A Malvani Food Blogger
Hirvya Vataap serves as the foundation sauce for a variety of Malvani fish and vegetarian curries. “Hirvya” is a term that means raw & “Vataap” is a word that means paste or gravy. This Vataap is made primarily of coconut and contains fairly minimal ingredients. We can perceive each item’s contribution by testing, smelling, and seeing it.
A family of five or six would find it more affordable to purchase Kutaa rather than a complete Surmai (King Fish), as Surmai may be fairly costly because we eat seafood a minimum of Four days a week.
For Fry, Surmai (King Fish), Paplet (Pomfret), and Modusa are the finest options due to their taste, texture, and a single bone in the center. However, we’d rather get a whole Surmai when we have guests at our house, so it’s Surmai curry time.
We use the center portion of the fish to Fry and the head & tail parts of the fish to make Curry, which enhances the flavor of the curry.
The Beauty of Malvani Cuisine lies within the Aamti (Curry or Gravy). It is a part of our Main Course.
When it is thick gravy we call it Tikhla/Sukya or Usal. We refer to Tikhla/Sukya as thick gravies made of fish, chicken, or mutton, and use Usal as thick gravies made of beans.
Malvani Surmai fry is a favorite dish among fish eaters. King fish is popularly known known as Surmai, locally in Kokan Seashore. Surmai is quit big in size, so it is evenly cut into thin slices. It has a long center bone, so you don’t require much efforts while eating, it is one of the reason why it is popular among the fish lovers or if someone is new to sea food then it is the best to start with. Surmai has a layered structure. When it properly cooked then those layers got separated and it is really fun to eat those layers.
Malvani Crispy Batata Kaap is thinly sliced potatoes marinated in a mixture of turmeric, Malvani Fish Curry Masala, and salt, next, shallow fry with rice flour coating on low to medium heat.
We Malvanis also adore this crisp in our meals. We prepare a wide variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian alternatives, so you simply cannot compromise on the crispiness of the dish. It is an absolute must-have for the ultimate meal experience.
These five Malvani vegetarian curries are what I would like to recommend; they will brighten your day. As a Malvani person, we include these curries in our monthly menu. Even non-vegetarians should need to try these curries.
All of these curries go perfectly with steamed rice and rice flour Bhakari. Though I would advise sticking to rice Bhakari, you are welcome to try it with chappati as well.
Fish From the Sea, Creeks, and Rivers is the Main Food here. Gravies are made up of Fresh Grated Coconut pests. Rice is consumed in the form of soup, Steamed rice, Bhakri (Bread), Ghavan (Creeps), and Hot Noodles. Ragi is also consumed in the form of Bhakri (Bread), Ghavan (Creeps), and Hot Noodles. Different Local pulses and vegetables are also part of a daily meal. Kokum is used as a soaring agent in the Food.
” Ghavne” is a dish that truly reflects the essence of Malvani cuisine, conveying genuine emotions of love through its flavors & texture. It is quite delicate. When making it on a traditional wood-coal stove, it takes skill to keep the batter’s consistency and the right amount of heat, to maintain the thickness thus preparation takes a lot of patience. One Ghavn takes four to five minutes to prepare and only takes thirty seconds to eat. It is Soft, Meshy, and Very thin.
