Butter Chicken coming out of your ears? Cannot bear the sight of yet another Paneer Tikka? Head straight to Mejwani Maharashtra Chi, the food festival at Radisson Mumbai Goregaon. The wafting aromas at the 180 Degrees restaurant hold out a promise of treasures uncommon. It is, after all, a food festival exploring the taste of various regions of Maharashtra – from the Ghaat and Coastal to Vidarbha cuisine.
As we sip on a flavoursome Dhane Jeere Kashay, a visibly proud Chef Sanjay Khandare introduces us to a range of lost recipes curated by authentic chefs of Being Marathi, the channel devoted to preserving Marathi cuisine and culture. The Kadaknath Kombada arrives in its steaming pot, ebony flesh glistening in its spicy gravy. Originating from the Madhya Pradesh-Maharashtra border, this special brid, rich in protein and low in cholesterol, used to be the pride of the royal kitchens of India.
Now it’s yours to gorge on, your Royal Highness! Even rarer is the Popati, a delicacy prepared mainly in the Raigad District of the Konkan, with chunks of chicken, potatoes, beans shaped like a parrot’s beak (which gives the dish its name), baked together, all imbued with the rustic fragrant bhamburdi leaf. “I can recognise this leaf growing wild anywhere,” Chef Sanjay smiles, adding that he even uses it as a natural air-freshener.
The buffet tables offer many more delights, from Kolambi Bhaat to Kharda Mutton, Methichi Bhaji, Kachya Vangyache Bharit, Mutton Lonche and more. Saunter over to the live counters for freshly prepared Mutton Misal, which subsitutes sprouts with minced mutton, savoured with crunch toppings and butter-toasted pao. Vegans, don’t miss the melt in the mouth Kothimbir Vadi. For post-dinner sweetness we ignored the spread of cakes and puddings to focus exclusively on the miniature Olya Narlachya Karanjya, made with fresh coconut and jaggery, which is a signature mithai of coastal Maharashtra.
Over the coming weekend (November 23 – 25), the fest will serve up coastal delicacies like Kombadi vade, Sukkah chicken, Bangdyach tikhal, Solkadhi, Aluch phadphad, Kalya watanyachi usal, Thalipith, Kharwas, Modak and more.
(The festival is on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, dinnerfrom 7:30 pm till December 4 at Radisson, Goregaon, Mumbai).