Assamese cuisine The 'poitabhat' preparation is sometimes made alcoholic according to preference. Side dishes called "pitika - পিটিকা" (mashes) is a signature characteristic of this cuisine. The most popular is "aloo pitika - আলু পিটিকা" (mashed potatoes) garnished with raw onions, mustard oil, green chillies and sometimes boiled eggs. "Khorisa tenga" is mashed fermented bamboo shoot, sometimes pickled in mustard oil and spices. "Kharoli" is fermented mashed mustard ("Brassica campestris" var. toria) seed to which a "khar" has been added, and "kahudi" to which an acidic agent (lemon juice, dried mangosteen) has been added. "Pitika"s are also made from roasted or steamed
South Indian cuisine mildest in terms of spice content among the cuisines of the five south Indian states, the traditional cuisine of Karnataka is known for its generous use of jaggery, palm sugar and limited use of chili powder; however, Northern Karnataka cuisine, which can be extremely hot in taste, is an exception. Since the percentage of vegetarians in Karnataka is higher than that of other southern states, vegetarian food enjoys widespread popularity. In North Karnataka, the staple grains are sorghum and pearl millet, along with rice. Rotis made out of these two grains, along with side dishes made of eggplant, fresh spiced