Food of Maharashtra

Pohay (Pohe)

Pohay or Pohe prepared from boiled Rice which is beaten and dried during the Summer months. It is most likely served with tea or as a breakfast dish and is probably the most likely dish that a Maharashtrian will offer his guest any time of the day. It has a no. of variations the most common being Kanda Pohe (meaning pohe prepared with onion). Other variants on the recipe are batata pohe (where diced potatoes are used instead of onion shreds), dadpe pohe, a mixture of raw Pohe with shredded fresh coconut, green chillies, ginger and lemon juice; and kachche pohe, raw pohe with minimal embellishments of oil, red chili powder, salt and un-sauteed onion shreds. The dish is garnished with different things like fresh coriander, grated coconut, crushed peanuts or Sev (fried potato shavings). This is a quick breakfast recipe which can be prepared in just 5-10 minutes. It is also quite filling.

2. Misal Pav

Misal pav is a popular dish from Maharashtra, India. Missal pav is a popular street food of Mumbai and a traditional Maharashtrian breakfast dish. It is spicy and tangy lentil curry which is made with either sprouted matki or moth beans /mixed beans and served with Pav bread. To prepare Misal first ‘Usal’ which is a water based curried preparation of cooked sprouted lentils is prepared and then topped with batata-bhaji, pohay, chivda, farsaan, raw chopped onions and tomato.Misal takes on different avatars across Maharashtra and the recipe varies in different regions. So foodies have named them as per the location they are made.

3. Wada / Vada Pav

Wada pav is popular only in the state of Maharashtra, and not so well known in the rest of India. It is the preferred noon-time snack for the masses and is sometimes had even for a main meal. Its popularity stems from the fact that it is very economical, filling and easily available. In a city like Pune or Mumbai there are numerous wada-pav stalls and no matter where you may be in the city, you can always find one just around the corner.

4.Shrikhand

I bet you can’t resist your taste buds after sipping this drink, a specialty of Maharashtra. Shrikhand is an Indian sweet dish made of strained yogurt and is one of the main desserts in Maharashtrian cuisine as well as Gujarati cuisine. To make this drink, yogurt is tied and hung until all the water is drained off, the result being a thick and creamy yogurt. After that, dried fruits like almonds, cashews, and pistachios, and fresh fruit such as mango are added to flavor it, and other ingredients like sugar, cardamom powder, and saffron are added. It is often eaten along with meals with puris (deep-fried Indian breads). It is served chilled and provides a refreshing counterpoint to hot and spicy curries. It is garnished with toasted nuts and a pinch of saffron.

5.Rassa (Tambda/ Pandhra/ Varhadi)

The non-vegetarian Maharashtrian dishes include mutton, usually of sheep, lamb or goat, chicken, fish and other seafoods. Rassa is a popular type of curry prepared in Maharashtra and originated from the Kolhapur region. “Ras” means juice and “rassa” is a juicy preparation…a watery curry.

Kolhapur is as famous for its spicy mutton (goat meat) curries as it’s Mahalaxmi temple or palaces. Popularly called ‘Matnacha rassa’ Mutton Kolhapuri is red-hot mutton curry dish served with robust chappatis or bhakris. The fiery red curry is also called ‘Taambda Rassa’ which literally translates to Red Curry. This curry is made so spicy in Kolhapur by their special chillies that it can make the ears sing, and is not for all.