Chronicles Of The Sassy Fork

Had a fascinating time at Malcolm Baug,Jogeshwari,thanks to the invitation of my friend Perzen Darukhanawala Patel (also known as Bawi Bride) at the lovely Jer Villa.Baugs are colonies set up by Parsis,mainly the N.M. Wadia Trust and this one is so named as it was bought from an Englishman named Malcolm.This was earlier a hunting ground.We were privy to these lovely stories, thanks to the presence of our friends and archaeologists Kurush and Rhea Mitra Dalal.Malcolm Baug has been developed like a hill station and has quaint bungalows with lovely gardens.
Baugs were set up for needy Parsis by Bai Jerbai Wadia and her sons.Others include Cusrow Baug,Navroz Baug,Rustom Baug,Jer Baug and Ness Baug which are gated communities that have buildings and gardens.A nominal rent is collected but the upkeep is undertaken by the trust.

Arrived there with my lovely food blogger friend Romi,her humorous hubbie Gaurav (actor,anchor and of the radio station Fever) and India Food Network editor Kalyan with his inseparable Candies bag.We passed many tabelas on the way cos that's what Jogeshwari is famous for and once we were in Malcolm Baug,it was a whole new world.

It's the sort of place that you would like to get up to in the morning to hear birds chirping and sit in the garden and sip your morning tea slowly!

Chalk and rangoli are typical of Parsi homes as are glass bead torans on the doorway

There were the classic Parsi beverages: Raspberry and Icecream Soda

and some delightful Kheema Kababs based on Perzen's grandfather's recipe.

The meal was not your standard Parsi fare.Perzen had prepared delicious food

There was a Parsi favorite: Chicken and Cheese Pasta

Sali Per Eedu Cupcakes

Prawn Pulao and Dahi Mutton

Met Kai and Zoran,two brothers.Kai works for Zomato (a food app everyone has today on their phones) and Zoran is an actor and can be seen in many adfilms.He too writes a blog called the Local Outsider .They spoke of the outstanding Wedding lunch that the bridal party has consisting of Dhandar Patio and Fish.They declared they wouldn't mind getting married even three times ....just for the wedding food :D Any event they have to attend,they only ask what's on the menu and never who is coming.... :)

Shireen and Kaiyaan and their friends run the Zoroastrian Return To Your Roots Programme which seeks to educate Parsis about their culture and takes them to places all over India to see places of historical significance.Wonderful isn't it? Having studied abroad and missed their culture,these friends thought about setting up this programme.Perzen went the last time and had a blast,specially discovering the gems in Parsi Cuisine.Read here about her intriguing journey

Met up with my friend Roxanne Bamboat who shares my love for jungles and food,not necessarily in that order! She writes as The Tiny Taster and has visited an amazing number of countries and tried exotic things like Goose Barnacles (which is actually seafood).Made a new half-Parsi friend...Divya who writes BlehLoves Food on her foodie adventures.Also caught up with Rituparna and her hubbie Salil who work for India Food Network and Conde Nast respectively.They have recently returned from Himachal and stayed in quaint home stays and had Kangri Dham food.Read here about it.

It was an afternoon of much jest and laughter!

Unbelievable that we found such a paradise in Mumbai.....quiet and tree laden! That's the beauty of Mumbai and its cities within!

Imagine being transported from the hustling bustling city of Mumbai to a simple village in Assam.That's what happened to us on a Sunday afternoon.We were invited to Gitika Saikia's home in Juhu to a meal that had untried ingredients like silkworms,duck,eel,fiddlehead fern and red rice.Gitika learnt much of her cooking from her mother in law who lives in rural Assam.Here the mode of cooking is slow and the ingredients farm fresh.A refrigerator is used mostly to store milk.Vegetables are plucked from the garden before cooking.Fish is caught from the ponds on their property.That's how the above Mud Eel Soup was made! Known to be useful in anaemic patients,this soup has a strong smell thanks to the Paduri Leaves but is delicious and leaves you wanting for more.

Rice is a staple grain in Assam and is eaten for breakfast,lunch and dinner.At breakfast time,sticky rice is had with vegetables and many times the villagers are so full that they skip lunch.Gitika made us Pani Pitha made of rice flour and cooked it in mustard oil.We had these with delectable miniature potatoes (smaller than marbles) that she had stir fried with skin on.

She also served us pickles with fermented vegetables

and Olive Pickle.Yes,olives grow not only in Italy and Spain but also in our country!!

Then there was Fermented Bamboo Shoots Chutney and spicy Bhut Jolokia Pickle.

From the ponds in their village,Gitika had sourced tiny shrimp....

which Gitika quickly stir fried.The thing about Assamese food is its simplicity.Onion,garlic and salt are the usual accompaniments.No heavy masalas.Black sesame seeds are also used.

The most exotic thing I have tried in India has been Silk Worms,thanks to Gitika.These are bred for the same unlike ant eggs,where weavers ants are wild.Gitika tossed these with unpeeled Garlic and they had a nutty texture....

The way Assamese greet a prospective groom is by serving Duck (We Maharashtrians serve Poha).An 8 month old tender duck is used.Here Gitika cooked it with ash gourd and potatoes and we realized why this hearty comforting dish is only for VIPs!!

Fiddlehead Ferns are found in the monsoon and are oh so delightful!! Here she cooked them with pork but even by itself it would have been just as great!

She showed us a piece of fresh yeast use to make Rice Beer

The dessert was Black Rice Porridge with Raisins,one of my favorites,specially because it is not overtly sweet!

Met up with some of my friends Rhea,Kurush and Rituparna.Was mighty pleased to finally meet Roshni Bajaj Sanghvi whose writing I have great respect for.Her articles are simple,original and well researched and always leave you pondering about the subject.Also met the lovely Sheryl Soh who works for Singapore Tourism Board and who told us about Assamese home food.Kurush and Rhea ate at Assamese restaurants at Guwahati in January this year and had outstanding chicken cooked in bamboo stem.They found urban Assamese folks have a lot of fish,chicken,pigeon and duck at home.

The ever so effervescent Gitika Saikia is the epitome of the contemporary urban woman.....one who celebrates her traditional roots and has a modern outlook to life.Who says the two have to be mutually exclusive?!!

Alibaug at this time of the year is gorgeous! Everywhere you look it's green.There are families working in paddy fields.Some catch fish and prawns there.Spotted a young boy selling prawns in a basket and they were so fresh that they kept jumping out!

One can also see women selling fish on the side of the main road.They are there all day and then at night,they continue by candlelight.This time of the year there were Bombay Ducks (bombil) and Prawns as the large boats only venture out in the sea after Narli Poornima.Read here about Kolis and fish.

