Maharashtra food is largely influenced by the landscape, the people and the crops grown in the various regions.
Maharashtra food covers a range from being mild to very spicy dishes. Wheat, rice, jowar, bajri, vegetables, lentils and fruits form the staple diet of the people of Maharashtra. The cuisine of Maharashtra is largely influenced by the landscape, the people and the crops grown in various regions. It is memorable for its subtle variety and strong flavours.
The Maharashtrian thali is a regular vegetarian meal and staple dish in this part of India. A Maharashtrian thali consists of a range of small dishes made up of several vegetable bhaajis (curries), daal, chappatis, chutney and koshimbir (yogurt dip).
Saoji curry is a special gravy mainly used in preparing meat dishes. The gravy is commonly used in making chicken curries, however it can also be used to prepare vegetarian dishes, using potato, paneer or soya chunks. Saoji chicken is popular for its spicy taste.
Other non-vegetarian preparations popular among Maharashtra food include Mutton Kolhapuri and Chicken or Mutton Maratha.
There are lots of snack and side dishes in Maharashtrian cuisine. Some quintessentially Maharashtrian snacks are:
- Chivda – spiced flattened rice
- Pohay – snack made from flattened rice
- Upma – thick porridge made of semolina perked up with green chillies, onions and other spices
- Vada pav – “fast food” dish consisting of fried mashed-potato dumpling (vada), eaten sandwiched in a wheat bun (pav)
- Pav bhaji – mashed steamed mixed vegetables (mainly potatoes, peas, tomatoes, onions and green pepper) cooked in spices and table butter. The vegetable mix is served with soft Wheat bun shallow fried in butter and chopped onion. Sometimes cheese, paneer (cottage cheese) are added
Regional Maharashtra food
The various regions of Maharashtra cater to different cuisine largely influenced by the landscape, the people and the crops grown in the region.
Mumbai, the capital of the state of Maharashtra, is a cosmopolitan city and so one can find almost all type of food here. For example, Indian dishes such as Gujarati thali or Udipi Dosa as well as International cuisine such as Chinese can be found in several restaurants. Vada pav and Pav bhaji are dishes that specifically originated in Mumbai.
As a result of the long Islamic Mughal rule in the region, the cuisine of Auguranbad has been highly influenced by the North Indian method of cooking. Aurangabad’s food is much like Mughlai or Hyderabadi food, with its fragrant pulaos and biryanis. Meat cooked in fresh spices and herbs is a speciality, as are the delectable sweets.
Click on one of the sections on the right for more information about Maharashtra.
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