Authentic Kodava cuisine retains the natural taste of its key ingredients - bamboo shoots for instance are allowed to sour in its own waters. Fat is also used sparingly, mostly to temper the food. According to Shanthala, seasons dictated what the Kodavas ate and when. Kitchens focused on food that produced thermal warmth during the cold and wet monsoon season. The preserved game meat was traditionally in wooden slatted frames placed horizontally over the cooking fire that didn't just keep the meat dry but also enhanced it with a wood-smoked flavour.

Another unique ingredient that you will find in most Kodava households is Kachampuli, their own version of a Balsamic vinegar (just much more tastier!) that is extracted from the ripe fruits of the Kodambuli fruit (the ripe fruits of the garcinia gummi gutta tree). These fruits are usually placed in baskets over large vessels to allow the juice to gently drip down (over a few days) as the fruit gradually becomes pulp. The extract thickens over time, this souring agent is typically used towards the end of the cooking process in many Kodava dishes (including the Pandi curry) and accentuates the flavours of the meat