Kombdi Vade

A  Konkani dish by origin, Kombdi Vade is a popular one-stop solution for a mid-day meal that satisfies both your tummy and pocket. You might wonder if these vade have anything to do with the ubiquitous South Indian vada (fried, donut-shaped rice balls that are eaten with hot Rasam or Sambar). But here, Vade are served with a sumptuous helping of chicken curry instead. 

The Maharashtrian Vade are made of a blend of rice and ragi, deep-fried, and are similar to the texture of the North Indian Bhatura (a kind of puffed Indian flatbread). The chicken broth for this dish is also prepared in an authentically Malvani way, with ample amounts of spice and lemon juice.

In fact, another nuance of this dish lies in the fact that the chicken pieces used are often with bone, instead of the more conventional option of cooking with boneless pieces. One of the reasons for this may be because many Indian culinary techniques claim that curries require meat to be on the bone, in order for the pieces to hold the liquid properly. 

Solkadhi (a concoction of kokum juice with coconut milk) and onions are served alongside, mainly to offset the heat quotient of the curry and aid in digestion. 

Specifically prepared on the occasions of Dev Diwali, Shimga, Gatahari (Deep Amavasya), or Gauri Ovase, the dish is one that is deeply embedded in the Malvani cuisine, the recipes tucked sacredly in the kitchens of Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and Raigad districts of the Konkan region. The dish is available in Maharashtra all year round. Some purists might of course insist that the Vade in Ratnagiri, made in a clay oven or over an open fire are the only way to enjoy the dish; but changes in some cooking techniques aside, it's not a dish that most cooks can go wrong with. 

The dish may also be known under the names "Saguti Vade" or "Malvani Vade" in some places, but don't be confused, 'Vade' by any other Marathi name are still 'Vade'. Beyond the iconic chicken curry pairing, in some Maharashtrian households, it is common to have the Vade as the bread accompanying other dishes as well, including (but not limited to) fish curry and other spicy gravy-based items. It may be less frequently served with a drier preparation.

Along with Amboli and Bhakri, Vade too form a vital and popular part of the pantheon of traditional Maharashtrian breads. Unlike the Bengali Luchi though, there isn't as much emphasis placed on the perfect preparation. For a good Vade, all that's important, is the taste. And of course, that piping hot bowl of Kombdi curry.