Maharashtrian Kalvan

With the Konkan coast being so wide spread from Mumbai all the way to Mangalore, it’s the Konkan cuisine influences that stems through this coastal areas and across. I love seafood and have had the most amazing dishes from throughout India and always amazed at the abundance of seafood in the west coast of the sub continent.

Using the term ‘Konkani’ is a fairly broad way of describing the cuisine of the region within Maharashtra which is divided into regions of Konkan, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, Aurangabad and Amravati. Which are diverse in so many ways given their method of food preparation, elements used and also locally grown items and cooked within the area. Coconut is a staple in the Konkan region and even coconut oil makes an appearance in many curries cooked locally. The combination of highly spiced, sweet, salty and sour all at once, when you taste a gravy makes it divine. Maharashtrian food is always an inclusion of a balanced meal including vegetables, protein, salad, flat breads to make it a nutritious meal.

My mum’s native place called Dapoli is a pretty village in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. My grandmum and mum use this recipe which is a little different and also very easy to make.

My grand mum’s recipe for a  Maharashtrian Kalwan/ Spicy Fish Curry with kokam petals, garlic and grated coconut is a combination of all these flavours. Using little Malvani masala adds a lovely taste to the curry which is balanced by the kokum and coconut. I like to use Pomfret or Black Pomfret for this recipe. But it also goes well with mackerels and king fish.  Any one of these fishes blend perfect with spices and even great just pan fried with spices. Serve this curry with steamed rice rice bhakris (flatbreads) and some wilted greens.

Maharastrian Kalvan

Duration 30 Mins

Preparation 10 Mins

Cooking 20 Mins

Yields Serves 4

Ingredients 

                                                                         

Black Pomfret 2 medium sized cut into medium slices

1 cup freshly grated coconut

8 cloves garlic

1 tsp coriander powder

½  tsp red chilli powder (lesser if you want less spicy curry)

2 tsp Malvani masala

½ tsp turmeric

¼ tsp asafoetida

4 – 5 kokam

1 green chilli

Few sprigs of coriander

8 – 10 curry leaves

1 tsp mustard seeds

Salt to taste

2 tbsp oil

Method

Wash the fish well and marinate it with tumeric, chilli powder, malvani masala, salt and hing. Mix it and keep it aside. Soak the kokum petals in little water and keep aside.
Grind the freshly scraped coconut, coriander powder and garlic in a mixer.
Heat oil in a wok. Once hot add mustard seeds and curry leaves till they crackle. Add the ground paste and cook for 2 - 3 minutes till the raw smell goes. Add the marinated fish and cook fro another 2 minutes.
Then add some water (according to the thickness you want). Add the soaked kokum along with the water and cover the wok and let it cook for 10 - 15 minutes. Garnish it with coriander. 
Serve hot with steamed rice/ rice bhakris and some wilted greens.