Malvani kombdi vade is one of the most iconic dishes from the Malvan region of Maharashtra's Konkan coast. This recipe is a hearty meal which is a combination of spicy chicken curry with crispy, deep-fried vade made from a mixture of rice and lentil flour. Malvani kombdi vade is deeply ingrained in local traditions and is often prepared for family gatherings, festivals and special occasions. The dish is an exemplary example of coastal cooking relying heavily on a myriad of spices, coconut and the region's famous Malvani masala. You get a satisfying combination of a rich gravy and crisp vades that makes for a filling meal. The spices used in the chicken curry are two-fold: a whole spice mix that goes into the masala paste, and the other is a ground spice mix to which the chicken is added, and eventually the whole spice paste. The masala paste features green cardamom pods, star anise, cloves, cinnamon stick, black peppercorns, black cardamom, ginger, garlic cloves, onions, green chillies, fresh and dried coconut, and coriander seeds, and the other has onions, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, garam masala, the iconic Malvani masala and salt. The vade are just as important as the chicken curry in Malvani kombdi vade. They are made from a dough of rice flour and urad dal flour, giving them a distinctive texture that reminds one of puris, but denser. The dough is made the same way as any typical Indian flatbread and shaped into discs with a small hole in the centre before being deep-fried. The vade is used to scoop up the curry for the perfect lunch. You can also choose to add a side of curd or kachumber salad.