Maharashtrian Koshimbir with Mahua Flower
This recipe is part of the Bombay Canteen's Taste of the Wild festival, showcasing the wild edibles of Maharashtra.
Maharashtra's Sahyadri tribals are veteran forest farmers but the wild produce they consume, and their extensive indigenous knowledge, remain largely unrecognised. To them, wild foods are more than ingredients, instead a whole ecosystem enmeshed within their culture and way of life.
The mahua flower is considered sacred among several tribal communities. It can be used to make vinegars, honey and jams, as well as indigenous alcohol. But you can also experiment with it by adding it to your homemade kheer, halwa and ladoo.
Recipe: Mahua Koshimbir
Ingredients
100 g mahua flower
Water, enough to submerge the flowers
1 tomato, chopped
1 cucumber, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 green chilli, chopped
Cilantro, a few stems
1/2 tsp tamarind paste
A squeeze of lime
Salt, to taste
Method
Boil the mahua flowers in water.
Mix in the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, cilantro and chilli.
Add salt, tamarind and lime to taste.
The Bombay Canteen is a restaurant and bar in Mumbai that celebrates all things Indian. You can follow them here.
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