Ek Bagal Mein Chand Hoga Ek Bagal Mein Rotiyan Ek Bagal Mein Chand Hoga Ek Bagal Mein Rotiyan (One Side Lies the Moon, On the Other Lies The Bread). As the title suggests, this project begins by looking closely at the two faces of the moon. It refers to the Koli (fishermen) community's dependence on the moon, to the literal and symbolic meanings attached to it today, when local livelihoods and traditions are on the verge of extinction. In an effort to reverse this sense of loss and drying of indigenous resources, trades, and ecosystems, the women of Chendani fishing village and Parag Tandel are developing a manuscript of Dry Seafood Recipes with narratives of loss and shifts in occupation. Drying infers loss, yet the action itself suggests the need to preserve. Taking a spin on the word and the action, the fishermen dry up to 33 species of fish, which are then fried, pickled or cooked as fast-food meals, reviving recipes that are no longer in use because the diversity of fish available for drying are fast becoming extinct. 13 dishes once cooked by grandmothers will return to Koli kitchens. On this occasion, the women and Tandel will present an archive of recipes, a manuscript recording the survival of these dishes and carrying personal narratives, memories and illustrations of a landscape that has succumbed to pressures of uncontrolled growth. To accompany the manuscript, the community will launch an online video series in an exhibition by using Instagram IG TV. The project thus becomes a symbolic chronicler of the past – as the artist calls it. When human memory is provoked, the past starts to attain fable-like qualities. For Tandel, they become myths buried beneath the residues of our minds. And for us to move forward, it’s the only way to fill the gaps.
INDEX Content
Page No.
Introduction
2
About Tandel Fund of Archives
4
Mind Map - Parag Tandel
6
Recipes Dried Bombay duck and potatoes curry - Mrs Prarthana Pravin Koli
8
Ookhar of Bombay Ducks - Mrs. Karuna Jayant Nakhawa
12
Pancakes from dry baby shrimps - Mrs. Hemlata Chandrakant Thanekar
16
Mandeli/Anchovy Ookhar - Mrs. Anita Chandrakant Sarang
20
Sodey/Dried Prawns curry - Mrs. Kanchan Ganesh Koli
25
Kolim/Jawla/Tiny Shrimps and Eggplant Curry - Mrs. Jaywanti Kishore Koli
29
Dried Ribbonfish with Potatoes - Mrs. Sarita Manoj Koli
33
Kippered Swordfish-Eggplant Curry - Mrs. Jyoti Bharat Thanekar
37
Dried Shrimps and Raw Mango Curry - Mrs. Aruna Pradosh Koli
41
Nittal: Bombay Ducks with Coconut Milk - Mrs. Bhumika Dattatray Koli
45
Chutney of Dry Bombay Ducks - 1 Chutney of dried Baby Shrimp - 2 Chutney of dried Baby Shrimp - 3 - Miss. Rekha Prakash Koli
49 49 49
Stuffed Eggplant with dried Tiger Prawns - Mrs. Archana Sanket Koli
53
Koli Masala Recipe
58
Tandel fund in Chendani Koliwada, Thane a central suburb of Mumbai was founded by Tandel Families at the beginning of the 14th century to help Koli people financially during their time of need. We are restarting this fund in the context of archives. We are a non-profit collective, the Co-Founders of this organization are Parag Kamal Kashinath Tandel and Kadambari Koli-Tandel. The Organisation aims to archive evidence, information, data, collect objects and images regarding visual ethnographic history and current situations of Mumbai’s Son Koli tribes. Son Koli tribes (fisherfolk) are original inhabitants of Greater Mumbai and Mumbai’s suburbs. There are more than twenty-eight Koliwada’s in and around Mumbai, each Koliwada has it’s own social and cultural practices. These villages are very much self-sufficient and self-sustaining lands, though Mumbai city has grown around them, these isolated villages have their own identities in Mumbai. An important part about Koliwada’s is they never depended on the city’s so-called basic infrastructures. Koliwada’s have there own rich natural resources and cultural existence. But in recent times these Koliwada’s are being seen as the land of opportunity, these villages are sea-facing lands and others see such lands as prime properties. At present this community is going through post diaspora. Can we imagine this native community without sea faces? We are very much concerned about the proper documentation of these aboriginal tribes, who are on a verge of extinction. ‘The Tandel Fund of Archives’ is a Socially engaged archives, a pool of archives, which aims to gather and document information of fishermen communities in and around Mumbai. It aims to forge connections with the public sphere through pop up exhibits of archival material. Fishermen communities of Mumbai have a rich tradition and culture which needs to be documented and archived in various layers, The information collected in the pool will be accessible to the public for study, research, and interventions. TFA will closely collaborate with all the Koliwadas to archive information. Our aim is not just to work on historical documentation but also intervene in the contemporary times. TFA aims to serve as an archival tool through which information and narratives of the community can be disseminated through various art forms, and act as a living museum of memory. We look forward to collaborations with the community as well as researchers and artists by organizing pop-up museums, workshops/symposia, research camps, film screenings, and pedagogical conferences that operate in the public sphere.
