As some of you may have noticed, I am back from a whirlwind eating jamboree in Maharashtra. I cruised through the Konkan coast, eating my heart out, enjoying seafood at Malvan and Vengurla. I was also in Nashik, in northern Maharashtra, and then Nagpur and later Amravati eating bold strong food, all from the same state but different from each other.
But I am from Mumbai, and there are some lesser known dishes that originated from these old islands which are very different from the dishes that Maharashtra is so famous for. It was called as the food of those ethnic communities of Mumbai or Bombay.
Certainly, the East Indian Christian community, large landowners of many villages in Bandra, were originally residents of the basin, or as we know it now, Vasai. They have their own distinct cuisine. The Kolis, a traditional fishing community, have lived along the coast of Mumbai for centuries and are known for their unique culture, food and way of life. The Pathare Prabhus community of Marathi speaking people is again mainly based in Mumbai, known for its wealth, rich cultural heritage and exceptional cuisine. The Chandrasenia Kayastha Prabhu (CKP) is known for its emphasis on seafood, and the Somavanshiya Kshatriya Pathare (SKP), the latter of which is less well known or popular.
As I said, the Somvanshiya Kshatriya Pathares (SKP) are the natives of Mumbai, and you may recognize some of their surnames like Worlikar, Dadarkar, Vasaikar, Thanekar, Parelkar and even Goregaonkar, as they are named after the people of Mumbai. The different parts are named after them. City. Somvanshiya Kshatriya Pathare (SKP) is also known as Pachkalashi and has a unique cuisine, which is so Maharashtrian, but unlike Malvani, Varhadi, or Kolhapuri food. It is a simple, tasty and nutritious dish that often requires lots of tomatoes and onions, along with tamarind and uses very little oil. SKP cuisine rarely calls for the sustainable use of coconut, unlike Malvani and Saraswat cooking where it is used selectively in curries (also known as kalvan). The main flavour, character and identity comes from their own spice blend called Pachkalashi Masala.
The cuisine is a mix of meat, fish and vegetables with a bias towards seafood and fish. Interestingly, the community also has a soft corner for raita and koshimbir (salads), which play an important role in this dish and are eaten with almost every meal, not only to complement but also as a part of the main course. Also to balance the spices.
For example, surancha raita is a type of salad made from suran (yam) cut into small cubes and deep fried. Then add lemon juice and garnish with finely chopped onions, grated coconut and green coriander. When in season, this community delights in the slightly complex Ambicha Raita (Mango Raita). Mango pulp is heated in a heavy bottomed vessel, freshly cut mangoes and a finely ground paste of coconut and mustard seeds are added to it. It is cooked on a low flame and then boiled with jaggery, salt and sugar.
SKPs also like dried fish and prawns. And this umami-filled ingredient is used in many of their dishes, especially koshimbir (salads) and chutneys. Like Sukat Chutney, which is made with dried shrimp, coconut, and spices, or Bombil Pickle, which is made with dried Bombay duck. But my favorite is Javaliachi Koshimbir. Jhawala is very small dried prawns, which are fried on a pan without oil till crisp. The prawns are tossed with grated coconut, chopped onions and red chilli powder, and garnished with coriander.
I was in Alibaug a few days ago with some friends, and after ordering from some of the more famous Malvani restaurants and takeaways in the town, I decided I needed some home-style Maharashtrian food and decided to order from a place called Paisley Kitchen. decided. A purebred SKP run by a wonderful lady named Naina Goregaonkar, Naina comes from a very old family in Mumbai. The Goregaonkar family once owned and operated a Bombay shack called Sea View on Juhu Beach and also an open-air restaurant. I have many childhood memories of the Goan food served there. He is also the owner of Prabhat Poultry, one of the oldest cold storage shops in Shivaji Park. Naina sent me a tiffin box full of simple home made SKP food. Chicken Sukka (chicken cooked in onions and tomatoes, with spices and tons of coriander) Chicken Kalwan (medium pieces of chicken in a thin gravy, heavily flavored with garlic and spices), fried prawns and pomfret, marinated in pachakalashi spices, prawns Pulao or (Kolambichi Khichadi) Deliciously flavored masala rice with medium sized prawns. It was served with boiled rice, bhakri and rice flour crepes, similar to amboli or neer dosa called ghawane.
Having lived in Mumbai my whole life, a city that is such a melting pot of people and cuisines, I tend to neglect the food inherent to the city. The way to preserve a traditional dish is to share it with others and talk about it, and to actually cook and eat it. This is the only way, we can preserve this culinary connection from the past.
Kunal Vijaykar is a food writer based in Mumbai. He tweets @kunalvijayakar and can be followed on Instagram @kunalvijayakar. The name of his YouTube channel is Khaane Mein Kya Hai. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not represent the stand of this publication.
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