Balochistan Food Festival at Hotel Ocean Pearl by Mahesh Nayak Bovikana

About the author: 
Mahesh Nayak is a journalist, creative writer and graphic designer by profession, located in Mangaluru. Hailing from the famous Bovikana Nayak family, he has studied life and living style of various cultures. From his schooling days, he has been writing articles which have been published in various books, magazines, journals and newspapers. His articles and graphic designs reveal a touch of class, while taking us into the reality of virtual world.

Though we are living in the same locality, I came to know Mahesh just 6 years ago. Mahesh is at least a decade junior to me, his writing abilities and his penchant for good food and living have brought him closer to me. He loves traditional foods and has a good knowledge of GSB style food and ingredients. Mahesh has travelled widely and has left no stone unturned, when it comes to sharing his experiences.

His pastimes are mainly reading, writing true stories and poems, petty adventures, animal care, video documentaries, studying flora and fauna and socialising with creative groups. He has been the executive editor of Mangalore Today print magazine since many years. He runs Iris Design & Communications, an advertisement and designing consultancy in Kodialguthu East, Mangaluru.

This is Mahesh's first article for Kudpiraj's Garam Tawa. In this article, he has reviewed the Balochistan Food Festival which is running at the Ocean Pearl, Mangaluru. I am sure, it will enthrall the readers while taking us into a virtual journey through the colours and aroma of the lavish Balochistan spread.

Thank you Mahesh for the inputs.

- Kudpi Raj

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Balochistan Food Festival 

Balochistan could well have been Timbuktu. Hardly anyone even knew it existed on the map. But it’s been in the news lately for political reasons, the result of which is a food festival at Hotel
Ocean Pearl. Balochistan Food Festival, I suspect, is a brain child of the hotel’s marketing department, which would have instantly smelled an opportunity to please the guests with the region’s new found mystique.

Balochistan is the largest of Pakistan’s five provinces and is wedged between Pakistan (which it hates), Afghanistan, Iran etc. That’s as bad as life can get. Much of its cuisine has to do with roasting direct on fire and some say it’s the birth place of kebab. Anyway I was sufficiently excited by the idea of the festival and decided to check it out.

Coral Restaurant, the venue of the food festival wore a festive look with cutouts of camels and enticing displays of sacks full of grains and spices. The festival features a-la-carte menu. Unfortunately I had only me to order for and I had to choose carefully. True to Balochistan’s reputation, most of the food items were of Tandoori lineage and there was good choice between fish, chicken and lamb preparations along with some treats for the veggies too.

I decided to begin with soup and asked for a Murgh Asrafi Shorba. It was good. This I followed with Saaji Chicken, which is supposed to be a popular dish. Normally a whole chicken is roasted. Here I was served with four roasted chicken thighs. Though tasting a bit unfamiliar it was good to eat – maybe the strangeness is because the spices and herbs used in the masala are alien to us. For main course I asked for Murgh Dum Biryani, which was a mix of white rice and coloured rice with two chicken pieces thrown in. It was delicious, but not much different from Coral’s regular Biryani. For dessert I had Kesari Phirni, which was also good.

Murgh Asrafi Shorba

Saaji Chicken

Murgh Dum Biryani

Kesari Phirni

Balochistan Food Festival is worth a try. The price is reasonable and the quantity is generous. The taste might seem unfamiliar, but after all it’s supposed to be from an unfamiliar place.

When it comes to food festivals it’s a good idea to go as a big crowd as you can try out many more dishes. I was trapped into a solo position. Hence I had to order very little and still parcel about half the stuff.

Balochistan Food Festival is hosted by Hotel Ocean Pearl (Coral Restaurant) and runs from 11th June to 24th June.

A footnote: My lunch was actually a treat from my rich friend Abdullah who could not join in the feast as he was fasting for Ramzan. The dude not only suffered the torture of witnessing me gobble to glory on an empty stomach, but also paid the bill without a second thought. Here is a photo of my friend commanding his portion of the table.

Prawn Green Sukkha

Prawn Sukkha is a Tuluva dish, a cousin of Chicken Sukkha originated from Mangaluru and spread worldwide today. Any auspicious function in Tuluva household is incomplete without sukkha. I like Prawn Sukkha, we have been making the regular sukkha adding dried red chillies for too long, and I wanted to experiment with green masala. 

