Ambode

Chana dal fritters Udupi style — chana dal soaked and ground coarsely with dried red chilli, green chilli, ginger, fresh curry leaves, dill or coriander, asafoetida, and fresh grated coconut, shaped into thick, flat rounds, and deep-fried in coconut oil until uniformly golden-brown and crisp throughout. Larger and thicker than the Tamil paruppu vadai; the Udupi ambode uses more coconut in the batter, giving the interior a slightly moister, coconut-flavoured centre unlike the dry, purely lentil-based Tamil version. The coarse grind is essential for the correct texture: a smooth batter produces chewy fritters. Eaten as a standalone snack with coconut chutney; served alongside thiffin items (idli, dosa, kadubu) at breakfast. A specific Udupi-Mangalore tiffin item; found at every Karnataka Brahmin breakfast spread.