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  • Sorpotel

    Sorpotel is a rich, spicy Goan pork dish made for Christmas, weddings and feasts. It came from Portuguese sarapatel, a stew of offal, and Goan cooks made it their own with local chillies, spices and toddy vinegar. Traditional sorpotel uses pork meat, fat and liver, and sometimes heart and blood, boiled, diced small and cooked in a vinegar masala.

    The flavour is deeply savoury, tangy and spicy, with a rich, slightly gamey depth from the liver. The gravy is thick, dark red and coats every small piece of meat. Like vindaloo, sorpotel is cooked ahead, and families reheat it daily for several days, which concentrates the flavour. The texture is soft and rich.

    It is served with sannas, the soft steamed rice cakes of Goa, or with pao. A plate of sorpotel and sannas is the centrepiece of many Goan Christmas lunches. Many Goans believe sorpotel is best on the third day, and families plan their festive cooking around that. It also freezes well for later meals.

    At a glance

    RegionGoa
    CuisineGoan
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time40 minutes
    Cook time90 minutes
    Total time130 minutes
    Serves8
    Spice levelHot
    DifficultyHard
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientspork / pork liver / kashmiri chillies / vinegar

    Ingredients

    For boiling

    • 1 kg pork with fat (shoulder or belly)
    • 250 g pork liver
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • Water to cover

    For the masala

    • 20 dried Kashmiri chillies
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1 tsp black peppercorns
    • 8 cloves
    • 2 inch cinnamon
    • 1 tsp turmeric
    • 20 garlic cloves
    • 2 inch ginger
    • 3/4 cup coconut or palm vinegar

    For cooking

    • 3 tbsp oil or pork fat
    • 3 onions, finely chopped
    • 4 green chillies, slit
    • 1 tbsp sugar
    • Salt to taste

    Method

    1. Put the pork and liver in a pot with salt, turmeric and water to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20-25 minutes until just cooked.
    2. Remove the meat, cool and dice into very small, 1/2 inch cubes. Keep the stock.
    3. Soak the chillies in the vinegar for 30 minutes and grind with the other masala ingredients to a smooth paste.
    4. Heat oil in a heavy pot on medium. Fry the diced pork fat pieces first for 5 minutes to render fat, then add the onions and green chillies and cook for 10 minutes until golden.
    5. Add the masala paste and fry for 8-10 minutes until it darkens and oil separates.
    6. Add the diced meat and liver and fry for 5 minutes. Pour in 2 cups of the reserved stock and add sugar and salt.
    7. Simmer on low for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gravy is thick and the meat is tender. Cool and refrigerate.
    8. Reheat once a day for 2-3 days before serving, adding a splash of vinegar or stock if it gets too thick.

    Tips

    • Dice the meat very small; this is characteristic of sorpotel.
    • Reheating daily is traditional and essential for the best flavour.
    • Keep the stock; it adds depth to the gravy.

    Serve with

    Sannas or Goan pao.

  • Prawn Balchao

    Balchao is a Goan preparation of prawns or fish in a fiery, sweet-sour paste of red chillies, garlic, spices and vinegar. It is thought to have come to Goa from Macau, where balichao was a fermented shrimp sauce, and Goan cooks transformed it into a pickle-like curry. Prawn balchao is made by Catholic families for Christmas and festive meals.

    The flavour is intense: tangy from vinegar, hot from red chillies, sweet from sugar or jaggery and deeply savoury from the prawns. The gravy is thick and clings to the prawns. Because of the vinegar, balchao keeps for weeks in the refrigerator, and many families make it in large batches to last through the monsoon.

    A small spoon of balchao is served with rice and dal or eaten with pao. It also makes a good accompaniment to drinks. It is a popular gift for Goans living abroad. Fish and dried prawn versions are made the same way, and some families prepare balchao with pork too.

