Maharashtrian food

 

Maharashtrian food or cuisine is the food of marathi people from the Indian state of maharashtra. maharashtrian cuisine includes mild and spicy dishes. wheat, rice, jowar, bajri, vegetables and fruits are dietary staples.

 Regular Meals And Staple Dishes

The marathi people produced a diversed cuisine, which extends to the family level because each family uses its own unique combination of spices. the majority of maharashtrians eat meat and eggs, but the brahmin community is lacto - vegetarian.

region wise food specialities are: 

Konkan: consists of  five coastal districts of thane, palghar, raigad, ratnagiri and sidhudurg. the vegetarian food here is largely influenced by the use of rice, coconut and cashews while the non vegetarian food is primarily seafood which is soured by kokum instead of lime, vinegar or tamarind. the popular vegetarian dishes like ukdiche modak, valachi usal, bharli vangi (stuffed eggplant), puran poli and amboli are from konkan region. the popular non vegetarian seafood dishes are kalvan (fish curry), fried fish, kolambi masala (prawns masala), khekda (crab) masala these are spicy in taste. solkadi is popular after meal. it is also very popular for its fast food like vada pav, misal, bhajji, pav bhaji and bhel.

Paschim maharastra: consist of  the districts of pune, ahmednagar, satara, sangli, solapur and kolhapur. the region is known for its abudent production of milk, sugercane, fruits, vegetables, onions and potatoes. the popular dishes like bhel, misal, pithale bhakri and thalipeeth. the popular non vegetatian kolhapuri tambda (coppper red) and pandhara (white) mutton rassa is famous all over maharastra.

Marathwada: it is popular for biryani and pulav. the cuisine of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka also has influence on food in the marathwada region being the neighbouring state.

Khandesh: the four districts of nashik, jalgaon, dhule and nandurbar. the region is rich in the production of fruits and vegetables especially grapes and bananas. khandesh also produces milk and sugarcane in abudence. popular vegetarian dishes of khandesh are shev bhaji, wangyache bharit (mashed eggplant), khandeshi khichdi and gulachi puri. popular non vegetarian dishes are khandeshi kala (black) masala chicken or mutton.

Typical Menu

Typical breakfast item includes misal, pohe, upma, sheera, sabudana khichdi and thalipeeth. in some households leftover rice from previous night  is fried with onions, turmeric and mustard seeds for breakfast making phodnicha bhat. tea or coffee is served with breakfast.

Lunch and Dinner menu

Vegetarian lunch and dinner plates consist of the combination:

chapati, boiled rice, koshimbir or salad, dry or fresh chutney, mango or lemon pickles, aamti, dry leafy vegetables such as spinach and usal based on sprouted on unsprouted legumes.

apart from bread, rice and chutney other items may be substituted. families that eat meat, fish and poultry may combine vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes, with rice and chapatis remaining the staples. vegetable or non vegetable dishes are dips for chapatis or mixing with rice.