Malvan is a town in Sindhudurg District, it lies in the southern most district of Maharashtra. Since it is on the coastal belt, the main occupation is fishing. It has its own style of cooking. The staple diet of the local people is fish curry and rice.
Coconut is used in abundant in various forms as grated, dry grated,fried, coconut paste and coconut milk.
Some of the spices like dried red chillies, coriander seeds, peppercorns, cumin, cardamom, ginger, garlic, etc. are used in the paste. Kokum, dried kokam,tamarind, and raw mango are used to give a sour flavour to the curry. Malvani masala powder is made with 15 to 16 types of dry spices. This masala is grounded into powder and stored in jars to be used when required.
For the Coconut Paste
Ingredients
2 small Coconut grated
2 Onion chopped
8 Garlic Cloves
4 small Ginger pieces
6 Byadagi Chillies
6 Degi Chillies
1/2 tsp Pepper Corn
1 Cinnamon stick
4 Cloves
4 Green Cardomom
1 tbsp Cumin seeds
1 tbsp Mustard seeds
2 tbsp Poppy seeds
1 tsp Fennel seeds
1 Star Anise
1/2 tsp Turmeric
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Oil
Method
Take a pan, add oil. Heat the oil. Add the 1/2 tsp Pepper Corn, Cinnamon stick, Cloves, Green Cardomom, Cumin seeds, Mustard seeds, Star Anise and Fennel seeds. Sauté it till it crackles. Add the garlic. Sauté till it lightly changes its colour. Add the onions, sauté it till light pink in colour. Add the chilies, sauté it for a minute. Add the poppy seeds and sauté it for another minute. Add the coconut and sauté it till it light golden in colour. Switch the flame off. Cool it. Add the ingredients in the grinder, add water and grind it. Open the grinder lid and add salt and turmeric powder. Grind it further to a smooth paste.
For the Malvani Curry
Ingredients
1 kg Surmai fish cut into pieces
Wet paste
6 garlic crushed
4 Green chillies cut into 2 pieces
6 Kokam pieces
1 tsp Mustard seeds
2 Spring Curry leaves
1 Star Anise
3 tbsp Mavani Masala powder
Salt to taste
1/4 cup Oil
Method
Take a flat base pot or pan. Add oil, let it heat. Add the mustard seeds and star anise. Let it crackle. Add the garlic, green chillies and curry leaves. Sauté it for a minute. Add the wet paste. Sauté and cook it till the oil starts to separate out from the paste. Add the salt and Malvani masala. Stir and cook for another minute. Add 1 liter water. Let it simmer for 10 minutes. Add the Kokam and let it simmer for another minute. Add the fish pieces and let it cook for 10 minutes or till the fish is cooked. Switch of the flame and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve with hot steaming rice.
