Flavours of India - Indian Food Diary Part II

On Jan 14th my Instagram, Facebook and Twitter feeds were flooded with pictures of 'till gud ladu' (dessert made out of sesame seeds and jaggery), Undhayu, Sakaria Pongal, Makara Chaula and Kheer, and nostalgia took over - sitting on the roof top of my house, ages ago when we used to live in Gujarat, and feasting on all these dishes while watching scores of kites dot the sky. The good old days. But that also reminded me of a promise I made to you guys last year. And since today is the 72nd Republic Day of India, I thought, what better day to celebrate a part of Indian culture that brings the whole nation together - Indian Food! So, as promised, I am back with some more states with their dishes that not only taste amazing but also tell you more about the state itself! So, without much ado, here are dishes from six more states I have been to and their local dishes that you must definitely not miss!

1.  Madhya Pradesh

Bhutte ki Khees

Okay confession, though I am going to be talking about some delicious dishes from the “heart of India”, I actually have tried all these dishes only in one place in one city of the state -Sarafa Bazaar in Indore! Sarafa Bazaar is one of the oldest khao galis (sort of food courts/alleys) in the country! You can read more about the place on another post of mine “Indore Diaries - Sarafa”. But coming back to the dishes you just need to try – have you heard of Bhutte ki Kheesh? It is a very simple stir fry of mashed corn kernels with Indian spices that was invented in the Holkar Royal Kitchen in 15th or 16th century when corn was introduced in India by the Dutch. But even though it looks and sounds simple, it was a royal dish, so that should tell you why you must try it! And while the royals made the foreign corn their own, people of Indore have made sure to stay close to their roots and keep their traditional flavours intact. Yes, Indori Poha is one such dish that holds a special place in everyone’s hearts, but the dish that I am talking about is Garadu (wild yams) Chaat. Winters in Indore are incomplete without deep fried garadu marinated with chaat masala and covered with aamchur (dried mango powder). Let’s just say it is totally worth the calories, just like mawa jalebi or jalebas!  Jalebas, unlike traditional jalebis are fat, little soft, really dark jalebis made from milk solids and very little bleached flour (maida) and were invented in a town called Burhanpur in Madhya Pradesh. And if jaleba ends up being too sweet and calorie heavy for you, try out Gajaks! Gajaks are thin brittles of sesame seeds and jaggery and way, way softer than the Gujrati Chikkis. I am missing their taste now. But, well, moving on…

Jalebas

2. Maharashtra

Pav Bhaji

While Madhya Pradesh served as a preamble to Maratha Cuisine (since Holkars were Marathas), let’s give you a full deep dive of the cuisine now. Whether it is Aamti with Kokum, Zunka with onions or Bharela Baingan with brinjals, Maratha cuisine has traditionally been heavy on spices with a singular shining star in every dish. Following the same suite are the dishes that you need to try out when in Kolhapur area (if non vegetarian) – Tambda Rasa (chilli based red curry) and Pandhra Rasa (coconut milk based white curry) where mutton (goat meat) is the star. These dishes were invented in the royal kitchen of the Maratha Kingdom and for the longest time were part of only royal feasts and high-profile weddings. But once they hit the streets of Kolhapur, its popularity was here to stay! With time Maharashtrian dishes found the company of Portuguese pav (sort of dinner bread) and that opened up a plethora of dishes that are now an integral part of Maharashtra’s street food. Frankly, I don’t even know where to start and which place to recommend, but at least when roaming around in the Khao Gullys (food alleys) of Mumbai – be sure to grab a plate of spicy crunchy curry pav dish: Missal-Pav and the “Indian Burger”: Vada Pav! For vada pav head to Ashok Vada Pav Stall near Kirti College, Prabhadevi or Gajanan Vada Pav in Thane. And talking about Mumbai food, how can I not suggest Pav Bhaji! Apparently the “Bhaji” was created by experimenting with left over curries to create a simple one curry solution for mill workers of Mumbai. Despite its humble origin story, pav bhaji is the most celebrated fast food of Maharashtra now and if you just want to try one place to know why it is so famous, head to Matunga Khao Gully near Ruia college and you will get your answer!