Tandel Fund of Archives
Mind map/dialogue by Parag Tandel Salt of ocean, Salt as portion Moon attached in the midst of ocean Water in pan will turn into salt soon They disappeared, salt pan into woods Soon I will transform into concrete woods Sir. Sun god is meeting Mr. Moon to discuss mysterious dark matters. Moon: “Dark water is not listening to me sir” Sun: “Ask Barnacles and Corals to clean. Ask Mangrove forest to clean. Ask water to clean water. Ask clouds to clean, faster!!” Moon: ”You know Sir they all are shell-fish” Sun: “Mister Moon, is there anything fishy going on?; Then ask fish to clean it” Moon: “Sir we should call the Fisherman, he is the only hope” Fisherman: “I am no more Fisherman” Sun: “Sssssssstop you fool little Moon or I shall disconnect your shine, which is mine. Mister Moon this is time of extinction, Mister fisherman I have a task for you, We need your help to dry the fish, save them all as much as you can, as soon as possible. Mister Moon calls his sisters and they can do this soon. Mister Moon we are nearly doomed, enlighten them or I will frighten them” Moon: “I am frightened Sir, fruit of Eden has given them knowledge” Sun: “Ask Lord Vishnu to take away knowledge. He was the base of all resources during Samudra Manthana (churning of the ocean), take all resources back” Moon: “Sir what about me?” Sun: “Mister Moon we need to save everything before Lord Shiva the destroyer, destroys everything” Moon: “Sir, we can ask Lord Bramha the creator to create once again” Sun: “Call Matzu, we need to sit down on Table and have a discussion about Dark waters” Moon: “But sir” Sun: “We need to reboot again. My dear Moon process has already begun. Disengage everything!!” Moon: “Everything!?” Sun: “Yes, everything and mummify every bit of it” Moon: Mummification? Sun: yes, my dear, And Restart the system. But save all memories.
Mrs. Prarthana Pravin Koli Dried Bombay Duck and Potatoes Curry Ingredients: 250g dry Bombay Duck (a fish), 250g onions, 200g potatoes, 1 tsp Koli masala/ red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 2 tsp rice flour, 4 kokam/ Garcinia indica, 2 green chillies, 1 tbsp chopped coriander, salt to taste and 1 cup of water. Method: Clean Bombay Duck by removing the fins, tail and head, and cut them in 2-3 inch pieces. Wash the cut Bombay Duck in running water and soak it for 15-20 minutes. Chop onions and green chilies finely, add this to the curry pot along with salt and mix it with your hands. Add Bombay Duck, Koli masala, turmeric, rice flour, diced potatoes, water and mix well by hand. Turn on the flame and let it cook on high flame for 10-15 minutes. Cover it with a lid. Add kokam/Garcinia indica and cook for 2 minutes on low flame. Once done you can add coriander and serve this with steamed rice. About: I was born in Mahagiri Fishing Village, Thane. My father's name is Pandurang Ramchandra Beli. He used to work in a factory nearby, and later drove an auto-rickshaw. My mother used to sell fish in Thane fish market. Since childhood, I have stayed in my maternal aunt's home; there I learnt making rice rotis from my aunt. My father had to stop fishing because of the scarcity of fish in the river creek, due to the polluted waters. After my marriage I started earning by making rice rotis. My husband Pravin Koli works in a factory.
