We are a country known for its diversity. What we often forget is that each one of the states that make up our country also has diversity. Maharashtra is no different.
Different parts of the state offer different kinds of food. The coastal region has food, which has fresh coconut as one of the important ingredients in almost all dishes, has a slightly sweet aftertaste. The food from the ghats, however, is known to be high on chilly, with little use of coconut.
Here is a list of five foods from the entire state, which could cater to a varying palate range, that any foodie must try:
1. Puran Poli
This is a dish that is most requested for by non-Marathi friends of Maharashtrians. Poli is the chapati-like exterior and puran is the sweet, rich filling made from jaggery and chana dal. Although this a sweet dish, it is often had as the main course either with a generous drizzle of tup (clarified butter) or with milk/gulavni (jaggery dissolved in boiling water)/ coconut milk depending on which part of the state you hail from.
2. Tilachi poli
The lesser-known cousin of the puran poli, this is for those of you who may find the latter cloyingly sweet. Tilachi poli is a poli (chapati) that has a stuffing of sesame, jaggery and groundnut. The complex flavours are best enjoyed with a lot of tup.
3. Kothimbir vadi
What's not to like about a deep fried snack that is made entirely from coriander leaves, sometimes held together by besan (chana dal flour) and at others by the cook's genius? Finely chopped coriander is washed and then drained completely, before throwing in flavours of choice such as chilli and fennel seed powder. The vadis are then fried till golden and crispy.
4. Sabudana khichdi
Although this dish is meant to be had by those who are fasting, many enjoy sabudana khichdi for its simplicity. Soaked sabudana is cooked with chillies and roasted groundnut in tup, with cumin and other spices thrown in sometimes. The nutty groundnut balances the richness of the tup and the soft sabudana perfectly. This is best had with fresh curd.
5. Kolambi bhaat
A dish from Maharashtra's coast, this is rice cooked with prawns and a spicy yet subtle masala. A dish to be savoured on rainy days, this is something that could be your alternative to chicken biryani.
Of course, this list does not do justice to all the variety that the state has to offer. We have left out, for example, things such as pohe, sol kadhi, misal pav and thalipeeth. But this is a way to begin if you are interested in exploring the delicacies from Maharashtra.
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