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Tag: Main Course

  • Parsi Mutton Dhansak

    Dhansak is the best-known Parsi dish, a hearty meal of mutton cooked with lentils and vegetables, eaten traditionally on Sundays. In Parsi households, dhansak is not served at festivals or celebrations, because it was eaten on the fourth day after a death, when the mourning meat fast ends. On ordinary Sundays, however, it is beloved comfort food.

    The dish combines several lentils with pumpkin, brinjal, fenugreek leaves and tomato, all cooked until soft and pureed into a thick, smooth gravy. Mutton pieces simmer in this gravy with dhansak masala, a warm blend of spices. The flavour is earthy, slightly sweet and sour, and gently spiced. It is hearty and filling.

    Dhansak is served with brown rice, which is basmati cooked with caramelised sugar and whole spices, and kachumber salad and small mutton kebabs. Lemon wedges and fried onions complete the plate. Chicken dhansak is a popular alternative. Many Parsi restaurants in Mumbai serve dhansak only on Sundays, which keeps the tradition alive.

    At a glance

    RegionMaharashtra
    CuisineParsi
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time90 minutes
    Total time120 minutes
    Serves6
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsmutton / toor dal / pumpkin / brinjal

    Ingredients

    For the dal and vegetables

    • 1/2 cup toor dal
    • 2 tbsp masoor dal
    • 2 tbsp moong dal
    • 2 tbsp chana dal
    • 1 cup red pumpkin, cubed
    • 1 small brinjal, cubed
    • 1 potato, cubed
    • 1 cup fresh methi leaves
    • 2 tomatoes, chopped
    • 1 onion, chopped
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 4 cups water

    For the mutton

    • 750 g mutton, curry cut
    • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 3 tbsp ghee
    • 2 onions, finely sliced
    • 2 tbsp dhansak masala
    • 1 tsp sambhar masala
    • 1 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1 tbsp tamarind pulp
    • 1 tbsp jaggery
    • 2 tbsp chopped mint and coriander

    Method

    1. Wash and soak the dals together for 30 minutes.
    2. Marinate the mutton with ginger-garlic paste and salt and pressure cook with 1 cup water for 6-7 whistles until tender.
    3. Pressure cook the dals with the vegetables, methi, tomatoes, onion, turmeric and water for 4-5 whistles until everything is very soft.
    4. Blend the dal and vegetables to a smooth puree.
    5. Heat ghee in a heavy pot on medium. Fry the sliced onions for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.
    6. Add dhansak masala, sambhar masala and chilli powder and stir for 30 seconds. Add the mutton with its stock and fry for 3 minutes.
    7. Pour in the dal puree, add tamarind and jaggery, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring often, until thick and well blended. Adjust salt and garnish with mint and coriander.

    Tips

    • The consistency should be thick but pourable; adjust with hot water.
    • Parsi dhansak masala is available in Mumbai stores and gives the authentic flavour.
    • Make the caramelised brown rice by cooking basmati with sugar browned in oil and whole spices.

    Serve with

    Caramelised brown rice, kachumber salad and mutton kebabs.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Saoji Chicken

    Saoji cuisine comes from Nagpur and Vidarbha, developed by the Saoji community of weavers, who are known for intensely spicy mutton and chicken curries. Saoji bhojnalayas line the streets of Nagpur, and their curries are famous for a deep black-brown colour, a thick layer of red oil and heat that builds with every mouthful.

    The flavour comes from Saoji masala, a mix of whole spices such as dagad phool, nagkesar, maratha moggu, star anise and black cardamom, roasted dark with dry coconut, onion and plenty of dried red chilli. The gravy is thin and oily rather than thick, meant to be soaked up with roti or bhakri, and the chicken is tender and coated in spice.

    It is eaten with chapati, jowar roti, rice and raw onion, often with a glass of buttermilk to cope with the heat. In Nagpur, a Saoji meal is a weekend ritual. Mutton Saoji is just as famous, and many families cook it on Sundays. The dish is unapologetically hot, so serve it with plenty of cooling sides.

    At a glance

    RegionMaharashtra
    CuisineVidarbha
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time45 minutes
    Total time75 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelHot
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientschicken / dry coconut / red chillies / saoji masala

    Ingredients

    For the Saoji masala

    • 8-10 dried red chillies (spicy variety)
    • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1 tsp black peppercorns
    • 1 tsp fennel seeds
    • 1 tsp poppy seeds
    • 4 cloves
    • 1 inch cinnamon
    • 1 black cardamom
    • 1 star anise
    • 1 dagad phool
    • 2 nagkesar (dried cassia buds)
    • 1 maratha moggu
    • 1/2 cup dry coconut, grated