Vada Pav from Mumbai (photo by my friend Pooja Bhatt)

Okay, I know this is turning out to be a massive list, but in my defense, I have spent most of my teenage years in Mumbai, so bear with me. While Mumbai is a boiling pot of cultures and you can literally find all Indian cuisines in the city, one very interesting and must try cuisine here is Parsi Cuisine! Though I had actually lived in Navsari, Gujarat (where Parsis originally settled in India) for around 5 months, I never got a chance to try out Parsi dishes there. But luckily, Mumbai has so many Irani/Parsi cafes to try out, and if I just had to pick one place, I would tell you to head to Britannia & Co and order Berry Pulau and Dhansakh without even looking at the menu. (But my husband’s go to is Bun Maska and Irani chai – so you can take your pick) Anyways, I know I have overwhelmed you with so many savory dishes, so I will let you wallow in dreams of some desserts now. How does Modak – sound – not the Mawa (milk solid) one, but the steamed rice dumpling filled with jaggery and coconut mixture! And if coconut is not your thing, they maybe Ghee and Puranpoli – gram flour Chappati bread with jaggery, nutmeg and cardamom might be the dessert for you!

Homemade Modak by my friend Pooja Chachad

3. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana

Biryani

I am from Orissa and I used to live in Gujarat (many places) and then Mumbai. So, every Diwali Vacation we made a three-day long train journey from the west of India to the East. I still remember waiting for Secunderabad station to quickly get off the train and grab two packs of Hyderabadi Biryani from Alpha or Paradise Hotel and make it back to the train all in thirty minutes! (Total Jab We Met scene, believe me!) And that was my first introduction of the Nizami cuisine of these states – extremely spicy, extremely flavorsome and totally irresistible. Biryani came to India with the Mughals who themselves took cues from Irani biryani or “Birinj-Biryan” but Nawabs of North and Nizams in the South were the ones that turned the Irani Biryani into Paki (Lucknowi) and Kachi (Hyderabadi) Biryani famous in India today. Kachi Biryani which is made by slow cooking a pot layered with uncooked rice, heavily marinated meat (chicken or mutton), whole spices, fried onions, cashews and saffron water, sealed with wheat dough. And yes, Biryani is available everywhere these days, but to have it in Telangana or Andhra Pradesh with a side of Baghaar-e-baingan (yet another Mughal dish) has its own lure and is not to be missed in either of these states! Like Biryani, Fish Pulusu - which is a fish curry made with khus khus, coconut and tamarind, is also a culinary symbol of the state that is older than any Andhra-Nizami dish and a must try especially in Nellore, Vishakhapatnam and Warangal region. And yes, for dessert – how about Khubani ka Meetha! Dried apricot aka Khubani is soaked and slow cooked in sugar syrup and garnished with a ton of nuts; it is just scrumptious and another amazing dish that originated in the Nizam’s Kitchens, which makes it a dish you just shouldn’t miss!

Pulusu (Made by my friend Laxmi Iyer during the lockdown)

4. Goa

Chicken Xacuti

When people think of Goa and Goan Cuisine, it is just impossible to omit Vindaloo from the conversation! Vindaloo came to India with the Portuguese in form of Carne de Vinha d’alhos and found its place in Indian kitchens – not just Goan. Portuguese made the dish by marinating and cooking pork with red wine and spices like garlic, cloves, paprika etc, the Indian Vindaloo took the same dish but substituted wine with vinegar and added a lot more spices to it; after all it is the Indian version, right? Now a days you get chicken, prawn as well as potato vindaloo and no matter how many places I have tried it, I still can’t forget the chicken vindaloo I had at “O Coqueiro” in Goa. And while we picked up Vindaloo from the Portuguese, Goa had its own gifts of flavor that even Portuguese couldn’t resist – Chicken Xacuti and Sungta Hooman, both probably native dishes of Goa even before medieval time! Sungta Hooman is basically dry prawns curry cooked with chilli and bilimli (vegetable like brinjal that tastes similar to tamarind and is found in Goa). While Chicken Xacuti is a peppery dry chicken curry with added red chillies, nutmeg, cinnamon and poppy seeds – both very spicy but not to be missed in Goa. I still remember the first time I had Chicken Xacuti at “Mum'sKitchen” in Panjim and I gulped 2 glasses of Coke with it but couldn’t stop! Luckily, I did get a serving of Bibinca which is a seven layered coconut milk goan pudding, that is usually served with ice cream and is the best way you could end your traditional Goa food adventure.