I replaced red chillies with green chillies and added chopped coriander and onion greens instead of cumin seeds while grinding the coconut for the final stage in making sukkha. That gave the brilliant green colour as well as good taste and flavour of fresh coriander leaves. Adding butter while cooking enhances the flavour of prawns, and coconut oil gives the authentic Mangalurian touch.

The dish turned out finger licking good and we ate this with Ghee rice for dinner.

Prawn Green Sukkha with Ghee Rice

Ingredients:
1. Jumbo Prawns - 500 Gms shelled and deveined(18-20 prawns)
2. Onion - 1 big, finely chopped
3. Garlic - 8+2 cloves
4. Green Chillies - 4 chopped
5. Coriander Seeds - 1.5 Tsp
6. Cumin Seeds - 1 Tsp
7. Fenugreek(Methi) Seeds - 1/4 Tsp
8. Black Peppercorn - 1/4 Tsp
9. Tamarind Pulp - A pea size pinch
10. Salt - 1/2 Tsp(Or to taste)
11. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 Tsp
12. Grated Coconut - 1/2 Cup
13. Coriander Leaves - 1/2 Cup Chopped
14. Onion Shoot(Optional) - 1 Sprig chopped
15. Curry Leaves - 1 Sprig
16. Coconut Oil - 4 Tsp
17. Butter - 2 Tsp

Method:
Wash and pat dry prawns.
Heat 1/2 Tsp oil and roast coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and peppercorn.
Grind together the roasted spices, chopped green chillies, 2 cloves garlic, 1/2 chopped onion and tamarind adding very little water, until smooth.
Remove the ground paste and in the same mixer jar coarsely grind grated coconut along with remaining garlic, coriander leaves and optional onion shoot.
Heat 2 Tsp oil in a saucepan and fry 1/2 chopped onion on high flame until transparent. 
Add prawns and turmeric powder and fry on high until prawns turn opaque.
Add the masala paste and fry for 2 minutes on high.
Add 1/4 cup water and butter, add salt, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 5-7 minutes until prawns have just cooked.
Heat remaining oil in a frying pan.
Add curry leaves and fry until crisp, add  coarsely ground coconut garlic and greens paste.
Saute well for 1 minute on high flame and add this to the cooked prawn masala.
Check for salt and simmer for another 2-3 minutes, until the masala is thick and dry.
Serve hot as starter or side dish.

Prawn Green Sukkha with Sannas/Soft Idlis

Note: 
You can make Chicken Green Sukkha with 700 Gms Chicken pieces instead of prawns.
You can add 2 sprigs mint leaves while grinding the masala for that extra flavour.
You can also add 1/2 Tsp garam masala powder along with coconut in the end.

Seafood Soup(Chinese Continental Fusion)

Seafood Soup was not my favourite anytime, for I had tried tasting Crab Sweetcorn soup at Hao Hao Chinese restaurant long ago and didn't like it much then. However, one try with Seafood Soup at Sanjay P Mallya's Coastal Mama Restaurant in Bengaluru on January 17 this year made me a fan of seafood soup instantly. Both the Mallya brothers, Sanjay and Sunil recommended me Seafood Soup and they were not wrong. Chef Madhav's cookery skills amazed me, when I tasted the soup made by him, which was sweet, tangy and hot, with a peppery tinge. Occasional appearance of seafood tit bits made it a wonderful starter!

What made me fall for seafood soup in spite of being a non liker of Chinese Seafood Soup? Well, there was some whiteness and smoothness within the seafood soup which Chef Madhav made that day at Coastal Mama, which added to taste and flavour, camouflaging the strong scent of seafood, making it more delectable. That white stuff is nothing but whole cream!

So without asking the chef or discussing anything about the ingredients that go into the seafood soup, I decided to try my luck with my own formula. Like I mentioned in earlier articles, once we get a hang of cooking, we can formulate our own dishes sensing the taste and flavour and by experience. I was lucky enough to achieve success at my very first attempt, and the soup turned out just fantastic! Our friend Uma Shenoi and my wife Meena gave a high five for the wonderful taste that lingered on, after they tasted the soup last evening.

Try and make this on a cold or warm day. It is equally refreshing round the year, but make sure that you get fresh prawns and squid before trying to make this. You can also add crab meat, but the total quantity of seafood should be well within 20% of the stock that you add, that is 200 Gms of cleaned seafood for 1 liter stock. You can also make chicken stock by boiling bony chicken pieces in water with pepper and ginger, and vegetable stock by boiling marrow vegetable peel and cabbage/cauliflower stalk. Also make it a point to buy tender squid, and shrimp instead of prawn. Tender seafood cooks faster and easy to bite on, while relishing the soup. That makes all the difference in consistency, taste and flavour.

