Maharashtrian cuisine hails from the state of Maharashtra and is known as the food of the Marathi people. Despite having many similarities to other Indian cuisines, it has unique characteristics. Maharashtrians have traditionally regarded their cuisine as being more austere than others. There are both mild and spicy meals in Maharashtrian cuisine. Dietary staples include wheat, rice, jowar, bajri, vegetables, lentils, and fruit. Vegetables are frequently served with peanuts and cashews. Due to prevailing economic and cultural factors, meat has historically been consumed infrequently or exclusively by the wealthy. Maharashtra has a wide variety of cuisine, from the rustic flavours of the mainland to the seaside cuisines. Maharashtrian cuisine is a fusion of diverse flavours that provides your tongue with a blast of flavour, from the well-known vada pav to modak. The traditional Maharashtrian cuisine is largely unknown outside of the state, with the exception of a few delicacies that have won over the hearts of the populace. Kokum, tamarind, goda masala, and coconut, which are essential ingredients in Maharashtrian cuisine, are among the numerous spices.
Here are some Maharashtrian veg dishes for lunch-
Pitla
A batter of gram flour, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, and water is used to make this classic Maharashtrian dish. Once the batter is cooked, a mixture of spices, curry leaves, garlic paste, onions, and green chilis are added to achieve the proper consistency. Common spices include mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and asafetida, which are first stir-fried with the other ingredients after being tempered in oil. The addition of finely chopped vegetables like spinach, fenugreek leaves, pigweed, or even tomatoes to pitla is optional. Click Here For The Recipe.
Usal
Usal is a traditional Indian dish from Maharashtra. The dish can be made with dried beans, lentils, or sprouted beans as the major component, although in Maharashtra, matki or moth beans are typically used. The combination of coriander seeds, sesame seeds, cloves, cardamom, coconut, cinnamon, bay leaves, and peppercorns are added to sautéed onions, garlic, tomatoes, chilli powder, and turmeric powder. After adding the sprouted beans, the dish is cooked in water or coconut milk until the beans are soft but not mushy. Potatoes can be used in the recipe if you'd like to add more texture and taste. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.
Misal
Misal is a speciality of the Indian state of Maharashtra; its name, which means "a mixture of everything," indicates that different cooks use different ingredients to make it. But the most typical misal contains a mixture of these ingredients: curd, pav, moth bean or pea curry, gravy, spicy potatoes, and garnishes like onions, coriander, and tomatoes. A true misal must be spicy and have a crunchy foundation in order to be considered authentic. It should have many different colours, often red, brown, orange, and green, and should visually resemble a piece of art. The dish was first mentioned somewhere in the early 20th century.
Pudachi Vadi
In the eastern regions of the Maharashtra state, a popular snack is called Pudachi Vadi, often referred to as Sambarvadi. In the Vidarbha region, it is known as Sambarvadi and is a well-liked snack. This comes in two different forms. In Kolhapur, you'll find the spicier variant of this food, not the sweeter one. Gram flour serves as the outside of the pudachi vadi, which is made of dried coconut that has been grated, coriander, chilli powder, and other Indian spices. It is highly crispy and deep-fried.
Zunka Bhakri
Zunka Bhakri is a classic Maharashtrian dish made with chickpea flour and tempered with fried onions, mustard seeds, ginger, and garlic. This side dish is eaten alongside jowar or bajra chapatis. Zunka Bhakri is an authentic dish from Pune, a city located southeast of Bombay. A stir-fry of veggies made with chickpea flour is served alongside a flatbread made of millet flour. It is flavorful, savoury, gluten-free, spicy, and, of course, vegan. Click here for recipe.
Bharleli Vangi
A traditional hot curry recipe with purple eggplant and a mixture of packed spices. It is a well-known Marathi curry that is bursting with goda masala's spicy heat. It can be served as a side dish to a dal and rice combo, but it is commonly eaten with Indian flatbread or roti. Small brinjals are used in this dish, and they are packed with a hot peanut masala before being cooked in a hot onion-tomato sauce. Almost every Marathi home makes this curry. Bharli vangi can be found on festive or wedding menus in addition to regular meals. This curry's flavour is greatly enhanced by the use of Goda masala, a distinctive Maharashtrian spice, which also sets it apart from other dishes of the same nature.
Aluchya Vadya
Aluchya wadya is a delicious vegetarian meal from Malvani and Maharashtrian cuisine. The basic components are identical throughout the entire region—colocasia leaves filled (or chopped up) with a mixture of gram flour, rice flour, tamarind, jaggery, and various spices—and patrode varieties only change in shape (sliced rolls or dumplings) and cooking technique (steamed or fried).