We were strolling on Alibaug beach and we bumped into a couple I know through my work.They treated us to large coconuts with thick malai/coconut cream.They took us to the pretty Versoli beach .Each beach has its own character.Kihim with its angry sea and fast winds,Alibaug beach with its bhelpuri stalls and cows and Versoli with its tall trees,all were very appealing

They told us about the Karmarkar Sculpture Museum at Sasavne.My father's uncle,cousin (and now nephew) also made sculptures so we were keen to see it.We were stunned at the beautiful display of Plaster of Paris,bronze and cement artwork.The one below of a Kolin won awards.Managed to buy Poha,Tomato and Urad Dal Papad there which Alibaug is famous for.

We stayed at the Mango Beach House at Kihim after reading about it in Lonely Planet.My friend Romi also recommended it.The decor was of understated elegance and rooms spacious.

Alibaug was 10 km away which takes about half an hour and is a picturesque drive.We visited the Alibaug market and bought dry fish.Not for me.I run miles away.The fresh fish on sale included crabs,bombil,prawns and rawas

We dined at Alibaug's most famous destination....Sanman! It was all that we had heard about and more! That too at a time when it wasn't fish season. Jithada (a fish found in fields),prawns,crabs,pomfret and mussels were superb.We asked for less spice and they adjusted perfectly.Each gravy was different.They served it with a thin fish curry,rice bhakri and sol kadi.The Mutton Sukke was oh so tender.The goats are grassfed and hence better!Malvani food at its best! Had tender coconut jelly for dessert

Alibaug is famous for its vegetables,specially gourds(ridge gourd,bottle gourd,snake gourd) and brinjals.There is also a vegetable called Kanthol which is green and covered with spines,that is available in this season.

One can spot gourd laden vines along the highway! Such a pretty sight!

There is a special leafy green eaten in the monsoons called Hirva Matt (see below),had with hot rice bhakris!

There are loads of Colocasia leaves,which reminded me of my tryst with them.Made Prawn Pathwad (Rolls of Prawn stuffed Colocasia leaves) for the Maharashtrian Food Event in May.Not all leaves are the same though.Applying tamarind water prevents allergies from other varieties.

Alibaug is the perfect place for relaxing.The sea breeze and the sound of waves lashing the shore can only instill happiness in your heart.If that is accompanied by good food,what more can one ask?!!

Simply stunning!!! Never seen anything like this before! The Pathare Prabhu community continues to enthrall with their customs and beliefs.For over 100 years,restauranteur Rahul Velkar's home has had Ganpati celebrations.His is one of the most prestigious families of the Pathare Prabhu community.

Every year on the first day,the Naivedya Taat is the same on the first day and consists of Ukadiche Modak (Steamed dumplings with sweet coconut mixture),Godi Batati (spicy potatoes),Shirali Watane (Peas and Ridge Gourd),Kale Watana Bhendi (Black dried peas with okra),Sambare (coconut gravy),Pathwad (colocasia leaves stuffed with dal mixture,rolled and fried),Shev (steamed rice noodles) served with sweet masala milk,steamed rice and dal (varan bhaat) and poories.At Rahul and Devika Velkar's home,the celebrations are for one and half days.You can watch the video of the celebrations here

We were given Mesoor (honeycombed sweet made of gram flour from Phutanebai) as prasad.

Khelatle Ganpati or the child version was the one all kids would go out and decorate with their most precious toys.Rahul Velkar's family had a sprawling bungalow (a home that Kunal Vijayakar remembers fondly,having spent many a childhood day there) at Mahalaxmi so the display had no constraint....model cars,railways,fountains,landscapes,you name it! Silverware is typical of Pathare Prabhus.

Earlier Rahul's mother Mrs Suhas Velkar used to make the Ganpati herself.She taught her nephew Kunal Vijayakar who has made the beautiful Ganpati below out of Shadoo,an organic material.

Bimba Nayak mentioned some other typical Pathare Prabhu food items like Umbar (sweet made of banana),Ghuravlya(sweet puri),puran (made of gram flour).Some families welcome the Goddess Gauri with non vegetarian food like Crabs,Prawns,Pomfret,Fish Roe and Mutton.Kerolya made of banana is also served.She mentioned how earlier there used to be a family Ganpati but now with nuclear families,each family has one.

Credits for all pictures:Kunal Vijayakar

Ah!! It's Christmas time again!! Always make me happy.In school it was all about carol singing.I was extremely proud to belong to the school choir and sing in Descant! My hymn book is something I treasure to this day!
I love going to Bandra 'cause it brightens up even further at Xmas time.Shops along Hill Road are packed with trinkets and baubles,snowflakes and Santas.Cafe Andora is where I would pick up my pastel colored Christmas sweets made of marzipan.Guava Cheese came from an aunty on Chapel Road.
This year is special because I reconnected with Milanda Jagtiani.Many of my birthday cakes and snacks were made by her when she owned Sante at Pali Market.Once she sold it,we lost in touch.....until this month when I saw her announcement on Facebook.Milanda grew up in Lagos and went to culinary school in Hong Kong.She teaches exotic cooking.Her classes are full of unique ingredients which are all available in our city,be it Curry Powder or Kalamata Olives.An afternoon with her is like being on a picnic.

Milanda has made Xmas cakes,Xmas logs and spiced cookies this time.She also conducts cooking classes including one on Stuffed Roast Chicken.Turkey I think is overrated.I remember cooking one in the oven for long when I was in the US and yet it wasn't cooked.Finally I chucked it and made something simpler.Which reminds me of the fabulous Stuffed Roast Pigling that I ordered from Christina Fernandes three winters ago.Tender with a crackling that complimented it so well! :)

The best thing I discovered this Christmas are some healthy snacks Milanda has made......Granola and Spiced Nuts.So here's wishing you a Healthy and Happy Christmas!!!

Celebrated Xmas eve by attending a Navjote at the Jeejeebhoy Dadabhoy Agiary at Navy Nagar,Colaba.It was my second time at the lovely venue and the atmosphere was that of a Christmas party.There was a beautiful Xmas tree at the entrance and gifts for children.Songs that blared off the speakers were all of my generation!! Yeh!!! Laughter,clinking of glasses and dazzling diamonds everywhere! Navjote is the ceremony to initiate a child into the Zoroastrian faith.Here it was of the talented Hansotia children,a invitation which stressed on the presence of great food to entice me!
The starters were outstanding......Sali Boti Tartlets and Tiny Egg Chutney Pattice were the best.Pepper Mushrooms,Arbi Rolls,Pepper Chicken were good.I don't remember how many I had.Must be the wine.

The dinner was traditional Parsi mostly and catered by the one and only Tanaz Godiwala (whom you can see in the green shirt below).We headed for the first seating as I don't like waiting behind someone's chair for the next sitting.No....actually I don't like waiting at all for dinner so we ate first... but that sounds better.
We were seated next to a suave and amusing gentleman called Shiraz who kept us in splits.He was accompanied by his lovely wife Roselyn.He gave us tips on how to elbow everyone out and grab the Raspberry Soda :D....we did!
A waiter went around asking who all wanted vegetarian food.Expectedly,there weren't many takers.He removed the banana leaves and put silver plates for all the vegetarians.I saw dhoklas going into their plates and then our food arrived so that was all a haze.

