This is my home-made Malwani masala which I use, to make a Malwani curry, with fish or prawns or chicken. This masala is very aromatic due to the cinnamaon and nutmeg, the gravy is dark due to the toasted masalas, brown onions and roasted coconut.
This masala is a combination of toasted spices and ground and toasted coconut
For the malvani masala you'll need the following ingredients.
Cinnamon 1 tb.sp(broken into bits)
Cardamom, 3-4
Fennel 1tb.sp
Cloves 3-4
Cumin 1tsp
Coriander 1tb.sp
Red Chilis(Bedgi)8-9
Pepper corns 1/2tsp(optional)
Roast all the above on a skillet for 4-5 mins, stirring constantly so that all are evenly toasted, cool and grind, add 1/2 tsp turmeric and 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder. This is your Malvani masala, this is enough for one large chicken or 1kg of surmai( king fish) or prawns.
Malvani chicken curry
Chicken curry pieces 750gms or 500gms boneless.
Marinade: In a blender jar blend 6-7 cloves garlic/1" piece of ginger, a handful of cilantro leaves, salt, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp lemon juice, make a paste, put the chicken pieces in a ziplock bag with the marinade and refrigerate for 4-5hrs.
Chicken curry pieces 750gms or 500gms boneless.
Marinade: In a blender jar blend 6-7 cloves garlic/1" piece of ginger, a handful of cilantro leaves, salt, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp lemon juice, make a paste, put the chicken pieces in a ziplock bag with the marinade and refrigerate for 4-5hrs.
Grind coconut(1/4 cup) and toast it on a griddle-keep aside.
Chop 2 onions (1/2 cup) finely and fry in 3 tb.sps oil-cook till the onions are golden brown, cool and grind to a smooth paste, put in pan alongwith ground coconut and Malvani Masala, stir fry for 2 mins, add 1/2 cup water and keep on a slow simmer, add 2 tb.sps tamarind extract or 1 tb.sp lemon juice. Add marinated chicken and cook on simmer for 20 mins, if you find the gravy dry add 1/4 cup water bring to a boil and serve.
For Malvani fish curry-add cleaned and washed fish(surmai) slices to the curry and cook for 5-6 mins and serve.
For Malvani Prawn curry-clean the prawns, apply salt and turmeric keep aside till you prepare the curry, when curry is ready-boil the prawns for 5 mins and serve.
Sol kadi (made from Coconut Milk and kokum) is served with malvani food.
Grind the meat of a large coconut with 4 cups of water, press this through a soup strainer and you have "coconut milk" I scrape off the brown skin of the coconut to get a more whiter coconut milk.
Soak 10-12 kokums in a cup of hot water, strain out this water and add to the coconut milk-discard the kokums. This pink liquid is Solkadhi-add salt, pepper and garnish with cilantro leaves, can be served at room temperature or chilled. Bon Appetit.
Malvani VadéI cup rice, 1/2 cup urad dal(soak 4 hrs. and grind to a smooth paste using 2 tb.sps. water) add salt, coriander powder, cumin powder and methi seed powder(you can dry roast methi seeds, coriander seeds and cummin seeds on a skillet and grind to a fine powder) add 1/2 cup besan(gram flour and knead the dough to a stiff consistency.
This post first appeared on Bharat Mirchandani-Food & Drink Photographer, Food, please read the originial post: here
