“Mangaluru Marwai Sukka (Khubbo/ Clams/ Shell Fish Dry Curry)” … sukka dishes be it chicken, crabs, prawns or clams are all close to every non. vegetarian mangaloreans heart when it comes to relishing a good dry non. veg curry for meals … this classic side dish is often served in the coastal regions (konkan) paired with rice, panpolo (neer dosa) or ganji (pejja/ rice porridge) … I served it with rice roti (akki rotti) and it tastes scrumptious, do try it … Yummilicious …
** Marwai Sukka as is known in and around Mangaluru (my hometown) is also referred to as kubbe sukke by amchies/ saraswat konkani’s. This is a popular, traditional seafood delicacy from the coastal regions of Mangaluru and Udupi region as well as the coastal belt in southern parts of Karnataka State. This is spicy dry dish prepared with shell fish/ clams/ kubbe (in Konkani)/ marwai (in tulu) and the masala used here is a blend of aromatic spices along with a lot of roasted freshly grated coconut.
** The same can also be prepared with veggies and the most famous combo of all time is kadle manoli (chana- tondli/ whole Bengal gram- gherkins) while there are a few others too all of which I will share as and when I prepare. If you are a non- vegetarian and love fish curry especially clams/ kubbe then do try this, if you have not yet done so, sure to be loved by all. However, I suggest preparing it a little bit spicier; but in case of young children, you may decrease spice level as per individual preference.
** There are many types of shellfish found worldwide, these are known as Kubbo (konkani) Cockles/ Clams/ Marwai (in Tulu native language of South Kanana)/ Teesriya (Marathi) or in any other name as per region. Though these are healthy and delicious when cooked, it is a little bit tedious to clean. Clams are nutritional powerhouses packed with essential vitamins and minerals, seafood full of protein, good for proper functioning of body being the building blocks needed for muscle growth and repairs.
** If you like fish and have not tried shellfish, then do so with caution, see to it that they are bought from proper sources. Clean well as they contain plenty of sand and cook properly to make it fit for consumption. Clams contain two shells equal in sized stuck together that need to be first separated. When opened you will notice that flesh portion within sticks to one of the shell only, so many a times one chip is separated and discarded before cooking (Optional) which cuts down on unnecessary bulk.
** If you are consuming for the first time, then just as a piece of advice I would like to suggest that you try eating just a few until assured it suits to your health to avoid stomach issues. Do try out recipes shared in the Blog and enjoy them with your family and friends in your home, I shared quite a few of them with clams included. Sukka masala is one of the best dishes prepared with clams and tastes best served with rice, panpolo (neer dosa), rice roti (tandla bhakri). Do give this dish a try, tastes great.
** Here is my recipe for “Mangaluru Marwai Sukka (Khubbo/ Clams/ Shell Fish/ Dry Curry)” … my style …
** Ingredients :
Khubbo/ Marwai/ Clams/ Shellfish : 35- 40 large sized
Coriander Leaves/ Kottambari Pallo/ Dhania : 2 handful finely chopped
Salt/ Namak/ Meeta : to taste
** For Masala to be Ground :
Kashmiri Dry Red Chilly/ Byadgi Mirchi/ Kumte Mirsanga : 20-25
Coriander seeds/ Kothambari/ Dhania : 2 tbsp
Cinnamon/ Tike Sal/ Dalchini : 1.5 inch
Black peppercorns/ Kali Miri/ Mire 1 tsp
Cumin seeds/ Jeera : 2 tsp
Lavang/ Cloves : 3-4
Methi seeds/ Fenugreek : 6-8 seeds
Garlic Cloves/ Losun/ Lehsun : 7– 8
Turmeric/ Haldi : ½ tsp
Coconut/ Nariyal/ Soyi : 1 tblsp (Optional)
Tamarind/ Chinchama/ Imly : a pinch
** To be Roasted :
Coconut/ Nariyal/ Soyi : 2 heaped cups finely grated white part only
Turmeric/ Haldi : ½ tsp
** For preparing the Curry :
Coconut oil/ Nariyal Tel/ Narlel Tela : 2-3 tbsp
Sasam/ Rai/ Mustard seeds :1 tblsp
Kadipatta/ Karbevu/ Curry leaves : 10- 12 leaves
Piyavu/ Kanda/ Onion : 2-3 large thinly sized
** You will need about 35-40 large sized kubbe/ shell fish/ clams/ marwai for this curry. Clean kubbe/ clams in plenty of water.
There is always sand in these and are tedious to clean. There are 3 ways of opening the kubbe/ clams which I have shared below ...
** The First Method is to cut open clams with a sharp knife. You have to be careful in doing it as you may hurt yourself if not aware of handling it properly. You can watch some You tube demo for help you understand exact method of preparing the clams. Retain the shell in which the flesh is stuck and discard the other one.