The chutney came first followed by the frilly Farcha and a sweet onion based Prawn dish

What I liked the best was the Bharuchi Akuri....creamy scrambled eggs with raisins.How on earth they managed to do this on a large scale,I wonder.

Another dish which was superb was the Bhaji Dana Ma Gosh,a dish I had heard of because of my friends Kurush and Rhea Dalal.This is a green mutton gravy made of methi,peas and coriander and is oh so delicious!

The last item was the Ras Chawal,again good.....a mildly spiced tomato gravy with chicken

It being Xmas eve,there was soul satisfying ice-cream with rum ball

We stopped by the Afghan church next door and listened to carol singing.It was beautiful! This church was built by the British in memory of soldiers who died in the First Afghan war.On the way back we passed Prabhadevi which is an essentially Hindu neighborhood.There were twinkling lights and stars all along the way! Does intolerance exist in Mumbai? Only among some politicians!! Time we got intolerant of them!

Merry Christmas to you all!!

For the longest time,I have wanted to spend Xmas day at Bandra and this time I did! Caught up with my friends Kalyan and K at one of their favorite hangouts...The Sassy Spoon.Yeah,Sassy Fork finally met Sassy Spoon! After having read about high tea and scones in Kunal Vijayakar's HT weekend column on food,I was keen to try it in Mumbai.I have had them years ago at the Sandringham Palace in UK and they were divine.The ones at the Sassy Spoon were lovely! Ever so light and served with strawberry jam and clotted cream

It being Christmas we ordered the Turkey Four Way .....Asian Stir Fry,Wrapped in Bacon,Salad and Empanada...and loved it.The turkey was tender and flavorful as never before! We bumped into Chef Irfan Pabaney and he explained how they cooked it to make it that way.

We ended with a brilliant Star Anise Pannacotta with poached pear with the right amount of wobble.

It was great catching up with the Karmakars,first driving by all the dazzling Christmas lights in the bylanes of Bandra in the Sassy Spoon Nano and then chatting with them with Xmas songs playing in the background

Next I went to Pali Village with my friend Anna (after having Xmas goodies like cake and guava cheese at hers).We visited our friend Stardust and marveled at her neighbour's crib and her dazzling Christmas tree.Hope this little village retains its old world charm forever!

Stardust had made traditional sweets such as kalkal,coconut cake,milk cream and date rolls.These are exchanged during this festive season like Diwali sweets are.

While I was there,I glanced through a stunning book by her friend called "Markets Of Goa" which included the Christmas Market at Mapusa!! What a lovely place to visit!!

So grateful! It's been a warm Xmas spent with friends and family!

Started the new year with the Anand Mela at the Pathare Prabhu Hall at Khar.This was the third year I attended and it was just as exciting.This community is said to have migrated from Patan in North Gujarat to Mahim which used to be known as Mahikavati,as mentioned in Jagdish Gandhi's book 'A Tale Of Native Towns of Mumbai".At the fest were Kunal Vijayakar ( who had one of the most successful food shows on television,wrote a cookbook and is now into comedy) and Rahul Velkar of Mr Chow's.Rahul's great grandfather Rao Bahadur Narayan Dinanath Velkar was the first Indian Municipal Commissioner of Mumbai.

Bimba Nayak was there with a long list of food with different dishes in the morning and evening.Also on sale was her signature soothing Watermelon Juice.

She made Chicken Pickle, Prawn Pickle and Clam Pickle!! I bought her Panchamrut which is a dark colored,spicy sweet chutney and it was just amazing! Bits of dry fruits sweetened the spiciness of this awesome concoction.

A piquant dish....Bombil Methkoot which will blow your senses

The non vegetarian version of the Gujarati dish Undhiyo.This is similar to Umbhariyo of Parsis.Bimba made it with prawns but meat can also be used.

Bimba makes outstanding crabs.....whether Khadkhadle or Tandoori

Soumitra was there with his mother Surbhi Velkar.Soumitra loves participating at the Anand Mela which he says is a lot of fun and makes it possible to meet a lot of friends and family together,all at the same time.Their stall had Prawn Pickle and Chicken Dhansak.There is a strong bond between Parsis and Pathare Prabhus.In fact a studio portrait of Three Parsis and a Parbhu (1867) was commissioned by the Govt of India for the Archaeological Survey Of India.This is now housed in the British Museum.Both communities migrated to Mumbai from Gujarat,were highly educated and held important administrative positions.They believe in philanthropy and have a strong sense of tradition. Soumitra thinks the non vegetarian preferences of both communities is one of the underlying factors :) The Dhansak which Soumitra made would have had any Parsi raving and considering him a Bawa!

Kalpana Talpade was there with her son Dhiren,making Shrimp Pangojis,which is a monsoon speciality.She has several Youtube videos on Pathare Prabhu food as Aunty KT :D A new PP dish I learnt about from her was the Kairicha Kharavni made with prawns.She also made Spicy Paya Soup,Kheema and Khadkhadle.On sale were her CDs on Pathare Prabhu cuisine

Ghol (fish) Cutlets,Methi Dink Ladoos (meant for pregnant women) and Wakhandachya Vadya (a winter special made of herbs and spices roasted in ghee and bound by jaggery) filled another stall.

Another PP speciality is Kaju Poli.Dudhi Halwa is stuffed into Shingdya and baked at Diwali time.This is like a Karanji.This was at Soumitra's stall and also at Jagruti Jayakar Kothare's stall.Today I tried Pineapple Halwa at another stall.

For those at Central Mumbai,a Pathare Prabhu outlet has opened in Prabhadevi called GauriVandana Foods from where the Pathare Prabhu Sambhar masala can be preordered.Ronica Vijayakar and Asha Kothare are well known for the masalas in the suburbs.Ronica had a stall at the fest too.

A special mention for master baker Asmita Rane (who has married into the Parbhi community) who made chicken pot pie,prawn chops and guava cheese.The Anand Mela wasn't just about Pathare Prabhu Food.It represented the current status of the community and their interactions with other communities,upholding their own traditions and respecting others!!

January is bursting with Maharashtrian food events.....this weekend,it's the CKP Food Fest organized by Sameer Gupte.CKPs or Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhus are said to be descendants of King Chandrasen and migrated to Maharashtra from Kashmir.They essentially held administrative posts under royalty and even today many important administrative jobs with the Govt and held by them.I was accompanied by Babso Kanwar who is a food historian penning a book on Kayastha cuisine.She had held interesting events like Food of the Mahabharata and Baniya Food in New Delhi.We also had Bimba Nayak,an ace Pathare Prabhu chef with us and Sameer Rane of Ixora Wines

Essentially nonvegetarian,CKPs do have notable vegetarian dishes too.Masoorachi Amti is Sameer Gupte's favorite! Always tells his mom,she should make made a little more :)

The other veg dish I spotted was the Wadicha Sambhar......veg dumplings in gravy

The event was very well organized with food courts to sit and enjoy

CKPs love seafood.....like the Pathare Prabhus.So there was Surmai (Kingfish) and prawns galore.