Mrs. Karuna Jayant Nakhawa Ookhar of Bombay Duck Ingredients: 50-30 pieces medium sized Bombay Duck , 30-35 garlic cloves, 8-7 green chilies, 50g ginger, 2 tbsp coriander, 3 tsp Koli masala, 1 tsp turmeric, 3-4 tbsp groundnut oil, 2 pieces of tamarind, salt to taste and 1 cup of water. Method: Clean Bombay Duck by removing the fins, tail and head. Wash the Bombay Duck in running water and soak it for 30-40 minutes. Soak tamarind in 1/4 hot bowl of water till it gets soft. Grind garlic, green chilies, ginger and coriander into fine paste. Take a cooking pan (This is a mostly dry recipe. It will be good to cook it in a flat bottomed cast iron pan or earthen pan). Again wash soaked Bombay Duck in lukewarm water gently, add it to the pan, along with ground garlic, green chilies, ginger and coriander paste, salt, turmeric, Koli masala, oil, water and mix it well by hand. Let it simmer for 3 minutes on high flame, cover it with a lid and let it cook for another 10 minutes on medium flame. Add tamarind to the pan and let it simmer till excess water evaporates (till oil and gravy separates). Serve this with steamed rice and plain dal or wheat chapati (no oil added) or rice roti as usual. About: My name is Karuna Jayant Nakhwa, and I am from the salt working community in Mumbai also known as ‘Agri Koli tribe’. I used to stitch clothes for a living. My husband Jayant is from the ‘Son Koli’ tribe but they have now stopped selling fishing equipment for the past few decades. Jayant too works as a full-time tailor. Tailoring was a bit difficult, as the earnings were not consistent. Once. a woman from our Kopri village gave me an order for rice rotis and they liked it. So through them I got an order of fifty rice rotis daily. I used to sell one rice roti a decade back for one rupee and now I sell one for twelve rupees. Nowadays I usually sell 30 to 80 rice rotis a day.
Mrs. Hemlata Chandrakant Thanekar. Pancakes from Dry Baby Shrimp Ingredients: 2 cups of dry baby shrimp, 1 cup of besan/gram flour, 1/2 cup of rice flour, 2 medium size onions, 10-12 garlic cloves, 1 inch ginger, 6-7 small green chilies, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp red chili powder, 1/4 tsp asafoetida, 2-3 tbsp coconut/groundnut Oil. Method: Chop the onions finely, and then chop three green chillies, and half-inch of ginger. Grind the remaining green chilies, ginger and garlic cloves to a fine paste. Add this into the bowl of chopped onions. Wash the dry baby shrimp twice or thrice properly in water and let the water drain by compressing it with your hands. Add this into the bowl with chopped onions. Add besan/ gram flour, rice flour, asafoetida, turmeric, and red chili powder. Add 1/4-1/2 cup of water and mix well by hand (viscosity of mixture should be a bit thick to make Tikki -a small croquette). Preheat the cast iron pan for shallow frying, make medium sized Tikki and shallow fry on medium flame till it turns golden brown. It is best served with a simple dal and rice. About: I was born in Versova Koliwada (fishing village). My father Rajaram Lakshman Dandekar was a fisherman. After getting married I shifted to Chendani Koliwada. There, I became aware that nobody fishes in the ocean or river creek, but in the surrounding lakes. There are more than 30 lakes in Thane. My husband Chandrakant was an employee of the Thane Municipal Corporation. After he passed away I started selling dry fish as it was the closest known occupation and a while later I began to sell rice rotis for a living. I think it is good to start something you know for which you don't have to learn special skills. It's just that I was born and brought up with these dexterities. I have a son who also works in the Thane Municipal Corporation.
