Rubina A Khan reviews the Maharashtrian Food Festival at Tiqri, Mumbai: “a sweet and spicy culinary experience of Indian coastal cuisine.”
Maharashtrian food is delicious! And it’s not just about Vada Pavs and Kothimbir Wadis! From Nagpur Pudacha Vadya (Fried Gram Flour Snack) to Sungte (Fried Spicy Prawns) to Jowar Bhakri (Sorghum Bread) and Techa (Green Chilly and Garlic Chutney) to Tamatoche Saar (Spiced Tomato Broth), it is an expansive food realm that should traverse across India with its flavorous coastal cuisine as I found out at the ongoing Maharashtrian Food Festival at Tiqri, the all-day restaurant at Taj Santacruz, Mumbai.
Chef De Cuisine, Dinesh Joshi, has curated a well-rounded menu to exhibit some of the many delectable dishes of Maharashtra, Vada Pav included. Joshi loves traditional Indian recipes and he’s most inspired by Maharashtra’s culinary history in the kitchen. “Maharashtrian food is very light, and it consists of fresh produce, from dry coconuts to fresh coconuts, procured from the coastal regions as well as the ghats (mountain passes). The cuisine is an amalgamation of the varied influences of the early settlements in Maharashtra from the Portuguese to the Mughals to the Koli fishermen,” says Joshi of the cuisine.
This festival was a great introduction into a whole new world of Indian food, and I even managed to pick up some words of the Marathi language of which I’m the least proficient in. The succulent and fiery Kolhapuri Muttonacha Rassa (Mutton Curry) with Bajra Bhakri was flavourful, as was the Tamatoche Saar (Spicy Tomato Broth), Masale Bhaat (Spiced Flavoured Rice) Kothimbir Wadi Canape (Coriander Fritters), Chicken Sukka Bhakri Roll and my quintessential favourite, Vada Pav. The Vada Pav was better than any “famous” street stall in Mumbai – the Vada (potato patty) was spiced just right, the crust was golden and made the right crunch on first bite, with the accompanying burnt red and green chutneys. The imaginative new dessert on the menu is Joshi’s version of a Maharashtrian festival favourite, Puran Poli (Sweet Indian Flatbread) where he’s taken the Puran made with jaggery and swirled it into an icecream wonder! My new favourite is the coastal sweet, Naralachi Karanji, also made of jaggery and fresh coconut shavings. It’s an addiction in itself wherein you just can’t stop at one. As is amply clear, I enjoyed every dish I tried on the festival menu.
If you’d like a cocktail to go with the spicy Maharashtrian culinary delights on your plate, then the sprightly Preeti at the Tiqri bar will shake up a neat Pometini for you made with fresh pomegranates, elderflower and bitters or an Espresso Martini or whatever you’d like. And, a cheerful bartender is always the best bartender. An afternoon like this, taking in a novel culinary experience, made for an indulgent, lazy weekend in Mumbai.
The Maharashtrian Food Festival is on from January 11-30, 2018.
Tiqri is open 24 hours, except Monday when it is closed from 11.30PM – 6AM
Taj Santacruz Mumbai
Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (Domestic Terminal)
Off Western Express Highway, Santacruz (East) Mumbai 400099 India
+91 22 62115211 Tiqri
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Rubina A Khan 