Culinary traditions within the state vary a lot, and that’s got to do with the agricultural produce in the respective subregions. Here are a few recipes that you can try out in your kitchen or sample them when you are travelling to Nashik, Solapur, Nagpur or Ratnagiri. 

RICE PANCAKES (Tandalachya pithache ghavan)
Ingredients
Rice flour….1 cup
Water….2 cups
Oil….1 tbsp
Salt….to taste

Method

• Add salt and oil to the rice flour. Mix it well.
• Slowly add water to it and keep stirring so that no lumps are formed. Keep the batter aside for 15 minutes (it should be of dropping consistency).
• Heat non-stick tawa and spread a little oil over it. Spread the batter over it thinly.
• Flip it over when the pores start appearing.
• Serve it with coconut chutney. It can also be eaten with coconut milk to which jaggery is added.

(This recipe is made with the staple produce of Konkan region – rice and coconut. The ghavan is light and healthy and a perfect breakfast recipe)

- Vaishali Khadilkar, Ratnagiri

PRAWN PICKLE
Ingredients
Tomatoes (big)…3 nos
Prawns (cleaned)…1 cup
Ginger…1/2 inch
Garlic pods…10-12 nos
Mustard seeds…1 tsp
Red chilli powder…1 and ½ tsp
Turmeric….1/4
Asafoetida powder…1/4 tsp
Tamarind-jaggery paste…1 tsp
Curry leaves…7-8 nos
Salt….to taste
Sugar…to taste

Method

• To make masala golis or balls, grind together ginger, garlic pods, red chilli powder, turmeric and tamarind-jaggery paste and make small balls.
• Wash the tomatoes and steam them. De-skin them and make a paste.
• Heat oil in the kadhai, to it add mustard seeds, turmeric, asafoetida powder and curry leaves.
• Add the prawns to the seasoning (tempering). Saute them well. Add the masala balls and saute well. To this, add tomato paste, salt, sugar. Mix it well. Bring to a boil.
• Serve it with rotis or bhakri.

(This prawn pickle stays fresh for four-five days and is a specialty of the Konkan region)

- Yogesh Samant, Ratnagiri

BHADANG
Ingredients
Churmure (Puffed rice)… ¼ kg
Green chillies…10-12 nos
Pandharpuri dal…1/4 cup
Groundnut….1/4 cup
Dried coconut (julienne)…1 tbsp
Mustard seeds…1 tbsp
Turmeric…1 tbsp
Asafoetida…1/2 tbsp
Coriander seeds powder…1 tbsp
Cumin seeds powder…1 tbsp
Metkut…2 tsp
Oil….1 cup
Curry leaves…A fistful
Powdered sugar…to taste
Salt…to taste

Method

• Mix well coriander and cumin seed powder, red chilli powder, metkut, salt, sugar in half cup oil. Cover and spread this masala on the churmure.
• Temper the remaining half cup oil with mustard seeds, turmeric, asafetida, curry leaves, chopped green chillies, Pandharpuri dal, dried coconut. Roast it well. Add the masala churmure to it. Saute till it is crisp

(Sangli is known for its puffed rice and brinjals. Bhadang can be munched as your evening snack)

- Revati Abhyankar, Sangli)

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KULITHACHYA SHENGOLYA
Ingredients
Kulith flour…3 cups
Green chillies...4-5 nos
Coriander leaves…One fistful
Mustard seeds…1 tsp
Cumin seeds…1/2 tsp
Oil…2 tbsp
Water…to knead

Method

• Ground the green chillies and coriander leaves into a paste. The paste is added to the kulith flour and is then kneaded well.
• Make small balls from the dough and then roll them (with your hands) to get a noodle-like shape. These noodles or shengolya are then boiled or cooked in water.
• Heat oil and temper it with mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Add water, bring it to a rolling boil. Add shengolya and cook it again.
• Serve it with bhakri.

(Kulith or horse gram is a type of legume, generally grown in dry agricultural areas. It’s also called Kulithachya Jilebya (jalebis) and in Niwas More’s hotel, it’s called Gavathi Noodles. The dish is packed with proteins and is typically eaten in winter season)

- Niwas More, Nashik

PATVADI RASSA
Ingredients for Patvadi
Gram flour...2 cup
Salt...to taste
Oil...2 tbsp
Mustard seeds...1 tsp
Water...as required

Method 

• Take a bowl and put gram flour in it. Add water and mix well to get paste-like consistency.
• Heat oil in frying pan (kadhai) and add mustard seeds. Add the thick paste to it. Add salt to taste. Stir well till it becomes thick and takes the shape of a ball.
• Get the ball out of the pan and put it in a greased plate.
• Cut it in small cubes or rectangles.

Ingredients for Rassa
Tomato...1
Onion...2
Garlic...8-10 cloves
Ginger...a small piece
Coriander leaves
Cumin seeds...1 tsp
Black pepper...4
Bay leaf...1
Black cardamom...1
Red chilli powder...to taste
Turmeric...half tsp
Salt...to taste
Sugar...a pinch
Oil...1 tbsp

Method

• Chop tomato, onion, garlic, ginger, coriander leaves and grind them well.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, black pepper, bay leaf, black cardamom to it.
• Now add the paste to it.
• Then add turmeric, red chilli powder, salt and a pinch of sugar. Stir and fry well. Add some water to it and get it to a boil.
• Put patvadi in this rassa and serve hot.

