Malvani Masala which is native to Malvan taluka on the Konkan coast is as legendary as the Sindhudurg fort that Chhatrapati Shivaji built here. Equal parts spicy and peppery, the masala offers endless possibilities to ace maharashtrian food innovate with a modern dish. The Konkani use it in Kombdi Vade (chicken curry with fried multi-grain puri) and Kala Vaatanyacha Sambar (black pea stew).
Provenance
Among the several theories surrounding its name, Malvan is said to have originated from the words maha lavan or the great region of salt. Malvani cuisine is a flavour proof of the natural bounty of the Konkan coast where coconut, salt water fish, jackfruit and cashew, plantains and native rice, banana and mango are staples. Wedged between the Arabian Sea and the Sahyadris, this strip of fertile earth supports a tradition of meat fare and Chitpavan Brahmin vegetarian delicacies that traverse the spicy to sweet-sour taste profile with ease.
About The Seller
A collective of ten entrepreneurial female farmers, Kranti churns out handmade flour and spices native to Sindhudurg. Led by Sakshi Satyavan Soye, who acts as a link between the collective and government representatives who help them with micro-financing, they source all ingredients locally whilst paying special attention to hygiene and quality. Most of the women are only seasonal rice and turmeric farmers and thus depend on the self-help group’s earnings for sustenance through the rest of the year. Kranti’s Malvani Masala to be the best malvani masala we ever had. It is patiently slow-roasted and ground, is a balanced mix of over 20 ingredients offering unparalleled authentic taste, while their Kuleeth Peeth/Horsegram flour retains all its natural nutrients because it is hand pound. The hard work , patience and perseverance shown by the women of Kranti adds its own flavour to the food they produce and is a salutary lesson to all of us of the resolve it takes to be an agriculturist.
