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Water surrounds India from 3 sides. Thus, it has some of the best seashore dishes you must not miss. Now, when I say coastal dishes, prawns and fish would pop up in your mind immediately. And why not? Due to its natural abundance, Indian coastlines serve the most delicious platter. Continue reading this article further and unravel the 15 top cuisines to taste at seashore destinations of India which you would not want to miss at seashore destinations of India.
Prawn Rissoles – Goa
Prawn Rissoles is a Portuguese-influenced dish. It is a very famous appetizer served as starters at weddings and parties. Prawn Rissoles are bite-sized appetizers that are deep-fried. The stuffing includes chopped prawns and white sauce. You must enjoy this mouth-watery cheezy prawn with a pint of beer.
Creole Crevette – Puducherry
Creole Crevette is again a prawn dish that is a tasty amalgamation of European and Indian cuisines. The Spices of Indian dishes and the creaminess of the European cuisines come together in Creole Crevette. In place of prawns, you can also use other meats, depending on the platter.
Karimeen Pollichathu – Kerala
Apart from its rich heritage and cultural activity, Kerala is also famous for the variety of food it serves. Karimeen Pollichathu is one of those many delicious dishes. It is prepared using the pearl spot fish. It is a rare variety of fish thus being the most special dish in India. The fish is marinated with different spices, then it is steamed in banana leaves. It is served with vegetable stew or soup.
Kolambi Bhat – Maharashtra
Kolambi Bhat also called Prawns pulao is a Maharashtrian delicacy. In Maharashtrian, Kolambi means Prawn. Since it is a coastal dish, it is made using fresh coconut milk. The making of this dish is quite simple. Prawns and rice are cooked together with coconut milk like a porridge. Another mouth-watery prawn dish that you must not miss when in search of coastal cuisines.
Fish Thali of Kharwa – Gujarat
Developed by the Kharwa community, this fish thali includes numerous items to eat. The fresh fish is marinated in local vinegar and is then mixed with red chillies and pickles. Everything amalgamated together brings in a tangy Gujarati taste to the dish. You must try this thali at a local Dhaba rather than at a high-end restaurant to enjoy the authentic taste of the dish.
Portuguese styled Recheiado – Goa
Goa is a state that has Portuguese influence in existence even today. And so does its food. Recheiado is one of them. It is a paste of various spices mixed together. This paste is then stuffed into a fish. They usually use pomfrets (a kind of fish). The rich taste of spices and coconut are preserved by cooking the fish at a low flame. You must try this dish alongside beer watching the sunset over the waters of the sea.
Malabar Fish Curry – Kerela
Another popular delicacy from Kerela is the Malabar Fish Curry. This curry is made using seer fish or sardines and coconut milk and tamarind. It gets its spicy taste from the perfect balance of salt and other spices. This Kerala-style curry is best paired up with rice on the side.
Kankada Jhal (Crab Dish) – Orissa
In ancient times, the royal families insisted on having an Oria cook in their kitchens. This was because of their supreme culinary skills. Orissa is therefore another state that serves the best seafood cuisines. Crabs from the Bay of Bengal are found in abundance at the shore. Therefore, Orissa has its authentic dish – Kankada Jhal. crabs are cleaned and then cooked at low flame using a variety of spices for flavour. You can enjoy it with rice or roti. You would surely miss the taste when you get back home.
Chingri Malai Curry – Bengal
The Chingri Malai curry is yet another dish having the main ingredients of prawn and coconut milk. This is one of the most popular cuisines around Bengal. It tastes amazing along with rice. You can enjoy this dish in fancy eateries around the city or at the beaches.
Daab Chingri – Bengal
Daab Chingri is literally served in a coconut. This prawn curry is different from other seashore dishes because of its unique serving style. It is a mixture of prawns and coconut. Daab Chingri is often cooked during festivities like Rakshabandhan and Pahela Baishakh (the first day of the Bengali calendar).
Fish Mappas – Kerala
Kerela is a state that would have the most popular seafood cuisines all over India. Fish Mappas being one of them. Also known as Meen Mappas in their local language. It is inspired by Syrian cuisine. Basically, it is just a fish cooked in coconut milk. But the spices and use of the kokum fruits give it a tangy and creamy taste that fills up in your mouth. You must try it with cooked rice or appam.
Macha Ghanta – Orissa
One of the typical Oriya dishes is Macha Ghanta. It is usually prepared for festivities like Dussehra. In Oriya, Ghanta means ‘mixed’. There are specific sets of vegetables used in different Ghantas. In Macha Ghanta, headpieces of the fish are additional. It is usually eaten along with rice. This is probably one of those dishes that you might want to eat again and again while visiting Orissa.
Patra ni Macchi – Maharashtra
Patra ni Macchi is a dish inspired directly by Iranian cuisines. With a few changes in the dish, it is still the most loved dish in Maharashtra. The freshly hunted fishes from the Arabian sea are marinated with special chutney and then wrapped in a banana leaf and set to steam. You must not miss out on this one while trying out different coastal dishes.
Ambot Tik – Goa
In Konkani, ‘Ambot’ means Sour and ‘Tik’ means Spicy. As the name suggests, this dish is spicy from the first bite that you take. The dish is made of fresh sharks or squids of the Arabian sea. The dish gets its unique taste with the use of Goan sea salt, tamarind, and coconut. You might even find this dish served in coconut shells to give it a fun eating experience. This is in fact a dish that will make your eyes and mouth both watery.
Kerala Fish Curry – Kerela
You just can never get enough of the tastiest cuisines of Kerela. One more that adds to this list is the Kerela Fish Curry. This is a staple for the locals living in Kerala. It is a part of their everyday meal. The curry is entirely prepared using coconut oil. The fishes that are used in the making of this curry depend on the availability of the fish. You just cannot miss out on tasting this dish if you are a true seafood admirer.
I hope, you enjoyed reading this list of cuisines to taste at seashore destinations of India like Goa, Pondicherry, etc. Do share your favourite dish with us in the comment section below or do let us know if we have missed your favourite one in this list. We would love to update that in this article.
Happy Eating!
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