There was dry fish in form of Bombil Kurukuri which you could munch on like a snack.There was dry Bombil Chutney,spicy yet flavorful!

There was Chicken Biryani, Kheema Pattice and Hot Paya Soup

and beverages like Banana Colada and Kokum Chaas!!

While the Pathare Prabhus have the non vegetarian Ghada,here was a non vegetarian Undhiyo (without vegetables) by Yashodan Deshmukh of Chimbori Kadhaa who won the first prize at the fest,judged by CKP chefs Tushar Priti Deshmukh,Shantanu Gupte and Vivek Tamhane.

The Jithada is an uncommon fish which is found in paddy fields.The taste is unmatched by any fish I have had.It was available here.

Forgot about khichadi being convalescence food.Here it was with prawns!

Prawns Lipte is made with made with onions

There was Banana Flower Vegetable with Prawns....

and Stirfried Jawala or Tiny Shrimp.....

There were lovely soft rice bhakris!

and Kheema Dosas!!

Distinctive CKP sweets are available at Diwali time.....The Ninav ,which means nameless,is made of besan or gram flour and coconut milk and baked.

Yashodhan Deshmukh made a fusion dish called the Ninav Cheesecake and won the First Prize!

At another stall,we came across a Bebinca like delicious sweet dish called Khandvi! This was of coconut milk and ragi.

We met Mr Sule,a businessman who told us all about CKP history

Also met a young architect Devashree Lad who has designed the Maharashtrian restaurant Potoba at Mahim

Loved the Paithani purses at the fest!

and the ready to wear Navari (nine yard) Paithani sarees!!

The CKP Food Fest was full of discoveries for us.Babso spotted common dishes with Kayasthas from the North.The world really is closer than we think.Let's think of ways like this to keep our community cuisines alive!

In today's day and age of the internet,it comes as a welcome change to have a Food Book Club.While I writing on a blog,my love for books remains the same.The joy of holding them in your hands,flipping the pages,marking on them at times is something else.The A Perfect Bite Food Book Club is Rushina Munshaw-Ghildiyal's idea.She comes up with great ones.Whether it be the Food Memory Project,Culinary Legacy Series or her Foodles.Her studio is far away from where I live else I would be there more often.I received four books in the hamper on joining the club...The Sood Family Cookbook (by Aparna Jain),Vicky Goes Veg (by Vicky Ratnani),A Pinch Of This,A Handful Of That (by Rushina) and India On My Platter (by Saransh Goila) as well as vouchers to two events.

Last year Kunal Vijayakar launched his first book...."Made In India" which is a collection of recipes from his travel all over the country for the hugely popular TV show "The Foodie".He has also included recipes of the some of the original communities of Mumbai,both East Indian and Pathare Prabhu,which share similarities.The recipes are precise and easy to follow.He isn't a chef and doesn't claim to be one yet the book instructs you perfectly,if you follow it to the T,without skipping ingredients.

I have always wondered what it would be like to have food cooked by him and he did just that at the event.Showed us how to make the Bombay Chicken Curry and Fish Chichoni.The former is one the Anglo Indian cooks in upscale homes made in the past.It's made with olive oil and has dessicated coconut,curry leaves,garlic and vinegar.Unusual combinations I would say and a reason why I hadn't attempted making this before.It turned out delicious! Reminded me of an old quote 'Our minds should be open with wonder,not closed by belief"

There were more vegetarian participants at the event yet they had more questions on non vegetarian food than us! We discussed the Batati Charcharli( Crusty Potatoes) and Hingatelatle Vatane (Peas with Asafoetida),which are my favorites.These are Pathare Prabhu recipes and I make them every fortnight.

The Fish Chinchoni is a fish curry that is East Indian.Curries are found all along our coastline but the recipe changes every 100 km! A slight twist to the ingredients makes a huge difference in taste,Kunal remarked.Be it the souring agents like kokum or tamarind or addition of tirphal.

The APB Cook Studio had made dishes from the cookbook for our lunch.Two dishes which Kunal made and others

The Eddie's Mutton Stew was fragrant and delightful! It's named after Kunal's great uncle Mr Rane's butler.

For the vegetarians there was Batati Charcharli (which I would have preferred to have been cooked till crisp) and Khamang Kakdi (something I have made from Rushina's award winning book A Pinch Of This,A Handful of That

I must make mention of the welcome drink which I loved,made of Kumquats!

The Croissant Pudding which the staff made was just perfect!

The surprise at the event was a talk by The Gourmet Food Co, launched by a group of bankers who plan to get food from home chefs to people's homes (e.g. a Sunday Brunch) and pop up events of traditional food.

When Soumitra Velkar invited us for lunch,both Bonny (of Hungry Cat Kitchen) and me got super excited.It was a year back that we had gone over to his place and enjoyed a Pathare Prabhu meal (first time for Bonny).This time the menu was different.

Gram flour doesn't agree with me so I was thrilled to have Pangojis which were zesty prawn fritters made with wheat flour.Oh so delicious!! The basis of fried snacks in Pathare Prabhu cuisine was the fact that the members of the community worked very hard,left early for work after a brunch and came back famished.These savories served as a source of calories

The main course included Beetroot Sambhare which is basically a gravy made with coconut milk.Having tried the Pineapple Sambhare at Bimba Nayak's and Rahul Velkar's place,I knew this would be great too.It tasted as good as it looked!! Here's a link on how to make Pineapple Sambhare.Soumitra explained that a Pathare Prabhu meal is typically complete when accompanied by a coconut milk curry to go with the rice.Sambhaare,Gode-Aatle,Kalvan and Sheer are all subtypes of the same.A proper Sunday meal has mutton-pav,fried savory and shiryache with rice.He had made Gavsane for us which were made of modak ukad stuffed in chapati dough and shaped like a paratha and cooked.

The pickle-like gravy Prawns Lonche was tantalizing! Prawns were perfectly cooked and gave you that zingy feeling!!

The Kali Miriche Mutton was made of pepper and cooked in a cast iron vessel/kadai which was termed Tazla by Pathare Prabhus (Tazlyatle Mutton).Even Sukke Mutton is made in this vessel.I first heard about the dish in an article that mentioned how Kunal Vijayakar's mother used to make this dry mutton dish for childhood picnics.Years ago,he demonstrated the Picnic Mutton at the Upper Crust food show,which I never got down to making as he said it requires "loads and loads of oil" :D Here is the recipe

Soumitra,like all Pathare Prabhus refers to his heirloom book "Gruhini Mitra" by Laxmibai Dhurandhar.If only someone would translate it and re -publish it for the rest of us.

