Maharastrian Thali and Gudi Padwa

I would like to wish all my readers a very happy and prosperous New Year on the occasion of Gudi Padwa and Ugadi. This new year day is special as my Father is visiting. I am posting a simple thali of marathi everyday dishes. There is poli (chapati) and rice, a dry side and a side with gravy, a salad some chutney and dessert.

This simple menu is cooked without onion or garlic as most dishes in our house are. It is filling and satisfying. My family enjoyed this simple meal with interesting conversation. Hope you all had a pleasant day with your families. Once again Happy New Year!

The menu
Shrikhand (you could also make Amrakhand)
Green Chutney
Cucumber Koshimbir (recipe coming soon)
Batata upasachi bhaji / Potato dry side
Mugachi usal (Mung side with gravy)
Rice
Waran

Shrikhand

I am posting the recipe for Shrikhand on the occasion of Gudi Padva. To make a complete meal for this occasion refer to the Maharashtrian Thali page.

Shrikhand is a very popular dessert and is made on several different holidays like Gudi Padva and Dasara. It can also be made as an evening snack or a dessert to complete any meal.

To make Shrikhand you will need
1 tub nonfat yogurt
1/2 cup sugar
5-6 strands saffron
1 tbsp. warm milk
3-4 pods cardamom
1 pinch grated nutmeg

Invert the yogurt in a fine mesh muslin cloth and tie the ends. Let it hang over the kitchen sink overnight to let the water drain away.

Soak the saffron in the warm milk and keep aside. Untie the cloth and transfer the contents to a mixing bowl.

Mix in the sugar and refrigerate for at least an hour. Shell and pound the cardamom seeds. Add the cardamom powder and nutmeg to the yogurt. Blend together using a hand blender. Fold in the saffron milk and refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving.

Enjoy the creamy shrikhand.

Puran Poli

Today is Holi the festival of colors. It is a celebration of spring and new life. It is also a symbolic gesture to burn away everything old and start over.

Dry color pouches or water guns are used to spray color on friends and family. Growing up everyone from our neighborhood celebrated holi. There was an advantage in going out early. As children came out to play the gang grew bigger. Everyone was in light colored clothing and by the end of the morning the clothes would be stained with all the different colors. People were hard to recognize as the faces were colored. At the end of the morning we would all return home to take a shower and wash off all the color. Though most of the color washed off some telltale sign would remain and that would be a conversation starter in school the next day.

In Marathi homes puran poli is made specially on holi. It is eaten either with ghee (clarified butter) or with milk. Puran is a mixture of cooked channa dal and jaggery. Katachi amti is a dish prepared from the water in which the channa dal is cooked. Puran poli and katachi amti is a classic combination. I served the puran poli with beetroot salad, instant jaggery and mustard pickle and bharli wangi (stuffed eggplant).

You will need
For the puran
1/2 cup channa dal
1/2 cup jaggery
1/4 cup sugar
2 pods cardamom
nutmeg

For the poli
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp. all purpose flour
2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 tsp. salt

To make the puran
Wash and pressure cook the channa dal in 1 1/2 cups of water. Do not let it get mushy. Strain and reserve the water.

Mash the channa dal and put it in a pan. Add the jaggery and sugar. Set it on medium heat to cook. Initially the sugar and jaggery will dissolve cause the mixture to form a watery paste.

As it cooks it will thicken. When a spoon left in the center of the mixture stands for a few seconds on its own you know the puran is done. At this time the color will be a light brown if you used light colored jaggery. Take it off the heat. Shell the cardamom and pound the seeds to a powder. Add the powder to the puran. Using the rough side of your box grater grate some nutmeg in the puran. Mix it and let it cool completely.

To make the poli
In a mixing bowl sift in the flour and salt. Rub in the olive oil. Using water form a dough and knead well. Pour a tablespoon of oil on your palm and knead the dough until it is soft and smooth. Cover and keep aside for 2 hours.

After 2 hours use a little olive oil to knead the dough again.  Divide the dough into five portions. Heat a griddle pan. Flatten one portion of the dough in the palm of your hand. Place a fifth of the puran in it.

Close the dough over the top of the filling to form a ball.

Roll it out on a working surface to form a thin disc.

Put a few drops of oil on the heated pan and place the rolled poli on it. Sprinkle some oil over the top. Let the poli cook and when browns spots appear flip it over. Cook the other side and take it off the heat.

Repeat with the remaining portions of dough.

Enjoy!

Gulpoli (Jaggery paratha)

Gulpoli is a special poli (flatbread) made on Makar Sankrant, the harvest festival. In coastal Maharashtra Jaggery based dishes are primary made in winter and gulpoli is one of the more popular dishes. As the jaggery filling begins to cool the gulpoli turns crispy. Gulpoli is one of my favorite sweet breads.

