Malvani cuisine - the coastal flavour.

Malvan is a picturesque town situated in the valleys of Sindhudurg district in Maharashtra, India. And Malvani cuisine derives its name from this town’s local food. Malvan has the majestic Sahyadri Mountains looking down upon it on one side and the tempestuous Arabian Sea lapping its shores on the other side. This is why seafood and chicken take pride of place in any Malvani meal since both are available in abundance in this region.

The interesting thing about Malvani cuisine is that it’s an amalgamation of several cooking styles. Some food writers trace its roots to the early 16th century when fisher folk settled along the coastal belts of what is now Maharashtra, Goa, and parts of northern Karnataka.

Though the Maharashtrian variant of Malvani cuisine is heavily inclined towards meat, certain factions within it, like the Konkanastha Brahmin preparations, are entirely vegetarian and comparatively bland in nature.

CULINARY CONFLUENCE

Unsurprisingly, in its present avatar, the cuisine imbibes the vinegary pungency of Goan food, the liberal use of freshly grated coconut from the Karwar belt as well as the sweet-and-sour combination of the Saraswat Goud community. There are subtle differences in Malvani food cooked along with the entire western and southern belts of Maharashtra, Goa, and Karnataka. For instance, kokum imparts tanginess in the Maharashtrian cuisine while the southern towns prefer using tamarind for the same effect.

Condiments like Triphala, tamarind, kokum, red Konkan chilies, peppercorns, mace, cardamom, and coriander lend a fiery punch to the masalas that are fundamental to the cooking style. However, it is the technique of grinding these masalas with fresh coconut or coconut milk that gives this cuisine that edge and oomph.

Despite this varied lineage, Malvani fare has come into its own. What is ironic is that though every taste of dishes like the Shimpli Masala or crab masala might lead one to believe that the preparation is complex, it is actually quite simple in nature. Proteins like fish and chicken are often marinated in a simple marinade of salt, lime juice, garlic-garlic paste, red chili paste and turmeric; later coated in a mixture of rice flour and semolina before being deep or shallow fried.