When a person travels, they collect memories. But when a food enthusiast travels, they collect local ingredients that can help revive and relive the stories of their journeys through food. Traveller's Pantry is a series by Slurrp through which tourists travelling across the states of India will find indigenous gems that they can stock up on, take back home and learn more about India’s regional cuisines. This series will walk you through some of the best ingredients that India’s states have to offer, especially through the experienced hands of local chefs, experts and vendors, taking you on a true culinary safari of the nation.
Maharashtra is called the Gateway of India and aptly so because it is the commercial and industrial capital of the country. From entertainment and fashion to food and travel, it is among a few states with such diverse heritage. Its cities have served as the major transportation centres for centuries.
The state experiences tropical weather which makes it possible for farmers to grow a variety of indigenous ingredients. The food landscape comprises Konkan cuisine, Mumbai’s street food, Marathwada cuisine, Khandesh cuisine, Vidarbha cuisine, and local delights from Paschim Maharashtra. For a foodie, it’s impossible to taste the regional food and not bring home the taste with them.
Video Credit: Your Food Lab/ YouTube
If your next travel plans include exploring Maharashtra, this food souvenir guide will help you. Slurrp connected with Chef Ravi, Fat Tiger, Mumbai; Amay Sanjay Bakare, 3rd generation owner of AB Masale Kolhapuri Special, Kolhapur; Ankita Abhay Kumar Parakh, Director of National Chikki Mart, Lonavala; and Neha Patil, Owner of Kaka Halwai Sweet Centre Ravet, Pune; Sushant Thorat, Owner of Thorat Masale, to recommend you a list of foods you can bring home.
Chef Ravi added, “Maharashtra offers a great variety of long-lasting food items that showcase the richness of its cuisine, whether you're a passionate foodie or someone who cooks occasionally.”
Kolhapuri Masala
Chef Ravi suggested stocking up on Kolhapuri masala which is bold in taste because it is prepared using whole spices like cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and more. Amay Sanjay Bakare explained that the spice mixture contains three kinds of red chillies, including bedgi, Kashmiri, and Sankeshwari. A teaspoon of this masala in your recipe, and you won’t need any other spice to amplify the flavour quotient. From meats to vegetables, this is a one-stop solution to make lip-smacking dishes with a Maharashtrian touch at home.
Image Credit: Pixabay
Shop Name: AB Masale Kolhapuri Special
Address: New Shahupuri, Kolhapur, Maharashtra 416003
Number: 8484847422
Price: Rs 300-500/ kg
Chikki
Chikki is a Maharashtrian sweet made from jaggery and nuts. Chef Ravi and Ankit Abhay Kumar Parakh said that it can stay on your shelf for weeks. The sweet is also produced in large quantities in Lonavala. If you plan to visit the hill station, you can check out 35 varieties of the sweet bar at National Chikki Mart. From peanuts, oreo, and rajgira to chocolate and cashews, you can stuff your bags with your preferred flavours. However, cashew chikki has a shelf life of three months, the longest of all. You cannot store others for this long.
Image Credit: Pixabay
Shop Name: National Chikki Mart Pvt Ltd
Address: 6,7, Marker Manzil, MG Rd, Lonavala, Maharashtra 410401
Number: 7210810873
Price: Rs 200 - Rs 1700/ kg
Also Read: The Diverse Regional Cuisines Of Maharashtra
Bayadgi Chillies
“Lovely red chillies with medium heat are necessary to add that pinch of colour and spice to any dish in particular,” added Chef Ravi. Bayadgi chillies are grown in Bayadgi, Karnataka, but they are grown in some parts of Maharashtra as well. Sushant Thorat further shared that while the Kashmiri red chillies start losing their red colour and turn brown after six months, Byadagi chillies last longer in your pantry.
Image Credit: Pixabay
Shop Name: Thorat Masale
Address: Nalawde Wasti, Bijli Nagar Rd, Sr No. 1, Chinchwad, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Maharashtra 411033
Number: 9850428972
Price: Rs 450/ kg for whole chillies; Rs 650/ kg for powder
Goda Masala
Sharing the recipe for god masala, Amay Sanjay Bakare, said that the special Maharashtrian garam masala mix is combined with khobra (coconut powder), and sesame seeds. It has a unique flavour with mild tones of spiciness. Chef Ravi and Bakare suggested using it to make lentils, vegetables, masala bhat, navratan korma, and bharwa baingan. You can carry it home and store it in your pantry for months to prepare mouth-watering delicacies.
Image Credit: Pixabay
Shop Name: AB Masale Kolhapuri Special
Address: New Shahupuri, Kolhapur, Maharashtra 416003
Number: 8484847422
Price: Rs 600-800/ kg
Dry Kokum
Kokum is a dry fruit which is grown in Lonavala. Chef Ravi added, "Ïts heating gives a special sour tang to various Maharashtrian dishes. It is most commonly soaked and used in curries, dals, or even refreshing drinks." Ankit Abhay Kumar Parakh explained that you can keep it at your home for at least six months (even up to a year).
Image Credit: Pixabay
Shop Name: National Chikki Mart Pvt Ltd
Address: 6,7, Marker Manzil, MG Rd, Lonavala, Maharashtra 410401
Number: 7210810873
Price: Rs 300/ kg for dry kokum, Rs 600/ kg for wet kokum
Onion-Garlic Chutney
According to Amay Sanjay Bakare, if you are travelling across Maharashtra, you must purchase kanda-lehsun (onion-garlic) chutney, the secret to many lip-smacking local delicacies. He said that if you store in the porcelain jars, often used in India to store pickles, you can enjoy the flavours for nine months to a year. “Make sure moisture, water, and dry air do not penetrate inside the jar,” he added. It is prepared using onion, garlic, chilli powder, sesame seeds, coconut, etc. “You add it to chicken fry, and it will be instantly ready to be consumed,” Bakare said while praising the taste of this regional delight.
Image Credit: Pixabay
Shop Name: AB Masale Kolhapuri Special
Address: New Shahupuri, Kolhapur, Maharashtra 416003
Number: 8484847422
Price: Rs 300-400/ kg
Modak
People might have been done with the fever of Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, but their love for modak spans throughout the year. These sweet delights are considered favourites of Lord Ganesha and different kinds of these are sold in shops across Maharashtra. Kaka Halwai Sweet Centre Ravet, Pune, has 7-8 varieties. You can place an order for an off-season purchase of modak. This outlet in Pune is also famous for the various kinds of halwas they sell, including moong dal halwa, gajar ka halwa, and badam halwa.
Image Credit: Kaka Halwai Sweet Centre Ravet
Shop Name: Kaka Halwai Sweet Centre Ravet
Address: Shop no. 24 Radhey Heights Sector 29, Babasaheb Ambedkar Chowk, Pradhikaran, Ravet, Pune, Maharashtra 411044
Number: 9607557788
Price: Rs 700/ kg onwards; Rs 500/ kg for moong dal halwa
Dry Snacks
Maharashtrian dry snacks are the perfect companions with evening tea. Chef Ravi added, "Bhakarwadi is the most suitable snack for tea time and has a good shelf life. It is usually made with spices and rolled and fried into crispy cylindrical bites." However, Ankit Abhay Kumar Parakh added that travellers should also buy other snacks like garlic sev, chidwa, pudina sev, tomato sev, etc.
Image Credit: Freepik
Shop Name: National Chikki Mart Pvt Ltd
Address: 6,7, Marker Manzil, MG Rd, Lonavala, Maharashtra 410401
Number: 7210810873
Price: Rs 100/ 250gm