    At a glance

    RegionGoa
    CuisineGoan
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseSide dish
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time60 minutes
    Serves6
    Spice levelHot
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsprawns / red chillies / vinegar / garlic

    Ingredients

    For the prawns

    • 500 g small prawns, cleaned and deveined
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric

    For the balchao paste

    • 15 dried Kashmiri chillies
    • 5 dried spicy chillies
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1 tsp black peppercorns
    • 6 cloves
    • 1 inch cinnamon
    • 15 garlic cloves
    • 2 inch ginger
    • 1/2 cup coconut or palm vinegar

    For cooking

    • 1/2 cup oil
    • 2 onions, finely chopped
    • 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
    • 2 tbsp sugar or jaggery
    • Salt to taste

    Method

    1. Rub the prawns with salt and turmeric and set aside for 15 minutes. Pat dry.
    2. Soak the chillies in the vinegar for 30 minutes and grind with the remaining paste ingredients to a smooth paste.
    3. Heat 2 tbsp oil and fry the prawns on high for 2-3 minutes until pink. Remove.
    4. Heat the remaining oil on medium and cook the onions for 10-12 minutes until deep golden. Add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes until they break down.
    5. Add the balchao paste and fry for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until it darkens and oil separates.
    6. Add sugar and salt, then the prawns. Cook on low for 5-6 minutes until the prawns are coated and the gravy is thick.
    7. Cool completely and store in a clean glass jar in the refrigerator. Rest for at least a day before eating.

    Tips

    • Fry the prawns lightly first to remove moisture; this helps the balchao keep longer.
    • Use a clean, dry spoon when serving to prevent spoilage.
    • Increase the oil if you want to store it for longer.

    Serve with

    Steamed rice and dal, or Goan pao.

  • Bebinca

    Bebinca is the most celebrated Goan dessert, made for Christmas, Easter, weddings and other feasts. Legend says it was created by a nun in Old Goa who wanted to make a dessert with seven layers, representing the seven hills of Lisbon and Old Goa. Traditional bebinca has many more, often sixteen layers, built up one at a time.

    Each layer is a thin pour of a batter of coconut milk, egg yolks, sugar and a little flour, flavoured with nutmeg and cardamom. It is cooked under a top heat until golden, then brushed with ghee before the next layer is added. The result is a dense, rich, caramelised cake with distinct brown and pale stripes.

    Bebinca is served in thin slices, sometimes warm with vanilla ice cream. It keeps well for a week, making it a good dessert to prepare ahead for a feast. Goan households often take pride in their own bebinca, and many families still bake it in a clay oven with coconut husk embers on top, as their grandmothers did.

    At a glance

    RegionGoa
    CuisineGoan
    DietEggetarian
    CourseDessert
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time120 minutes
    Total time150 minutes
    Serves10
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyHard
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientscoconut milk / egg yolks / sugar / ghee

    Ingredients

    • 10 egg yolks
    • 2 cups (400 ml) thick coconut milk
    • 1 1/4 cups (250 g) sugar
    • 1 cup (125 g) maida
    • 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
    • 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
    • A pinch of salt
    • 1/2 cup (100 g) ghee, melted, plus more for greasing

    Method

    1. Stir the sugar into the coconut milk until it dissolves completely, warming gently if needed. Cool.
    2. Whisk the egg yolks until smooth and pale. Add the coconut milk gradually, whisking.
    3. Sift in the maida with nutmeg, cardamom and salt, whisking until there are no lumps. Strain the batter.
    4. Preheat the oven grill to high (around 220 C) with the rack in the upper third. Grease a 7-inch round tin with ghee.
    5. Pour 1 tbsp melted ghee into the tin and heat under the grill for 2 minutes. Pour in about 1/2 cup batter to form a thin layer. Grill for 8-10 minutes until the top is set and golden brown.
    6. Remove, brush with 1 tsp ghee, pour in another 1/2 cup batter and grill again until golden. Repeat until all the batter is used, about 12-14 layers.
    7. After the final layer, bake for 5 more minutes. Cool completely in the tin, then invert onto a plate and slice thinly.

    Tips

    • Patience is key; each layer must be golden before adding the next.
    • Use thick, fresh coconut milk for the richest flavour.
    • Rotate the tin halfway through each layer for even browning.

    Serve with

    Thin slices on their own or warm with vanilla ice cream.

  • Chicken Xacuti

    Xacuti, pronounced sha-coo-tee, is one of Goa's most complex curries, made by both Hindu and Catholic communities. Its name comes from the Portuguese chacuti, and the dish is famous for its gravy of grated coconut roasted until dark with a large number of whole spices, including poppy seeds, star anise, nutmeg, mace and cloves.