Mrs. Anita Chandrakant Sarang Mandeli/Anchovy Ookhar Ingredients: 1/2 Kg mandeli/anchovy, 1 inch ginger, 10-15 garlic cloves, 5-6 green chilies, 50g coriander, 3 tsp Koli masala, 1 tsp turmeric, salt to the taste, 50g tamarind, 4-5 tbsp groundnut oil. Method: Clean anchovies by cutting head, tail, and remove the scales. Wash them in running water, and soak for 30 minutes. Grind ginger, garlic, green chillies and coriander into a fine paste. Soak tamarind in warm water till it softens. Preheat a cast iron curry pan. Add oil to the pan, add ginger, garlic, green chillies and coriander paste into pan. Add turmeric, Koli masala and salt, and stir continuously. Let it simmer till oil and gravy separates. Add soaked anchovies to the pan, and a cup of hot water and rice flour. Stir well such that the rice flour gets mixed thoroughly, cover it with a lid and let it cook for 10 minutes. Once done add soaked tamarind and cook for 5 minutes. This is mostly served as breakfast with rice or nachni (ragi or finger millet) roti. Suki Tendli Sukat/Dried Whitebait Ingredients: 1/2 Kg dried Whitebait, 1 kg onions, 6-7 green chilies, 2 inch ginger, 50g coriander, 1 tsp turmeric fresh/powder, 2 tsp Koli Masala, 2 pieces of tamarind, 4-5 tbsp groundnut/ coconut oil, salt to the taste, 1/2 cup of water. Method: Wash dried Whitebait in warm water, and soak it for 20 minutes. Chop onions, ginger and green chilies finely. Soak tamarind in warm water till it softens. Roast chopped onions with salt in a shallow cast iron pan till it turns light brown (keep stirring constantly), and then add oil, chopped ginger and green chilies, turmeric and Koli masala. Mix everything well. Add soaked Whitebait with 1/2 cup of water. Cover it with a lid, and let it cook on a low flame for 20-25 minutes. Later add filtered sap/juice of tamarind and coriander. You can serve this for breakfast with rice roti or for lunch while you are deep sea fishing. About: I was born in Vitawa Koliwada. My father’s name is Baliram Bama Patil - his primary occupation was fishing in the river creek and weaving and mending fishing nets. During the monsoons he used to practice farming, of which rice was a major crop. After my marriage I came to Chendani Koliwada, Thane. I was good at cooking so started selling rice rotis in large quantities for weddings and parties, and later it was picked up as a daily business. Now I also cook Koli curries as per order. My husband works in a nearby factory. He stopped fishing at an early age as patches of the Thane creek deteriorated. This was because of excess chemical effluents and urban waste that drained into its major fishing grounds.
Mrs. Kanchan Ganesh Koli Sodey/Dried Prawns Curry Ingredients: 1/2 kg dried prawns, 100g dried coconut, 1/4 kg potatoes, 2-3 green chiles, 7-8 garlic cloves, 1 inch ginger, 75g coriander, 3 tsp Koli masala, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp garam masala, 4-5 tbsp coconut oil, 4 kokam/ Garcinia Indica, salt to taste and 2-3 cups of water. Method: Wash dried prawns in running water (to remove salt on the surface). Soak it in hot water for 30 minutes. Grate dry coconut using a traditional grater. Roast grated coconut on a flat cast iron pan till it turns golden brown. Grind roasted coconut, green chillies, garlic and ginger to a fine paste. Crush lightly soaked dried prawns with a grinding stone (Don't break/mince it just pound once or twice with the grinding stone). Take one flat curry pot and heat oil in it. Add finely ground paste of roasted coconut, green chilies, garlic and ginger, add salt, and let it simmer and fry on a medium flame. Keep stirring constantly, while adding turmeric, Koli masala and Garam masala. Add diced potatoes (do not remove the skin of the washed and cleaned potatoes). Add soaked and crushed dried prawns to the container and incorporate. Add water, cover it with a lid and let it cook on a low flame for 15-17 minutes. Add 4 kokam/ Garcinia Indica, and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes. You can serve this with rice roti and steamed rice for lunch. About: My name is Mrs. Kanchan Ganesh Koli, I was born in Chendani Koliwada, Thane. My maternal family's occupation is selling fresh fish, which my mother continued later after her marriage. I studied till 10th class and later I passed Hindi-Marathi typing exams with speed of forty. I started earning by making rice rotis at the age of seventeen - that was in 1990! At the age of nineteen I got married and for the first few years I discontinued my rice roti business. My husband is employed in the Indian railways - his salary was not much, so I restarted the rice roti business, and now I am doing this occupation for 23 years. But I have upgraded my business by increasing production using a hydraulic roti maker. It was important for me to increase my production as my son lives abroad for his postgraduate studies in Engineering, and I have to provide funds for him. I am very successful in this occupation as compared to other women who still practice handmade roti making. I supply rotis to many restaurants daily.
