Mumbai Food: Konkani-Muslim pop-up celebrates all things seafood and coconut

The Konkan coast is home to many communities for whom fish is a staple at every meal. One such community is the Konkani Muslims. This weekend, sample their food at a pop-up organised by Authenticook

Dry Red Chilli Chutney with Chawrachi Roti

The Konkan coast is home to many communities for whom fish is a staple at every meal. One such community is the Konkani Muslims. This weekend, sample their food at a pop-up organised by Authenticook.

The pop-up will feature food by home chefs Mumtaz Kazi (nee Pawaskar) and her cousin Sameera Gawandi, both Konkani Muslims who hail from the fishing village of Harnai in Ratnagiri district.

Bharlela Paplet

"Coconut is the star ingredient in our food. We use coconut milk instead of water when cooking. We even add it to rice, which gives it a nice texture and a unique taste. Our dal also uses the milk," says Mumtaz. She makes the coconut milk fresh. The pop-up features recipes she has gleaned from her grandmother, aunt and mother. Another hit ingredient is saunf (fennel seeds), which is ground with haldi and the powder is used to add aroma and flavour to dishes.

Sameera Gawandi and Mumtaz Kazi

If you love all things fishy, this meal is a treat. The menu includes Bangda Kelyachya Paanat - mackerel marinated in spices, wrapped in a banana leaf and cooked in an earthern pot; Bharlela Paplet - whole pomfret stuffed with finely chopped tomatoes, coconut and ground spices; Sukhi Kolbi - prawns cooked with heavy spices, and Dum Cha Mhaura - fish marinated in spices and slow cooked.

Other traditional food that can be sampled is Chawrachi Roti - a rice chapati made by boiling rice flour, kneading the dough and then patting out shapes; Shegalachya Phulachi Bhaaji - made of flowers from drumstick tree cooked in tilkoot (Kokni chutney) and Khichidi with Soloni (a thicker version of sol kadi, flavoured with kokum, black pepper, garlic and jeera).

To end the meal, sip on Peyushi. Generally made in cashew season, the dish has fresh cashews, coconut milk, jaggery, turmeric and poppy seeds, coconut milk and eggs.

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