Kolhapuri Tambda Rassa
After so many days I write and feels so weird as I read so much in the mean time that the mind is full of ideas. These last few months I have spent into such rigorous technical grooming that blogging did take a backseat. Before I start writing about Kolhapuri Tamda Rassa I wanted to write a few lines about my Aai.
Meeting Aai was the best phase of my life where we spent infinite moments going to some of the best art festivals and food places in Bombay. If I had a thread which would have gone through all those years then it would be a silken one entwined with jaded fairs, vocal bargains, bumpy auto rides and complimented palates. At every moment in my life I try to paint various aspects of my life with Aai’s hue.
The canvas for these fairs was fair and simple, respecting tradition and taking us back to our roots. I introduced Aai to Jamdhani, Tassar and Chanderi while Aai introduced me to Thecha, Irkal and Tamda. We would eat together in small plates as it was very important to taste each and every niceties served at every food stall. So the hunger for niche and undiscovered was satiated in either case.
Life revolved around her ways and I felt I was constantly making mental notes of every action and reaction. In her bedroom close to the entry door was her tiny cupboard, a little dusty but full of recipe books and and her own diary where she scribbled all her own recipes. A lot of my recipes are curated by her perception of food. Though I have my whole life to showcase my food experiences but this chapter remains special.
My mother in law was very knowledgeable when it came to Maharashtrian region and its cuisine. Aai ascent to the culinary throne in our home will be unchallenged she will always rule our hearts as the crowned queen.
I absolutely love this period of transition, where winter is reluctant to leave but the spring is pushing its way in. There is abundance of spring blossoms, the cold is still indecisive and there is oodles of rain shower while snowy cosy-ness on other days. I love cooking something very rich during this season and so I have chosen The Kolhapuri Tamda Rassa. Such a meal in late winter is like last rose of summer.
If you understood food then you would know its not about the colour or how spicy. Its about flavour and Kolhapuri cuisine is about flavour just like every other cuisine of India.
- 2 tbsp refined oil
- 5-6 cloves of garlic
- 1 inch ginger
- 2-3 green chillies
- 1 kg chicken, cut in to small pieces
- 2 tsp numeric
- 10-12 cashews
- 2 tsp poppy seeds
- 1 whole onion
- 1 onion, finely chopped onion
- 2 tbsp dry desiccated coconut toasted on a skillet
- Fresh sprig of coriander leaves along with few cloves of garlic
- Salt to taste
- !Homemade Kolhapuri masala
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 cinamon stick
- 2-3 cloves
- 5-6 black pepper
- 1 Sankeswari chilli
- 1 Lavangi chilli
- This recipe is originally made with red meat and the best tender lamb with fat hence the floating oil on top. I have just made it with chicken but you can make it with the meat of your choice.
- For the Kolhapuri homemade masala all the dry spices are roasted on a skillet. I have used the chillies sparingly but with the store made masala you can more hot and colour. The spice mix is still quite hot. The Sankeswari chilli has a bright red colour and is not very hot. While the lavangi is the real killer, it is bright red, spicy and lethal. In the absence of these chillies you could simply use store bought Kolhapuri red chilli powder.
- Marinate the chicken with ginger, garlic and green chilli paste. Also add turmeric and salt. Let it marinate for half an hour.
- I have used my gas burner for charring the whole onion with skin on all sides. The best smoky flavour comes when done in a coal or wooden stove.
- Soak the cashews and poppy seeds in 2 tbsp of tepid water snd then grind it into a paste.
- Now grind the fresh spring of coriander, garlic and desiccated coconut into a wet paste.
- Heat a deep skillet or a aluminium kadhai and add 1 tbsp of oil, then add the chopped onion and fry until it is golden brown. Then add the marinated chicken and fry until the chicken cooks coloraturas. Then add 2 cups of water for the stock and cover the cook for 10 minutes. Now reserve the chicken along with its stock.
- Again take a deep skillet or a aluminium kadhai and heat it over medium heat. 1 tbsp of oil, then add the homemade Kolhapuri masala and fry it for a while and then add the wet paste and again fry it for 2-3 minutes. Then add the ground cashew and poppy seeds paste. Give it a good stir and then add your cooked chicken with the stock into the fried spice mix.
- Cover and cook the chicken for another 5-8 minutes. Then your Kolhapuri Tamda Rassa is ready.
- You either have it with hot rice or as I did paired with Jowari Bhakti or flat bread.
- Bon Appétit !!