Went to the Perfect ParTea,a brainchild of Rushina Ghildiyal-Munshaw,a celebration of Women's Day,it being in its sixth year of existence.The venue was Craft Deli at the Phoenix Market City,Kurla and the place was packed to the gills.A Perfect Bite Cook Studio showed a video of their Culinary Legacy Series,an ongoing programme that has covered traditional Irani,Kashmiri,Gujarati,Coorgi,Assamese,Bengali,Uttaranchali and Maharashtrian food uptil now.At each event,there is a talk,a demonstration of few dishes and then a meal at the end.What a lovely way to encourage harmony and share cultures between people.Kudos to Rushina for that!

What thoughtful mementoes Rushina designed for the participants of the Culinary Legacy Series! Chef Ranveer Brar,who had launched the series last year, gave them away.

Then there was a cover release of Saee Koranne-Khandekar's book on Indian Breads where she read out paragraphs from her book.Saee has taught bread making at the APB Cook Studio and is also a foodblogger and an avid photographer.It's inspiring how she balances her family life and her work

Chef Paul Kinny demonstrated two healthy dishes....Quinoa and Cranberry Salad with greens from his herb garden and No Carb Spaghetti.Quinoa is a grain found in South America and used to be peasant food uptil recently.Now it is found in urban areas but is expensive.It is available in gourmet stores all over India.It is a rich source of protein and also provides calcium and phosphorus.It can be cooked like rice.For the salad,Chef Kinny soaked it in hot water and used it.

Then his team shredded zucchini and carrots into spaghetti using a spiralizer.This was tossed in olive oil and herbs.Lo behold! You had the zero carb spaghetti! Healthy and tasty! The right thing to demonstrate on Women's Day as most of the time,it is a woman who rules the kitchen at home and the future of the family's health lies in her hands! Way to go Chef!!

Chef Paul spoke of his love for nachni,bajra and other whole grains which he uses liberally in dishes as he loves the crunch.These ingredients provide the essential fibre to our diet!

The snacks served too were healthy.....Portobello Mushrooms on Crostini

Roasted Beetroot Burger

and Quinoa Chicken Strips!

Well known Chef and Chocolatier Varun Inamdar spoke of Chocolate and Wine Pairing.He has authored Celebrate Life,Food and Wine

Was thrilled to bump into Kiran Manral who I follow on Twitter and whose first book "The Reluctant Detective" had me ROFL! Happy to hear she has written five more books.Also met up with fellow food blogger Pushpa Moorjani who has written a book on Sindhi Cuisine.

It was a perfect Women's Day party!! But there's no denying......men complement women and women complement men!

Alibaug is so close to Mumbai.Just an hour away via ferry to Mandwa Jetty.For those that prefer driving it takes about three hours.Being summer,we spotted lots of mango trees with tiny raw mangoes.Watermelon stalls too piqued our interest.We prefer the unstriped sugar babies.All along the way,whenever we spotted a village,there were women selling fish on wooden boards.

The Mandwa Jetty was buzzing with people,being a long weekend.It drizzled,adding to the charm! We grabbed coconuts to sip on while watching the crash of the waves on the rocks.

Lunch that day was simple yet delicious chicken curry and pomfret fry prepared by cooks of Agri origin.Next day we spotted a fisherman on the beach carrying his haul of freshly caught live lobsters.We bought them and my cousin cooked half of them in a pan but akin to Lobster Thermidor while the cook made a traditional curry....Shevandiche Kalvan.Difficult to say which one was better

There were some women on the beach digging for oysters (Kalwa) when the waves retreated.My cousin tried her hand at it and it was no mean task! These can be made into curry and had as fritters.Couldn't get more fresh than this!

I had taken a book along to read but didn't turn a page.The view of the ocean and the twittering of the birds was way too intoxicating to do anything else! No television,no newspapers,no doorbells! Spotted a bird of paradise in the garden!

Alibag town has a fish market but there are stalls in other areas too.The Zirad market on the way had some excellent vegetables which we picked up for home.The famous white onions of Alibaug make a great koshimbir (salad).Along the main road, there were museums and curio shops which we made a note to visit on a longer trip.

My tryst with Saraswat food started with a lovely book I picked up in Pune by Mrs Nadkarni.Written in Marathi,it had a plethora of dishes and as I tried them one by one,I realized thateach had a unique flavor with just a minor variation in ingredients..Soon after I came upon Rasachandrika,a cookbook by the Saraswat Mahila Samaj printed in 1988.This being in English,made it easier for me to cook the long list of vegetarian dishes it had.

When I saw Authenticook had a Gaud Saraswat Brahmin (GSB) meal planned for this Saturday,I was thrilled.Having tried some at the home of our Mangalorean origin GSB friends Pradeep and Chethana Rao,I know this was going to be a treat.

Saraswats originated from Kashmir and lived on the banks of the Saraswati river.in the Goud region in Northern India.They spoke Sanskrit.Due to a famine,they had to look for alternative sources of food and therefore though they were Brahmins,they started eating fish.Some say as the river dried up,they migrated to other places.

Meena Anil Sanzgiri Wakade pointed out that it was said that Lord Parshuram brought them to Konkan and Goa.During the Portuguese rule,some migrated to Karnataka and some to Mumbai.She is from a Mumbai Gaud Saraswat family married to a Konkani Saraswat family.Her mother was a Mumbaikar,her grandmother from Sawantwadi and aunt from Belgaum.Food at her place was therefore a celebration of Saraswat food from all over.At home predominantly they had coconut based gravies.The Mumbaikar Saraswat cuisine is more like Goan with additional Pathare Prabhu dishes.Like Goans they use tirphal (akin to sichuan pepper).Konkani Gaud Saraswats use garlic instead of tirphal (like home chef Prabha Kini did)

Chitrapur Saraswats on the other hand are vegetarians.I first heard about this sect from Shanti Padukone,not related to Deepika Padukone,who writes a lovely food blog on her CSB cuisine.There are Saraswats in Maharashtra,Goa and Karnataka and also in Bengal! At the lunch I also met Saraswats who are Catholic.Saraswats from Udipi have a sweeter touch to their food,thanks to the addition of jaggery.

The whole process was very well organized by Authenticook.The directions to the host's home were bang on,Google map being included!The meal was at the home of Chef Prabha Kini and it felt like I was sitting at home with my family friends and chatting.Topics ranged from Jungle Book to Salman's six-packs and work breaks for "hawa khana" and other jokes from Kunal Rasania

Our welcome drink was a cooling lemon and saffron drink which is served at GSB weddings.Chef Prabha Kini's son Abhijeet (creator of Angry Maushi comics) gave us pearls of information while his wife Diksha was sous chef to her mum-in-law

Then came the outstanding Prawns Talashilele (Mangalorean style Prawns Chilli Garlic) and Chicken Ghee Roast which was mopped by Oondi (rice balls with urad dal and coconut).These are had for breakfast and lunch.Ghee Roast originated in Kundapur but is now available all over Karnataka.I have made this at home and loved it.