(Patvadi rassa is a must have for spice lovers. Rassa is the spicy gravy served hot with Patvadi which enhances its taste)

- Atharva Pande, Nagpur
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TARRI POHA
Ingredients for poha
Oil...2 tsp
Poha...2 cups
Turmeric...1/4 tsp
Salt...to taste
Mustard seeds...1/2 tsp
Raw peanuts...2 tbsp
Green chillies (chopped)...2
Onion (chopped)…1
Curry leaves...10
Lemon...half

Method

• Rinse poha under running water until it softens. Add turmeric and salt to it. Mix well and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, chopped chilli, onion, peanuts, curry leaves and saute for a minute.
• Add poha to it and cook for 5 minutes.
• If not soft enough, add little water to it and cook for two more minutes.

Ingredients for Rassa
Black chickpeas...1 cup
Tomato...1
Onion...2
Garlic...8-10 cloves
Ginger...a small piece
Coriander leaves
Cumin seeds...1 tsp
Black pepper...4
Bay leaf...1
Black cardamom...1
Red chilli powder...to taste
Turmeric...1/2 tsp
Salt...to taste
Sugar...a pinch
Oil...1 tbsp

Method

• Boil the chickpeas.
• Chop tomato, onion, garlic, ginger, coriander leaves and grind them well.
• Heat oil in the pan. Add cumin seeds, black pepper, bay leaf, black cardamom to it.
• Now add the paste to it. Add turmeric, red chilli powder, salt and a pinch of sugar.
• Stir and fry well.
• Add some water to it and get it to a boil.
• Now add the boiled chickpeas to it, let it cook for some time and serve hot. 

(Tarri Poha is a special breakfast and snack option from the Vidarbha region. This extremely hot, lip-smacking food item is sure to delight your taste buds)

- Atharva Pande, Nagpur

VEG PANDHRA RASSA
Ingredients
Cauliflower (chopped)….1 cup
Potato (chopped)…1 cup
Capsicum (chopped)…1
Dry coconut (grated)…. 1/2 cup
Fresh coconut (grated)… 1 cup
Coconut milk….1 cup
Cashew nuts (chopped)… 1/2 cup
Sesame seeds…1/4 cup
White onion (chopped)…1
Shahi jeere…1/2 tsp
White pepper…1/2 tsp
Red chili…5-6 pieces
Cardamom…4
Ginger (chopped)…1 inch
Garlic (chopped)… 8-9 
Ghee

For tadka
Bay leaf (tej patta)…1
Cinnamon stick… 1/2 inch
Cardamom…1
Salt…as per taste

Method

• In a hollow pan, heat a little ghee. Add the vegetables and sauté them for 5 minutes. Add little bit water with a pinch of salt and let it boil till vegetables get tender.
• Take a little ghee in another pan. First, fry dry coconut till light golden and keep aside. Then fry sesame seeds and keep aside. Next, fry the white onion and keep aside. Make sure it doesn’t turn brown. Next fry cashew nuts. The above ingredients shouldn’t be fried till they become brown, they need to have their original colour.
• Combine all these in a grinder along with fresh coconut, white pepper, shah jeere, cardamom, ginger and garlic. Grind till it becomes a fine paste.
• Take another vessel and heat 2 tbsp of ghee. Add the khade masale for tadka along with pieces of red chili. Fry for a few minutes.
• Next add the masala paste to this and sauté for a few minutes. Add the boiled vegetables and stir till everything is well mixed.
• Add coconut milk and water as per needed.
• Boil for 5 mins on medium flame and it’s ready to be served.

CHICKEN PANDHRA RASSA
Ingredients
Chicken…1/2 kg
Curd…3 tbsp
Poppy seeds/ khaskhas…2 tbsp
Onion (Medium, chopped)…1
Cashew nuts…6-7 
Fresh coconut (grated)… 3 tbsp
Coconut milk….1 cup
Ginger garlic paste…1 tbsp
Nutmeg powder…1/2 tsp
White pepper powder…1 tsp
Ghee
Salt as per taste

For tadka:
Oil….2 tbsp
Clove…2
Cinnamon…1/2 inch
Black cardamom…1
Bay leaf….1
Red chilis (cut into small pieces)….3

Method

• Coat the chicken in curd and ginger garlic paste with a pinch of salt. In a pan, boil this mix till the chicken is thoroughly cooked.
• Soak poppy seeds and cashew nuts in little water for 30 mins. Later combine poppy seed and cashew nut mix with onion, coconut in a grinder and grind till a fine paste.
• Heat oil in a vessel. Add all the dry masalas for tadka. Add the above paste to this and fry it well for a few minutes. Add nutmeg powder and white pepper powder to this and mix well. To this add the boiled chicken with the broth. Boil for 5 mins on medium flame.
• Add coconut milk to this and stir well for 6-7 mins. Give it one boil and it’s ready.

(Kolhapur is known for Pandhra Rassa and Tamda Rassa dishes. Here, we have the veg and non-veg variations of the dish)

- Aruna Shinde, Pune

SHENGA CHUTNEY
Ingredients
Groundnut…1 cup
Cumin seeds…1 tbsp
Red chilli powder…1 tbsp
Salt…As per taste

Method

• First, roast the groundnuts well. Keep them aside to cool. Later, peel the skin of the groundnuts (this is a must).
• In a mortar and pestle, ground the cumin seeds, red chilli powder and salt. Add the groundnuts and grind it again. Use your hands to spread out the mix.
• This chutney becomes a sticky shape and generates oil on its own. It is considered ready to eat when the oil oozes out. You can add curds or oil to the chutney and eat it with roti or bhakri.
• (In Solapur, it’s known as Shenga Chutney. In other parts of the state, it is known as Danyachi Chutney. It stays fresh for about a month or so after it’s made)

- Aboli Mokashi, Pune

As told to Ambika Shaligram and Anugraha Rao