Marathi cuisine

Maharashtrian or Marathi cuisine is the cuisine of the Marathi people from the Indian state of Maharashtra. It has distinctive attributes, while sharing much with other Indian cuisines. Traditionally, Maharashtrians have considered their food to be more austere than others.

Maharashtrian cuisine includes mild and spicy dishes. Wheat, rice, ''jowar'', ''bajri'', vegetables, lentils and fruit are dietary staples. Peanuts and cashews are often served with vegetables. Meat was traditionally used sparsely or only by the well off until recently, because of economic conditions and culture.

The urban population in metropolitan cities of the state has been influenced by cuisine from other parts of India and abroad. For example, the South Indian dishes ''idli'' and ''dosa,'' as well as Chinese and Western dishes such as pizza, are quite popular in home cooking, and in restaurants.

Distinctly Maharashtrian dishes include ''ukdiche modak'', , Kande pohe and Thalipeeth.

Regular meals and staple dishes

Since they occupy a vast area with distinct geographical differences and food availability, the Marathi people from different regions have produced a diverse cuisine. The diversity extends to the family level because each family uses its own unique combination of spices and ingredients. The majority of Maharashtrians are not averse to eating meat, fish and eggs, but the staple diet for most people is mostly lacto-vegetarian. Many communities such as the brahmins and varkari sect members only follow the lacto-vegetarian diet.

The traditional staple food on Desh (the Deccan plateau) is usually ''bhakri'', spiced cooked vegetables, ''dal'' and rice. However, North Maharashtrians and urbanites prefer ''roti'' or ''chapati'', which is a plain bread made with wheat.

In the coastal Konkan region, rice is the traditional staple food. Wet coconut and coconut milk are used in many dishes. Marathi communities indigenous to Mumbai and North Konkan have their own distinct cuisine.Some of the indigenous Marathi communities of North Konkan and Mumbai are Aagri, Koli, Pathare Prabhu, SKPs (Panchkalshi) and (Chaukalshi), CKPs and East Indian Catholic In South Konkan, near Malvan, another independent cuisine developed called Malvani cuisine, which is predominantly non-vegetarian. ''Kombdi vade'', fish preparations and baked preparations are more popular there.

In the Vidarbha region, little coconut is used in daily preparations but dry coconut and peanuts are used in dishes such as spicy ''savji''s, as well as in mutton and chicken dishes.

Maharashtrian lacto-vegetarian dishes are based on five main classes of ingredients that include grains, legumes, vegetables, dairy products and spices.

Grains

Staple dishes in the cuisine are based on a variety of flatbreads and rice. Flatbreads can be wheat-based, such as the traditional trigonal ''ghadichi poli''  or the round ''chapati'' that is more common in urban areas. Bhakri is an unleavened bread made using grains such as '' ragi'' or millet, ''bajra'' or ''bajri or'' ''jwari'' and forms part of daily meals in rural areas.

Millets

Traditionally, the staple grains of the inland Deccan plateau have been millets, ''jwari''  and ''bajri''. These crops grow well in this dry and drought-prone region. In the coastal Konkan region the finger millet called ''ragi'' is used for ''bhakri''. The staple meal of the rural poor was traditionally as simple as ''bajra bhakri'' accompanied by just a raw onion, a dry chutney, or a gram flour preparation called ''jhunka''. Jhunka with bhakri has now become a popular street food in Maharashtra.

Wheat

Increased urbanization of the Maharashtra region has increased wheat's popularity.Krishnamachari, K.A.V.R., Rao, N.P. and Rao, K.V., 1974. Food and nutritional situation in the drought affected areas of Maharashtra-a survey and recommendations. Indian journal of nutrition and dietetics, 11(1), pp.20-27. Wheat is used for making flatbreads called chapati, trigonal ''ghadichi poli'' , the deep-fried version called puri or the thick paratha. Wheat is also used in many stuffed flatbreads such as the Puran poli, Gul poli (with sesame and Jaggery stuffing), and satorya (with sugar and khoya (dried milk)).

Wheat flatbreads are also made with vegetable stuffings such as peas, potatoes and Gram dal. One of the ancient sought-after breads was Mande. As with rice, flatbreads accompany a meal of vegetables or dairy items.

Rice

Rice is the staple food in the rural areas of coastal Konkan region but is also popular in all urban areas. Local varieties such as the fragrant ''ambemohar'' have been popular in Western Maharashtra.
In most instances, rice is boiled on its own and becomes part of a meal that includes other items. A popular dish is varan bhaat where steamed rice is mixed with plain ''dal'' that is prepared with pigeon peas, lemon juice, salt and ghee. ''Khichdi'' is a popular rice dish made with rice, mung ''dal'' and spices. For special occasions, a dish called ''masalebhat'' made with rice, spices and vegetables is popular.