The surprise item of the day was Sanna Polo a savory made of urad dal,red chill powder and cabbage.Absolutely lip smacking! In season,this is made with bamboo shoots.

Then was delicious Alle Piao Ghashi which was Pomfret in Ginger and Onion,Coconut based Gravy.Being a coastal cuisine,coconut is an important ingredient in Saraswat food.In summer,pineapple and mango sasav is made with grated coconut and mustard seeds.Pickled Jackfruit and Breadfruit are popular vegetarian items.

The humble dal took on a new avatar as the Dalitoy which was Urad dal with red chillies and hing.Simple yet terrific!

There was a salad which reminded me of Khamang Kakdi,the Cucumber Hullel.There was Mulgapudi or the Gunpowder to be had with ghee and Masala Taak as a digestive

The sweet ending was a rice kheer with almonds.

Truly a memorable lunch! I asked Amey Deshpande what made him start Authenticook.It makes me happy to see the younger generation turning towards home food as I always believe that the key to good health lies in traditional food.Indian ingredients have a scientific basis.Ameya and his lovely wife Priyanka,went to Eastern Europe on holiday and discovered that they learnt a lot about the Hungarian culture by a meal at a local's home.With such a vast choices of cuisine available in India,they thought it was a great idea to promote this concept in our country.I love the idea! Networking through food has also helped me make new friends and learn new perspectives.In the end,it's always the relationships that matter!

One day I was chatting with Zinobia Schroff and she suggested having a party where home chefs could meet and I thought why not.We decided to keep the number small,include people who lived close by and see how it goes,before making it a regular feature.Zinobia makes amazing Parsi food using less oil.She also makes pickles such as Lagan Nu Achar,Chundo and Fish Roe Pickle and these are taken abroad by many of her patrons.I have on many an occasion had her Berry Pulao.
In our group was Bela Gupta who runs a vegetarian gourmet service called Herbivore.The picture above is of the goodies she brought to the party.The Watermelon Feta Salad was of outstanding quality.She used Goccia Aged Balsamic.She also made a Three Layer Mexican Dip with Nachos and Amritsari Hummus with Pita-Kulcha

Then of course we had Subhasree Basu-Burman who runs the Hungry Cat Kitchen and makes regional and international food.Her pork dishes are a huge hit (Ginger Mirin Pork,Bhut Jholokia amongst others) and also her desserts like Swedish Apple Pie.She teams up with the young and spirited Perzen Darukhanawala-Patel (Bawi Bride) and participates in exhibitions as Bawi-Billi.She is the Billi as she is cat crazy.I am a dog person but I secretly enjoy the howlarious updates on her handsome cat Meowjit

Ananya Bannerjee is the most glamorous one in our group.She has written a book called "Planet Gastronomy" which covers food from all continents.Her cooking is superb.She made Alurdom for the party and we also tried her pickles....Chicken Silleybata,Prawn Kashundi and Dhanopatar (Coriander) Achar.All out of the world!

We had Anjali Koli with us....the only vegetarian Koli I know.She too caters her cuisine and writes a blog called Annaparabrahma.She sells dry fish and masalas via her e-store.Anjali has recently married a Parsi gentleman so I guess we can expect Koli-Parsi fusion food,given the common love for fish.

We sipped on Subhasree's Fruit Punch and chatted.

I made a Bacon-Egg Macaroni and a Peas one for vegetarians

Ananya's Alurdom was lipsmacking!

Perzen who runs the Bawi Bride Kitchen made delicious Kevabs....of mincemeat for non vegetarians and potato-cheese for vegetarians

Zinobia's Dhansak and Brown Rice was terrific!

She also makes squashes....like this one made of lemon and ginger

The sweet ending to the lovely meal was provided by Pia Promina Dasgupta Barve....an utterly light Kolkata Gateau who caters regional and international food.The Indian Dessert was Bhapa Doi...a baked custard with delicious lemon grass overtones by Ananya.
We plan to meet once a month for giggles,guffaws and great food!!

Sundays should be like this! A sit-down meal on banana leaves placed horizontally,a marriage of the hot and spicy Kolhapuri food and demure,subtly flavored Saraswat food! Thanks to Smita Deo,we had this experience at A Perfect Bite Cook Studio,Mumbai! When you meet Smita,she reminds you of gorgeous mythological Goddesses and when you have her cooking,you think of her as Annapurna!

She has narrated the story of her life in her book "Karwar to Kolhapur to Mumbai": her childhood holidays in Karwar,her husband's hometown Kolhapur and the place of their current residence...Mumbai.The pictures are stunning! The cover has her holding a vegetable called "Chow-Chow".The food styling has been done by her and everything is authentic.No color has been added to make the dishes more appealing for the camera.The book is a magical journey through Karwar.The stunning Bellikery beach at Aversa (her village),a typical Karwar home and the Ankola fish market are some of the stunning pictures included.She talks of her love story and how Kolhapuri cuisine too became a part of her life after marriage,though with spices toned down.

Smita loves to feed people.Which is why it is good to have her as a friend.The spread she made was unbelievable,more so as she herself is vegetarian!! She judges by the aroma!

Among the guests we had Chef Bhasin of the Trident,the darling Zenia Irani (Branded Bawi),Shabeena (who makes herbed butter) ,Purabi Naha (who conducts Bengali food popups),Abhinav and Tina

It was a lavish menu and the good thing is that all the recipes are in her book :))

There was Kolhapuri Thecha that has more fire than Arnab's show! Fruit Sasam (spicy grated coconut with fruit) was delightful.I think I had half a bowl of it.I have had Pineapple Sasam before but the mix of fruits was just as delicious.

The Multi Grain Thalipeeth was served with smooth white butter.I liked it because it was way better than the fried restaurant versions

Dalitoy is something I had at the Authenticook Saraswat pop-up...a comforting dal made of tur dal (pigeon peas) and ginger and a tadka of coconut oil.Was mighty thrilled to see the recipe in the book.

I have had corn curries before and they have been bland.When Seema urged me to try this,i did it with hesitation but the mix of flavors bowled me over,making it one of my favorite items of the meal.The Kolhapuri garam masala (which she gifted us at the end) adds the kick to this dish

The other vegetarian dish was Colocassia Curry (Alu Che Phadphade),thick and flavorful.Breadfruit is also a part of Karwari cuisine.Looks like a jackfruit but does not have seeds inside.

Balukaka's Chicken Curry was robust and well spiced with coconut and poppyseeds.Will definitely make this.

Pandhra Rassa was superb! Made in coconut milk with spices like cardamom and cinnamon,this is a Kolhapuri special.Meat is the main constituent of Kolhapuri cuisine since it is located inland.

The Non-Fried Mutton Chops were the best things on the menu.If there weren't so many great items,I'd have had more.The masala was of peppercorn,cinnamon,cardamom and cloves.

