During the 19th
century, Bombay Christians were glad to be employed by the British East India
Company but decided to differentiate themselves from the Goans and Mangloreans who
also headed to Bombay seeking employment. Thus these locals from the western
coast of Maharashtra called themselves East -Indians. East Indian
strongholds in Mumbai include Gorai,
Vasai, Versova, Bandra, Colaba, Thane and Mazazgon.
I am an East –Indian and as a schoolgirl, I spent several
summer vacations in my grandma’s house in Mumbai. One memory that has stayed
with me is of a group of women coming to my grandma’s home almost every summer
to pound at least 20 plus spices, sun-dried for a few days into a fine crimson
powder called “Bottle Masala” unique to the East – Indian community. The women
spent the entire afternoon pounding the ingredients in Grandma's garden. They pounded the spices in
a huge wooden drum with long, wooden sticks. The masala is not pungent but flavourful and
fragrant. It is used in the preparation of meat, fish and vegetables.I even use it in my preparation of channa masala.
Once the masala is ready, as was and is the practice it is filled into dark beer bottles and pounded down firmly with a wooden spoon. Then it is distributed among family members or sold. The quantity made usually lasts the entire year. I remember Mom carrying away her stock of Bottle Masala to far off Jamshedpur.
The masala is called ‘Bottle
Masala’ because it is stored in dark beer bottles, to protect it from light
that could alter the colour and taste. The beer bottles must be
properly washed and dried because moisture would cause mould. The masala women are not a very common sight today as
many families grind the spices in a mill. The recipe may vary from family to family. On a lighter note, families may hold back that one secret ingredient but every East Indian will
swear by that magic in a bottle.
What is the secret sauce of your community?
Image credit: Pinterest.
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