Malvani cuisine comes from the Sindhudurg coast of southern Maharashtra, where fish curry and rice are eaten almost every day. The curry gets its flavour from Malvani masala, a powder of more than a dozen dried spices and red chillies, and from fresh coconut ground with a little roasted onion. Kokum provides sourness instead of tamarind.
The gravy is orange-red, medium-thick and coconut-rich, with a sharp tang from kokum and a deep spicy warmth from the masala. Firm fish such as surmai (kingfish), pomfret or bangda (mackerel) holds its shape and absorbs the flavours. Unlike Goan curries, it is not sour-sweet; the balance leans to heat and tang.
It is eaten with steamed rice or tandlachi bhakri, a soft rice-flour flatbread, with a glass of sol kadhi to finish. The curry tastes better a few hours after cooking, once the fish has soaked up the gravy. Mackerel and prawns are common, inexpensive alternatives to surmai in everyday cooking.
At a glance
| Region | Maharashtra |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | Malvani |
| Diet | Non-vegetarian |
| Course | Main course |
| Prep time | 25 minutes |
| Cook time | 25 minutes |
| Total time | 50 minutes |
| Serves | 4 |
| Spice level | Hot |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Gluten-free | Yes |
| Key ingredients | surmai / coconut / kokum / malvani masala |
Ingredients
For the fish
- 500 g surmai or pomfret, cut into thick steaks
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
For the masala paste
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 small onion, sliced
- 1 1/2 cups freshly grated coconut
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
- 2 tbsp Malvani masala
- 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
For the curry
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 4-5 kokum petals soaked in 1/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 cups water
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander
Method
- Marinate the fish in turmeric, salt and lemon juice for 15 minutes.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil and fry the sliced onion on medium for 5-6 minutes until brown. Add coconut and roast for 3-4 minutes until light golden. Add garlic, coriander seeds and peppercorns and roast 1 minute more.
- Cool, then grind with Malvani masala, chilli powder, turmeric and about 1/2 cup water to a smooth paste.
- Heat coconut oil in a wide pan on medium. Cook the chopped onion for 3-4 minutes until soft.
- Add the ground paste and fry for 4-5 minutes until oil starts separating. Add 1 1/2 cups water and salt and bring to a boil.
- Simmer for 5 minutes, then slide in the fish pieces in a single layer. Cook on low for 6-8 minutes without stirring, gently shaking the pan, until the fish is opaque and flakes at the thickest part.
- Add the kokum with its soaking water and simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, garnish with coriander and rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Tips
- Add kokum at the end; boiling it for long can make the curry bitter.
- Do not stir after adding fish; shake the pan to avoid breaking the pieces.
- If Malvani masala is unavailable, use a mix of 1 tbsp Kashmiri chilli, 1 tsp garam masala and 1/2 tsp roasted coriander powder.
Serve with
Steamed rice or tandlachi bhakri, with sol kadhi.