Ingredients:
Prawns - 125 Gms shelled and deveined
Squid - 125 Gms cleaned
White Pepper Powder - 2 Tsp
Diluted White Vinegar - 2 Tsp
Soy Sauce - 1 Tsp
Butter - 2 Tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 Tsp
Salt - 1/2 Tsp(or to taste)
Sugar - 2 Tsp
vegetable or chicken stock - Approx 1 Liter(2 Maggi soup cubes boiled in 1 liter water)
Corn Flour - 1 Tbsp mixed in 1/4 cup water to make a paste
Cream - 100 Ml
Spring Onion Shoot - 4 stalks finely chopped

Method:
Wash prawns and squid, pat dry and chop into tiny bits.
Marinate the chopped seafood with 1 Tsp vinegar, little salt and 1 tsp white pepper powder for 30 mins.
Melt butter in a saucepan and fry ginger garlic paste for 1 min.
Add marinated seafood, sugar and stir fry for 2-3 mins.
Now add the stock, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 5-7 mins or until the seafood has cooked.
Add corn starch paste, stir well, add remaining white pepper powder, vinegar, adjust salt and simmer for 1 min.
Now beat the cream and pour it into the soup in a thin stream as you keep stirring the soup vigorously.
Don't boil the soup, but simmer for another 2-3 mins.
Switch off the flame, sprinkle spring onion shoot and serve hot.

Egg Masala Fried

Egg Masala Fried is another exotic spicy coastal Mangalorean dish popularised by Thejappa Shetty's Shetty Lunch Home and Anupama Restaurant. This is traditionally called as 'Uppu Motte' by the Kundapur Bunts. Kundapur Masala Powder is used to make this quick side dish, which is not only easy to make, but is liked by almost all who taste it.

I used to be regular at Anupama Restaurant in Usha Hotel Mangaluru in the Eighties. We friends used to order this dish as starter to go with drinks. I had tried to ask Ravi Shetty, the partner of Anupama to spare the recipe but he showed his helplessness, saying that all the recipes were under their chef's hat and he wouldn't reveal any! I didn't press him further, for I knew that one day I will come out with the recipe for sure!

Then I tried making this at home with just garlic, chilli powder, tamarind extract and turmeric powder. It was very pungent and lacked flavour. I succeeded in making it better, after I formulated fish masala fried some years ago. The dish turned out a bit spicy, and I knew something else goes into it apart from red chilli based masala paste. 

Once I started making ghee roast, I could very well make out what was missing! The difference between ghee roast and masala fried is, that ghee roast has added ghee and brown onion paste, if not yogurt, but masala fried has just masala paste. However, unlike seafood masala fried, to make egg masala fried we need to add brown onion paste and yogurt for that sweet taste and sticky consistency. 

Then there was the magic masala, the Kundapur Masala Powder easily available at Sapna Stores Padubidri, and of late through our neighbours directly procured from Kundapur. Thus my job was easy. I have shared the recipe for making Kundapur masala Powder here. So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and make this lovely spicy tangy dish to pamper your family members!

Ingredients:
1. Eggs(Large) - 8
2. Coconut oil/Ghee - 4 tsp
3. Garlic flakes - 8-10 peeled and finely chopped(or 1 Tsp garlic paste)
4. Brown Onion Paste - 2 Tsp
5. Plain Yogurt - 2 Tsp
6. Tamarind pulp - A cherry sized ball of tamarind in 20Ml water
7. Kundapur Masala powder - 4 Teaspoons
8. Salt - 1/2 Tsp(or to taste)
9. Coriander leaves - A handful chopped
10. Lemon wedges - To serve

Method:
Hard boil eggs, peel and make gashes on them.
Mix Kundapur masala powder with tamarind pulp and little water if necessary to make a paste.
Heat oil in a shallow pan, fry the chopped garlic until golden. 
Add brown onion paste and fry until oil leaves the sides.
Add the masala paste, yogurt, salt and fry until oil leaves the sides. 
Place the boiled eggs, coat well with the roasted masala, sprinkle little water if the masala is too dry. 
After 2 minutes, switch off the flame, transfer into a serving bowl or platter, garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with lemon wedges.

