Popularly credited to the Maratha king Shahaji II’s rule in the city of Tanjore during the 17th century, Thanjai cuisine – or Thanjavur Maratha cuisine is an exemplary case of making the most of what’s available locally. True to the essence of food cooked in the homes of families occupying regions of western Maharashtra and Baroda – the marriage of fiery masalas and spice-forward preparations with local substitutes and traditional cooking methods, formed the crux of Tamil Nadu’s micro-cuisine.
Dating back to the 1600’s – specifically 1673 – when king Venkoji joined forces with the state to respond to a potential attack from the king of Madurai, the Maratha troops found home in the land of Chola architecture which became a catalyst for the creation of this unique fusion. Over the course of the century, as communities from Thanjavur and Maharashtra blended via marital, political and military alliances, the cuisine flourished into a full-fledged gastronomic beast. Call it a sense of fostering sovereignty or embracing what already existed, the Maratha rulers – with their ‘alien’ language, script and cuisine – decided to become a part of the existing culture and fostered it through their food.
Origins
Between 1798 and the 1830’s, Venkoji’s direct descendant – Serfoji II – channelled all his energies into cultivating the architectural and culinary cultures of Thanjavur. Historians even mention that Serfoji’s palace boasted of three different kitchens – one for vegetarian preparations, one for non-vegetarian cooking and a third that doled out European specialties. This was also the time when Thanjai cuisine began to take form – where traditional South Indian cooking methods of stone-grinding spice blends and pastes became prominent, where steaming and tempering elevated the textures and flavours of dishes and cooking in earthenware pots were embraced by the Maratha community.
Some prominent examples of such cooking practices involved the liberal usage of coconut – a trait common to both cuisines – with the difference being in fresh varieties used in South Indian cooking and dry coconut or kopra being used in Maratha kitchens. Kokum, a popular souring agent which features prominently in Maratha cooking, was replaced by tamarind in preparations like amti – a phenomenon which was the first known origins of what we know and relish as sambar today. Similarly, the puran poli – which shares common admiration among both cuisines – was also a delicacy that the Marathas brought along with them to Chola Nadu – substituting their chana dal-jaggery mixture for a coarser stuffing of grated coconut and jaggery spread inside a pocket of maida roti.
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Traditional Preparations
Image Credits: Urban Rajah
Perhaps what’s most fascinating about Thanjai cuisine isn’t the fusion of two cultures but the Marathas’ ability to seamlessly integrate familiar flavours with local ingredients – which eventually gave these delicacies their own distinct character. One of the lesser-known preparations, the Lady Mamamud – is a stew-like preparation of mutton chunks cooked with ridge gourd and eaten with rice. Interestingly enough, some dishes were also created out of necessity rather than the idea of indulgence.
The lost recipe of Thanjavur’s rabbit curry involved combining a spice blend made with dried coconut and chana dal – which was then mixed with sour milk before it was used to make a gravy. Borrowing from their kitchens of Kolhapur – a pivotal Maratha culinary element known as bhakhar – became the stuffing for vegetables, fish and poultry – making way for Thanjai creations like the bakharatli kombdi or stuffed chicken. The versatile blend, made using a combination of fresh coconut, chopped onions, fresh coriander and curry leaves, as well as juliennes of ginger and garlic, is often used as the base or to be added along with other ingredients for special feasts.