Located on the Western coast of India, Maharashtra boasts of diversity not only in its culture but also in its food. Maharashtrian dishes are one of the most tempting and lip smacking delicacies, full of flavours. Well known for food that ranges from mildly spicy to very spicy dishes, it also has eats that leave no stone unturned to satiate your sweet tooth.
While the vada pav and the missal pav have been done to death, there are a few that may not be as famed, but deserve an equal amount of palate taste tests. Read on as the Tanvi Juwale lists down 11 ‘not-so-famous’ but ‘need-to-try-once-before-you-die’ Maharashtrian dishes.
Gharge: If the thought of pumpkin makes you want to barf, it is time to perish that notion. Pumpkin can taste heavenly too. Still contemplating on it? Go grab a piece of Gharge and you’ll know what we’re talking about. This one is jaggery pumpkin flatbread fried just like puris usually and is served with a tangy raw mango chutney.
Varan Bhaat: Rustic and uncomplicated, this is the common man’s meal. Varan is tempered daal generously ladled on to rice which makes a quintessentially Maharashtrian fare. Usually served with a dollop of clarified butter on top and mango pickle at the side, it makes a hearty meal for everyone.
Ukdiche Modak: Ever heard of Maharashtrian momos? Considered to be Lord Ganesha’s favourite, this steamed rice dumpling filled with coconut and jaggery is a favourite during Bappas’s festival. Usually eaten as is or after adding a dollop of desi ghee to it.
Kalya Vatanyachi Aamti: Fondly known by Maharashtrians as vegetarian mutton, this preparation is a thick broth of black chickpea. It is best paired with steamed rice, but also eaten with bread or even chapatis
Zhunka Bhakar: Possessing a rural rustic appeal, this is a meal that belongs to the rural areas. Something that our farmers typically carry to the farms it is usually devoured with sliced raw onions and slit fiery green chillies slit. Made out of chickpea flour, Zhunka is a thick mixture supposed to eaten with a barley bread (bhakar).
Pandhra Tambda rassa: When in Kolhapur, never miss out on this delicacy. Pandhra and Tambda are two gravies that pack a feisty punch. Made with the hottest peppers both these meat based gravies are also often consumed as soup.
Kairi Panhe: How do you make the sour raw mango sweet? You make kairi panhe! Famous in the Konkani region of Maharashtra, this drink is a summer speciality. Made by sweetening raw mangoes it gives you a subtle taste of the sugar and the raw mango.
Goli Pulav: Ever wondered what royalty tastes like? A Kolhapuri speciality, one of a kind in Maharashtra, this Pulav was made for the royals. Minced meat balls flavoured with spices such as clove and bay leaf blended with rice and other aromatic spices explains why this is meant for the royals.
Valache Bhirdechi Usal: Val are bean sprouts. Sprouted beans, stir fried are tempered with onions, spices and curry leaves in oil. A semi-thick gravy this one is eaten with bread or maybe relished as a snack or even as a meal in itself.
Piyush: This sweet refreshing drink is made of hung curd and is just perfect for a hot summery day! Besides pleasing your sweet tooth, it also gives you your instant energy fix you may need from time to time
Kharvas: Did you know just like Italy, Maharashtra does their version of cheesecakes too? No kidding. Considered as the Maharashtrian cheese cake, Kharvas is a dessert that has many a loyalists to its’ fame. Made out of a cow’s first milk, it has a soft tender consistency (much like the cheese cake) sprinkled with nutmeg powder to give it the extra flavour. Consummate your meals with a portion of this and please your palates the healthy way.