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Tag: Kokum

  • 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.

  • Sol Kadhi

    Sol kadhi is the signature drink of the Konkan coast, served at the end of a Malvani or Goan meal to cool the palate after spicy fish curries. It combines thin coconut milk with an extract of kokum, the dried rind of a coastal fruit, which turns the mixture a pretty pale pink. It is never cooked, so it keeps the fresh flavour of coconut.

    The taste is gently tart, creamy and savoury, with a sharp note from raw garlic and green chilli and freshness from coriander. Kokum is believed to aid digestion and cool the body, which is why coastal families drink it in summer and after heavy meals. The colour comes entirely from kokum.

    In Malvan and Ratnagiri restaurants it is served in glasses alongside the thali or poured over steamed rice. It keeps for a day in the refrigerator, though the coconut milk may separate; stir before serving. Some versions temper it with cumin and curry leaves, though the raw version is most common in Malvan.

    At a glance

    RegionMaharashtra
    CuisineMalvani
    DietVegan
    CourseBeverage
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time0 minutes
    Total time20 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientscoconut / kokum / garlic / green chilli

    Ingredients

    • 10-12 dried kokum petals
    • 1 cup warm water for soaking kokum
    • 2 cups freshly grated coconut
    • 2 cups warm water for coconut milk
    • 2 garlic cloves
    • 1 green chilli
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp sugar (optional)
    • 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Soak the kokum petals in 1 cup warm water for 30 minutes. Squeeze them well in the water to release colour and sourness, then strain and discard the petals.
    2. Grind the coconut with garlic, green chilli and 1 cup warm water to a fine paste.
    3. Strain through a muslin cloth or fine sieve, squeezing hard to extract the first coconut milk.
    4. Return the coconut residue to the blender with the remaining 1 cup warm water, blend again and squeeze out a second, thinner extract. Combine both.
    5. Stir the kokum extract into the coconut milk gradually; it will turn pale pink. Add salt and sugar and taste for a balance of sour and creamy.
    6. Garnish with coriander and chill for 30 minutes. Stir before pouring into glasses.

    Tips

    • Do not heat sol kadhi; boiling makes the coconut milk split and lose its fresh taste.
    • Kokum agal (concentrate) works in a pinch: use about 2 tbsp and adjust to taste.
    • Canned coconut milk diluted with water can substitute, but fresh coconut gives far better flavour.

    Serve with

    Steamed rice and a Malvani fish thali, or as a digestive after the meal.