Stretching from Maharashtra’s Thane to Karnataka’s Mangalore, the Konkan region boasts a platter of mouth-watering dishes that deserve the spotlight in the country. From local spices to coastal crabs, fishes, and prawns, these Konkani dishes are richly flavourful with unique tastes. Here is a list of 10 lesser-known Konkani dishes that are worth a try:
Konkani Kurle Ambat: Mainly served with roti or rice, this surreal dish is made with crabs, fresh coconut paste, and roasted spice paste.
Dhondas: This delicious dish, presented as a cake, is made with unimaginable ingredients like cucumber or the white part of the watermelon.
Kadamb: This aromatic and flavourful dish which is like a Konkani variation of steamed idli, is made with cucumber, coconut, jaggery, and rice, and steamed in turmeric or banana leaves.
Bharli Vangi: Bharli Vangi meaning stuffed eggplants is a popular dish in the Konkan regions and is made by stuffing eggplants with a mixture of sesame seeds, ground nuts, and dry coconuts.
Sarpotal: Best served with rice cake, rice, and bread, this spicy and tangy dish is made with meat, chilies, and other spices. On an interesting note, this dish gets tastier after 3-4 days of preparation.
Sol Kadhi: Known for its digestive properties, this popular spicy drink is made with kokum and coconut milk. There are many variations seen in the preparation of this drink.
Tisryache Kalvan: Tisrya, which translates to clams, is cooked with dry coconut and fresh ground masalas with lots of gravy and served with rice and roti.
Khamanga Kakdi: Commonly savored in vegetarian households, this salad dish is made with cucumber, peanuts, and spices like chilies.
KhatKhate: This scrumptious vegetable curry is made with 5 vegetables, potato, radish, sweet potato, carrot, and pumpkin, and uses grated coconut, jaggery, kokum, tamarind, turmeric powder, etc.
Bangda Fish Fry: This flavourful dish is made with Bangda fish, ginger garlic paste, chili, lemon juice, rice flour, turmeric powder, garam masala, etc.
Vali Randayi: Made with steamed spinach, toor dal, coconut, onion, red chilies, and tamarinds, this scrumptious dish is also known as Malabar Spinach Coconut Curry.