Mrs. Jaywanti Kishore Koli Kolim/Jawla/Tiny Shrimps and Eggplant Curry Ingredients: 1/2 kg dry tiny shrimps, 200g eggplant, 1/2 kg large onion, 1/2 inch ginger, 1/2 inch fresh turmeric, 4-5 green chilies, 25g tbsp coriander, 1 tsp Koli masala, 2-3 tbsp groundnut oil, salt to taste, 1-2 cups of water, 2 pieces of tamarind. Method: Wash the tiny shrimp in running water and let them soak for 10 minutes. Soak tamarind in warm water till it turns soft, chop and add onions to the cooking vessel, add salt and mix and mash it by hand and let it season. Chop chillies, ginger, fresh turmeric and coriander. Wash diced eggplant. Let the seasoned onion cook in 2 tbsp of groundnut oil for 5 minutes. Add chopped green chillies and ginger and let it cook for 5 minutes. Add Koli masala, stir well and mix in eggplant, tiny shrimps, fresh turmeric, and coriander. Add 2-3 cups of water and stir well. Cover and let it cook for 15 minutes on low flame. Add tamarind juice and let it simmer on high flame for 2 minutes till the curry is cooked. This is a popular dish served during death ceremonies or marriages. About: My name is Jaywanti Kishore Koli, and I was born in Gavanpada, Mulund, Mumbai. My father’s name is Janardan Gajanan Vaiti. We are from the Agri community. We were originally rice farmers slowly our land was sold off by my father for various reasons. Later my father started a small business and we had to shift from our ancestral village to an urban area near Mulund station. My connection to my roots was lost very early. But after my marriage I came to Chendani Koliwada and got to know the traditional way of living. I like to make rice rotis, later it turned into a part-time profession.
Mrs. Sarita Manoj Koli Dried Ribbon Fish with Potatoes Ingredients: 1/2 kg dried Ribbon fish, 250g potatoes, 250g onions, 100g tamarind, 2 tsp Koli masala, 1 and 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic-green chillies paste, 3-4 tbsp groundnut oil, 2 tsp rice flour, 2 tsp chopped coriander, salt to taste. Method: Clean dried Ribbon fish by cutting off the head and fins and soak it in water for 10-15 minutes. Chop onions finely. Dice potatoes without removing the skins. Soak tamarind in hot water till its juice gets released or you can grind deseeded tamarind into a paste in a mixer. Take a bowl of cold water, add rice flour and stir well. Let it soak. Preheat oil in a flat curry pan, add coriander and chopped onions to preheated oil, let it fry till it gets light brown. Add ginger-garlic-green chilies paste, turmeric, and Koli masala. Add soaked Ribbon fish and diced potatoes and let it simmer till potatoes cook (10-15 minutes) on a medium flame. Make sure it is covered with a lid. Add tamarind juice and rice flour mixed with water. Let it simmer for 5 minutes till it is cooked through. About: My name is Sarita Manoj Koli, aged 39, from Chendani Koliwada. For the past one year, I have been selling rice rotis. I worked as an accountant for the past seventeen years. The reason I left my job was because I wanted to give time to my kids. I make only 25 rice rotis daily for just two hours a day.
