About a year ago, a sea snail found on the shores of Uppada village in East Godavari district created a huge stir. This large sea snail (scientific name: Syrinx araunus) was auctioned for Rs 18,000. This year, it is not just about the size but a curry that has captured the imagination of many residents and visitors around the Godavari River. The canals leading out of the river have become the new hub of snail traders and farmers, who are feeding the region’s new trend – snail curry.
Edible Land Snails has traditionally used the French word for snail – escargot. The production of these snails is heliculture, a very important industry in countries such as Spain, France and Italy where snails have been part of culinary traditions. What was once considered a food for the less privileged gradually became a delicacy leading to recognition by chefs of haute cuisine. We can see the same trend in India as well. Snail traders around East Godavari district extract meat from oysters and display them on plastic sheets as more and more households discover this new delicacy.
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I spoke to Suraj Kumar Sahu, executive chef at Novotel Vijayawada, Varun, who hails from East Godavari district, and chef Srinivas, about this trend. According to him it is the easy availability which is one of the major drivers of this trend. And then there are also the purported health benefits. Locals believe whether it can cure chronic diseases such as asthma and rheumatism. Chef Suraj says that the cleaning process is quite laborious. If you plan to source these snails and try making snail curry (see recipe), you will need to wash the snails with salt and turmeric powder. There are variations that include curries made with peanuts, which are a recurring ingredient. Andhra Cuisine. While the jury is still out on the health benefits, there is little argument about the texture and taste of this dish which is likely to gain more popularity in the days to come.
Snail Pepper Curry
Recipe – Natalu Miryala Kura
Recipe Courtesy – Chef Suraj Kumar Sahoo Executive Chef, Novotel Vijayawada Varun
Component:
- Snail 500 grams
- Onion 200 grams
- Groundnut oil 100 ml
- Tomato 100 grams
- Green chili 20 grams
- Ginger-garlic paste 15 grams
- ground black pepper 30 grams
- Fennel seeds 3 grams
- Mustard seeds 2 grams
- Tamarind pulp 20 grams
- turmeric powder 5 grams
- Red chili powder 5 grams
- spring onions 20 grams
For paste:
- Grated Coconut 100 grams
- Poppy seeds 15 grams
For dry spices:
- Coriander seeds 20 grams
- bay leaf 3 nos
- Cardamom 3 grams
- Cinnamon 5 grams
- Coriander seeds 20 grams
- Whole red chili 10 grams
- Cumin
Method:
- Wash the snails at least two or three times in running water.
- Boil the snails in water with salt and a pinch of turmeric for 10-12 minutes. Drain the snails and wash them carefully in running water. Now with the help of a toothpick, separate the pulp from the peel. Gently remove the white part of the flesh and discard the dark part as they are chewy, bitter and not edible.
- Make a paste of coconut and poppy seeds and keep aside.
- For ground spices, roast the above ingredients on low flame and make powder. Keep it aside.
- Heat groundnut oil in a thick bottomed vessel. Add fennel seeds, mustard seeds and curry leaves to it. When it starts crackling, add onion slices and cook till it turns golden brown.
- Add ginger garlic paste to it. Cook for some time and add chopped tomatoes along with salt. Cook slowly till the tomatoes are well mashed.
- Now add spices like turmeric powder and red chili powder. Add coconut and poppy seeds paste to it and stir. Cook the spices on low flame only.
- Add semolina to the cooked gravy and mix well. Cover the pan. Put tamarind pulp in it and keep it on medium flame for 10 minutes.
- Add 15 grams freshly ground dry masala and crushed black pepper powder and mix gently. Finish the dish with coriander leaves and chopped spring onions.
- Serve with boiled rice or chapati.
About Ashwin RajagopalanI’m the proverbial Slashie – a content architect, author, speaker and cultural intelligence coach. School lunch boxes are usually the beginning of our culinary explorations. That curiosity has not diminished. It has grown even stronger as I have explored culinary cultures, street food and fine dining restaurants around the world. I have explored cultures and places through the medium of culinary motifs. I am equally passionate about writing on consumer tech and travel.