A taste of Maharashtra in Gujarat: Baroda's Mahakali Sev Usal
The Marathi heritage of Vadodara is vastly overshadowed by other parts of its state, such as the pols of neighbouring Ahmedabad and the ranns of Kutch. Vadodara (Baroda) is quite distinct from the rest of Gujarat both in heritage and in culture, a result of it being ruled by the Gaekwads, a Maratha dynasty, for over two centuries, from 1721 to 1949. The Gaekwads left many lasting cultural legacies behind. They built lavish palaces and grand universities, lent support to several leading scholars and artists of India, such as subsidising Dr. BR Ambedkar’s higher studies at Elphinstone and Columbia and helping Raja Ravi Varma set up a lithographic press in Mumbai. They also carried out important social reforms at the turn of the century, such as a ban on child marriage, introducing legislations on divorce, making primary education free and mandated for all, working towards the removal of untouchability, and so on. Most of the aforementioned developments happened under the rule of Sayajirao III, who ruled Baroda from 1875 to 1939 with much of a reformist zeal. Baroda continues to host a fairly significant Marathi community within its borders, and over 7% of Baroda’s population continues to speak Marathi as their mother tongue.
Unlike the Nizams of Calcutta or the various Nawabs of Awadh, who were quite active in extending patronage to food, their royal kitchens rustling up delicacies such as various types of Kebabs, Biryani, Nihari and other dishes, the Gaekwads of Baroda did not have much interest in food. As a result, they left behind a rather bleak culinary legacy that is regrettable for a city that can only be described as a gem in the cultural milieu of Gujarat. Yet, traces of this Maratha rule still remain, and can be occassionally scooped up in a plate of Sev Usal.
The most popular place to have Sev Usal in Baroda is at Mahakali near the Kirti Stambh. Founded by Sopanbhai Sane, this establishment carries the quintessential rags-to-riches Gujarati start-up story with it. Sane worked at a lodge in the city, but carried dissatisfaction regarding his job. His passion for food led him to opening a Sev Usal stall in 1988, which eventually blossomed into a fully fledged restaurant. Sev Usal is a curry cooked in a base of white peas and oil, served with thick sev made of gram flour and spring onion as garnish. Sev Usal is basically the Barodan cousin of a Misal Pav, the key difference being that Misal Pav is created with a base of legumes instead of white peas.
Mahakali’s Sev Usal is stupendously good. A bite into the Sev Usal is like an explosion of molten lava in your mouth, the spice from the dish making you question your belief of Gujarati food being overly sweet and sugary. The thick sev help add texture to the otherwise oily dish, as well as to dial down the spice if required. On the other hand, if the dish is too mild for you, use the two chutneys at your disposal, one of green chili and the other of garlic, to crank up the capsacin in the curry. The gravy is served with a packet of miniature buns, which are used to scoop the gravy up, and are quite delicious themselves, freshly baked and incredibly fluffy. Cherry on top, they offer unlimited refills of the Usal gravy, allowing one to stuff their plate, and their mouth, to their heart’s content. In true Gujarati fashion, they also sell Butter Sev Usal and Cheese Sev Usals as well, which seem to do decently well, but, I’d urge you to stick to the original Sev Usal, that has made Mahakali the institution it is today.
Recommendations:
Sev Usal (9.75 / 10)
Location:
Nehru Bhawan, GF-14/15 Prathmesh Plaza, Palace Rd, Kirti Stambh, Behind, Vadodara, Gujarat 390001