Maharashtra

Maharashtrian or Marathi cuisine consists large variety of vegetables, fish and coconuts. Maharashatrian food is rich in ginger, garlic and heavy doses of spices. Tomatoes, brinjals and other vegetables stuffed with masala fillings and cooked in oil form a major part of the Maharashtrian diet. Maharashtrians’ mainly cook food in groundnut oil, but make sure that the oil used is minimum.

Though Maharashtra can be easily divided into Vidharb, Marathwada, Konkan and Bombay (Mumbai), there is hardly any difference in the dishes, as most of them are vegetarian in nature. The only major difference is that people in the coastal belt of Konkan, also eat seafood especially fish. Some of the popular Maharashtrian dishes are Bharwan Baingan, Kohlapuri Rassa, Puran Poli, Aamti, and Bombay Chiwda.



Maharastra Recipes

(* Specifies Changes for Healthy Diet)

Aamti

Ingredients:

Regular	Improvised*
1) Moong Dal- 2 cup split	1) Moong Dal- 1½  cup split
2) Water-2 ½ cup	2) Water-2 cup
3) Tomato -1 chopped	-do-
4) Green chilli – 3-4 sliced	4) Large dry chillies-1-2, slit
5) Few curry leaves	5) Cooking oil with omega-3-1  tbsps
6) Salt to taste	-do-
7) Black mustard seeds-1 tsp	-do-
8) Asafoetida a pinch	-do-
9) Turmeric powder - 1 tsp	-do-
10) Cumin seed -1 tsp	-do-
11) Vegetable oil - 3 tblsp	11) oil with omega 3 - 3 tblsp
12) Chopped Coriander Leaves	-do-

Preparation

• Bring the daal to boil in the water and simmer until soft and mushy.
• Heat the oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, as soon as they pop, add the asafoetida, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, chilies and curry leaves.
• Saute for a minute and add the cooked dal.
• Bring to boil and add the tomatoes, salt and coriander leaves.
• Remove from the heat.
• Keep it covered for sometime and serve hot.

Bombay Chiwda

Ingredients:

Regular	Improvised*
1) Peanuts (Half)-1/3 cup	-do-
2) Cashew nut (Half)- 1/3 cup	-do-
3) Almond (full)- ¼ cup	-do-
4) Pistachio blanched - ¼ cup	-do-
5) Pumpkin seeds - ¼ cup	-do-
6) Pine nuts- ¼ cup	-do-
7) Green chilli- 2-3 sliced crosswise	-do-
8) Fennel seeds - 1 tblsp	-do-
9) Curry Leaves – 15	9) remove altogether
10) Fresh coriander leaves-3 tblsp	10) remove altogether
11) Flat Rice- 2/3 cup thick pounded	-do-
12) Raisins-¼ cup	-do-
13) Currants- ¼	-do-
14) Dates-¼ cup chopped	-do-
15) Salt - ½ tsp	-do-
16) Date Sugar-2 tblsp	-do-
17) Moong dal – 1/3 cup	-do-
18) Sev noodles- 1 cup deep fried	-do-
19) Vegetable oil or ghee for deep-frying	-do-

Preparation

• Heat oil or ghee in a kadhai or deep-frying pan over a moderate heat.
• Place the peanuts in a wire-mesh sieve and lower it into the oil.
• Fry until golden brown, lift out the sieve, and transfer the nuts to paper towels to drain.
• In separate batches, fry the cashews, almonds, pistachios, pumpkin seeds and pine nuts until golden brown, and drain on paper towels.
• Pat the nuts dry with more paper towels, bolt off any excess oil.
• Transfer all the nuts to a bowl.
• Raise the heat of the oil and place the green chilies in the sieve and lower it into the oil and fry until crisp.
• Lift out the sieve and transfer the chilies to the paper towels to drain.
• Add the fennel seeds, curry leaves and fresh coriander to the sieve and fry in the same way until the leaves are dark green and crisp.
• Drain on paper towels.
• Now add half of flat rice to the sieve, lower it into the oil and fry for 1 minute or until the frothing oil subsides and poha floats.
• It should not brown only turn golden yellow.
• Fry the remaining flat rice dry on paper towel, blot all the excess oil.
• Add the flat rice to the nuts bowl and toss to mix.
• Combine the raisins, currants and dates in a bowl and add the salt , sugar & spices in another bowl.
• Sprinkle 1/2 of the spice mixture into the dried fruit and the remaining into the nuts, toss well.
• Finally, combine all the ingredients and toss to mix.
• Cool to room temperature and store in an air tight container.
• Keeps well upto 2 months.

Kohlapuri Rassa

Ingredients:

Regular	Improvised*
For Marinade
1) Curd-2/3 cup	Curd- ½ cup
2) Ginger - 2 tsp minced	-do-
3) Garlic - 2 tsp minced	-do-
4) Cayenne powder - 1 tsp	-do-
5) Garam masala powder-1 tsp	-do-
6) Turmeric powder - 1 tsp	-do-
7) Salt to taste	-do-
For Curry
1) Lean lamb-1¼ lb trimmed and cubed	-do-
2) Onion-2 finely chopped	-do-
3) Tomato -1 chopped	-do-
4) Fresh coconut - 3 cup grated	-do-
5) Cinnamon-1-inch	-do-
6) Cloves – 6	-do-
7) Black pepper corns - 8-10 crushed	Black pepper corns – 6-8 crushed
8) Aniseed – 1 tsp	-do-
9) Oil - 2/3 cup	9) Oil with omega-3 – ½ cup

Preparation

• Mix marinade ingredients and add lamb pieces, stir well and set aside for 30 mins.
• Heat 2 tblsp oil in a pan and add cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns and aniseed.
• Saute for a minute and add onions and fry till golden and add coconut. Saute until brown.
• Add chopped tomatoes and stir and take off from the heat.
• Allow to cool and grind the mixture in a processor.
• Heat the remaining oil and add marinaded lamb pieces and marinade mixture, add little water and cook until done.
• Now add the grinded mixture and simmer for 5-6 minutes.
• Remove from the heat. Serve hot with boiled rice.

Sukhi Kolmi

Ingredients:

Regular	Improvised*
For Marinade
1) Curd-2/3 cup	Curd- ½ cup
2) Ginger - 2 tsp minced	-do-
3) Garlic - 2 tsp minced	-do-
4) Cayenne powder - 1 tsp	-do-
5) Garam masala powder-1 tsp	-do-
6) Turmeric powder - 1 tsp	-do-
7) Salt to taste	-do-
For Curry
1) Lean lamb-1¼ lb trimmed and cubed	-do-
2) Onion-2 finely chopped	-do-
3) Tomato -1 chopped	-do-
4) Fresh coconut - 3 cup grated	-do-
5) Cinnamon-1-inch	-do-
6) Cloves – 6	-do-
7) Black pepper corns - 8-10 crushed	Black pepper corns – 6-8 crushed
8) Aniseed – 1 tsp	-do-
9) Oil - 2/3 cup	9) Oil with omega-3 – ½ cup

Preparation

• Clean, wash and drain the shrimps and mix salt, turmeric, chili and coriander powder.
• Heat the oil in a kadhai / wok.
• Add cloves, cardamoms and peppercorns and stir fry for few seconds.
• Add onions and fry till golden, then add shrimps and cook until they turn pink.
• Add fenugreek leaves and mix well.
• Cook on low heat until the shrimps are done.
• The dish should be dry but have a creamy flavour.
• Serve hot.