Recipe: Mangalorean-Style Clams and Dumplings

Last week I was in Mangalore. Rains in Mangalore have a totally different feel compared to Mumbai, and can stir some unusual cravings. In Mumbai, you reach out for hot bhajiyas and tea. In Mangalore you need dishes that are high on spices – I crave for clams and dumplings. The downside is, in the rains you seldom get good clams. But I managed to get some when I was there.

Clams and dumplings (or mutlim) are quite traditional to Mangalore. Especially the dumplings. These are made of boiled rice which is ground and steamed. You get special steamers for these and other Mangalorean steamed delicacies. We can leave those for another day.

Ingredients for the Mutlims:

For the dumplings
2 cups boiled red rice
Salt to taste
½ tsp mustard seeds
5-6 curry leaves

Method:

1. Soak the boiled rice for two hours after cleaning it thoroughly.
2. Grind to a thick paste with salt.
3. Stuff it in a piece of cloth and place it on a frying pan at a low flame to dry the batter. Keep untying the batter bundle and shifting it so that it is thoroughly dried as different parts get exposed to the heat.
4. When cooked and cooled, temper it with mustard seeds and curry leaves.
5. Make small balls with the batter and steam them.

Ingredients for the clam curry:

To grind:

1 small grated coconut
8 red long chillies (Kashmiri)
2-3 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp mustard seeds
Tamarind water
3-4 cloves of garlic
2 medium-sized onions
Fry all the ingredients and grind to a fine paste

Other ingredients:

1 tbsp cooking oil
Some curry leaves
1 medium-sized onion, sliced

Method:

1. Clean the clams well and then open each of them. I usually just push them in the deep freezer so they open on their own and then clean them.
2. Take some cooking oil in cooking vessel and fry the curry leaves.
3. Add one sliced onion and fry to a golden brown colour and then add the ground masala and fry for two minutes.
4. Now add water and very little salt (clams are normally salty) and keep the gravy.
5. When the gravy starts to boil, add the opened shells and allow it a good boil for another 5 mins.
6. Serve with the dumplings once the shells are cooked. I don’t like adding the dumplings to the gravy but some people add it and it becomes a one dish meal.

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(Image used for representational purpose only)

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