    The flavour is deep, nutty and aromatic, with a warm spiciness rather than sharp heat. The roasted coconut gives a dark brown colour and a slightly smoky richness, while the spices layer sweetness and fragrance. Chicken on the bone is most common, though mutton xacuti is equally popular. Prawn versions exist too.

    Xacuti is a feast dish, served at weddings and festivals and made at home on Sundays. It is eaten with pao, sannas or rice, and like most Goan curries it tastes better the next day. Leftover xacuti is often eaten with bread for breakfast the next morning. Mutton takes longer but is worth it.

    At a glance

    RegionGoa
    CuisineGoan
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time50 minutes
    Total time80 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyHard
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientschicken / coconut / poppy seeds / star anise

    Ingredients

    For the marinade

    • 750 g chicken on the bone, curry cut
    • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tsp salt

    For the xacuti masala

    • 1 1/2 cups freshly grated coconut
    • 8 dried Kashmiri chillies
    • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1 tsp fennel seeds
    • 1 tsp black peppercorns
    • 1 tbsp poppy seeds
    • 6 cloves
    • 1 inch cinnamon
    • 2 star anise
    • 4 green cardamoms
    • 1/4 nutmeg, grated
    • 2 blades mace
    • 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds

    For the curry

    • 3 tbsp oil
    • 2 onions, finely chopped
    • 1 tomato, chopped
    • 1 tbsp tamarind pulp
    • 2 cups hot water
    • Salt to taste
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Marinate the chicken with ginger-garlic paste, turmeric and salt for 30 minutes.
    2. Dry roast the whole spices and chillies on low heat for 3-4 minutes until fragrant and slightly darker. Remove.
    3. Roast the coconut in the same pan on medium-low for 8-10 minutes, stirring constantly, until evenly dark golden brown.
    4. Grind the roasted spices and coconut with about 1 cup water to a fine, smooth paste.
    5. Heat oil in a heavy pot on medium. Cook the onions for 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Add tomato and cook for 3 minutes until soft.
    6. Add the chicken and fry on medium-high for 5 minutes until lightly browned.
    7. Add the ground masala and fry for 5 minutes, stirring often, until it darkens and the oil separates.
    8. Pour in hot water, add tamarind and salt, and simmer covered on low for 25 minutes until the chicken is tender and the gravy is thick. Garnish with coriander.

    Tips

    • Roast the coconut slowly and evenly; it gives xacuti its colour and depth.
    • Poppy seeds should be roasted lightly; they burn very fast.
    • If the gravy is too thick, add hot water to adjust.

    Serve with

    Goan pao, sannas or steamed rice.

  • Pork Vindaloo

    Vindaloo descends from the Portuguese carne de vinha d'alhos, meat marinated in wine and garlic, which Goan cooks adapted using local palm vinegar and plenty of red chillies. Over centuries it became the signature Goan Catholic dish, made for Christmas, weddings and feasts. It has little in common with the potato-filled, fiercely hot versions found in British curry houses.

    A true vindaloo is tangy, garlicky and spicy rather than simply hot. The pork, ideally shoulder with some fat, is marinated overnight in a paste of Kashmiri chillies, garlic, ginger, cumin, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon and vinegar, then cooked slowly until meltingly tender. The gravy is deep red, rich and slightly sweet from the onions.

    Vindaloo keeps well and improves over several days, which made it popular for feasts and travel. It is eaten with sannas, pao or steamed rice. In Goan homes, a large pot of vindaloo is made before Christmas and eaten over several days. The vinegar acts as a preservative, and the flavours deepen with every reheat.

