I have just started this journey from a country that I consider my own, a country that is rarely on my itinerary and that I have rarely explored – Maharashtra. Of course, I don’t need to tell you that the object of this quest is the food as much as the quest. Most people, friends, colleagues, I know who live in Mumbai has always been a place of origin. During vacations, some of my friends regularly visited their native places in big cities, small towns, even districts and villages spread across our vast country. But for me, I am from Mumbai, and there is not a single place in the backcountry that can prove me. For me, it’s all here in Mumbai, all the previous generations. So, I decided that I would embrace the whole of Maharashtra and seek kinship.
It so happened that Maharashtra Tourism sent me on a mission to know the state and its food better. I start from where I first landed. Kolhapur, which is half way from Mumbai to Goa. Although the city of Kolhapur figures prominently in Hindu mythology, and has been ruled by several dynasties, Kolhapur, as we know it today, was founded by Tarabai, the widow of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s son Rajaram and the mother of the first ruler, Shivaji II. Was.
Kolhapur is the land of warriors and its people have long been known for their valour, virility and courage which is reflected in their tough, strong and hot blooded cuisine. Don’t get me wrong, the dish is not as spicy as it is made out to be and certainly not as spicy as the cuisine from the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra says. Kolhapuri food is rich in aromatic spices, rich in good quality meat and bold and spicy, thanks to the home-grown ‘laung mirchi’ (clove pepper). Along with Sankeshwari Chilli, this typical Kolhapur Chilli Powder and the delicious and aromatic Kolhapuri Masala (a combination of dry red chillies, dry coconut and whole spices) are used to heat up the local cuisine.
When you talk about Kolhapuri food, it is impossible to start a conversation without mentioning Tambda-Pandhra. These are the two types of gravies or ‘ras’, ‘tambda’ meaning red and ‘pandhara’ meaning white, without which a Kolhapuri meal is never complete. Both tambda and pandhara rasa are soup-like and are served together in a plate. Pandhar Rasa is made with thick mutton stock, dried coconut, fresh coconut milk and poppy seeds with ginger, garlic, coriander and hot spices. Red chillies are added to tambda rassa, giving it a fiery red appearance with a thin layer of oil, or ‘kaat’. Both these wonderful soups are eaten with a spicy gravy ‘mutton loncha’ or mutton pickle, which is one of my favorite Kolhapuri food items. So, here are my absolute favorite Kolhapuri dishes beyond Tambda and Pandharan Rassa.
Mutton lonche or mutton pickle, as the name suggests, is a dried mutton preparation. There are two types of mutton pickles, one which is served cold and can be kept in the fridge for a long time, the other hot ‘mutton sukka’ type recipe. Both consist of mutton fried with coconut, sesame seeds and spices. It turns out to be spicy and tangy and tastes wonderful with Pandhar Rasa and chapatti or rice.
Mutton fries are pieces of mutton which are first cooked and then marinated in spices and then deep fried. The tender spiced mutton turns smoky and crispy, and I love having it with tambda rassa and chapatis.
Golyachi Biryani is made from small balls of ‘keema’. This biryani is usually white in color and has a mild spice. Minced mutton is made into small balls, shaped like marbles, and served with fragrant rice.
Kolhapur Bhakarwadi is one of my favorite namkeen snacks. Unlike its Pune counterpart, Kolhapuri Bhakarwadi is usually eaten immediately. That’s because it consists of a stuffing of dried coconut, fresh coriander, poppy seeds and spices, which is wrapped in a roll made of gram flour, steamed, sliced and then deep fried. The end result is a crispy, flaky, spicy bite stuffed with a crunchy, soft and spicy filling.
Kolhapuri misal means mixture in itself. Whoever decided to pair fried farsan and chivda with a spicy usal or curry of moong and chana is a bona fide genius. Unlike Puneri Misal, or Dahi Misal, Kolhapuri Misal is quite different. The curry or ‘usal’ itself is made from sprouted ‘matki’ and pieces of potato, and is mildly spicy. It is poured over a mixture of crispy ‘farsan’ and then topped with a hot, thin, red oily gravy called ‘kaat’, similar to ‘tari’. (Kat is so popular that this spicy soup is also served with ‘Batata Vada’ and is called ‘Kat-Vada’) The misal is finally garnished with grated coconut, chopped onions, coriander and thick curd goes. Unlike other misal pav, Kolhapui Misal is served with a slice of bread.
You have to visit Kolhapur to understand the depth of that food and finally realize that the Kolhapuri chicken available in your neighborhood Indian restaurant has nothing to do with Kolhapur, nor Maharashtra.
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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