5. Karnataka

Not masala dosa, but dosa with sambaar is a very regular thing in my house!

If you have stayed or traveled in India, it is impossible you haven’t come across an Udipi restaurant. And the minute you think of Udipis, you are bound to think of Dosas, right? And with the hundreds of variations of dosas available across India, it is impossible to have never heard of Mysore Masala Dosa! Udipi’s Masala Dosas are actually just a little over a hundred years old and is believed to be a gift to world by Udipi Krishna Matha. After potatoes came to India, small fat dosas as well as thin dosais were eaten with a potato sabzi (dry curry) but in early 20th century, due to a shortage of potatoes in Southern India post some severe famines, the temple community kitchen decided to put little amount of the sabzi in dosas which were also made significantly thin and that is how Masala Dosa came into being! The cooks of the Mysore Wodeyar’s took this idea and added their own peppery, garlicy flavor to it, creating the Mysore Masala Dosa. So, when in Karnataka, how can I not suggest having Dosas in Udipi and Mysore? And talking about Mysore, yet another thing you need to try here is Bisi Bele Bhaath. Bisi Bele Bhaath was actually a spicy tangy version of Kichdi with just dry fruits that was made in the Mysore Palace. But eventually the recipe modified by adding a lot of vegetables and picked by community kitchens “to feed the masses”. This is now a wholesome, cost effective, and yummy lunch dish you can eat at any restaurant in Mysore and Bangalore! And if the spices get to you, fret not because you will find Mysore Pak come to your rescue. This very simple gram-flour based dessert was also invented in the Mysore palace about a hundred years old and now this original recipe still lives on at Guru Sweets in Mysore which is actually run by the grandson of the original chef of Mysore Pak. And if you are visiting just Bangalore, be sure to grab a bite of this delicacy at Anand Sweets, you will know why the dish is so famous!

This is Mysore Pak from my Kitchen!

6. Tamil Nadu

Okay, so let me get the obvious out in the open first – Idli Sambar Podi and Vadai, you just have to start your day with a traditional Tamil breakfast when in Tamil Nadu! Traditionally idli and vadai used to be eaten with an array of chutneys but when Marathas took over a part of Tamil Nadu, they added Sambar to the mix. Believe it or not, sambar was actually an attempt to create a curry similar to Maharashtrian “Aamti” for Sambhaji Maharaj and replacing kokum with tamarind gave birth to Sambar. Thanks to that attempt, now we have pearl onions, tomato, drumstick, brinjal and so many different types of “Saambaar” that I didn’t even know of before my husband introduced me to them. And yes, you can feel overwhelmed while choosing where to have your breakfast when in the state, but worry not, atleast for Chennai I can give you some pointers – Rayar’s Mess, Ratna Café and Murugan Idli Shop – tried, tested and loved. And if you want to try idli in a non-traditional way with chicken or mutton you need to try out Kozhi (hen) Idli Restaurant in Chennai. (I personally have never visited the restaurant, but a friend had told me about it) And talking about chicken, do not miss out on Chettinad Chicken either when in the state, after all it has been a part of Tamil Nadu’s distinct cuisine for over a thousand years! And for dessert, you might want to try payasam, but even though payasam is my favourite dessert ever, I would say give Pongal a chance, especially in the temples and you won’t regret it! Pongal is actually just a dish of rice and has four types – Sakarai (sweet with jaggery and dry fruits), Muliga (peppery and lemony), Puli (tamarind) and Venn (coconutty). And if you are not bored with idlis do try Kozhukkattai, which is an idli filled stuffed with coconut jaggery and cardamom. Which made me realize, idli can literally be an appetizer, main course and dessert! (Idli lover here starting daydreaming) Anyway, Kozhukkattai is very similar to “Manda Pitha” which is also another reason why I fell in love with it and am recommending it!

Sakarai Pongal (Source)

And with that, I am wrapping up my culinary travel of India! Next time, another country another set of dishes with their stories, where and why and, well, virtual flavors to your houses. Till then, let me know in the comments below if you have tried any of these, or want to try them, or if I have missed some must have dishes from these states.

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