Maharashtra's lesser-known non vegetarian food

Food stories of tail-flapping fish, prawns leaping in a basket and crabs sidling slyly away from a cooking pot, taken from the typical fisherfolk community of Maharashtra find place in a new book.
Lip-smacking recipes from across Maharasthra with names like Komdicha Motla, Shahayalatle Maase, Saoji Mutton, Shevand Koli Masala and Kolambiche Khadakle have been documented in the book "Rare Gems: A non vegetarian gourmet collection from Maharashtra," published by Om Books International.
Penned by Pune-based Aditya Mehedale, a food connoisseur and scion of the Sardar Raste family, the tome describes the preparation of meat, seafood and poultry dishes from many of the major cuisines of the state.

"Maharashtra, a land recognised for its rich culture, heritage, spirituality and simplicity. However, a less celebrated fact is that it is equally rich in its tradition of food," writes Union Minister Prakash Javadekar in a foreword.
The book he says showcases lesser-known dishes not only from the homes of Maharashtrian nobility but also form its rural and coastal communities.
Cuisines from Kolahpur, Pathare Prabhu, Koli, Konkan, Malwan Nagpur Saoji and Varhadi are detailed in separate sections of the book.

A brief history of the illustrious Raste family who were closely associated with the mighty Peshwas, the former rulers of the Maratha empire founded by Chhatrapati Shivaji is also provided.

Mehandale says his grandfather's estate in Pune 'Raste Wada' served as a laboratory for his culinary experiments and explorations. At one time he could remember at least 30 cooks each an expert, each was assigned a workplace stove and assistants and the kitchens ran like a well oiled machinery to feed the over 100 residents of the estate.
"Cooking was my dream and my grandfather and mother were excellent cooks. There was an annual bridge tournament where all the royals used to gather together every year and I remember they all brought their own cooks. So if there were 10 people they used to get 10 cooks. I used to collect recipes from them," says Mehendale.

The author's fondness for travel led him to tour Konkan region extensively and the book has documented street food like Moriche Sukke or spicy dry shark curry.
"I first encountered this dish at a dhaba on the road to Goa. The owner had piled up pieces of boiled shark along the edge of a large hot griddle and as the order used to come in he would quickly toss a portion of the shark meat with a whole lot of spices and serve it up sizzling hot," he says.