I made these before my daughter headed to college. I made just eight gulpoli as it was part of a full meal. The dough for this recipe is mixed with hot oil and is super soft. That makes it easy to roll with the filling. If the jaggery seeps out little it is okay. Caramelized jaggery tastes pretty good.

When I first posted this recipe I had made a Maharastrian thali. I did not have very good pictures when I first posted this recipe. On the 25th of January I have updated the pictures.

You will need (for 8)

For the dough

2 cups wheat flour

1/2 cup all purpose flour

7 tbsp. olive oil

For the filling

1 cup jaggery

1/4 cup besan

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. polished sesame seeds

2-3 pods cardamon

Heat the olive oil. Put the flours in a mixing bowl and work the hot oil in. Knead the dough using water. Keep aside for a couple of hours. Knead again and divide into lemon sized balls. 

Dry roast the sesame seeds until they turn pinkish. Let cool and using a blender dry grind to a coarse powder. Shell the cardamom and pound to a powder. Cook the besan well in the oil. Combine in a mixing bowl with all the other ingredients for the filling. Keep aside.

Flatten one ball of dough in the palm of your hands.

Place filling in the flattened dough. Bring the edges together and and close at the top. 

On a working surface roll out a thin poli taking care to see the filling stays inside. 

Cook on a flat griddle pan. Put a few drops of oil while the poli is cooking. Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Ambti (Lentil soup, Tur Dal)

Ambti is a stable in the Marathi household and is made with tur dal. My mother made delicious ambti. Even though I have made it several times with her standing by my side I have never been able to make it as good as hers.

Ambti literally means a dish to which something sour has been added. The preferred sour ingredient in Maharashtra is the dried kokum fruit peel also called amsul (sol). In its absence tamarind can be used. I did not have fresh amsul so I used tamarind.

As a child I remember my mother used to buy amsul only from some vendors in the interior of Goa. She did not buy it in the town we lived. She had to have fresh amsul and that according to her was not available in town.

You will need
1 cup turdal
1 Serrano pepper, deseeded and minced
1 tsp. powdered roasted coriander and cumin seeds
1 tbsp. tamarind extract
1 tsp. Agave Nectar
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1/4 tsp. asafoetida
4-5 curry leaves (optional)
1 tbsp. olive oil

Pressure cook the turdal with twice the quantity of water. Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When they crackle add the pepper, turmeric powder and asafoetida. Add the curry leaves and the cooked turdal. Bring it to a boil. Add the tamarind extract, Agave nectar. Season with salt. Let it simmer for another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and serve hot.

Mugachi Usal (Moogachi usal / Mung usal)

Mung, Matki, Chavli etc. are commonly used in Maharastra to make usal. Usal is the curry made with pulses. Dals are made with split pulses. They are a good source of protein in the vegetarian diet. Its preparation may vary from region to region but an usal is always part of the thali.

Mung is soaked overnight for best results. You may soak it for a couple hours and get away with it. However, mung is a quick cooking pulse and can be forgiving. Even if you do not soak it at all you can make the usal. Dry roast it on a pan until it gets a pinkish hue and pressure cook the roasted mung to use as needed.

You will need
1 cup mung
1 bunch cilantro
1 Serrano pepper
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1/4 tsp. asafoetida
tbsp. olive oil

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they crackle add turmeric powder and asafoetida. Now add the mung and let cook on medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes or until they are soft but not mushy.
In a blender grind cilantro and the Serrano pepper to a paste with a little water. Add the paste to the cooked mung. Season with salt and bring to a quick boil. Turn off heat and serve hot.

Aluchi wadi (Alu wadi / Arabi leaf cutlets / patra)

Aluchi wadi is a Maharashtrian delicacy. Alu or colacasia leaves are also called taro leaves. The leaves are coated with spiced besan/gram flour and steamed. Instead of alu you can use any large leafy green. I have tried this recipe with collard greens with great success. 

A similar preparation is made with cabbage to make kobi wadi or cilantro to make kothimbir wadi. Here the vegetables are shredded before use. My mother used to. Make all three varieties and I remember helping her as a child. She always used the black stalk alu, I have tried both the green and black stalk and both have worked well for me.

You will get about 8 wadis with two leaves. I used four leaves.

