Mangalorean Food in Singapore
Coastal Spice and the Taste of Kudla
Ghee Roast. Rava-fried fish. Coconut-spiced curries. Mangalorean cooking is one of India's great coastal cuisines, and it is rarely done justice outside Karnataka.
Kori Rotti — a dish almost no one else in Singapore serves
Mangalore, known locally as Kudla, sits at the junction of the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea. The food it produces is unlike anything else in Indian cooking: rich with coconut, tangy with tamarind, deep with the heat of Byadagi chillies, and generous with ghee.
At HeritageOne, the Mangalorean section of the menu centres on the dishes that define the cuisine. Ghee Roast made with the correct chilli variety and slow-cooked method. Rava-fried fish with fresh coastal marinade. Pomfret prepared the way it is served along the Mangalorean coast.
These are dishes worth seeking out. Singapore has very few places that cook them with the right ingredients and the right patience.
What Makes Mangalorean Cuisine Distinct
Mangalorean cooking is a coastal cuisine shaped by geography and trade. The Western Ghats provided spices: pepper, cardamom, and cinnamon. The sea provided the protein. Coconut grows abundantly and appears in nearly every preparation, fresh or dried. Byadagi chillies, grown in the Karnataka interior, give the cuisine its characteristic deep red colour and medium heat.
The Ghee Roast technique, which originated in Kundapur near Mangalore, became one of the most widely replicated preparations in South Indian restaurant cooking. The original involves reducing a paste of dried chillies, garlic, and tamarind with ghee over low heat until the oil separates and the protein is coated in a dark, sticky masala. At HeritageOne, the method is followed as it was intended — low heat, long reduction, finished properly with ghee.
Mangalorean Dishes at HeritageOne
Chicken / Prawn Ghee Roast
The signature preparation of Mangalorean cooking. Chicken or prawns slow-cooked in a paste of Byadagi chillies, garlic, and tamarind, finished with generous ghee until the oil separates and the masala concentrates into a deep, dark coating. Semi-dry, intensely flavoured, and visually striking. Originated in Kundapur near Mangalore. The most searched Mangalorean dish globally, and one of our best-ordered preparations. Best paired with neer dosa.
Neer Dosa
Neer dosa means "water dosa" in Tulu. Made from a thin rice batter with almost no fermentation, the result is a soft, delicate crepe that tears easily and absorbs whatever it is paired with. The most widely recognised dosa from the Mangalorean tradition. At HeritageOne it is served with chicken curry, fish curry, or vegetable accompaniments and works especially well alongside Ghee Roast.
Kori Rotti
One of the most iconic Mangalorean dishes and one of the rarest in Singapore. Kori means chicken in Tulu, Rotti refers to a thin, crisp wafer made from rice. A coconut-based chicken curry is ladled generously over the rotti at the table, softening it as you eat. The contrast between the initially crisp rotti and the rich, spiced curry is what makes this dish unlike anything else. HeritageOne is among the very few places in Singapore that serve it.
Kaane Lady Fish Rava Fry
Kaane is the Tulu name for lady fish, a slender coastal fish with delicate, sweet flesh. The Rava Fry technique is distinctly Mangalorean: the fish is marinated in a spiced red chilli paste, coated in coarse semolina, and pan-fried until golden and crisp while the inside stays moist. A preparation that requires fresh fish and the right technique to get right.
Mangalore Mutton Urval
A dry mutton preparation from the Mangalorean tradition. Mutton pieces slow-cooked with coconut, dried red chillies, and a Mangalorean spice base until the gravy dries out and the masala coats the meat. A less well-known preparation than Ghee Roast, but a favourite among diners who know the cuisine. Rich, layered, and worth the order.
coming soon
Manji Gold Pomfret
Manji is the Tulu word for pomfret. Gold pomfret is a prized coastal fish with firm, flavourful flesh. At HeritageOne it is prepared in traditional Mangalorean style — tawa fry, rava fry, masala fry, or pulimunchi (a tangy tamarind-based curry). A fish preparation that is genuinely rare in Singapore. Best appreciated by diners who want something beyond the standard seafood options.
Where to Find Mangalorean Food in Singapore
HeritageOne is at 35 Norris Road, Little India, Singapore 208277.
The closest MRT is Jalan Besar (DT22), approximately a 7-minute walk. Little India MRT (NE7) is around 9 minutes on foot, and Farrer Park (NE8) is around 12 minutes. Street parking is available along Norris Road.
Open daily, 11:30am to 11:30pm.
Ready to try it?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Mangalorean cuisine?
Mangalorean cuisine comes from the coastal city of Mangalore (Kudla) in Karnataka, India. It is defined by the use of coconut, Byadagi chillies, tamarind, and fresh seafood. Ghee Roast is its most internationally recognised dish.
What is Chicken Ghee Roast?
Chicken slow-cooked in a paste of Byadagi chillies, garlic, and tamarind, finished with ghee until the masala concentrates and coats the chicken. It originated in Kundapur near Mangalore. Semi-dry, intensely flavoured, and one of the most sought-after regional dishes in Indian cooking.
Where can I eat Mangalorean food in Singapore?
HeritageOne at 35 Norris Road, Little India serves Mangalorean dishes including Chicken Ghee Roast, Prawn Ghee Roast, Kaane Rava Fry, and Manji White Pomfret. Open daily from 11:30am to 11:30pm.
What is Kaane Rava Fry?
Kaane is the Tulu name for lady fish, a slender coastal fish with delicate, sweet flesh. Rava Fry is the Mangalorean technique of marinating fish in spiced red chilli paste, coating in semolina, and pan-frying until crisp outside and moist inside. A signature preparation of the Mangalorean coast.
Is Mangalorean food very spicy?
Mangalorean food uses Byadagi chillies which give deep colour and moderate heat rather than fierce burn. Ghee Roast has a tangy, spiced flavour rather than raw chilli heat. Overall the cuisine is bold but not overwhelming for most diners.