Mumbai Food: Delicious non-veg fare during pre-Shravan festivities

Mutton thaliOnce a year Anvay Kolwankars farmhouse in Alibaug plays host to a Popti party The celebration gets its name from the Popti Chicken A hole is dug in the ground and filled with charcoal Upon this we place a matka containing chicken and vegetables and cover it with banana leaves This is cooked for four hours says the partner at Light House Cafeacute This dish is an integral part of Kolwankars Gatari festivitiesGatari Amavasya or Gatari is popular in Maharashtra This year it falls on July 23 It is celebrated a day prior to the start of Shravan and is a day of merriment We cook authentic local food and celebrate with family and friends says Makarand Samant head chef at Juhu restaurant EstellaChicken Rada PicsDatta KumbharMeat feastThe focus is on food says Kolwankar He usually heads to a farmhouse with friends to celebrate and the food there differs from region to region If we are in Kolhapur we eat Tambda Rassa or Pandhra Curry If it is Alibaug then theres a lot of seafood like a Surmai Fry or BBQ Grilled Fish or a fish curry If its on the Konkan coast then we have Chicken Sukka or Popti Chicken he saysIn his family everyone has their own celebrations his father steps out with friends his mother attends kitty parties and he makes trips to his farmhouses We also have a big dinner our last nonvegetarian meal with the whole family before Shravan begins My mom makes her specialties Chicken Biryani and Chicken Curry Those dishes are legendary in the family he revealsOomberIf you head to Mi Hi Koli in Thane this weekend you can sample traditional Koli dishes as part of a threeday Gatari festival On the menu are Chikna Chikni stuffed crab Nanachi Taang chicken leg cooked in masala Zhingat Gauran Kombdi Atrangi seafood rice Lal Bhadak Khekda Kadak crab basket Ek Number mutton chop fry and Lai Bhari Surmayi steamed surmai We celebrate Gatari at home so it made sense to bring it to the restaurant too We have new dishes on the menu for the festival says owner Bhavesh KoliSamant hails from the Konkan coast At his home the Gatari menu involves dishes like Sukhi Kaleji Chicken Mutton Chops Bombil Fry Mutton Masala Sukha Chutney with dried shrimp and Crab soup My family is fond of fish and lamb These dishes are highly indulgent and spicy and are a great way to get the family together to celebrate laugh and make memories he saysDiveli AmavasyaBeyond foodAt food blogger Soumitra Velkars home the day is celebrated as Diveli Amavasya We Pathare Prabhus do not have the concept of Gatari primarily because most of us do not give up nonvegetarian food We do a deep pujan where at dusk we gather all the lamps place them on a decorative stand with flowers and light them and pray for prosperity We eat only vegetarian food on that day he says The offering made during the puja is called oomber a banana and rice flour fritter which is served as prasadAnvay KolwankarAs children we would do the deep pujan in the evening but the entire day would be spent at my grannys home where we stuffed ourselves with chicken mutton and crab dishes says home baker Janhavi SahasrabuddheBhavesh KoliNow she does only the pujan It is a day when the whole family comes together to pray and celebrate