    For the curry

    • 750 g chicken on the bone, curry cut
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tsp salt plus more to taste
    • 1/2 cup oil
    • 2 large onions, finely sliced
    • 1 1/2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 1 tbsp red chilli powder
    • 3 cups hot water
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Rub the chicken with turmeric and 1 tsp salt and set aside.
    2. Dry roast the whole spices and chillies on low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring, until they darken and smell intensely aromatic. Remove and roast the coconut for 4-5 minutes until dark brown.
    3. Heat 2 tbsp oil and fry the sliced onions on medium for 10-12 minutes until very dark brown, almost black at the edges. Grind them with the roasted spices and coconut and a little water to a smooth, dark paste.
    4. Heat the remaining oil in a heavy pot on medium until hot. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry for 1 minute.
    5. Add the ground paste and fry for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until it turns very dark and oil floats out clearly.
    6. Add red chilli powder and the chicken. Fry on medium-high for 6-8 minutes until the chicken is browned and coated.
    7. Pour in the hot water, add salt to taste and bring to a boil. Simmer covered on low for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is tender and a thick layer of red oil floats on top. Garnish with coriander.

    Tips

    • Saoji curry is meant to be oily; the oil carries the spice and is scooped up with roti.
    • Roast the masala to a deep colour but stop before it smells burnt.
    • Ready Saoji masala from Nagpur shops is a good shortcut.

    Serve with

    Chapati or jowar roti, steamed rice, raw onion and buttermilk.

  • Kolhapuri Chicken

    Kolhapur, in southern Maharashtra, is famous for its love of heat, and its chicken curry is one of the boldest in the country. The flavour comes from Kolhapuri masala, a blend of local red chillies called lavangi and sankeshwari with a long list of whole spices, and from a paste of dry coconut and onion roasted until nearly black.

    The gravy is dark reddish-brown, thick and oily, with layers of smoky coconut, sesame, poppy seeds and spices beneath the chilli. It is hot but not just hot: the roasting gives a deep, almost bitter-sweet richness. Chicken on the bone is preferred, since it adds body to the gravy. Expect it to be fiery.

    In Kolhapur it is served with bhakri or chapati, rice and a bowl of the thin tambda and pandhra rassa. The recipe can be made less fiery by using more Kashmiri chilli, but true Kolhapuri food is meant to make your eyes water. A cold glass of buttermilk on the side helps, and so does a squeeze of lemon.

    At a glance

    RegionMaharashtra
    CuisineMaharashtrian
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time45 minutes
    Total time75 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelHot
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientschicken / dry coconut / onion / kolhapuri masala

    Ingredients

    For the marinade

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

    For the roasted masala

    • 1 tbsp oil
    • 2 large onions, sliced
    • 1/2 cup dry coconut, grated
    • 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
    • 1 tsp poppy seeds
    • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1 tsp black peppercorns
    • 4 cloves
    • 1 inch cinnamon
    • 1 black cardamom
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 1 dagad phool (stone flower)
    • 6 dried red chillies (mix of Kashmiri and spicy)
    • 8 garlic cloves
    • 1 inch ginger

    For the curry

    • 4 tbsp oil
    • 1 onion, finely chopped
    • 1 tomato, chopped
    • 2 tsp Kolhapuri masala or 1 1/2 tsp hot red chilli powder
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 2 cups hot water
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Marinate the chicken with ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, salt and curd for at least 30 minutes.
    2. In a dry pan on low heat, roast the coriander, cumin, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaves, stone flower and red chillies for 2 minutes until fragrant. Remove, then roast sesame and poppy seeds for 1 minute.
    3. Heat 1 tbsp oil, add sliced onions and fry on medium for 8-10 minutes until deep brown. Add the coconut and roast for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until dark brown but not burnt. Add garlic and ginger for 1 minute.
    4. Cool everything and grind together with about 1/2 cup water to a smooth, thick paste.
    5. Heat 4 tbsp oil in a heavy pot on medium. Add the chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes until golden. Add the tomato and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft.
    6. Add the ground masala and fry for 6-8 minutes, stirring often, until it darkens and oil separates at the edges. Add Kolhapuri masala and stir for 30 seconds.
    7. Add the chicken and sear in the masala on medium-high for 5 minutes until the pieces are coated and firm.
    8. Pour in hot water and salt, bring to a boil, cover and simmer on low for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is tender and the gravy is thick with a layer of red oil on top. Garnish with coriander.

    Tips

    • Roast the coconut patiently on medium-low; it should be evenly dark brown. Burnt coconut makes the curry bitter.
    • Stone flower (dagad phool) gives the authentic Kolhapuri aroma; find it at spice shops or online.
    • Rest the curry for 30 minutes before serving; the flavours deepen considerably.

    Serve with

    Jowar bhakri or chapati, steamed rice, sliced onion and lemon.