The Karwari Fish Curry,Masali Ambat was mild and the fish very fresh.Tasted great with steamed rice.Smita also talked of local fishes which are oh so delicious but not available in Mumbai.(Mental note:next holiday,Karwar).Some curries use Tirphal,akin to Schezwan Pepper.Souring agent used in Karwari food is Kokum (not tamarind)

We ended with Madgane,a simple dessert made of coconut milk,rice and bengal gram.This is made at Nopi,a festival held in Aversa, 14 days after Ganesh festival by the family that cooks for the entire village.
What a meal!! Just to let you know,there will be a Karwari Cooking Class conducted by Seema soon.You know who's going to be there.....

It was time for our second Home Chefs Potluck and Ananya graciously invited us over to her place.Her home is beautiful as the walls are adorned with her paintings.Yes,not only is she a home chef but also an accomplished artist.Woodwork with aluminum casting,oil on canvas paintings and sculptures are there for all to see.She's also had an art show in Paris!

Ananya has published a cookbook last year on International Cuisine.She holds pop-ups of regional (Bengali,Oriya) and International food (Ethiopian).Have had her Bengali food and it's been simply amazing,specially the Murghir Jhol (Chicken Curry)

It poured and how and while we waited for the others to arrive,we sipped on Jello shots and Sangria.Zinobia Schroff (see above) is the person who inspired this group to be set up.She makes Parsi cuisine using low amount of cooking oil.She is known for her Parsi pickles including the Gharab or Fish Roe one

The others in our gang are Bela Gupta of Herbivore (vegetarian gourmet meals),Soumitra who cooks Pathare Prabhu home meals through Authenticook,Subhasree who runs The Hungry Cat Kitchen and Perzen Darukhanawala Patel of Bawi Bride fame.

Bela made a spectacular Vietnamese Mango and Bean Sprouts Salad and Lasooni Palak for the potluck.I almost didn't try any non vegetarian stuff after that.Almost.

Soumitra made the Kolambi or Prawn Pie while Bimba Nayak made Bombil Cutlets for the monsoon.The Kolambi Pie had strong flavors that hit the right note.The green,spicy Bombil Cutlets too were refreshing in the rains

Smita Deo joined us.She is an astounding cook who makes Karwari and Kolhapuri cuisine and has just published her book"Karwar to Kolhapur to Mumbai"

With everyone on the same wavelength,it didn't take long for everyone to get comfortable,regardless of age

Kurush and Rhea kept us entertained with their breakfast stories.

Pia Dasgupta Barve (on the extreme right) makes awesome breads.Here she made a Jewish one called Challah.She narrated to us the story of how her husband wooed her with a fire extinguisher.

Ananya made the Vegetarian Nasi Lemak,a Malaysian sticky rice with relish which was bursting with flavors

Pia made the Jackfruit Curry which had a meaty texture

Pork with Kaffir Lime was Subhasree's sublime creation and Anjali Koli made a rich,dark,flavorful prawn curry

and Shevale Sambhare was Soumitra's! This was a coconut milk based curry made with puree of monsoon vegetable Shevale and prawns

The sexy Bourbon Bundt Cake by Rhea,

the enticing Parsi Kesar Ravo by Katy's Kitchen

and Bimba Nayak's gorgeous Jelly Cake made of seaweed were the sweet ending to our story!

There were several reasons we meet in early August.It was a day before Shravan started and is called as Gattari Amavasya as people indulge in food and alcohol before embarking on the Shravan fast.The word Gattari as some fall into the gutter :D Fortunately none of us did as we aren't much of drinkers.This time our potluck was at Rushina's A Perfect Bite Cook Studio which was also celebrating 4 years.I remember visiting the studio when it started.Seems so long ago! Attended several exciting events after that! We were also celebrating Perzen Darukhanawala Patel's baby shower and Zinobia Schroff's birthday.The picture credit for the delightful picture above goes to Sarita Khisty.In the foreground is a typical Parsi sweet made for baby showers

Perzen is also known as Bawi Bride and Zinobia is well known for her pickles including Fish Roe Pickle.The most touching part was when Kurush,Zinobia and Perzen sang the Parsi anthem as Perzen cut the cakes that Bimba Nayak and Pia Dasgupta Barve had baked for the occasion.

Rushina has made a flavorful Red Wine Sangria with Pause Wine (she used it in all her dishes)and a non alcoholic sangria for the teetotalers.Gitika made an Assamese farmer's fermented drink Rice Wine.Oh yes,we all had wine permits :D

There were outstanding starters.. mushroom canapés and chicken canapés made with wine and a grilled pumpkin starter,all made by Rushina's team.Bela made a delicious snack....Broccoli Quinoa Cheddar Tikkis

The birthday girl made her mouthwatering star dish....the Nutcracker Pattice filled with onion and nuts

Perzen had made a request for Chicken Salad by Kurush and Rhea's Katy's Kitchen and lo behold,it was there! Pretty and delicious with chicken and pineapple.I made a vegetarian Russian Salad.

Our in-house Koli,Anjali Koli made Kashmiri food,using ingredients sent by her Kashmiri friend Anita who blogs.She served Kolhrabi Pickle (bottled),Gucchi Olu (Mushroom with Potato) and Gucchi Flavored Pulao called Taher

The glamorous Ananya Bannerji made yummy Kolkata style Chicken Biryani and Veg Biryani

Smita Hegde Deo who is vegetarian since 8 yrs of age,made an outstanding Malvani Mutton Curry with Amboli which are fermented pancakes...she judges by the aroma of the curry.She has recently started a new show on Rajshri Foods called Masala Trails where she demonstrates various recipes like Bharli Vangi and Phirni

Pia Dasgupta Barve made the comforting Chanar Dalna or a Bengali Gravy with Paneer Balls

Purabi Naha,the last entrant to our group (we have to restrict the number as we'll have a tough time finding a venue to accommodate all of us,much as we'd like to add more people) made a superb Bengali Fish Curry using Rui or Carp

Anjali's Mushroom-Potato and Pulao.....

and to complete the Gattari celebration was the peppy Sangria Chicken with Foccacia made by Shekhar Ghildiyal (I love it when couples cook together)

There were lots of giggles that day and they weren't just because of the wine! The only agenda being to meet,greet and eat!

Attended my first food conference!! Organised by FBAI, I discovered it's not just about food!! It's about learning a way of life!! Home Chefs are an important part of the food industry.They form a link between outside food and home.We might eat out but at the end of the day,most people crave ghar ka khana.No wonder that even hotels are holding home chef pop-ups.
Missed the first few lectures but was in time for Rushina's where she narrated her life story.She encouraged the new home chefs to have faith and face all the trials and tribulations,knowing that there will be a rainbow at the end.She has no degree in food but has still managed to reach up there in the food circuit,thanks to her passion and dedication

Next was the dynamic Munaf Kapadia of The Bohri Kitchen who left a successful job in the corporate world to start a company that was based on his mother's cooking.They started at home with people writing in to request a meal which they priced low initially.He used the skills he learnt at his job to market The Bohri Kitchen and his has been one hell of a success story

Next was Chef Saransh Goila who has made a terrific name for Goila Butter Chicken.He gave tips on how to make one's product popular with the use of the social media.