    At a glance

    RegionGoa
    CuisineGoan
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time90 minutes
    Total time120 minutes
    Serves6
    Spice levelHot
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientspork / kashmiri chillies / garlic / vinegar

    Ingredients

    For the vindaloo paste

    • 15 dried Kashmiri chillies
    • 4 dried spicy chillies
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1 tsp black peppercorns
    • 8 cloves
    • 2 inch cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 15 garlic cloves
    • 2 inch ginger
    • 1/2 cup coconut or palm vinegar

    For the curry

    • 1 kg pork shoulder, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces with some fat
    • 1 1/2 tsp salt
    • 3 tbsp oil
    • 3 onions, finely chopped
    • 1 tbsp sugar or grated jaggery
    • 1 cup hot water

    Method

    1. Soak the chillies in the vinegar for 1 hour. Grind them with the vinegar and all other paste ingredients to a fine paste.
    2. Mix the pork with the paste and salt. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.
    3. Heat oil in a heavy pot on medium. Add onions and cook for 10-12 minutes until deep golden brown.
    4. Add the marinated pork with all its marinade. Fry on medium-high for 8-10 minutes, stirring, until the meat is sealed and the paste starts to darken.
    5. Add sugar and hot water, stir and bring to a boil.
    6. Cover and simmer on low for 60-75 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until the pork is very tender and the gravy is thick and deep red with fat on top.
    7. Taste and adjust salt, vinegar and sugar. Rest for at least an hour, or better, overnight, before serving.

    Tips

    • Use pork with some fat; lean meat dries out during the long cook.
    • Palm or coconut vinegar gives the authentic flavour; malt vinegar can be harsh.
    • Vindaloo tastes best on the second or third day.

    Serve with

    Goan pao, sannas or steamed rice.

  • Goan Fish Curry

    Xitti kodi, rice and curry, is the everyday meal of Goa, and the fish curry at its heart is cooked in almost every Goan home. Fresh coconut is ground with Kashmiri chillies, coriander seeds, turmeric, garlic and tamarind into a smooth paste, then simmered with fish such as kingfish, pomfret or mackerel. The result is a vibrant orange curry.

    The taste is sour first from tamarind or kokum, followed by the gentle heat of Kashmiri chilli and the creamy sweetness of coconut. Some cooks add a little tirphal, a Sichuan-pepper-like spice, for a citrusy aroma, and others add slit green chillies and onion. The gravy is thin enough to soak into rice.

    Goans eat fish curry for lunch nearly every day, usually with red parboiled rice and a fried fish on the side. The curry tastes better reheated. Many Goan families keep a jar of ground masala ready to make the curry quickly on busy days. Mackerel, sardines and prawns are equally popular, depending on what the market offers that morning.

    At a glance

    RegionGoa
    CuisineGoan
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time20 minutes
    Total time40 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientskingfish / coconut / kashmiri chillies / tamarind

    Ingredients

    For the fish

    • 500 g kingfish (surmai), cut into steaks
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric

    For the masala

    • 1 1/2 cups freshly grated coconut
    • 8 dried Kashmiri chillies, soaked 15 minutes
    • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 5 garlic cloves
    • 1 inch ginger
    • 1 tbsp tamarind pulp

    For the curry

    • 2 tbsp coconut oil
    • 1 small onion, finely sliced
    • 2 green chillies, slit
    • 1 tomato, chopped (optional)
    • 1 1/2 cups water
    • Salt to taste
    • 3-4 tirphal (optional)

    Method

    1. Rub the fish with salt and turmeric and set aside for 15 minutes.
    2. Grind the coconut, soaked chillies, coriander, cumin, peppercorns, turmeric, garlic, ginger and tamarind with about 3/4 cup water to a very smooth paste.
    3. Heat coconut oil in a wide pan on medium. Add the onion and green chillies and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft and translucent.
    4. Add the tomato if using and cook for 2 minutes. Add the ground masala and fry for 3-4 minutes until fragrant.
    5. Pour in the water, add salt and tirphal and bring to a gentle boil. Simmer for 5 minutes.
    6. Slide in the fish pieces and cook on low for 6-8 minutes without stirring, until the fish is just cooked through. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.

    Tips

    • Grind the masala very smooth; a grainy paste gives a coarse curry.
    • Kashmiri chillies give colour without too much heat; add one spicy Goan chilli if you want more bite.
    • Do not boil hard after adding coconut; it can split.

    Serve with

    Goan red rice, fried fish and a pickle.

  • Kombdi Vade

    Kombdi vade is a celebratory meal from the Malvan coast of Maharashtra, made for festivals, family gatherings and Sunday lunch. Kombdi means chicken and vade are soft, puffed breads made from a flour of roasted rice, urad dal and spices, deep fried like puris. The combination is especially popular around Gauri-Ganpati and Shimga, the Konkan Holi.