Mrs. Jyoti Bharat Thanekar Kippered Swordfish-Eggplant Curry Ingredients: 250 gms Kippered Swordfish, 1 medium size eggplant, 2 large onions, 7-8 green chillies, 1/2 inch of ginger, 9-10 pieces of garlic cloves, 2-inch piece of fresh turmeric, 2 tbsp roasted coconut on high flame, 1 tbsp rice flour, 3-4 tomatoes roasted on high flame and and skin to be removed, Koli masala or red chilli powder, 4 tbsp coconut, 4 cups of water. Method: Cut fish into medium-sized pieces, wash gently and soak it in water for 30 minutes. Dice eggplant. Grind garlic, green chillies, ginger, fresh turmeric, coconut and rice flour in a food processor, and add 1/2 cup of water to turn it into a paste. Chop one onion finely and fry it in 4 tbsp of oil till it gets golden brown. Use a curry making pot or traditional terracotta vessel for maximum results. Add garlic, green chillies, ginger, fresh turmeric, coconut and rice flour paste. Add Koli masala or Red Chilli powder and stir well on a low flame for 2 minutes. Add diced eggplant and 4 cups of water. Add soaked fish and cover it with a lid. Let it cook for 10 minutes on medium flame. Add chopped tomatoes and cook it for 5 minutes. Once ready, you can have it with rice roti or steamed rice. (Note: Salt is optional as the fish is dried in salt and contains heavy salt content. Fresh turmeric is an important ingredient in this recipe, but you can also use turmeric powder) Fried Dry Kippered Bangda/Indian Mackerel: Ingredients: 1 dry kippered Indian Mackerel, 1 tbsp ginger and garlic paste, 1 tsp Garam masala, 1 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp asafoetida and 1 tbsp lemon/tamarind juice and coconut oil. Method: Check if the fish is fully dry or a bit moist. Usually kippered fish is moist as it is dried in salt. If it is dry, soak it in water for 30 minutes. Marinate it with ginger and garlic paste, garam masala, turmeric, asafoetida and lemon/tamarind juice. Preheat the pan. Add oil, fish and shallow fry till it cooks. You can cover it with a lid and cook it for 10 minutes on low flame. When it is ready, serve it with steamed rice and dal. About: I have been selling rice rotis since 1994. I have been cooking at 5-6 homes daily as well. I am good at sports too, I used to play Kho-Kho and Kabaddi. Earlier my great grandfather's occupation was fishing, but my grandfather didn't continue the family occupation. There is now too much pollution leading to a decline in marine species.
Mrs. Aruna Pradosh Koli Dried Shrimps and Raw Mango Curry Ingredients: 1/2 kg dry shrimps, 100g raw mango, 200 g potatoes, 250g onion, 1 tbsp ginger-garlicgreen chilies fine paste, 1 tbsp chopped coriander, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp Koli masala, 2-3 tbsp groundnut oil, salt to the taste, 1-2 cups of water. Method: Wash dry shrimp in running water. Soak in water for 15-20 minutes. Chop onions finely. Dice the potatoes. Chop raw mango into small pieces. Preheat oil and fry onions till they turn golden brown. Add turmeric and Koli masala, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic-green chilli paste while stirring continuously. Add soaked dried shrimp to the vessel and 2 cups of water. Stir well. Let it cook for 15-20 minutes, and then cover it with a lid. Add diced mangoes and chopped coriander and let it simmer for 5 minutes. This can be served with rice roti. About: I am Aruna Pradosh Koli, I was born in Bhiwandi, and I have two brothers and a younger sister. My father works in the textile industry. My mother sells fish. I am married to Pradosh Koli who lives in Chendani Koliwada. My husband works at Thyssen Elevators. I have two boys. My mother-in-law and I have been making rice rotis to earn extra income for the past 16 years.
