Beyond Vada Pav And Puran Poli: Explore Maharashtrian Traditional Food

If your mind automatically goes to the roadside vada pav stalls and the puran poli everyone waits for Ganesh Chaturthi to make in large batches, this article is just for you. Diving deeper into the regional delicacies, here are some traditional Maharashtra dishes you might be missing.

More than the sights, a city is known for its food. At the end of a trek or a trip to the beach, the pictures in your gallery will stay for sure, but what would make you come back to a city is the mouth-watering dishes. If you’re travelling to Maharashtra or are just a food enthusiast, this is your sign to move beyond the classics. It’s true that the roadside vada pav around Mumbai is unbeatable, but Maharashtra has a lot more to offer.

From the humble serving of pithla bhakri to a sandwich lover’s favourite frankie, there is a lot you need to explore in Maharashtrian cuisine. Making the most of the local grains, coastal ingredients, and seasonal produce, here are some of the lesser-known regional dishes of Maharashtra that are worth trying. No matter if you’re travelling to the Southern parts of the country or whipping up a Maharashtrian spread, don’t forget to heat your tawas and pans and try these traditional delicacies.

Pithla Bhakri

Pithala bhakri is one of the simplest and most humble Maharashtrian dishes. Made with besan, pithla is given a tadka of mustard seeds, haldi, green chillies, garlic, and onion. With a grainy texture, the pithla is served with a millet-based flatbread, called bhakri. Utilising the local produce, bhakri is usually made with jowar or bajre ka atta. You can serve it with sliced onion and green chillies and have a quick yet delicious Maharashtrian meal in no time.

Bharli Vangi

Bharli vangi, aka stuffed eggplant, is more often than not a highlight in a traditional Maharashtrian thali or spread. Since it’s too easy to prepare, even if you’re not a seasoned cook, you’d nail this South Indian dish. All you need to do is pick up small, purple-coloured eggplants and slit them from the centre. Then, heat a kadai and make the stuffing with some oil, the non-negotiable goda masala, sesame seeds, ginger, garlic, and coconut. Add some roasted peanuts, stuff the mixture into the slit brinjals, cook to perfection, and serve with rotis or bhakris.

Thalipeeth

Thalipeeth is another Maharashtrian flatbread that is one of the healthiest flatbreads you can have. The secret lies in the specially curated flour, which is made by grinding grains like bajra, jowar, rice, whole wheat, chana dal, urad dal, and more. Once you have the flour, knead it into a smooth dough, roll small portions and cook the thalipeeth on a non-stick tawa. Transfer the crispy thalipeeth to a plate, season with chopped onion, coriander, and green chillies, and serve with freshly made white butter.

Tambda Rassa

When the topic is Maharashtrian traditional food, you can’t miss out the spicy Kolhapuri tambda rassa. The popular red mutton dish features a spicy gravy made with Kolhapuri masala and dried red chillies. The fiery gravy is served with pandhra rassa, which is a white mutton broth simmered in coconut milk to balance out the spice levels. If you love spicy food, don’t miss out on the rassa.

Batata Bhaji

For the times when you need a quick and comforting meal, Maharashtrian batata bhaji can be an instant fix. Since it just requires basic kitchen ingredients, you won’t need a long list of ingredients or instructions to make this traditional dish. Just boil some potatoes and cook them with chopped onion and some tomatoes. Add in your usual spices, and coat the potatoes well with the masala. Garnish with chopped coriander, and serve hot.

Upma

Talking about the classic, upma is an all-time favourite South Indian breakfast option. And the best part about upma is that you can make it with a range of ingredients. From suji to vermicelli to oats and even millets, you can pick the base as per your choice, and roast it. Then, saute assorted vegetables like onions, peas, beans, carrots, etc. Toss in a tempering made with oil, rai, haldi, red chilli powder, and salt. Add roasted peanuts on top, and your Maharashtrian breakfast will be ready.

Frankie

Frankie is another traditional Maharashtrian street food that resembles a wrap or roll. It has a rich filling of vegetables, protein options such as mutton or eggs or paneer, and is available in many different options for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. To make it more indulgent, a blend of spices and chutneys is added, making the frankie one of the most popular street-style snacks.

Ragda Pattice

The best part about exploring a city or a local cuisine is walking through the streets and tasting food from the street carts. Ragda pattice is a not-miss Mumbai-special street snack that has to be on your bucket list while trying traditional Maharashtrian cuisine. The snack features a tikki made with potatoes and a serving of chickpeas on top. Garnished with chopped onion, coriander leaves, sev, and a mix of chutneys, the snack plate is truly irresistible.

Misal Pav

While vada pav is a classic, you must not forget to try misal pav. The much healthier of the two, misal pav, is not just delicious but also nutritious. Since the misal is made with matki, or sprouted moth beans, it is a healthy Maharashtrian dish that is often enjoyed as a quick breakfast or snacking option. Topped with crunchy farsal, sev, and chopped onion, the spicy misal is served with a well-toasted pav and some lemon and chillies on the side.