    The chicken curry is rich and spicy, cooked in a gravy of roasted coconut, onion and Malvani masala, with plenty of oil and whole spices. The vade are crisp outside and soft inside, with a slightly grainy texture and a nutty flavour from the roasted flour, perfect for scooping up the gravy.

    The meal is completed with sliced onions, lemon and sol kadhi. Ready vade flour is sold in Konkan stores, but making it at home is simple if you have time to roast and mill the grains. In Malvan, the meal is served at small family-run restaurants, and visitors to the Konkan coast rarely leave without trying it.

    At a glance

    RegionMaharashtra
    CuisineMalvani
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time40 minutes
    Cook time60 minutes
    Total time100 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelHot
    DifficultyHard
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientschicken / rice flour / urad dal / coconut

    Ingredients

    For the vade

    • 2 cups vade flour (or 1 1/2 cups rice flour + 1/4 cup urad dal flour + 2 tbsp wheat flour)
    • 1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
    • 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds, roasted and crushed
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1 cup hot water
    • Oil for deep frying

    For the chicken curry

    • 750 g chicken on the bone, curry cut
    • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1 cup freshly grated coconut
    • 2 onions, sliced
    • 6 garlic cloves
    • 2 tbsp Malvani masala
    • 1 tsp garam masala
    • 1/4 cup oil
    • 2 cups hot water
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Marinate the chicken with ginger-garlic paste, turmeric and salt for 30 minutes.
    2. Roast the coconut in a dry pan on medium for 4-5 minutes until golden brown. In 1 tbsp oil, fry the sliced onions until dark brown. Grind both with garlic and a little water to a smooth paste.
    3. Heat the remaining oil in a pot on medium. Add the paste and fry for 6-8 minutes until oil separates.
    4. Add Malvani masala and garam masala and stir for 30 seconds. Add the chicken and fry on medium-high for 5 minutes until coated and lightly browned.
    5. Pour in hot water, bring to a boil, cover and simmer on low for 25 minutes until the chicken is tender and the gravy is medium-thick. Garnish with coriander.
    6. For the vade, mix the flour with fennel, fenugreek, turmeric and salt. Pour hot water over it, mix with a spoon, cover and rest for 15 minutes. Knead into a soft, smooth dough.
    7. Divide into lime-sized balls. Pat each on an oiled plastic sheet into a 4-inch disc about 1/4 inch thick, with a small hole in the centre.
    8. Heat oil to medium-hot and fry the vade one at a time, pressing gently so they puff, for 1-2 minutes per side until golden. Drain and serve hot with the curry.

    Tips

    • Vade dough should be soft; stiff dough gives hard, dense vade.
    • The hole in the centre helps the vade cook evenly and puff.
    • Make the curry first; vade are best fried just before serving.

    Serve with

    Sliced onion, lemon wedges and sol kadhi.

  • Maharashtrian Amti

    Amti is the everyday dal of Maharashtra, distinguished from plain varan by its sweet, sour and spicy balance. Toor dal is cooked soft, then simmered with goda masala, tamarind or kokum and a little jaggery. It is the dal that fills Maharashtrian thalis, eaten with rice, chapati or bhakri. It is a daily essential.

    The flavour is tangy and gently sweet, with warmth from goda masala and red chilli, and aroma from a tempering of mustard seeds, cumin, curry leaves and asafoetida. Grated coconut and coriander are often added at the end. The consistency is thinner than North Indian dals, perfect for mixing into rice.

    Variations are endless: katachi amti uses the drained water from puran poli dal, while Kolhapuri versions add more chilli. Each household has its own preferred proportions of sweet and sour. Konkani homes add coconut and kokum, while Desh homes rely on goda masala and tamarind, and every cook believes theirs is the correct one.