** The Second Method is the easier one. Just put all of the whole kubbe/ clams in a broad vessel after washing well and add 1-2 cups of water. Put it on heat, the minute the water starts to get hot and before reaching boiling point, the shells crack up. Immediately remove it from fire and allow cooling properly. When able to handle the shells remove the empty shell and discard them. Do not throw away the water in which the kubbe/ clams were cooked. Pass it through a fine sieve or cloth to strain off the sand particles if any. This cooked water can be used while grinding the masala and if necessary to add to the cooking curry. Just do not add more water while cooking the shells or else the water will go waste, as we do not need much of it. One cup for 3-4 cups of shellfish is more than enough. Just rinse the retained shells and use it in cooking, simple.
** The Third and Easiest and Best of all Methods Which I discovered accidentally and that which I follow now. This is the method I follow as it is very easy without any hazels the only hitch being you will need time of say about 24 hours. Just wash kubbe/ clams/ marwai in plenty of water. Drain off all water and put them in a thick plastic/ polythene and fold over tightly. Put this in deep freezer over night or for a day. Remove the frozen clams and put them in a wide dish and pour room temperature water to the vessel to brim level. Cover and keep it aside for an hour. When you check later on, you will find that all the shells would have opened up by themselves. Wash in plenty of water taking care to see that you rinse off all the sand that is within the shells. You may retain it or remove off one shell that is empty and use them. Rest method as per the requirement of the recipe. This I came about accidentally recently, when i stored it freezer and put it into vessel as said above. When opened I saw that the shells has opened up well.
** For Masala to be Ground : Add the red chillies into a thick bottomed kadai/ pan and roast on medium flame until fragrant, but not browned or burnt, remove and keep it aside in a plate. Now in the same kadai add coriander seeds, methi seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cumin seeds, peppercorns and roast on low heat for a few minutes (1-2 minutes). Add turmeric powder and further roast for 2-3 seconds. Lastly add coconut and continue to fry for another 2 minutes, remove and let cool a little bit. Add the above roasted ingredients after cooling into a mixer grinder along with roasted red chillies, tamarind, garlic and grind to a smooth thick paste adding water as is necessary only.
** To be Roasted : Add finely grated coconut into the thick bottomed kadai/ pan and roast on medium to low heat for 2-3 minutes. Add turmeric powder and continue to roast for another few minutes until lightly golden and keep aside ready. Do not let the coconut turn brown or let it burn, be careful when roasting.
** In the same kadai/ pan add coconut oil, when hot add mustard seeds and when they begin to splutter add curry leaves and fry for a second. Now add the thinly sliced onion and fry until they turn translucent. Add the prepared and kept kubbo/ marwai along with ½ cup of water and cook for about 5-7 minutes.
** Now add the ground masala, salt to taste, mix well, cover and continue to cook on medium to low heat (say about 7-10 minutes), mixing well in between until you see bubbles appearing on surface of the curry. If you find the curry too dry at this point, you can add some water in between the process of cooking.
** Now add roasted coconut in parts, a little at a time while you keep stirring and mixing continuously until all of the roasted coconut is added. Continue to cook on low heat stirring often until the coconut absorbs all the liquid and turns dry in texture. Here you should take care to see that there is no excess water left.
** Now add half of the finely chopped coriander leaves, mix well, cover and let cook on low heat for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from fire, garnish with remaining finely chopped coriander leaves, cover and keep it aside to rest for about 20 minutes. This helps in the infusion of the flavors into the curry.
** “Mangaluru Marwai Sukka (Khubbo/ Clams/ Shell Fish/ Dry Curry)” is done and ready to be served. Tastes best with ukde sheetHa (red boiled rice) or white rice along with some bhaji for accompaniment. This is a classic side dish served with rice in almost all of the homes that enjoy fish meals especially in the coastal regions (konkan). Again, in Bunt community it is often served with panpolo (neer dosa) and in some home in southern parts it is preferred to be relished with ganji (pejja/ rice porridge). I served it with rice chapatti (akki rotti) and it tastes excellent, do try this combo, its awesome.
** Fish is a good source of protein and shellfish is good source of lean protein. This protein is easy to digest when compared to other foods not to mention the other health benefits like omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, copper, iron and vitamin B12, besides plenty of other nutrients. It is believed to help support a healthy immune system, off course if you are having any health ailments then it is best to consult your Doctor/ Nutritionist/ Dietitian if it is safe to consume if you are trying them out for the first time, either way it is best to consume shell fish/ kubbo in limits and get adjusted to avoid stomach issues.
** For “Akki Rotti/ Rice flour chapatti/ Chawal Atte ki Rotti/ Alanu Pittache Chapati/ Tandlache Bhakri” recipe, please follow the link given below …
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