You will need
4 alu leaves

For the besan batter 
1 cup besan / gram flour
1 tbsp. rice flour (optional)
2 tbsp. tamarind extract or pulp (see below)
2 tbsp. sugar (optional)
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. red chili powder
1 tsp. powdered roasted coriander and cumin seeds
salt to taste 

For the final step
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1/4 tsp. asafoetida
1 tbsp. olive oil (optional)

To make the tamarind pulp. Soak a marble sized ball of tamarind in 4 tablespoons of hot water for about 15 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind to extract the pulp. Discard the tough fibers and use the thick pulp. Alternatively you can use readymade extract.

Make the besan batter first. Whisk all the ingredients for the batter in a bowl with 1/4 cup of water.

Continue adding water, a little at a time, and whisking until you have a thick batter. This not pouring consistency, you should be able to spread the batter on the leaves. Taste the batter and adjust seasoning. The batter flavors the dish. Keep aside.

Now prep the leaves. Wash them clean and dry them using a cloth. Be careful not to tear them.

Spread one leaf on a flat work surface with stalk side up. Trim the stalk. Coat completely with the prepared basan paste. This can get messy.

Now place a second leaf stalk side down over the first. Coat it with the paste. Have fun getting your fingers dirty.

Starting from the side of the stalk roll the leaves into a tight roll. The stalk may not bend and may have to be snapped while rolling.

Apply paste as you roll. Continue rolling till the end. I cut the rolls in half to fit into my steamer. I used a pressure cooker. I allowed the pressure to build, turned off the heat and allowed the pressure to go down. You can use any steamer you want. Grease the bottom to prevent sticking. Steam until the batter is fully cooked.

Transfer the rolls to a cutting board. They should be quite firm now. Cut them to the desired size.

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they crackle add turmeric powder and asafoetida. Put all the cooked and cut alu wadis into the pan.

The no oil alternative- keep a cup of water handy. Add mustard seeds to a hot dry pan. When they crackle turn down heat all the way and add asafoetida and turmeric powder. Immediately add water to cover the bottom of the pan. This prevents the turmeric from burning. The water will bubble up and most of it will evaporate. Add the cut alu wadis. 

Saute until they turn brownish in color and the tops are crisp. Serve hot.

No oil alternative: Cook on low heat first on one side and then the other. Without oil they will not be crisp or brown. But they will taste just as good. 

Pudina Chutney (Mint Chutney)

This chutney is not usually on a Maharastrian thali. You generally see cilantro chutney. Pudina chutney may be included for special occasions. Pudina or mint leaves have a very refreshing taste.

This chutney takes only a few minutes to make with a blender. I remember when I was a child the maid used to grind the chutney using a grinding stone. Most homes including mine do not have a grinding stone anymore.

You will need
1 big bunch of cilantro
1 small handful of pudina (mint) leaves
2 tbsp. dry roasted peanuts
salt to taste

Grind all the ingredients together in a blender to form a thick paste with as little water as your blender will allow.

Batata Bhaji (Potato bhaji)

Boiled potatoes are used to prepare side dishes in almost every culture. The potatoes are either mashed or cubed. This version is classic in its simplicity.

This bhaji is included in the thali because it goes with every other dish on the plate. It can be eaten with rice or poli (chapati).

The time needed to make this dish is in the boiling of the potatoes. The rest of it comes together very quickly. Serve it hot. You can heat leftovers and they taste almost as good too.

You will need
3 medium sized potatoes, boiled and cubed
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 Serrano pepper, deseeded and minced
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1/4 tsp. asafoetida
1 tsp. turmeric powder
3 curry leaves
1 tbsp. olive oil
salt to taste

Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When they sizzle add the asafoetida, curry leaves and turmeric powder. Let the curry leaves fry in the oil. Be careful and keep your face away from the pan. Add the pepper and the potatoes. Saute for a few minutes until potatoes are coated and turn yellow. Add sugar and salt to taste. Cover and let it cook until heated through. Add the cilantro, mix it well and turn off the heat.

Khamang Kakdi (Cucumber Salad)

Koshimbir or salad is a part of the everyday Maharashtrian menu. It is made out of cucumber, beet or carrot to name a few. Khamang kakadi is a Koshimbir without yogurt. Instead it has a hint of lemon juice. As with most koshimbirs ground roasted peanuts added to give it a nutty crunchy flavor.

My mother usually made koshimbir with yogurt. But my aunt always made khamang kakadi. This recipe always takes me back to the days when I was staying with my aunt and uncle.

You will need

1 cucumber

1/4 cup ground roasted peanuts

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

1/4 tsp. sugar

1 Serrano pepper, deseeded and minced

2 curry leaves

1 tsp. cumin seeds

1/4 tsp. asafoetida

1 tbsp. olive oil

salt to taste

Wash, peel and dice the cucumber. Mix in the peanuts, cilantro, Serrano pepper and sugar. In a small pan heat the olive oil and turn off the heat. Add cumin seeds and curry leaves to the hot oil. When they crackle add the asafoetida and let it cool. When cooled add it to the koshimbir. Season with salt and serve.