Mrs. Bhumika Dattatray Koli Nittal : Bombay Ducks with Coconut Milk Ingredients: 1/2 kg medium size Bombay Duck, 2 coconuts, grated, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic-green chilies paste, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp Koli masala, 2 tsp rice flour, 1 tbsp coconut and salt to taste. Method: Clean Bombay Duck by discarding the heads, fins and tails, and wash it in running water twice or thrice till clean. Soak it in hot water for 20 minutes. Extract milk from grated coconut. Add oil to the curry vessel, and pour in the extracted coconut milk. Heat vessel on low flame, add ginger-garlic-green chili paste, turmeric, Koli masala, rice flour and stir well. Add soaked Bombay Duck and let it simmer for 5 minutes on low flame. Serve this for breakfast with overnight rice or Jawar (sorghum) roti. About: I was born in Chendani Koliwada, Thane, in 1942. Our Koliwada is near Thane river creek. My grandfather, father and uncle’s full-time occupation was fishing. There were many varieties of fish in the creek like prawns, Boi fish, crabs, Whitebait, Mudskippers, Pala fish, etc. Daily catches were sold in the market but some were always kept for our homes. Since the 1950s, many factories were established along the creek, and the water was used to dispose of unwanted effluents and waste from the factories. Since then the fish from the creek smells weird. Many from our village quit fishing. Chendani port was well known as an ocean trading port. They used to trade with Kochi, Mumbai, Oman and Burma. Many people from the port served on these large trading ships. My father-in-law received a gold medal because he saved one large ship. I have been making rice rotis since 2000, I don't like to sit idle, so this is just extra income for me.
Ms Rekha Prakash Koli Chutney of Dry Bombay Duck - 1 Ingredients: 4-5 medium size dried Bombay Duck, 6-8 garlic cloves, 1 tsp black pepper powder, 2-3 green chillies, 1/2 ginger, 2 tsp of groundnut oil, salt to taste. Method: Roast Bombay Duck in a pan till it gets dry and crisp. Add these to a stone grinder, with garlic, black pepper powder, green chillies, ginger and salt, and grind to a coarse powder. Later add oil in a pan and add ground mixture and fry for 2-3 minutes. Take it off the flame and let it rest in the pan till the pan’s temperature drops to room temperature. This is mostly served best as breakfast with finger millet (ragi) roti. Chutney of Dried Baby Shrimp - 2 Ingredients: 1 cup of dried baby shrimp, 1 medium white onion, 1 tsp Koli masala, 1 tsp lemon juice and salt to taste. Method: Roast baby shrimp in a pan on low flame for 5 minutes, turn off flame and let the pan cool down to room temperature. Stir after every 1-2 minutes ( this will make shrimp crisp). Chop onions finely, add this to the pan with Koli masala, lemon juice and salt and mix it with your hands. Serve this with anything from chapati to rice, it goes with everything. Chutney of Dried Baby Shrimp - 3 Ingredients: 2 cups of dried baby shrimp, Koli masala, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 6-7 cloves of garlic and salt to taste. Method: Roast baby shrimp in a pan and on low flame for 5 minutes. Turn off the flame and let the pan cool down to room temperature. Whilst it is cooling, keep stirring after every 1-2 minutes ( this will make shrimp crisp). Transfer the shrimp to a bowl. Add oil to the preheated pan, and then add garlic, Koli masala, and black pepper. Add the bowl of roasted shrimp to the pan, add salt and mix well. Serve this with any vegetable during lunch; it is best served with Jawar (sorghum) roti. About: My name is Rekha. My great-grandfather was a fisherman, but in his old age started selling flowers and garlands for puja (worship) My father too continued this. We are originally fishermen, but we have also been in the flower business for the past three generations now. I think my greatgrandfather started his business knowing that the Son kolis followed Brahmanical gods, puja and spirituality, and would need flowers on a daily basis for their practices. Currently my elder sister manages the flower business. I have three sisters and a brother. I also accept rice roti making orders.
