A Coorgi spice fest
Kodagu cuisine stands out from the rest of the South Indian cuisines with just the simplicity with which spices are used. But make no mistake; the inhabitants of Coorg love their spices and not just an overdose of chillies.
The food is laced with spices that are grown all over Coorg. This cuisine is high on coconut, curry leaves, ginger, chilli and pepper. Even subtler essences that come from cumin seeds and cloves are used effectively to create a mouthful of flavours.
While most people are aware of Coorg’s most popular export to the rest of India: Akki Otti; I’m sharing with you recipes that are easy to make, true to the region’s flavour profile and rare to find on menus outside of Kodagu.
Prawn bharthad
Ingredients
2 nos onion (sliced)
8 cloves garlic
8 nos green chillies (slit)
2 tsp pepper powder
2 tsp limejuice or vinegar
Salt to taste
Method
Saute onions and garlic till they turn golden brown.
Add green chillies, prawns and pepper powder and stir fry.
Add salt and lime juice and stir well.
Meen Bharthad
Ingredients
1 kg fish slices
2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp tamarind pulp
½ tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
Oil
Method
Mix all ingredients and coat the fish well.
Marinate the fish for 1 hour.
Heat oil and shallow fry the fish on slow heat, till brown and well cooked.
koomu curry
Ingredients
400 gm mushrooms (cut and washed)
12 nos green chillies (slit)
To grind:
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
12 nos cloves
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp peppercorns
8 nos red chillies
50 ml oil
2 nos onion (sliced)
50 gm coriander leaves
2 nos tomatoes
20 gm curry leaves
Water
Salt to taste
Juice of 1 lime
Paste of 1 coconut
method
Heat oil and add onion, curry leaves and green chillies.
Add the ground masala and fry well.
Then add the coconut paste.
Add water and salt and stir.
Add the mushrooms and tomatoes, and cook.
Stir till the gravy attains medium thickness.
Add curry leaves and lime juice.
The writer is masterchef, South of Vindhyas,
The Orchid, Mumbai
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