Maharashtra – is a state known for its architectural monuments, historical places, film industry Bollywood, and food. Maharashtrian cuisines like poha and pav bhaji are world-famous. The use of kokum, tamarind, and coconut adds a unique flavour to Maharashtrian dishes.
Maharashtra cuisine can be categorized into two styles – Konkan and Varadi. Konkan belongs to coastal regions, and Varadi belongs to the Vidarbha region.
Let’s check out some famous food of Maharashtra that can make you drool.
- Pav Bhaji – Pav Bhaji is the popular street food all over India having origin from Maharashtra. It is made up of mashed vegetables combined with flavourful spices and butter. It is served with soft bread that is known as pav. It is a street food also served in restaurants of Mumbai.
- Vada Pav – Vada Pav is the popular sandwich of Mumbai that is originated by a street vendor Ashok Vaidya, who worked near the Dadar station in the 1960s and 1970s. It has deep-fried spicy mashed potatoes known as vada and served with soft bread known as pav. It is served with red garlic chutney, coconut, and chilies, etc.
- Puran Poli – Puran Poli is a sweet parantha made during festive occasions. The stuffing of parantha is made up of jaggery, yellow gram dal, plain flour, cardamom powder, and ghee. It can be served in breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as a snack.
- Misal Pav – Misal Pav is a traditional dish of Maharashtra. Its two main elements are misal and pav. Misal is a curry that is made with sprouted moth beans topped with chivda, onions, potatoes, and chilies and served with a pav. It can be served as a snack or a main dish.
- Modak – Modak is a sweet dumpling specially offered as Prashad to Lord Ganesh. It is prepared in a variety of ways. It is made from wheat flour and semolina dough, and filled with the grated bananas, saffron, grated coconut, and jaggery. It can be prepared as steamed, boiled, or fried and can also be served as raw. Modak is the most famous dish that is prepared during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.
- Ragda Pattice – Ragda pattice is a famous street food of Maharashtra prepared by using dried peas curry and patties. These potato patties dipped into Ragda gravy and coated with chutney, onions, tomatoes, sev, and cilantro is served.
- Bharli Vangi – Bharli Vangi is a traditional dish of Thane. It is the popular style of cooking brinjal stuffed with onion, tomatoes, and spicy masala. It is served with roti or rice.
- Sreekhand – Sreekhand is a popular festive dish of Maharashtra and Gujarat. It is a yogurt-based dessert having sugar, dried fruits, and nuts to make it nutritious and flavourful. It is served in breakfast or as a dessert after a meal.
- Poha – Poha is a favorite dish of Maharashtra’s people that can be prepared in various ways. The most famous variety of Poha is Kanda Poha made with onions, green chili, ginger, and lime juice. It is served as a tea-time snack.
- Sabudana khichdi – Sabudana Khichdi is the most famous dish of Pune that is made on the occasion of Navratri. It consists of Sabudana and peanut and is a little bit spicy. It is also called as Shabu Khichdi. It can be served as an evening snack.
- Sol Kadhi – Sol Kadhi is the most famous drink of Maharashtra served as an appetizer. It is a digestive Kadhi made with Kokum. Also known as Kokum drink, Sol Kadhi is a Mumbai special drink.
- Pithla Bhakri – Pithla Bhakri is a traditional dish that is commonly found in Gujarat, Goa, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra. It is made up of jowar, ragi, sorghum, wheat, or rice flour, butter, cumin seeds, and served with vegetables, curry, rice, chutneys, or baingan bharta. Pithla Bhakri is a type of flatbread that is rich in dietary fibers.
- Aamti (Maharashtrian Dal) – Aamti is a Maharashtrian dish that has emerged from the Vidharba region. It is a simple yet most delicious dish of Maharashtra. It has more than 51 different versions and has a lot of proteins.
- Bhelpuri – Bhelpuri is a type of chaat that is served in all over India. It consists of puffed rice, groundnuts, potatoes, onions, chilies, and chutney to make a spicy and tasty dish.
- Basundi – Basundi is a traditional popular dessert prepared during festivals like Diwali, Bhai Dooj, Raksha Bandhan, and Gudi Padwa. The sweet, thick milk with chopped nuts like cashews, almonds, raisins, and pistachios when flavored with saffron and cardamom creates a drooling dessert called Basundi. It is popular in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Karnataka also.
- Aamrus – Aamrus is the most famous beverage in India. It is made from the pulp of mangoes, and ghee or milk can be added to enhance its flavor. In Maharashtra, it can be served with puri that is called as Aamrus puri.
All these are the lip-smacking dishes of Maharashtra cuisine that can be found in every region of Maharashtra. So don’t miss this Marathi unique flavor whenever you visit Maharashtra.