KOKANI-STYLE MASACHA SAALNA

While seafood dominates the Kokani Muslim cuisine, there are other forms of meat too that the Kokani’s enjoy eating. Apart from seafood, MAAS or mutton is also popular in the #KokaniMuslim cuisine. Unlike seafood it is not used for everyday cooking. It's use is reserved for special ocassions, festivals, weddings and family get togethers.

The curries so made are relished with DHAAN (steamed rice), BAGHARI DHAAN (Also called Sada Pulao made by tempering rice with sliced onions &/or whole spices) and SAANDAN(steamed rice cakes). Mutton is used to make a number of flavourful curry dishes called MAASACHA SAALNA, SHIKORI, GORISO etc. depending upon the region in the coast you are from.

​A common way of preparing the mutton is a flavourful gravy or saalna as Kokanis call their gravies. Also, Kokanis love to flavour their non-seafood preps too with smokiness of roasted coconut so this dish too is not spared from the addition of coconut.

​We savour this dish most with saandan or traditional steamed rice cake. This combination brings back childhood memories of Eid day when grandma would have saalna and saandan prepared as a festive meal.

Here is my recipe of arriving at this flavourful curry.

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