Dairy

Milk is important as a staple food. Both cow milk and water buffalo milk are popular. Milk is used mainly for drinking, to add to tea or coffee or to make homemade dahi (yogurt). Traditionally, yogurt is made every day using previous day's yogurt as the starting bacterial culture to ferment the milk. The Dahi is used as dressing for many salad or ''koshimbir'' dishes, to prepare Kadhi, to prepare cultured buttermilk ( Taak) or as a side dish in a ''thali''. Buttermilk is used in a drink called ''mattha'' by mixing it with spices. It may also be used in curry preparations. Milk is also the prerequisite ingredient for butter and Ghee (clarified butter).

Vegetables

Until recently, canned or frozen food was not widely available in India. Therefore, the vegetables used in a meal widely depended on seasonal availability. In Maharashtra, spring (March–May) is the season of cabbages, onions, potatoes, okra, ''guar and tondali'', '' shevgyachya shenga'', ''dudhi'', marrow and '' padwal''. During the Monsoon season (June–September) green leafy vegetables, such as '' aloo'' (Marathi: आळू), or gourds such as '' karle'', '' dodka'' and eggplant become available. Chili peppers, carrots, tomatoes, cauliflower, French beans and peas become available in the cooler climate of October to February.
Coal fired roasted young cobs of Sorghum (Jwari) is a popular item during winter picnics to the farms.
Vegetables are typically used in making ''bhaaji''s (Indian stew). Some ''bhaaji''s are made with a single vegetable, while others are made with a combination. Bhaajis can be "dry" such as stir fry or "wet" as in the well-known curry. For example, fenugreek leaves can be used with'' mung dal'' or potatoes to make a dry ''bhhaji'' or mixed with ''besan'' flour and buttermilk to make a curry preparation. ''Bhaaji'' requires the use of ''goda masala'', consisting of a combination of onion, garlic, ginger, red chilli powder, green chillies, turmeric and mustard seeds. Depending on a family's caste or specific religious tradition, onions and garlic may be excluded. For example, a number of Hindu communities from many parts of India refrain from eating onions and garlic altogether during chaturmas, which broadly equals the monsoon season.

Leafy vegetables such as fenugreek, amaranth, beetroot, radish, dill, colocasia, spinach, '' ambadi'', sorrel (Chuka in Marathi), '' chakwat'', safflower (Kardai in Marathi) and tandulja are either stir-fried (pale ''bhaaji'' ) or made into a soup (''patal bhaaji'' ) using buttermilk and gram flour.Gupta, S., Lakshmi, A.J. and Prakash, J., 2008. Effect of different blanching treatments on ascorbic acid retention in green leafy vegetables. Nat. Prod. Radiance, 7, pp.111-116.

Many vegetables are used in salad preparations called ''koshimbir''s or ''raita''. Most of these have dahi (yogurt) as the other main ingredient. Popular ''Koshimbir''s include those based on radish, cucumber and tomato-onion combinations. Many ''raita'' require prior boiling or roasting of the vegetable as in the case of eggplant. Popular ''raita'' include those based on carrots, eggplant, pumpkin, ''dudhi'' and beetroot respectively.

Legumes

Along with green vegetables, another class of popular food is various beans, either whole or split. Split beans are called ''dal'' and turned into ''amti'' (thin lentil soup), or added to vegetables such as ''dudhi''. ''Dal'' may be cooked with rice to make ''khichadi''. Whole beans are cooked as is or more popularly soaked in water until sprouted. Unlike Chinese cuisine, the beans are allowed to grow for only a day or two. Curries made out of sprouted beans are called ''usal'' and form an important source of proteins. The legumes popular in Maharastrian cuisine include peas, chick peas, '' mung'', ''matki'', '' urid'', kidney bean, black-eyed peas, kulith and toor (also called pigeon peas). Out of the above toor and chick peas are staples. The urid bean is the base for one of the most popular types of papadum'.

Oils and fats

Peanut oil and sunflower oil are the preferred cooking oils, however cottonseed oil is also used. Clarified butter (called ''ghee'') is often used for its distinct flavor. It is served with Puran poli, Varan bhaat, chapati and many other dishes. Fresh home made butter is usually served with bhakri.

Spices and herbs

Depending on region, religion and caste, Maharashtrian food can be mild to extremely spicy. Common spices include asafoetida, turmeric, mustard seeds, coriander, cumin

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