Waiter, there’s fruit in my curry

Waiter, there’s fruit in my curry

The idea of ‘coastal cuisine’ brings to mind images of seared fish, prawn curries and lobsters on a platter. But the strong vegetarian tradition in India has ensured that vegetables ­­— and even fruits — are incorporated into the cuisines that develop along India’s coast. We had the opportunity to try out some of these dishes during the Coastal Cuisine food festival at ITC Grand Central in Mumbai. While my non-vegetarian colleagues couldn’t resist the fish and prawns, I headed straight to the vegetarian counter. The most interesting dish was the mambazha pulisseri, a sweet and sour alphonso curry. While the use of raw fruits — such as banana and jackfruit — isn’t unheard of, curries made with ripe fruits are unique to coastal regions. “The sauce in the mambazha pulisseri is made with coconut, green chillies and cumin. Curd is then added to give it volume,” says chef Harish, who had flown in from Dakshin, the south Indian restaurant at ITC Chennai, to attend the festival. The resulting dish had a creamy texture, and the sweetness of the mango was balanced out by the spices. Another fruit-based curry on the menu was the Pineapple Mensakai, which has its origins in the Mangalore region in Karnataka. This sweet and spicy dish is a must at any traditional Kannadiga feast today. Most of these vegetarian fruit-based curries originated in coastal areas, but over the years, their popularity has increased in the interiors too, says Harish. He adds that he’s looking forward to experimenting with palm fruit. “I have heard that people in and around Pondicherry prepare dishes with this fruit. I will be heading there soon to study their local cuisine.”