Mrs. Archana Sanket Koli Stuffed Eggplant with Dried Tiger Prawns Ingredients: 500g small eggplants, 500g dried Tiger Prawns, 1 cup grated coconut, 1 tbsp green chilliesginger-garlic paste, 2 large onions, 1 tsp turmeric, 2 tsp Koli masala, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tbsp chopped coriander, 3-4 tbsp of coconut/groundnut oil and salt to taste. Method: Wash dried Tiger Prawns, and soak in hot water for 20 minutes. Wash and score eggplant at the bottom in an X shape so that you can put in the stuffing. Chop onions finely. Roast grated coconut and 1 chopped onion in a cast iron pan till it turns golden brown. After it cools down, grind roasted coconut and onions with 1 tbsp green chillies-ginger-garlic paste and coriander. Preheat the pan and add oil. Add the remaining onions to the preheated pan, and let it fry until it turns golden brown. Add the ground mixture to pan and fry well, and then add turmeric powder, Koli masala, garam masala and soaked Tiger Prawns. Stir till the mixture turns red. Let this cool. Later stuff this mixture into the scored eggplant. Preheat a kadhai and add oil and stuffed eggplant to it. You can add excess mixture on top of the stuffed eggplants. Pour in 1 cup of warm water and let it cook for 10-15 minutes, and cover with a lid. You can serve this with rice roti and steamed rice. About: I learned making rice rotis at the age of 14, and I have been in this occupation since I was 23 years old. My In-laws’ home had a traditional wood fired chulha (stove), so we used to make rotis on this. My husband’s family was in the fishing business. I took on rice roti making as a full time occupation to earn extra money to support my family.
KOLI MASALA Ingredients: 50g dried Byadgi red chilies, 25g dried Sakeshwari red chilies, 25g dried Kashmiri red mirchi, (redTurmeric root Raw Haldi /Halkund crushed to pieces), ½ tsp Asafoetida, 3 Bay leaves, 3 black Cardamoms, ½ tsp black Cumin seeds, ¾ tbsp black Peppercorns, ¼ tsp Cassia Buds, 3.5 cm Cinnamon stick, ½ tsp Cloves, ¼ cup Coriander seeds, 1 tbsp Cumin seeds, ½ tsp dried Lichen, ¼ tsp dried Mugwort, ½ tsp Fennel seeds, ½ tbsp Green Cardamom, ¼ tsp grated Nutmeg, ½ tbsp Poppy seeds, ½ tbsp white Sesame seeds, 1 Star Anise, ¾ tsp Teppal/Tirphal, 1 Asafoetida cube, 2 tsp Mustard seeds.
Method: Dry 50g dried Byadgi red chilies, 25g dried Sakeshwari red chilies, 25g dried Kashmiri red mirchi in Sun light till it's moisture content releases and turns crispy. Dry roast all the whole garam masala one by one till a nutty aroma emerges out of it. Allow all the roasted ingredients to cool down. After they cool down, grind them together into a fine powder accept Muster seeds & Asafoetida cube. Grind Muster seeds separately, then add to finely grounded Masala. Store grounded Masala in glass/ceramic jar, Add on top Asafoetida cube and close the jar tightly. Use this masala after 3-4 months.
Text Copyright © 2020
Parag Kashinath Tandel
(Contemporary artist & Co-founder of Tandel Fund of Archives)
LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS OF THIS EXHIBITION Tandel Fund of Archives and 12 women who shared their recipes: Mrs Prarthana Pravin Koli, Mrs Karuna Jayant Nakhawa, Mrs. Hemlata Chandrakant Thanekar, Mrs Anita Chandrakan Sarang, Mrs Kanchan Ganesh Koli, Mrs Jaywanti Kishore Koli, Mrs Sarita Manoj Koli, Mrs Jyoti Bharat Thanekar, Mrs Aruna Pradosh Koli, Mrs Bhumika Dattatray Koli, Ms Rekha Prakash Koli and Mrs Archana Sanket Koli. Book Layout Designed by Devendra Pulaveli
