Читать книгу Indian Cooking For Dummies - Monisha Bharadwaj - Страница 32

I’ve never forgotten the short plane trip I made a few years ago from Mumbai to Mangalore on the west coast of India. The plane flew low, and the view was unbroken blue sea bordered by a narrow strip of golden sand merging with lush palm trees. The Arabian Sea along the coast of Konkan provides the perfect ingredients for a cuisine rich in fish and seafood. The trees give coconuts that are grated into curries to make creamy sauces. Tangy fish curries flavored with tamarind or kokum (a sour local fruit) are eaten with rice and fried fish or shrimp, dusted with chile powder, salt, and garlic; they make a regular appearance on the Konkani table.

The fish markets on the coast are great for tourists, too, because you can just soak up the atmosphere. At around 7 a.m., the boats come into the dock and, amidst much excitement and shouting, the catch is offloaded into baskets on shore. Fishmongers and restaurants quickly buy what they want, and the rest is sold to home cooks. Never will you find fresher catch available — and often at a very good price!