20 Authentic Food items of Maharashtra

Maharashtrian cuisine is rich and varied, with a wide array of dishes that reflect its diverse culture and regional ingredients. Here’s an overview of the dishes you mentioned along with basic recipes:
1. Reumali Roti (Puran Poli)

Puran Poli is a sweet flatbread stuffed with a mixture of chana dal (split chickpeas) and jaggery.

Ingredients:

For the dough:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup ghee (clarified butter)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
A pinch of salt
Water as needed

For the filling:
1 cup chana dal
1 cup jaggery, grated
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
1/4 tsp nutmeg powder

Instructions:

Prepare the Filling:
Cook chana dal in water until soft. Drain and mash it.
Heat a pan, add the mashed dal, and cook with jaggery until the mixture thickens.
Add cardamom and nutmeg powder. Let it cool.

Prepare the Dough:
Mix whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, turmeric powder, salt, and ghee.
Add water gradually and knead to make a soft dough. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Assemble:
Divide the dough and filling into equal portions.
Roll out a dough ball into a small circle, place a portion of the filling in the center, and seal the edges.
Roll out the stuffed dough gently into a flatbread.

Cook:
Heat a tawa (griddle) and cook the poli on both sides, applying ghee as needed until golden brown.

2. Satpudi Patodya

Satpudi Patodya is a spicy and tangy savory pancake made with rice flour and besan (gram flour), typically seasoned with spices.

Ingredients:

1 cup rice flour
1/2 cup besan
1 cup buttermilk or yogurt
1-2 green chilies, finely chopped
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
Chopped coriander leaves

Instructions:

Prepare the Batter:
Mix rice flour, besan, buttermilk, and salt to form a smooth batter. It should be slightly thick.

Prepare the Tadka (Tempering):
Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and green chilies. Sauté until they crackle.
Add this tempering to the batter along with turmeric powder and chopped coriander.

Cook:
Heat a tawa and grease it lightly. Pour a ladleful of batter and spread it in a circular motion.
Cook on medium heat until golden brown on both sides.

3. Dubuk Vade

Dubuk Vade is a combination of spicy lentil fritters (vade) served with a tangy lentil curry (dubuk).

Ingredients for Vade:

1 cup urad dal (split black gram), soaked
1-2 green chilies
1 inch ginger
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Ingredients for Dubuk:

1 cup chana dal
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
Salt to taste

Instructions:

Prepare Vade:
Grind soaked urad dal with green chilies and ginger to a coarse paste.
Heat oil in a pan, and drop spoonfuls of the batter into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown and crisp.

Prepare Dubuk:
Cook chana dal with water, cumin seeds, turmeric, red chili powder, and salt until soft.
Mash lightly and adjust seasoning. Simmer for a few minutes.

Serve:
Serve the vade with hot dubuk.

4. Maswadi

Maswadi is a traditional Maharashtrian dish made with a mix of lentils and spices, often served with rice or chapati.

Ingredients:

1 cup mixed lentils (moong dal, toor dal, chana dal)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
Salt to taste
Oil for cooking
Chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Instructions:

Prepare Maswadi:
Cook lentils with enough water until soft.
Heat oil, add cumin seeds, and onions. Sauté until golden.
Add tomatoes, turmeric, red chili powder, and salt. Cook until tomatoes are soft.
Mix in the cooked lentils and simmer for a few minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.

5. Shev Bhaji

Shev Bhaji is a spicy and tangy vegetable curry garnished with crunchy sev (fried gram flour noodles).

Ingredients:

2 cups mixed vegetables (potatoes, carrots, peas, etc.)
1 onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp garam masala
Salt to taste
1/2 cup sev (optional)
Oil for cooking

Instructions:

Prepare the Bhaji:
Heat oil, add mustard seeds, and let them splutter.
Add onions and sauté until translucent.
Add tomatoes, turmeric, red chili powder, and salt. Cook until tomatoes break down.
Add mixed vegetables and cook until tender.
Add garam masala and mix well. Garnish with sev if desired.

6. Bharit Bhakari

Bharit Bhakari is a simple yet flavorful dish of roasted eggplant (bharit) served with bhakari (flatbread).

Ingredients for Bharit:

1 large eggplant
2-3 green chilies
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
Salt to taste
Chopped coriander leaves

Ingredients for Bhakari:

1 cup jowar flour
Water as needed
A pinch of salt

Instructions:

Prepare Bharit:
Roast the eggplant directly on the flame until the skin is charred. Peel and mash the flesh.
Heat oil, add mustard seeds, and let them splutter.
Add onions, green chilies, and cook until onions are soft.
Add tomatoes, turmeric, red chili powder, and salt. Cook until tomatoes are soft.
Mix in the mashed eggplant and cook for a few minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Prepare Bhakari:
Mix jowar flour with a pinch of salt and enough water to make a dough.
Divide the dough into small balls and roll them out into flatbreads.
Cook on a hot tawa until both sides are cooked and slightly charred.

7. Shenga Chutney

Shenga Chutney is a spicy and nutty chutney made with roasted peanuts.

Ingredients:

1 cup roasted peanuts
2-3 green chilies
1 small onion
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste

Instructions:

Prepare the Chutney:
Heat oil, add mustard seeds, and let them splutter.
Add onions and green chilies. Sauté until onions are soft.
Add roasted peanuts and cook for a few minutes. Let it cool.
Blend the mixture into a coarse paste. Add salt to taste.

8. Ghawane

Ghawane is a type of savory crepe made from fermented rice and urad dal batter.

Ingredients:

1 cup rice
1/4 cup urad dal
1/2 cup water (or as needed)
Salt to taste

Instructions:

Prepare the Batter:
Soak rice and urad dal separately for 6-8 hours. Drain and grind them together to form a smooth batter.
Let the batter ferment overnight or for about 12 hours.

Cook Ghawane:
Heat a tawa and grease it lightly. Pour a ladleful of batter and spread it in a thin layer.
Cook on medium heat until bubbles form on the surface and the edges start to lift.
Flip and cook for another minute. Serve hot.

9. Chikhalya

Chikhalya is a comfort food from Maharashtra made with mashed vegetables and spices, often enjoyed with chapati or rice.

Ingredients:

1 cup mixed vegetables (such as potatoes, carrots, beans, and peas)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tomato, finely chopped
1-2 green chilies, chopped (adjust to taste)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
Salt to taste
1 tbsp oil
Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Instructions:

Prepare the Vegetables:
Peel and chop the vegetables into small pieces.
Cook them in a pot with enough water until soft. Drain and mash the vegetables with a masher or the back of a spoon.

Cook the Masala:
Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
Add chopped onions and sauté until golden brown.
Add green chilies and chopped tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes are soft and the oil starts to separate from the masala.
Stir in turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt. Cook for another minute.

Combine:
Add the mashed vegetables to the pan and mix well with the masala.
Adjust the consistency by adding a little water if needed.
Stir in garam masala and cook for a few more minutes to let the flavors blend.

Garnish and Serve:
Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
Serve hot with chapati, rice, or bhakari.

This simple yet flavorful dish can be a great addition to any Maharashtrian meal, offering a satisfying and wholesome option. Enjoy your cooking!