A full belly is the enemy of a post-meal drive. After a fabulous lunch at Amantran in Ratnagiri city, we were now moving south towards Malvan, in the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra.

To keep my brother from nodding off at the wheel, our videographer, Mahesh Vaingankar, told us story after story on his favourite topic: India’s sociological disorder. After three and a half hours of driving, we arrived in Malvan just as the sun was disappearing into the open arms of the Arabian sea, enveloping this seaside town in its orange aftermath.

We needed a place to spend the night, and again, we relied on our full-proof method: the locals. They suggested the newly built ‘Darya Kinara’ (Edge of the Sea) hotel. True to its name, the hotel sits on the edge of the shore, just a breeze away from the sea. A quick shower, and a few shots of rum later, we were ready for the evening meal. The locals bailed us out, again. A short walk brought us to Hotel Shobha. In India, it’s common for people to refer to restaurants as hotels. Hotel Shobha proudly claimed on its store front that it’s a family run business – exactly what we were looking for. This modest restaurant is run by the Patkar family – rather the women of the Patkar family. Clean and inviting, the simple décor gives it a homely ambience. The women folk are there to feed you, just like they would at home. They were all busy at different work stations – one cleaning shrimp, the other, grinding fresh coconut, yet another, frying mackerel, surmai (king fish) and shrimp to a crispy crunch… the sizzle and crackle of frying took me to my mother’s kitchen in Goa. This was the familiar sound that heralded lunch and dinner, almost every single day. Sigh!

Let me say this out aloud. I have a huge crush on seafood. If the fish is super fresh, it’s a downright love-affair. I can’t have enough of it! Shobha Patkar, the chef of all things fresh, was instructed to bring to our table EVERY kind of seafood on the menu. They served us in shiny, steel thalis (plates), brimming with seafood, spiced the way only Malvanis know how! The flavours literally did a happy dance on our tongues. Sukem or dry tisreo (clam), crab curry, fried mackerel, surmai (king fish) and the rarely-served kalvan (rock-clinging mollusks mistakenly called oysters in Goa) were divinely delicious. The Patkars use their home-made spices and of course, the Malvani masala for all their preparations. Freshly ground coconut is added just before serving, to preserve the freshness of the dish, because coconut spoils easily. With the plethora of fresh fish on our plates, I had no time for the chapatti that was included. The rice, of course, made a great accompaniment to the spicy, mouth-watering fish curry. By now, the stomach was ready for the tasty digestive drink that completes every meal on the Konkan coast. Sol kadi, also known as aamsol, is a soothing, pinkish concoction made mainly from coconut and kokum (Garcinia Indica), to be relished after a meal. Some people even use sol kadi like a regular curry and eat it along with steamed rice. This sol kadi hit the spot. Not only was it delicious, it was much needed if we were to survive that heavy meal. You can go to Shobha hotel for breakfast, too. You will be served poha (beaten rice) and chutney or omelette pav.

As we left the restaurant, we were met by another ubiquitous symbol on Indian roads – a cow, which promptly peed on seeing us. We were told that we are now blessed! And maybe we were. Because right opposite was the Patkar store that sold the much sought-after Malvani masalas. We bought half a dozen packets each, barely made it back to our hotel, and called it a night. The next day we had to be up at dawn, to watch the fishermen bring in the catch. And to catch the sunrise.

I am not a morning person. But I do prefer sunrises to sunsets. As the first rays of the sun kissed the sands, we witnessed a sight truly incredible and unique! Boat after boat, big and small, came ashore, loaded with the biggest catch and the freshest and largest variety of fish I had ever seen! There were heaps and heaps of surmai (king fish), pomfret, shark, crab, prawn, mackerel, sardine plus a variety of small fish, brimming in baskets, loaded on carts or carried by hand, then laid out in neat rows for the show to begin: The Seafood Auction. Malvan is the only place on the Konkan coast where a seafood auction takes place after the catch is brought in. The auctioneers are amazing to watch – they mutter numbers rapidly under their breath, only pausing for the briefest moment when the sale is complete, with an almost imperceptible nod from the buyer. Then they move on to the next lot. I had to look really hard for those elusive nods. Basket upon basket disappeared into a waiting cart, car or pick-up – all headed to kitchens in homes and restaurants in Mumbai, Goa, and other areas of the Konkan region. Within less than an hour, the huge catch disappeared from the shore. Making everyone a little richer, and a little happier.

This included the chai-wallah who supplied sweetened tea in little cups; the ice-wallah, who was there to ensure the fish stayed fresh on their long journeys; the peanut-wallah, who supplied warm packets for peckish early-risers; the rickshaws, cars, bicycles, motorbikes and carts, which transported the fish to wherever it needed to go; the fish cutters, who sliced the fish so thin and so fast, it was nothing short of magic; the innumerable cats who snapped up the fish entrails as they arched through the air and the 2 cute puppies who shivered uncontrollably in the morning cold, and had now become fish converts for survival. A little further away stood a market, selling dried-fish of every kind and vegetables.

The sun slowly came up on the empty beach. Left behind, trying to make sense of what had just whirred past us, were 4 non locals: Us, stunned by the incredible phenomenon we had just witnessed. The little puppies were fast asleep, the sun on their backs. Across the waters from where we stood, was the famous Sindhudurg fort, plum in the middle of the Arabian sea. It was just a short boat ride away. But we will take you on that adventure the next time….stay tuned.

For photographs go to the Photo Gallery tab above; likewise for recipes.

Getting to know Malvan

Malvan is a compact town situated on the coast of western India, the southern most district of Maharashtra.

There are various water sports options available throughout Malvan including Jet-Ski, Banana Boat ride, Bumper Boats, Kayaks etc.

Beaches:

• Tarkarli Beach
• Mobar Point
• Chivla Beach
• Arse Mahal Beach
• Tondavali Beach (19 km north of Malvan)
• Achara Beach (22 km north of Malvan),
• Devbaug Beach (12 km south of Malvan)

For photographs go to the Photo Gallery tab above; likewise for recipes.

Best time to visit: November – March

Know your Konkan Coast

The Konkan coast runs south from Mumbai all the way to Kasargod. Quaint fishing villages and magnificent forts look out into the endless blue of the Arabian sea. Pristine beaches and coconut palm trees dot the coast all along, until you reach Malvan, the last beach town of significance, before the sands dissolve into Goa. The cuisine along the Konkan coast is as varied as it is delicious, greatly influenced by its geographic location, and layered history of the region. They are all intertwined yet distinct. Some patterns are common – like the seasons which influenced bottling pickles, and drying of fish and pork etc. The monsoon brought a lot of seasonal foods like bamboo, snails (conge) etc to the table. Coconut is an integral part of the Konkan cuisine. Apart from local influences, Portuguese and Arab influences had major impacts.