Maharashtra boasts a diverse culinary scene with dishes that will tempt your taste buds simply by looking at them. Right from foods made with spicy desi masalas to irresistible sweet delicacies, this state will astound you with its cuisine. If you’re a foodie, you must try the many quintessential foods of this state. Let us take you through the 20 popular Maharashtrian dishes to try.
20 Popular Maharashtrian Dishes To Try
1. Vada Pav
Vada pav is considered the Indian version of a burger by Indians. This vegetarian fast food is one of the most popular Maharashtrian foods, especially in Mumbai. The vada is made from balls made of mashed potatoes. They are mixed with some desi masalas and coated with besan (chickpea flour) and then deep-fried until golden brown. The vada is served with a thick slice of bread and green chutney. This all-day snack is available at almost every street stall in the state and is very economical. A bite of vada pav with some salty fried chilies tastes heavenly!
2. Misal Pav
This aromatic and spicy snack is enjoyed by Maharashtrians at any time of the day. A lot of Indian spices, onions, beans, ginger, and chilies are used to make the spicy mixture for misal. It is served with finely chopped onions, farsan (crunchy snacks), lemon, and bun bread toasted in butter. Misal pav has the right amount of spices to sweat your brows off! So all of you who love spicy food should give this dish a try.
3. Alu Wadi
If you go visit any of your Maharashtrian friends, you’re most likely to be served some hot alu wadi. It’s made with colocasia leaves, which are stuffed with ingredients like gram and rice flour, tamarind, jaggery, and spices. These leaves are then rolled and eaten fried or steamed. On a rainy day, some hot chai and a plate of alu wadi is just the thing you need to enjoy the gloomy season.
4. Pav Bhaji
Another popular street food of Maharashtra that people of this state live for is pav bhaji! The dish is made from mixed vegetables like mashed potatoes, tomatoes, onions, carrots, chilies, and other spices. The smooth texture comes from the glazes of melted butter that add the finishing touch to the bhaji. It’s served with chopped onions, lemon, and bread buns that are again tossed in butter. The authentic flavors of this lip-smacking dish are so delicious that you’ll be tempted to order another plate for yourself.
5. Sabudana Khichdi
One of the most famous Maharashtrian breakfast dishes is sabudana khichdi. Many Hindus make this dish for their upvaas (fast) during religious rituals. But this snack can be enjoyed at any time of the day. Sabudana khichdi is made with sago that is roasted with peanuts, grated coconut, chillies, garlic, and garnished with coriander. This dish can be made spicy by adding a desi touch of masalas.
Another version of sabudana khichdi is the sabudana vada. The only difference is that the vada is made with sago balls and then deep-fried. This crunchy snack can be relished with some coriander chutney or tomato sauce.
6. Kanda Poha
When you take a stroll on the streets of Maharashtra, you’ll find many stalls selling garma garam kanda poha. Trust us, the aromas of this dish will make you stop by a stall and try some. It’s known as one of the number one breakfast items in the state. Kanda poha is made with flattened rice that’s fried with onions, haldi (turmeric), chili, roasted peanuts, and grated coconut. The coriander on top of the poha just completes it! A hot cup of chai or coffee pairs well with kanda poha. Try it and thank us later.
7. Puran Poli
Any Maharashtrian celebration is incomplete without a puran poli. It’s a traditional sweet dish made for several festivals like Holi, Ganesh Chaturti, and Diwali. Puran poli is a sweet flatbread that’s made with maida or wheat flour. The mixture inside the poli (flat bread) consists of yellow gram, jaggery, grated coconut, cardamom powder, and ghee. This sweet delight will certainly tickle your taste buds!
8. Aamras
In Maharashtra, summers and mangoes go hand in hand. A thick mango smoothie that nearly every household enjoys having is a cool, refreshing aamras! It tastes best refrigerated on a hot summer day. You can relish its sweet and juicy taste by dipping chapati, puri, or paratha in it. To take its flavor to the next level, you can add some ghee or milk to it.
9. Kothimbir Wadi
Maharashtrians love to use kothimbir (corriander) in a lot of their dishes as garnishes. But they have one particular snack which has it as the main ingredient which is the kothimbir wadi! The batter for this snack is made by adding finely chopped coriander in chickpea flour to get a medium-soft dough. The batter is used to make small balls and they are either steamed or pan-fried. Kothimbir wadi can be best enjoyed with spicy or sweet chutney or sauce. It’s a perfect tea-time snack to fulfill your hunger pangs!
10. Bombil Fry
Fan of coastal cuisine? Then you’re going to love bombil fry (Bombay Duck), which is another popular Maharashtrian dish. The fish is first coated with semolina, rice flour, red chili, turmeric, and lemon juice mixture, after which it’s butter-fried in the pan. When the fish turns golden brown, it’s ready to eat! You’ll find bombil fry on the menu of nearly all seafood restaurants in Maharashtra.
11. Thalipeeth
Feel like snacking on something but want something that’s nutritional? Then you should try thalipeeth, a must-try dish in Maharashtra. It’s a multigrain flatbread that’s made with a mixture of ingredients like rice, millet, wheat, bajra, jowar, and legumes.
The mixture is made into a medium-soft dough, and ingredients like onions, herbs, and other mixed vegetables are added to it. Small pancakes are made of the mix and fried in a little oil in a pan. Thalipeeth tastes great with ghee, curd, or spicy chutney.