    At a glance

    RegionMaharashtra
    CuisineMaharashtrian
    DietVegan
    CourseMain course
    Prep time10 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time35 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientstoor dal / tamarind / jaggery / goda masala

    Ingredients

    For the dal

    • 3/4 cup toor dal, washed
    • 2 1/2 cups water
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric

    For the amti

    • 2 tbsp oil
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • A pinch of asafoetida
    • 10 curry leaves
    • 2 green chillies, slit
    • 1 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1 1/2 tsp goda masala
    • 1 tbsp tamarind pulp
    • 1 1/2 tbsp grated jaggery
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1 cup water
    • 2 tbsp grated fresh coconut
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Pressure cook the toor dal with water and turmeric for 3-4 whistles until completely soft. Whisk until smooth.
    2. Heat oil in a pan on medium. Crackle mustard seeds, add cumin, asafoetida, curry leaves and green chillies and cook for 20 seconds.
    3. Add red chilli powder and goda masala and stir for 10 seconds without burning.
    4. Pour in the whisked dal and the water. Add tamarind pulp, jaggery and salt.
    5. Bring to a boil and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the flavours meld and it reaches a pourable consistency.
    6. Add coconut and coriander and simmer for 1 minute more. Taste and adjust sweet-sour balance.

    Tips

    • Goda masala is essential; garam masala gives a different, more North Indian flavour.
    • Kokum can replace tamarind; add 3-4 petals and remove before serving.
    • The amti thickens on standing; thin with hot water when reheating.

    Serve with

    Steamed rice with ghee, papad and a dry vegetable.

  • Sabudana Vada

    Sabudana vada is a fasting-day favourite from Maharashtra, made for Navratri, Ekadashi and Mahashivratri, though most people eat it far more often than that. Soaked tapioca pearls are mixed with boiled potato and coarsely crushed roasted peanuts, seasoned with green chilli and cumin, and fried into flat, round patties. Every bite is crunchy.

    A good sabudana vada is crunchy outside and soft, chewy and slightly springy within, with the peanuts giving a nutty crunch. The pearls turn translucent and form little crisp bubbles on the surface while frying. Because the ingredients are fasting-friendly, the vada uses rock salt and avoids onion and garlic.

    It is served hot with a sweet curd dip or a green chutney made without onion. Pune eateries sell it all day with a cup of tea, and it is one of the dishes that make people look forward to fasts. Leftover sabudana khichdi can also be mashed and shaped into vadas.

    At a glance

    RegionMaharashtra
    CuisineMaharashtrian
    DietVegetarian
    CourseSnack
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time20 minutes
    Total time40 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientssabudana / potato / peanuts / green chilli

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup (160 g) sabudana, soaked 5-6 hours
    • 2 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed
    • 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely crushed
    • 2 green chillies, finely chopped
    • 1 tsp grated ginger
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
    • 1 tsp lemon juice
    • 1 tsp sugar
    • 1 tsp sendha namak (rock salt)
    • Oil for deep frying
    • 1 cup curd whisked with 1 tsp sugar, to serve

    Method

    1. Soak the sabudana as for khichdi: rinse, then cover with water just to the level of the pearls and leave for 5-6 hours. Drain completely and check that the pearls squash easily.
    2. In a bowl, combine the sabudana, mashed potato, peanuts, chillies, ginger, cumin, coriander, lemon juice, sugar and salt.
    3. Mix well with your hands until the mixture holds together. If it is too soft, add a little more crushed peanut.
    4. Divide into 12 portions. Wet your palms and shape each into a ball, then flatten into a patty about 1/2 inch thick.
    5. Heat oil to medium-hot, about 170 C. Test with a small piece; it should rise steadily without browning instantly.
    6. Fry 4 vadas at a time for 4-5 minutes, turning, until crisp and golden brown all over. Drain on paper.
    7. Serve hot with the sweetened curd.

    Tips

    • Too much moisture in the sabudana causes the vadas to burst. Drain well and let it dry.
    • Fry in medium-hot oil; very hot oil makes them dark outside and raw inside.
    • For a lower-oil version, cook them in an appe pan with a little oil.

    Serve with

    Sweet curd or a green chutney with peanuts.

  • Malvani Fish Curry

    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

    RegionMaharashtra
    CuisineMalvani
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time25 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time50 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelHot
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientssurmai / 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

    1. Marinate the fish in turmeric, salt and lemon juice for 15 minutes.
    2. 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.
    3. Cool, then grind with Malvani masala, chilli powder, turmeric and about 1/2 cup water to a smooth paste.
    4. Heat coconut oil in a wide pan on medium. Cook the chopped onion for 3-4 minutes until soft.
    5. 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.
    6. 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.
    7. 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.