Mumbai Food: Taste home-style cooking from west coast of India

A new restaurant introduces regional, home-style cooking from states along the west coast of India to a cosy space in Khar

(Top) Chicken Ghee Roast; (above) Vegetable Stew and Idiappam. PICS/SHRADDHA UCHIL

Did you know that the inhabitants of the Indus Valley were making a making a primitive version of the curry as long as 4,500 years ago? It is no surprise, then, that in the millennia that have followed, curries have become an integral part of Indian cooking. Every region has a variation of the staple — from West Bengal’s mild chingri malaikari to the spicy Goan vindalho — and it is this rainbow of flavours that you can sample at a soon-to-launch restaurant in Khar, called Curry Tales.

The restaurant is the result of a collaboration between Sandeep Sreedharan, a self- taught chef and founder of private catering venture Esca Brahma, and restaurateur Suved Lohia. It occupies a cosy space that’s a hop, skip and jump from the dozens of watering holes that call Khar West home. Strings of fairy lights zigzagging around the rustic setup lend the 40-seater restaurant a warm glow, with some quirky elements added to the decor.

Fish Cutlets

Sreedharan explains that the menu goes beyond the fare found at city restaurants, and he hopes to recreate the simple flavours of home cooking. Currently, it features dishes from the coasts of Kerala, Karnataka and Goa, and, in less than two months’ time, will be tweaked to include more favourites from coastal Maharashtra, too.

We begin our meal with a tumbler of piping hot Tomato Rasam (Rs 100), the perfect remedy to a rainy afternoon. Our appetite whetted, we are ready to dig in. The Mushroom Sukha (Rs 220) immediately transports us to our ancestral home in Mangalore, with the meaty chunks of mushroom replacing the chicken that traditionally goes into the dish. Redolent with coconut and spices, it sets the tone for the dishes that follow.

Paalpayasam with Jaggery Coconut

The Fish Cutlets (Rs 275) may be simple, but they’re well-seasoned and fried to perfection. The Chicken Ghee Roast (Rs 325), meanwhile, is a less decadent but flavourful version of yet another Mangalorean classic, and when we remark on it, Sreedharan tells us that the recipes are adaptations of those he has tried at homes of friends and family who live along the western coast.

Interiors

Sreedharan’s repertoire is on display in the mains section, which features his take on classics such as Koottu Kari (Rs 235) and Malabar Fish Curry (Rs 375), which are not always easy to find at city restaurants. The coconut milk-heavy Vegetable Stew (Rs 235) tastes best when it’s ladled on noodle-like Idiappam (Rs 80). The Fish Moili (Rs 375), meanwhile, goes well with either the traditional Palakkad Matta Rice (Rs 125) or soft, piping hot Dosas (Rs 60). You could also pair some of the mains with flaky and light-as-air Parottas (Rs 60).

Sandeep Sreedharan

The best way to end your culinary ride along the coast is with the Paalpayasam with Jaggery Coconut (Rs 185). With this dessert, Sreedharan gives the regular south Indian milk pudding an upgrade by topping it with jaggery-roasted grated coconut.

The menu at Curry Tales will change every few months to include more regional coastal fare. But as it stands now, the food gets a thumbs-up from us for being light, not just on our pockets, but also on the tummy.

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