The Pav cuisine

The Marathi cuisine, also known as the maharashtrian cuisine, shares a lot of dishes with other parts of the country, while having its own distinctive properties.Basic breakfast dishes in a marathi family would include poha, misal, upma, vada pav, sabudhan khichadi, etc. Other dishes that are quite popular are, Modak, Thalipeeth, etc. In this blog, let's see some special dishes from the Marathi cuisine.

A plate of Misal pav

1) Vada pav

I think every Indian has heard of this delicacy at least once in their life. It is a simple dish made by stuffing a spherical potato fritter(Aloo Vada) between Pav(Bun). It's available at literally every corner in Maharashtra and is quit cheap. Not to forget, it is very delicious and filling. It came existence in the late 1960s and was invented by a street vendor named Ashok Vaidya whose idea was to make a affordable, easy to carry snack for daily commuters. Vada pav has come a long way since then and I am quite sure we all enjoy this creation of Mr.Vaidya.

2) Bhakarvadi

Bhakarvadi is usually consumed as a snack and has a tangy yet sweet flavour at the same time. The dual nature of its taste is probably why it's so famous. It is made of gram flour and the stuffing contains poppy seeds, coconut,etc. It can be stored for weeks together. There is a conflict with the origin of the dish between Gujarat and Maharashtra but the credit for it's popularization goes to A Marathi businessman Raghunathrao Chitale through his brand Chitale Bandhu.

3) Kothimbir Vadi

A perfect Maharashtrian tea time snack and an easy to make dish at the same time. It is made using Gram flour and coriander in addition to different spices. It can be steamed as well as fried for a crunchy crust. It would also make a great dish for the rainy days.

4)Misal Pav

This all time available delicacy is consists of misal ( a curry based on moth beans ) and pav ( an Indian bread roll or bun ). The presence of moth beans make it very healthy. It is consumed at all times of the day and is available in all snack corner in the state. According to me, it is the most undermined dish of the marathi cuisine. In 2015, it was also name as the tastiest vegetarian dish in the world at the FoodieHub awards London.

5) Pav Bhaji

Another Pav based dish. It has become quite clear by now that the state loves Pavs. This dish surely needs no introduction and is famous all over the world. The Bhaji is a curry made with mashed Potatoes, Tomatoes and a lot of Indian spices. It originated in late 1850s as a fast lunch time dish for the textile mill workers in Mumbai. 

The list will go on and on and surely has no end. I hope I have been successful in drawing your attention towards these delicacies. Now it's your turn to try these and treat yourself.

- Uditi Naagar

Manipur- One of India's Sisters

Now that we have explored the food culture of sweet Kolkata, let's move towards the east to explore the spice of the state of Manipur. Manipur's cuisine is almost the same as that of the Meipei people who for a majority of the population.

The meal is based on the staple food rice which is accompanied by a few sides that include vegetables and fish. Other than these, three other main components are as follows:

• Ensaang or athongba- vegetable stew flavored with fish
• Kanghou - a vegetable stir-fried item and
• A spicy item that is usually morok metpa (a chilli paste) or iromba(a mixture of vegetable and fermented fish) or singu( a piquant salad)

The base of Meipei diet is fermented fish which is also called Ngaari. Fish is another staple food that generally appears in all meals either as a side or as Ngaari. Due to an increase in the price of fish, fish curries are made only occasionally. Most of the Manipuri households, however, tend to grow their vegetables and fish in their kitchen garden and ponds near their houses respectively. 

The taste is distinct from the rest of the country due to the use of natural and aromatic herbs and roots that are peculiar to their region. 

Merely reading about Manipuri food is not enough. Their food deserves to be tasted. Besides, it is not unhealthy and you do not have to worry about it. So next time you head to the northeast, make sure to try their delicacies.

- Uditi Naagar