Thecha is a condiment that is made from green chilies, garlic, and often includes other ingredients like peanuts, cilantro, and lime juice. Photo Courtesy: Special Arrangement
Beyond replacing chutney with thecha in the vada pav, Rohan Malwankar, executive chef at the Navi Mumbai Marriott Hotel, is challenging the notion of traditional Maharashtrian dishes by also using it in misal pav. In the thecha vada pav, the spiciness of thecha would complement the savoury flavours of the potato vada and add an extra kick to every bite. The garlic and chilli flavours in the thecha would infuse the dish with a bold and aromatic essence, enhancing its overall taste. He also uses thecha as a garnish or mix it into the misal gravy for an added punch of flavour. A spoonful of thecha is sprinkled on top of the missal along with other garnishes like farsan (crunchy mix), chopped onions, and cilantro.
At Avatara in Juhu, chef Sanket uses the condiment as a part of a Maharashtrian dish as a part of their second course called Alpahara, which means snacks, and they serve three side-dishes. One of them is called Okra Chilli Thecha, where the okra has a chilli thecha filling and they serve it with solkadhi to bring the dish together. Thecha is an all-season condiment but he believes during monsoon because of its hot temperament, it brings warmth and can be experimented with many kinds of broth.
While the classic will always be a favourite, at The Westin Mumbai Garden City in Goregaon, chef Amandeep Singh, executive sous chef, says they have used thecha in their food in more than one way. They not only make a Thecha-Infused Grilled Chicken but also Thecha Spaghetti Aglio e Olio, and even Thecha Mango Mocktail, Thecha Bloody Mary, Thecha Guacamole, Thecha Paneer Tikka, Thecha Devilled Eggs and Thecha Fried Rice too. Using the Maharashtrian condiment uniquely in every one of them, they enhance the flavour of the dish with a spicy kick that is delicious.
At Ekaa in Mumbai, they serve it with churros. They serve a garlic churro with local cheese and as a decadent dip they have blended potato cheese with a dollop of their house thecha.
Even Chetan Gangan, co-founder of YAAR in Goa believes it is perfect for the monsoon because he believes it has vibrant, spicy flavours complement the rainy weather perfectly, adding a zingy twist to comforting meals. At the restaurant, they use it to make Thecha Chicken Wings by creating an emulsion and drizzling it over 24-hour brined chicken. The chicken is then deep-fried and topped with toasted garlic panko.
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