Kolhapur, city of southwestern India, in Maharashtra State.
In the Hindu mythology, the city of Kolhapur has been mentioned with the name of Karvir. In about the 3rd century BC, Kolhapur was an important Buddhist center. There are entries in the old religious texts showing that once upon a time this city was a center of religion, religious power and trade. It has been also referred to as Dakshin Kashi.
Kolhapur is endowed with extremely fertile soil, plenty of water and hard working labour class, the town has quickly progressed from a predominantly farming town to a major industrial city. The town at present has per capita income, which is probably one of the highest in the country.
The major religion - Hinduism is represented in Kolhapur, and this plays a vital part in the daily lives of the population. The Hindu temples provide a focus for social as well as a devotional life. Hinduism is a product of several millennia of evolution and assimilation, Hinduism is the major religion in Kolhapur.
Marathi is a mother tongue of Kolhapuri people. Majorities of people from Kolhapur speak in Marathi language. As Kolhapur is on border of Karnataka state, many people speak ’’Kannada’’ language also. Hindi being the official language in India, is also spoken here. Today, Kolhapur is slowly becoming a cosmopolitan city and as a result, different languages like Gujarathi, Kannada, Punjabi, Konkani etc. are spoken in small pockets.
From the land of palaces, forts, the inimitable, innumerable spices that give the palate the most unique tastes. Kolhapur city tops the list when it comes to hospitality. It truly believes in ’’Atithi devo bhava’’ (the guest is an incarnation of God). No menu is complete without a dish dedicated to this city, be it Mutton Kolhapuri, Chicken Kolhapuri or Vegetable Kolhapuri.....
One thing that is common in all these dishes is their chili look and taste. Though the food is hot, it has delectable flavors. The chilli, hot taste of this food matches the fiery temperaments of the warrior race that hails from Kolhapur.
The heat in the dishes comes from the chillies that are bought in bulk during the months of March and April. They are ground and stored for daily use, or stored in the whole dried form and ground as and when required. Both red and green Lavangi chillies are popular in this region.
Kolhapuri dishes are primarily cooked either with Sankeshwari chilies or Lavangi chillies. Both these chillies have quite a bite but for people who love it hot, they should go for the small Lavangi chillies.
Kolhapuri dishes are primarily cooked with Lavangi chillies. The small Lavangi chillies are tiny but the effect is large enough to set the best of palates on fire. These chillies are quite hot and care should be taken while using them, especially if you are using them for the first time. Use in small quantities before you venture out in to the real hot world.
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