Prawn Curries with Coconut
Milk
The coconut milk curries of Mangalore
are what make the cuisine of this Mangalore decidiedly different
from other South Indian foods.
Those great Indian Curry gourmets of the
South Kanara coast, the Mangaloreans, tend to believe, and many agree, that
the coconuts that grow in their seaside city are tastier, milkier, and
better in every way than those that grow elsewhere in the country.
Particularly in neighbouring Kerala
(whose very name translates to mean “the coconut state”) and Goa further
west down the coast. These two States, by the way, are known for
their production of coconut and the influence of these coconuts on the
local cuisine.
Chefs of the city, Mangalore, who know about such things, say that this
has got something to do with the salinity of the sea around
Mangalore, the soil and water content. All are ideal for growing
excellent tasting coconuts.
When added to food, coconut milk adds taste
and enhances body. Mangalorean cuisine depends on this fact
greatly. Other cuisines, particularly further down South, in Kerala and
Tamil Nadu, prefer coconut paste. Or even copra, which, when combined with
spices, produces an altogether different food compared to the
Mangalorean's... despite the use of coconut in all.
Incredibly,
the way coconut milk is produced depends quite a bit on the climate
of the city.
In the monsoon and winter, when the
coconut is being ground for its milk, a little warm water is used to
activate the oil in the fruit so that the milk comes out better.
The first extract of the milk
is thick and creamy and is kept aside and not used as milk. It
is added as a sauce in any coconut-based recipe. A total of
three extracts are taken out of each coconut and all three are used
in Mangalorean cooking.
The milk, apart from adding its
unique flavour to the food, acts as a thickening agent by bringing volume
to the dish. Mangalorean chefs will not attempt to make certain
dishes, like the fish, mutton and chicken curries, without coconut
milk. |