Then there was the charming and sophisticated Nikhila Palat who used to be in charge of PR for Taj Hotels.She spoke of how sometimes mistakes happen,even with the best of intentions,but can be rectified with the right attitude.She gave an example of how a VVIP guest had a real animal on his bed at a safari venue.The apology included a stuffed animal with a letter stating how excited it was to meet him

Chef Varun Inamdar spoke of creativity,using local ingredients with foreign dishes.He has represented the country abroad at several events.

Then there was Chef Ajay Chopra of Westin who spoke of sticking to one's speciality and improvising it.He suggested training wives of farmers on making products with extra produce so that they may be able to sustain themselves.He also spoke of the need to buy direct from farmer so as to help them.
Rashmi Uday Singh spoke of how she found home chefs and gave them a podium.She in fact had started a Home Chefs Cafe at the Crossroads Mall that served their products,years ago!
An important lecture was held regarding registration required by home chefs,depending on their earnings (a higher amount requiring a license)

The lunch at the Taj Lands End event was prepared by Home Chefs Ananya Bannerjee (Oriya food),Gitika Saikia (North Eastern food),Purabi Naha (Bengali Food),Sandeep Sreedharan (Malayalee food) and Sherry Malhotra (Himachali food).The display and selection of menu was outstanding

Then came chef Vicky Ratnani.He divided the teams into 8 groups.Each was given a set of ingredients and had to prepare a dish with walnuts in half hour.

We were seven of us.It was a great way to test team skills.Planning the dish,preparing it in half hour with only one knife provided and plating it,was no mean task.We made a Paneer Steak with Walnut Pesto and Grilled Vegetables.We didn't win but we had a lot of fun!! We were the oldest and noisiest bunch!!

There were many more exciting sessions including one with Harpal Singh,Kalyan Karmakar and Ananya Bannerjee but the moment home chef Bela Gupta found most exciting was when she,the Herbivore,met Kunal,the Carnivore!! Remains to be seen if she can convince him to try her fare.... :D

On Sunday Roopa Nabar had her first popup.While she is a Home Chef,she had the event in a restaurant (Hoppipola at Khar) and she catered to a large number of people than she would have at home.Maharashtrian food too found a new platform.
My exposure to Kolhapuri food was first at Purepur Kolhapur at Prabhadevi.The spice level was way better than I had expected! Then again Aditya Mehendale,the author of Rare Gems,demonstrated Kolhapuri cuisine cooking at A Perfect Bite Cook Studio at the Maharashtrian Food Event at the Culinary Legacy series organized by Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal.His book has a chapter on the intricacies of Kolhapuri food.Then Smita Hegde Deo wrote a beautiful book "Karwar to Kolhapur to Mumbai" and had some astounding dishes at her popup at the same studio.

So when Roopa Nabar said she is having a Kolhapuri food pop-up,I was more than happy to try it again.Yes,there really is so much variety to Maharashtrian cuisine.A lot has to do with the climatic conditions and location of the place of origin.Kolhapur being in the interior,on the Sahyadri mountain range, in the South of Maharashtra is known for its meat dishes and spicy food.The altitude and grass feeding is probably the reason why the quality of milk and meat produce here is way better than other places.The Pune-Kolhapur expressway is a joy to drive on as it has sugarcane fields on both sides.This is also why one sees jaggery in their cuisine and something we had in our childhood....Kakvi (liquid jaggery).One can get chilled sugarcane juice at Kolhapur.

The cheerful and bubbly Roopa gave a small talk at the outset explaining how stock formed the basis of this type of Indian cooking.The Tambda (red) and Pandhra (white) Rassa are well known symbols of Kolhapuri cuisine.The Pandhra Rassa which looks mild,actually isn't as Roopa's version showed.Made of coconut milk,ginger,garlic,poppy seeds and cinnamon,this has a kick thanks to the addition of chillies.Additional chillies make this into Tambda Rassa,not for the faint-hearted! Good thing there was extra water on the table :D Roopa used both,the milder Bedgi chillies and spicy as hell Lavangi mirchi,making it more acceptable by city folk.Milk and curds are commonly had to temper down this spiciness.Roopa even talked of a dessert with ice-cream and milk for the same purpose.Two spicy snacks famous at Kolhapur are the Kolhapuri Misal (moth bean gravy with farsan) and the Kolhapuri Bhel (Bhadang)

The star of the meal was an unusual dish called Goli Bhaat.This had minced meat balls in a pulao studded with peppercorns,each mouthful a delight!

The robust Sukha Mutton was made with the typical Kolhapuri Masala....the Kanda Lasun masala which had roasted onion,garlic and coconut.This masala was also used in Goli Bhaat.
Having travelled to Kolhapur earlier,I have had another typical dish,the Mutton Loncha (pickled mutton)This dish has its origin from the time when refrigeration did not exist.
Lest you think there were no veg dishes,Roopa had made Matkichi Usal (Sprouts) and Bharli Vangi (stuffed Brinjal) also.There was Sol Kadi as an appetizer cum digestive,made of the souring agent kokum and coconut milk.Other popular dishes are Methichi Bhaaji and Penpala (made of the lentil masoor)

Roopa cooks all kinds of cuisine.She is truly gifted at it.Her cooking is exemplary!She gets the spice levels just right!While she is a Saraswat,she chose this cuisine as her husband belongs to Kolhapur and she learnt the dishes from her mother in law who was an outstanding cook.Roopa (a.k.a Coastal Kitchen) has made several You Tube videos as she loves to teach.She also conducts classes at Sanjeev Kapoor's culinary kitchen and writes recipes for cancer patients for "Cope With Cancer".While she was a microbiologist earlier,she is now completely into food.She loves feeding people.Two words she uses to describe Kolhapuri food....Tikhat and Zanzanit

The Malcolm Baug Parsi Pop-Up

Tribal Assamese Food on a Sunday Afternoon

Alibaug in the Rains

Pathare Prabhu Ganpati Celebrations

Merry Christmas!!!

Navjote on Xmas Eve

A Bandra Christmas

Pathare Prabhu Anand Mela 2016

CKP Food Fest 2016 at Thane

An Afternoon With The Foodie at the Food Book Club

Pathare Prabhu Thali On Sunday

A Perfect Party For Women's Day

Alibaug Summer

A Heartwarming Goud Saraswat Brahmin Meal

The Potluck Party

Smita Deo's Sit-Down Karwari & Kolhapuri Meal

Monsoon Potluck Party at Ananya's

A Potluck for Multiple Celebrations

#Home Chefs Matter at Taj Lands End

Spice Of Kolhapur by Roopa Nabar