Cook in a Curry

Konkani cuisine is very much part of the western region of India. A lot of my own family food influences have been based on this cuisine and the variety it offers. This is one such recipe that is very much part of the community in India. Raw mango or ‘Kairi’ as it’s known locally isn’t just used for pickles but make for a moreish gravy dish too. My mother is renowned for her homemade mango pickle which she makes using raw mangoes. But nothing makes a curry taste better than steeping chunks of raw mango in the gravy lending a sour tang to the dish. My fondest memories include a stack of raw mangoes peeled & chopped in our home. The smell wafting through the house was quite distinct; making it hard to resist. Even having a few bites of it raw can be very addictive.

What makes this dish unique is of course the use of raw mango but also that coconut milk is actually optional. It’s such a cliché that every Indian coastal seafood dish must include coconut milk but to be honest there are a lot that don’t & still taste gorgeous. For a slight creamy consistency I have added a few tablespoons. I know it isn’t something my mother would consider necessary.

The flavours are a combination for sweet, sour, spicy and moist succulent prawns soaking up the spiced gravy. A firm family favourite and also something I cooked for a few locals on my travels across Malwan last year too. Needless to say it’s went down a treat though they do like their food a lot hotter than I do! Adjust the heat in the curry as per your preference so a teaspoon of kashmiri chilli powder is good but you can add a touch more if you want to up the heat a tad bit. Also I always stock up on coconut powder (widely available in stores) which makes it easier to measure out the amount of coconut milk required.

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I must admit I’m really not much of a fashion buff! And food is definitely what I do best. Plus a guest post isn’t something I tend to write often but when posed with a request from Priyanka Gill (fashion journalist) to write a piece for her fashion blog eStylista featuring one of my recipes I simply couldn’t resist! Apart from fashion she also writes about restaurant reviews (I never miss reading them!) books & films. So if this gorgeous prawns curry entices you then heard over to eStylista right away for the recipe!

When all you can think of is food, fishing and feasting on a scrumptious menu then the journey doesn’t quite account for much however hectic, tiresome and long it might be. Stopping along the way for refreshing ‘Neera’ sweet toddy like (non alcoholic) drink with stalls dotted about through the motorway serving through the day. I was on my way to Sindhudurg District or ‘taluka’ as it’s known in the Marathi dialect. Located in the southern part of Maharashtra to sample the local Malwani cuisine and experience the way of life in the region. My excitement for a foodie fare is what kept me going on the drive from Goa to Malwan. Sandy beaches, lots of sun, good food and a tad bit of culture is what we had waiting for us.

Reaching our gorgeous stone built cottage at 5pm was good timing. We had decided what the plan was to be for each day. An early morning start at Tarkarli beach to see the nets and fishermen get out in their rustic wooden boats was on the agenda. A good catch would mean happy fisherman and make our experience that much more memorable. Though no one warned any of my friends of sea sickness; something I only too well experienced on a fishing trip a few years back.

Bustling and busy for that time of the morning, the anticipation of the experience and what the catch of the day would hold for us is all that I was thinking about. But through it all I wanted to soak in the experience, the smells of the sea and the view of the coast line from the jetty. It was a good few hours at sea but with the sun rising making the view ever so picturesque. The nets came in a few at a time with a flurry of fish. Was hard to identify all but I could definitely tell there was Pomfret and Surmai (King fish) for sure. A delight for the fisher folk!

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My trip to a fish monger now a days fills me with excitement, joy, anticipation and this unusual burst of energy which stems back with memories from my childhood that always come flooding back in an instant. My family lived in Mumbai; the coastal region of Maharashtra where seafood was always in abundance, with fishmongers knocking on our door often to sell the fresh catch of the day. Maharashtrians do eat Chicken and mutton but based on the way the region is laid out, a fully fledged meat based diet is consumed within the inner regions where supply of seafood can be scarce.

As a young girl accompanying my mother to the meat and fish market was something I would look forward to, keen to see what fresh produce was up for grabs. This really might not be something everyone enjoys but for me it was unique and special. The market had the distinct ‘fishy’ smell to it as you walked up to the entrance. The rustic colonial style doors leading the way to massive halls with old fashioned bronzed fans dotted about which kept the place slightly cooler and almost gave it that retro feel. We always made sure to carry our own shopping baskets to the stalls as most of the fish bought was wrapped by vendors in newspaper.

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