Mangalore buns is one of coastal Karnataka's most beloved breakfast and evening snack treats. Soft, slightly sweet, deep fried banana buns made with ripe bananas, all purpose flour, curd and a pinch of jeera. Let's see how to make Mangalore buns with step by step pictures.
Mangalore buns are a staple of Udupi and Mangalorean homes for generations, served at breakfast or as an evening snack with hot cup of tea.
Check out my Mango poori recipe and Masala puri recipe in this website.
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What are Mangalore buns?
Mangalore buns are a traditional deep fried bread from the coastal Karnataka region of South India, specifically from the city of Mangalore and surrounding Tulu Nadu region. Despite the name, they are no buns in the Western bakery sense. They are actually a type of sweet poori. Deep fried rounds of banana dough that puffs up in hot oil and have a soft, pillowy, bun-like texture inside.
Known by different names as Banana buns, Banana poori or puri, this humble recipe is also a popular street food.
About this recipe
Though Mangalore buns are the first thing I wanted to try, somehow tried mango poori first. This is the first time I am trying these too. I have seen in Instagram many photos sharing the texture of these banana poori, which helped me to understand the texture. Wish I could once taste it in the restaurants when I go to India.
This goes well with Coconut chutney and sambar. If you want to make in the morning, you can prepare the dough night and keep it overnight for fermentation. If you want you can replace half the amount with wheat flour too.
Read : South Indian soft idli recipe
Step by step photos
1. To start with, take 2 overripe bananas and mash them in a large bowl. I used a whisk, you can also use a fork or give it a run in mixie.
2. To the mashed banana in the bow, add curd, cooking soda, sugar, salt, cumin seeds to it. Mix well until combined.
3. Top it with maida (all purpose flour) and knead to smooth dough. No water. Add enough flour as needed. I used my bread machine to knead, but you can do with hands.
4. Oil the surface of the dough. Keep aside for fermentation 8 hours or over night.
5. After fermentation, grease your hands or sprinkle some flour. give it a knead again, Divide into equal sized balls.
6. Dust well and roll out to thick puri.
7. Heat oil and deep fry the puris. Once you slide to hot oil, put the flame to medium.
8. Keep it immersed by gently using the ladle. This way it puffs up and rises up.
9. Flip and cook the same way to perfect puffing. Drain in paper towels and repeat to finish all banana poori.
Serve with chutney sambar as side dish. Look at the bun like texture inside.
Top tips
- Use overripe bananas for best results.
- Do not add water in the dough. The banana and curd provide all the moisture needed.
- Roll thicker than regular poori.
- Fry only one at a time.
- Pressing the bun down lightly in the oil is the trick to get that beautiful even puff and texture inside.
My notes
I used my bread machine to knead the dough, it makes the process effortless. Hand kneading works perfectly well too. Just knead for about 5 minutes until you have a smooth dough.
You can try adding a tablespoon of ghee or tablespoon of butter to the dough and knead. It adds a beautiful richness and makes the inside even softer. Some coastal Karnataka recipes include this and it is worth trying at least once.
Substitutions & Variations
All purpose flour - You can replace half the maida with whole wheat flour for a slightly denser version.
Curd - For vegan version, use any vegan yogurt in the same quantity.
Sugar - Adjust based on how sweet your bananas are. You can also use jaggery powder, but taste will be different.
Serving suggestions
Mangalore buns are traditionally served as breakfast dish or evening snack with Coconut chutney, Sambar, just as such with tea/ coffee.
Storage
The dough can be refrigerated for 1 day. Oil the surface, cling wrap it and store in an airtight container. Bring to room temperature while rolling and frying. There may be a slight darkening in the colour of the dough.
Recipe card
Mangalore Buns Recipe, Banana poori
Ingredients
- 1 Ripe banana medium sized
- 1 & ½ cup Maida/ all purpose flour plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoon Curd/ plain yogurt
- ¼ teaspoon cooking soda
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- Oil to deep fry
Instructions
- First mash the banana. I used some over ripen banana I had. Use a whisk to mash it.
- Add curd, cooking soda, sugar, salt, cumin seeds to it. Mix well
- Top it with maida and knead to smooth dough. No water Add enough flour as needed. I used my bread machine to knead, but you can do with hands.
- Oil the surface of the dough. Keep aside for 8 hours or over night.
- After fermentation, grease your hands or sprinkle some flour. give it a knead again, Divide into equal sized balls.
- Dust well and roll out to thick puri.
- Heat oil and deep fry the puris. Once you slide to hot oil, put the flame to medium.
- Keep it immersed by gently using the ladle. This way it puffs up and rises up.
- Flip and cook the same way to perfect puffing. Drain in paper towels and repeat to finish all banana poori.
Notes
- You can follow the same and skip fermenting, make regular poori too. But texture and taste comes only if fermented and matches the traditional ones.
- These puris are neither too sweet not like regular salt puri too. It's in between.
- Banana tends to make the dough dark as it ferments, so its normal to see a darker dough.
Padmini Pappu says
Hi Raks,
I made this recipe this morning for breakfast. We all loved it.
The recipe is so easy to follow. Thank you so much!
The mangalore buns were yummy!
Raks Anand says
Thanks a lot 🙂
Geraldine Dmello says
Do we keep it outside for fermentation overnight OR keep it in the fridge ????
Raks Anand says
Outside.
Anuya says
I tried this recipe and the Buns came out perfect at my 1st attempt!! Thank you for this recipe.
Raks Anand says
Thank you for your feedback
Sushma Moli says
Very tasty … Thank you for recipe
Raks Anand says
Thanks a lot
Manasvi says
very nice... but didnt puff up a lot
Raks Anand says
Thank you for your feedback. You can experiment with thickness and make sure oil is really hot, pour hot oil over the bun when it is on top. Hope this will help you next time.
Rena says
Hi, can we fry it in air fryer or is it a must to fry in oil?
Also, can use wheat flour instead of maida?
Raks Anand says
You can use wheat flour but so far I have not tried in Air fryer. It should work, I can suggest you to to try 400 F/204 C 5-6 minutes. Place in already preheated air fryer. The timing may vary depending on the make and model of yours. So you have to test it 🙂 Hope this helps dear.
Haniya says
This is so easy and yummy. Had a ripe banana which no body wanted to eat so made this. Had to use a way more of flour than what’s mentioned in the recipe as the dough was too sticky. Couldn’t wait for fermentation so just kept it aside for an hour or so. Puffed up beautifully and was devoured in minutes.