offers with its seasoning of salt, black pepper (or red chilli powder), dhania powder and garam masala. These masalas are sprinkled once the chopped and fried banana flowers are added to a well-cooked and -blended gravy of onions, tomatoes, garlic and ginger. I find it difficult to complete the deceptively small-looking serving, but knowing I won’t return anytime soon, I don't leave a morsel behind.

Later, a conversation with the owner, Kalidas Shetty reveals that traditionally ragi mudde is eaten with a spicy chutney, curd and chicken curry. Usually only locals ask for it because others don't know of it. "Foreigners are put off by its brown colour," he says. While you may not find it in big restaurants, it's still served in small local eateries, where workers head for their meals. “About 20 years ago, it was a staple food, but now is eaten largely in Mandya, Mysore and north Karnataka. Modern offerings and lack of knowledge about its health benefits are reasons for its decline,” informs Kalidas.