12. Modak
Modak is a sweet dish that is specially made with love during Ganesh Chaturthi by Maharashtrians. It’s a must-try dish for those with a sweet tooth! The outer covering of the modak is made with rice flour. Its sweet filling is made using ingredients like jaggery, grated coconut, dry fruits, and saffron. There are various versions of this sweet dish but the most commonly used way to make it is by steaming. You can try other varieties made from chocolate or fruits.
13. Bharli Vangi
Bharli Vangi is one of those Maharashtrian dishes that’ll make you fall in love with brinjals. The dish is cooked with baby eggplants that are stuffed with a mixture of onion, tomatoes, jaggery, grated coconut, and a special Maharashtrian kind of garam masala. The wonderful mixture stuffed inside the brinjals makes it taste scrumptious!
14. Shrikhand
Shrikhand is a refreshing sweet dish that is particularly made during Janmashtami (the birthday of Lord Krishna). If you crave for a sweet, creamy dessert after your meals, you must definitely try it. This sweet yogurt-based dessert is made with powdered cardamom, kesar (saffron), and sugar. Grated nuts or dry fruits are used to garnish the shrikhand. The best way to serve it is chilled, especially if you’ve had spicy food for your meals.
15. Rassa
Rassa is a mouthwatering non-vegetarian dish that can be made using chicken, mutton, or seafood. The name of the dish means curry, or juicy batter. It’s a broth made with coconut milk, cashew paste, finely chopped onion, chilies, and other spicy masalas.
There’s a variety of this curry that you can try. For instance, there’s Tambda rassa (red curry), which has a lot of chilies to bring out the spice in the curry. Pandhara rassa is made with yogurt and tastes creamy. Varadhi rassa has a mixture of sweet and spicy flavors as it’s made with roasted coconut, ginger, garlic paste, chilies, and coriander. If you’re a die-hard fan of non-vegetarian food, you’ve got to order a rassa dish.
16. Ragada Pattice
Ragada pattice is that one dish that you’ll find in all corners of Maharashtra. It’s made using curried dried peas and mashed potatoes. This mixture is then dipped in the ragada gravy (peas gravy) and then topped with chopped onion, tomatoes, cilantro, and crispy sev. If you see a local street vendor selling ragada pattice, you’re sure to get tempted by it. It’s cheap, vegan, filling, and tasty. So, you’ll go for a second round!
17. Bhelpuri
Bhelpuri is a crowd-favorite savory snack. It has a sweet and tangy taste and is the perfect treat for your tummy when it starts growling! Puffed rice, mashed potato, finely chopped onion, tomatoes, pepper, ground nuts, and coriander are tossed together to create it. You’ll find a lot of vendors at the beaches selling bhelpuri in a variety of ways.
18. Spicy Malvani Chicken Curry
If you’re a person who loves spicy food, you should definitely try spicy Malvani chicken curry also known as ‘Malvani Kombdi Rassa’. It’s a famous cuisine from the Konkan region of Maharashtra. This dish has a unique flavor profile made from freshly ground spices, kokum, and coconut. It’s best enjoyed with steamed or jeera rice and some pickled onions to enjoy the curry’s flavors.
19. Kairichi Amti
Maharashtrians love to battle the scorching heat of the summer with their traditional dish called kairichi amti. It’s a raw mango curry that can be enjoyed with steamed rice or puris made with wheat flour. This sweet and spicy gravy is made with raw mangoes, lentils, chilies, garam masala, curry leaves, and mustard seeds. It’s a protein-packed gravy that can be enjoyed for both lunch and dinner.
20. Sol Kadhi
If you need something to refresh you, you should try Sol Kadhi. This pink color drink is made from kokum in coconut milk and has just the right amount of sweetness and a kick of spices. Green chilies, coriander, and other fresh spices are used to spice up the coconut milk. Sol Kadhi can be considered a digestive appetizer and can be paired with rice.
Summing Up
These were 20 of the many popular Maharashtrian dishes that you can try. So, next time you’re planning a trip to Maharashtra, don’t forget to give these yummy dishes a try and experience the state’s cuisine in all its glory!
FAQs
What Is The Famous Dish Of Marathi?
Some popular Maharashtrian dishes are vada pav, misal pav, alu wadi, and pav bhaji.
What Is Typical Maharashtrian Food?
Puran poli, kothimbir wadi, modak, and bharli vangi are some of the typical Maharashtrian foods.
What Is Famous Food In Mumbai?
Vada pav, bhelpuri, and ragada pattice are some of the famous street foods in Mumbai.
What Food Is Konkan Famous For?
The Konkan region of Maharashtra is famous for its staple food, which consists of fish curry, rice, and bhakri.
What Is The Street Food Of Maharashtra?
Vada pav is known as one of the most famous street foods of Maharashtra. Besides that, there’s also bhel puri, sev puri, papdi chaat, and ragada pattice, which you can try out.
What Do Maharashtrians Eat For Lunch?
Maharashtrians eat dishes like bombil fry, rassa, spicy Malvani chicken curry, and sol kadhi for lunch.
Which Sweet Dish Is Famous In Maharashtra?
One of the most famous sweet dishes in Maharashtra is karanji. It’s a sweet fried dumpling that has grated coconut, dry fruits, white sesame seeds, and powdered sugar as the filling inside.
Which Chaat Is Famous In Maharashtra?
Pani puri, sev puri, dahi puri, and papdi chaat are some of the famous chaats in Maharashtra.
