RUSTIC RECIPES FROM PASCHIM MAHARAHASTRA

Desh is a historical region of Maharashtra state that lies in the western – central part of the Deccan Plateau east of the Western Ghats and north of Uttar Kannada (North Karnataka). Largely hilly it also has vast agricultural lands drained by the Godavari and Krishna Rivers. Sugarcane is an important part of the agrarian economy of this land called Paschim Maharashtra which has prosperous cities like Pune, Kolhapur, Sangli and Satara. This region has many impressive Maratha monuments like forts, palaces and wadas (mansions).

The farming people of Desh or Paschim Maharashtra make food that is simply cooked and served without any fancy presentation. A simple but substantial meal of jowar bhakri with besan (chickpea flour) and thecha (chutney) is easy to carry to the fields for lunch. These dishes have come into limelight because of a growing number of people going to the hills for trekking and fort visits who stop at little eateries for a rustic meal of pithla-bhakri or zunkha bhakar with thecha and accompaniments.

If you are looking at making a rural Maharashtrian meal from the Deccan and Western Ghats, these recipes will be useful.

THECHA

Thecha is a chutney of green chillies.

Yield – serves 4 persons

Ingredients-

• Green chilli-10 to 15 chillies
• Garlic -7 or 8 flakes
• Raw groundnut – 25 gm
• Oil – 1tsp
• Jeera (cumin seeds)
• Salt

TIME: 10 to 15 min

METHOD

• Heat oil in a pan. When oil is hot, add jeera , groundnuts, garlic and green chilli , and sprinkle salt to taste.
• Sauté on high flame for two to three minutes.
• Once done, grind the mixture using a mortar-and-pestle or grinding stone till done. The thecha can be ground in a mixer but hand-pounding is recommended to get the desired coarse and chunky texture of this rustic chutney.

Serve

It is best had with jowar bhakri.

GULACHA DHIRDE

These jaggery-sweetened whole wheat pancakes are a favourite in many homes of Paschim Maharashtra.
Yield – 4 pancakes

INGREDIENTS:

• Wheat flour-one-and-a-half cup
• Jaggery one cup
• Water one cup
• Fennel seeds 1/2 tea spoon
• Khuskhus 1 tea spoon
• Oil / ghee
• Salt as per taste
• A pinch of baking soda

TIME: 20 min

METHOD:

• Dissolve jaggery in water.
• Then add fennel seeds (khuskhus)
• Slowly add wheat flour till the batter is formed that is thin and a wee bit runny enough to be spread, Ladle the batter on a heated and oiled pan. Cook till brown and you achieve the texture you like – soft or crispy.
• SERVE – Traditionally had on its own or with a ground chatani but you could also try a modern version with nutela or other spread.

Sukha Besan

Pithla or Zunka is a popular dish made of chickpea flour in Paschim Maharashtra. It can be made with Sukha Besan (dry chickpea flour too).

INGREDIENTS

SERVE-4

• Onion (chopped) 4
• Besan (chickpea flour) One-and—a-half cup
• Dry coconut 2 spoons
• Garlic 9to 10 flakes
• Red chilly power 2/3 tea spoon
• Cumin seeds
• Mustard seeds
• A Pinch of hing (asafoetida)
• Oil 2/3 tablespoon
• Dhana jeera powder 1 tsp
• Salt as per taste

METHOD

• Heat oil in a cooking pot (karahi)
• Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds and hing
• Next, add chopped onions and let the contents of the pot fry for 2/3 min. Grind coconut and garlic together, and then add to the pot.
• Sprinkle haldi , salt , Dhan jeera powder and besan.
• On low flame keep stirring for 5 min, and add red chilly power
• Pour a little water then cover the pot with a lid. Cook for 5 minutes.
• If you feel the besan is too dry, pour a little hot water and cook for 3 minutes more.
• Garnish with chopped coriander before serving.
• This can be had as a side dish.