Basundi (Creamy milk dessert)

Basundi is a rich creamy dessert. It goes very well with the rest of the Maharashtrian thali. It is made with milk preferably whole milk. I never buy whole milk so to speed the process along I use a little half and half. If you have whipping cream you can add that too.

Basundi is made on special occasions even weddings. Its rich texture completes the meal. Saffron gives the milk its lovely color and slivered almonds and pistachios add taste and a welcome crunch.

You will need
1/3 cup half and half
1 cup low fat or whole milk
1/4 cup whipping cream (optional)
1/2 cup sugar
3 pods cardamom
3-4 strands saffron

Combine the half and half, milk and whipping cream (if using) in a thick bottomed pan. Bring it to a boil stirring frequently to avoid a layer of cream forming on the top and to avoid burning. When the milk is boiling lower heat and continue to simmer until it thickens and reduces in volume to half of what you started with.

Add the sugar and test for taste. If you like it sweeter add more sugar. Bring it back to a boil and turn off heat. Add the strands of saffron. Shell the cardamom and pound to a powder. Add the powdered cardamom to the milk. Continue stirring occasionally until the milk cools down completely. Chill in the refrigerator for a couple hours. Serve cold.

Maharashtrian Thali

Maharashtra is a large state in western India. Its capital is Mumbai, which is also the financial capital of the country. Some of the cities in this state are Pune, Nashik, Kolhapur, Ratnagiri and Nagpur. While Pune and Nashik are close to Mumbai, Kolhapur is in the sugarcane belt, Ratnagiri is on the Konkan coast and Nagpur is the biggest city in eastern Maharashtra. Marathi is the language spoken in Maharashtra.

The Maharastrian thali consists of a wide variety of food. The thali below is the classic Pune thali. There is no onion, ginger or garlic in this meal and you will not miss it at all. At the beginning of such a meal all you can say is 'Annadata sukhi bhava' ('Anna' means food, 'data' is one who gives. Translated it means 'may everyone who was instrumental in providing this meal be happy').

This is just one example of the Maharashtra thali. While the thali from the Konkan region would include fish, a Kolhapuri thali will not be complete without a meat dish. There are variations in every dish in this meal as one travels across Maharashtra. In my opinion that is the beauty of the thali.

The plate is set up as in the picture below. Each type of dish has its place on the plate. At 12 o'clock is salt and is served first. Everything else goes around it on the left and right.

The meal consists of the following going anticlockwise from the left of the salt

Lemon wedge

Chutney

Alu wadi (Arbi wadi/patra)

Khamang Kakadi (Cucumber Salad)

Gulpoli (Jaggery poli)

Phulka 

Potato bhaji

Waran bhaat in the center (lentils and rice)

In the bowls from the bottom to the top

Ambti (lentil dal)

Mung usal (Whole green mung curry)

Basundi (dessert made with milk)

It took me about 5 hours to cook everything from scratch. But every dish has so many memories associated with it. My mother made delicious ambti. I will never be able to match hers. I remember making alu wadis with her on so many occasions. The kamang kakadi will always remind me of my aunt from Bangalore. The simple potato bhaji is my daughters favorite. And the pudina chutney was made by my dear husband.

Gulpoli is generally make for Sankrant. It was the 18th of January when I cooked this thali and so I decided to include Gulpoli. Normally the thali would contain puran poli (recipe for puran poli here).

Poli (Whole wheat flat bread)

Poli is the stable of the Indian diet.

You will need
Whole wheat flour available at Indian Stores.
1tsp oil (vegetable or olive oil)

You can make about 6 polis per cup of flour. Using water make firm dough with one cup of water. Knead the dough well. Pour a teaspoon of vegetable or olive oil on your palm and knead the dough again. Let it rest for 15minutes.

Heat a flat pan on medium-high heat. I used to have a smooth top stove so I used another burner with a cooling rack on it. If you use a gas stove you don’t need to use a second burner. Divide the dough into 5-6 small balls.

Using a little flour, roll one of the balls of dough into a flat circle about 8inches across.

Place on the hot pan. Let it cook on side A for about 15 seconds and turn over. Let it cook on side B for 1/2 a minute. Then place the poli, side A face down on the second burner. If you are using a stove top remove the pan from the stove and place the poli directly on the burner. Either way it will puff up in a couple of seconds.

Take it off the heat and proceed with the rest of the polis. Serve hot or keep covered until it is time to eat.