Goes well with drinks as a starter, or as side dish with chapatis, plain rice or ghee rice.

Squid/Kalamari/Bondaas Butter Garlic(Chinese)

Kalamari or Squid in India used to be a seafood item, mostly thrown as manure in estates and gardens until the late Eighties, when Chinese restaurants started making delicacies with it. At least in Mangaluru cuiity, I have never come across squid preparations at local restaurants until 1989. We friends used to go for fishing at the breakwaters near New Mangalore Port in the mid Eighties, when the fishing boat guys used to give us squid and some small fish free which we used as bait to catch fish. Locally they call it 'Bondaas'.

After 1989, I came across Bondaas Chilli and Manchurian at local restaurants, but I didn't like it much because it tasted rubbery and insipid. Then in 1991, as I was sitting at the counter of Knight Rider Pub talking to Alan the manager cum kitchen in charge about innovative snacks that he can introduce in the pub, Alan asked me if I'd like to taste Bondaas. I thought he was talking about Bonda, the deep fried snack like batata vada, and asked him if he makes vegetable bondas or potato bondas! He smiled aloud and said, he meant Squid! I ordered one plate of Bondaas Chilli and he prepared it himself, it turned out fantatic, and I fell for it immediately!

Then I started tasting squid at various restaurants, Chinese as well as local ones making Bondaas Sukkha, Masala Fried and Ghee Roast. Squid became a favourite with myself, as well as Meena. yet, we were choosy about the way they cooked, because over cooking or under cooking spoils the taste and texture of squid. Also, over grown squid needs some pressure cookign before using in dishes due to the thick coconut kernel like consistency. I think the name Bondaas was derived from Bonda(tender Coconut), because tender coconut malai or kernel resembles squid to a great extent.

Squid butter garlic is one Chinese dish that is very delicious and has lovely aroma that makes you eat more and more. It is rather bland, but you can make it spicy by adding some green chillies and an extra dash of pepper while making it. Most of the restaurants cut squid into rings but I like them in rectangular strips, scored on one side, which when fried, curl up and form a nice checkered pattern. Scoring also helps in marinating them properly. 

Scoring means making fine streaks or gashes on the inside portion of squid in a crisscross pattern. You can design checks or diamonds as you wish. It takes very little knack to score them properly, if you have a sharp knife, as shown in the pictures. if you are not confident or patient enough, just slice them into 1/4 inch thick rings.

Make this lovely dish and serve it as a starter, or as side dish with noodles or fried rice. I am sure, everyone at home will like this. Kids will jump with joy, for there are no spicy sauces, no extra pungent agents to cause heartburn or acidity. Most of the ingredients in this are natural, pure and healthy.

Ingredients:
Squid(Kalamari/Bondaas) - 500 Gms
Garlic Cloves - 8-10 chopped
Green Chillies(Optional) - 2 finely Chopped
Spring onion bulbs - 4-6 chopped
Salt - 1/2 Tsp or to taste
White Pepper Powder - 2 Tsp(Add little more if you are not adding green chilli)
Sugar - 1/2 Tsp
Corn Flour - 2 Tbsp
Refined Flour - 1 Tbsp
Chicken/Vegetable Stock - 250 Ml(1 Maggi cube boiled in 250 ml water for 2-3 minutes)
Dark Soy Sauce - 1 Tsp
Diluted White Vinegar - 2 Tsp(Add 1/2 Tsp vinegar to sauce if you are not using lemon juice)
Lemon Juice(Optional) - 1 Tsp
Refined Oil - 2 Tsp + for deep frying
Butter - 2 Tbsp
Spring Onion Shoot - 2 Sprigs chopped

Method:
Clean wash and pat dry the squid.
With a very sharp knife, cut them open and make crisscross scores(Parallel gashes) only on the inside surface, taking care not to cut through them.
After you complete scoring, cut them into 2" long and 1 " wide rectangular strips.
Marinate the squid pieces with salt, 1 Tsp white pepper powder and vinegar for 1 hour.
Mix in 1 tbsp corn flour and 1 tbsp refined flour to coat the squid pieces.
Heat sufficient oil in a deep frying pan until it starts fuming and then maintain medium or small flame.
Fry as many squid pieces as the oil can hold at a time, for 3-5 minutes or until they turn crisp and golden.
Drain and keep them in the serving bowl.
Heat 2 Tsp oil in a shallow pan.
Mix remaining 1 Tbsp corn flour in little water to make a thin paste.
Stir fry chopped green chillies along with chopped garlic and spring onion bulb on high flame.
Add a pinch of salt, 1 tsp white pepper, sugar, soy sauce, then pour in the stock.
Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes.
Mix in the corn starch paste and allow the sauce to get thick and transparent.
Now add lemon juice(or vinegar), butter and if necessary little water, allow to sizzle for 1 minute.
The sauce should be as thick as sweet corn soup.
To serve with fried rice or noodles, pour the sauce over the fried squid.
To serve as a starter dish, drop the fried squid into the prepared sauce and allow the sauce to coat the pieces and make them semi dry. 
Garnish with chopped spring onion shoot and serve hot.

