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What comes to your mind when you think of Maharashtrian cuisine? To me, the first thought is of the excellent mutton thali restaurants spread throughout the state.
Kolhapur is well known for its spicy curries, especially the world-famous Kolhapuri Mutton. The delicious and irresistible mutton curry is a delight due to its bold use of chillies. The indigenous Goda masala that goes into a variety of Maharashtrian dishes, including the mutton curries from Kolhapur, is a mix of aromatic spices and coconut, providing the masala with a spicy flavour with sweet afternotes, thereby lending the name Goda, etymologised from the word 'Goad' meaning Sweet in the Marathi language. When in Maharashtra, it’s always a quest to explore the state’s cuisine and enjoy the spicy culinary affair.
Prawns hari mirch thecha
At ‘Maratha Samrat’, you can find an array of authentic Maharashtrian dishes such as chicken, mutton, and seafood. A dish that excited us enough to try it out was the ‘Gavran chicken’, the countryside poultry or ‘Desi Murga’, which is cooked in the rustic Maharashtrian spicy curry, much like its mutton counterparts. Maratha Samrat is a haven for food lovers seeking a fine dining setting. Their delectable food and courteous hospitality will give you a memorable gastronomical experience.
Another restaurant you can visit is Hotel Shivendra, a spacious restaurant on the Pune-Sholapur Highway, At Handewadi. As I saw most diners asking for multiple servings of the flavourful ‘Rassa’, I understood the true essence of dining at a mutton thali restaurant like Hotel Shivendra. ‘Bakhris’, rice and ‘Rassa’ are served unlimited, while you can opt for the portion size of mutton curry according to your appetite.
‘Another favourite of mutton thali lovers is ‘Hotel Kaveri’ There is hardly any differentiation when it comes to these legendary restaurants, which have proved their mettle over decades of pleasing food lovers with their delicious cuisine. Pune is a great city to enjoy many different flavours of the fantastic Maharashtrian cuisine, and you must keep in mind to explore these culinary gems whenever you are there the next time.
Sidharth Bhan Gupta is a Hospitality/F&B Consultant travelling across India exploring regional cuisines.