Bhindi Pakora/Croquette

The year was 1989, I was at Temple Square Mangaluru, celebrating the annual Okuli following the Car Festival, rejoicing with few friends. My Bank mate and cousin Kudpi Ganesh Shenoy offered me some fried snack which he got from a nearby stall. They looked like nuggets but he said it is 'Bhindi Bajia/Bhenda Bajo/Pakora', a kind of fritters made with chopped Okra and gram flour. I popped couple of them into my mouth and started chewing. I went on chewing them for about 5 minutes, but could not gulp them! I also felt terribly thirsty, and I ran to nearby Soda shop and guzzled down a cold soda to push the stuff down my throat. Then I told my cousin, "I can not forget your favour man! Henceforth I should avoid eating Bhindi Bajia!" He smiled and said they are made like that, with overgrown bhindi. I was shocked to know that, for it was the first time I tasted them in my life, and they were tough and fibrous!

Later, I started visiting Balli's Podi shop where I found better Bhindi Pakoras made with tender okras. I also found very good pakoras at Kusum Caterers' Podi joint in Lower Car Street. I developed a liking for them, and started buying them whenever I visited car Street.

I have been thinking about making Bhindi Pakoras at home the way they make it in car Street, but somehow that plan didn't materialise. The other day Meena had made Bhindi Upkari for dinner, and I asked her if we have some left over bhindi. She said yes, but she had a doubt whether they suffice my requirement in making pakoras. I too found the quantity of bhindi insufficient. Then an idea struck me, and I took out the Bok Choy or Chinese Cabbage and a piece of carrot resting in the fridge. I also took last remaining sprigs of the onion shoot left over from making noodles and Butter Garlic Squid last week. Adding them all together, mixing in some masalas, chillies and coriander leaves, I mixed in gram flour and rice flour to make a stiff dough, which I shaped like croquettes instead of nuggets and deep fried to get an awesome starter snack. 

Here is that fantastic snack which tastes almost like seekh kebabs and has lots of flavours. They turn out soft inside and crisp outside, easy to bite into. Not at all chewy like the ones I had on that Okuli day in 1989, I guarantee you! You can serve them with sweet mint chutney or with ketchup if you are having them with cocktails, mocktails, or as a tea time snack. They also taste good when served as a side dish with rice and daalithove. 

Ingredients:
Tender Okra(Bhindi) - 1 cup finely chopped
Bok Choy/Cauliflower/Cabbage/Palak leaf - 1 Cup finely chopped
Coriander leaves - 1/2 Cup, finely chopped
Spring Onion Greens(Optional) - 1/4 Cup, finely chopped
Carrot - Grated or finely chopped, a handful
Green Chillies - 3 finely chopped
Ginger - 1/2 Inch finely minced(or ginger paste 1/2 Tsp)
Salt - 1/2 Tsp(or to taste)
Gram Flour(Besan) - 1/2 Cup
Rice Flour - 2 Tbsp
Red Hot Chilli Powder - 1/2 Tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/8 Tsp
Coriander Powder - 2 Tsp
Cumin Powder - 1/2 Tsp
Chaat Masala - 1 Tsp
Oil - For deep frying

Method:
Heat oil in a deep frying pan until it starts to fume.
Simmer and keep the flame on.
Keep a bowl of water ready.
Take all the chopped veggies in a mixing bowl.
Add the powders and a tablespoon of hot oil.
Mix well, sprinkle two to three tablespoon of water and make a stiff but sticky dough.
Dip your fingers in the bowl of water, take lemon size dough and make a ball.
Shape the ball into a 2" long croquette.
Make 16-18 such croquettes and deep fry 4-5 at a time in hot oil on low flame for 5 minutes or until they turn golden brown and crisp on all sides.
Drain on kitchen paper and serve.