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Category: Food

  • Pav Bhaji

    Pav bhaji began in the 1850s as a quick, cheap lunch for textile mill workers and cotton traders in Mumbai, who needed something hot and filling during long shifts. Vendors mashed leftover vegetables with tomatoes and spices on a large flat tawa and served them with bread rolls. Juhu beach and Girgaum Chowpatty stalls made it famous across the country.

    The bhaji is a thick, spicy mash of potatoes, cauliflower, peas, capsicum, onion and tomato, cooked down in butter with pav bhaji masala until everything melts together. It is bright red from Kashmiri chilli and rich from the butter. The pav is split and toasted on the same tawa with butter and a pinch of masala until crisp at the edges.

    It is evening food, eaten at the beach, at fairs and at family get-togethers. Serve it with raw onion, lemon wedges and another knob of butter on top. Leftover bhaji becomes a filling for toasted sandwiches. Juhu stalls also offer cheese pav bhaji and khada pav bhaji, where the vegetables are left in chunks rather than mashed, but the classic smooth version remains the favourite.

    At a glance

    RegionMaharashtra
    CuisineMaharashtrian
    DietVegetarian
    CourseStreet food
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time35 minutes
    Total time55 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientspotato / tomato / butter / pav

    Ingredients

    For the bhaji

    • 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
    • 1 cup cauliflower florets
    • 1/2 cup green peas
    • 1 small carrot, chopped (optional)
    • 4 tbsp butter, plus more to finish
    • 1 large onion, finely chopped
    • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 1 green capsicum, finely chopped
    • 4 large tomatoes, finely chopped
    • 2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
    • 2 1/2 tbsp pav bhaji masala
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric
    • 1 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1 tbsp lemon juice
    • 3 tbsp chopped coriander

    For the pav

    • 8 pav
    • 3 tbsp butter
    • 1/2 tsp pav bhaji masala
    • 1 tbsp chopped coriander

    To serve

    • 1 onion, finely chopped
    • Lemon wedges

    Method

    1. Pressure cook the potatoes, cauliflower, peas and carrot with 1 cup water for 3 whistles until very soft. Mash coarsely with a potato masher, keeping the cooking water.
    2. Heat 4 tbsp butter in a wide, heavy pan or tawa on medium. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until soft and pale gold. Add ginger-garlic paste and stir for 1 minute.
    3. Add the capsicum and cook for 3 minutes until it softens. Add the tomatoes and cook for 6-8 minutes, mashing, until they break down into a pulp.
    4. Stir in chilli powder, pav bhaji masala, turmeric and salt and cook for 2 minutes until the butter starts to separate and the masala smells fragrant.
    5. Add the mashed vegetables with their water. Mash everything together vigorously with the masher for 4-5 minutes, adding hot water to keep it at a thick, spoonable consistency.
    6. Simmer on low for 10 minutes, stirring and mashing occasionally, until the colour deepens and it tastes cohesive. Finish with lemon juice, coriander and a spoon of butter.
    7. For the pav, melt butter on a tawa with pav bhaji masala and coriander. Slit the pav, press them cut side down into the butter and toast for 1 minute, then flip and toast the outside until crisp.

    Tips

    • Kashmiri chilli gives the signature red colour without too much heat. A teaspoon of beetroot is the vendor trick for deeper colour.
    • Keep mashing as it cooks; the smooth, homogeneous texture is what distinguishes good pav bhaji.
    • Do not skimp on butter at the end; it carries the masala flavour.

    Serve with

    Butter-toasted pav, chopped onion, lemon wedges and a cube of butter on top.

  • Misal Pav

    Misal is a breakfast institution across Maharashtra, with fierce loyalty to regional styles. Kolhapur's misal is the hottest, with a thin, oily red rassa; Puneri misal adds poha and potato; Nashik's is dark and black-masala heavy. All share the same structure: a bowl of spiced sprouted beans, a ladle of fiery gravy called kat or tarri, and a mountain of crunchy farsan on top.

    The base is usually matki (moth bean) sprouts cooked with onion and tomato, while the kat gets its colour and heat from Kolhapuri chilli and a roasted paste of dry coconut, onion and garlic. Eating it is a balance act: crunch from farsan, cool sharpness from raw onion and lemon, and heat from the rassa, which you pour in to your own tolerance.

    Misal is eaten with soft pav, often with a glass of buttermilk or a cup of tea to soothe the heat. Restaurants serve the kat separately so you can top up as you eat. Pune, Nashik and Kolhapur each claim the best misal in the state, and every town has its famous joint with a queue outside on Sunday mornings.

    At a glance

    RegionMaharashtra
    CuisineMaharashtrian
    DietVegan
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time40 minutes
    Total time60 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelHot
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientsmatki sprouts / dry coconut / onion / farsan

    Ingredients

    For the masala paste

    • 1 tbsp oil
    • 1 large onion, sliced
    • 1/3 cup dry coconut (kopra), grated
    • 8 garlic cloves
    • 1 inch ginger
    • 1 tomato, chopped

    For the usal and kat

    • 2 cups matki sprouts
    • 4 tbsp oil
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • A pinch of asafoetida
    • 10 curry leaves
    • 1 small onion, finely chopped
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 2 tsp Kolhapuri or Kashmiri red chilli powder
    • 1 tsp hot red chilli powder
    • 2 tsp goda masala or kanda-lasun masala
    • 1 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1 small piece jaggery
    • 2 kokum petals
    • 4 cups hot water

    To serve

    • 2 cups mixed farsan or chivda
    • 1 onion, finely chopped
    • 1/2 cup chopped coriander
    • Lemon wedges
    • 8 pav

    Method

    1. Heat 1 tbsp oil, add the sliced onion and fry on medium for 5-6 minutes until brown. Add the coconut and roast for 3-4 minutes, stirring, until it turns reddish-brown and fragrant. Add garlic, ginger and tomato for 1 minute. Cool and grind to a fine paste with a little water.
    2. Pressure cook the matki sprouts with 1 1/2 cups water, a pinch of turmeric and salt for 1 whistle only. They should be cooked but hold their shape.
    3. Heat 4 tbsp oil in a pot on medium. Crackle the mustard seeds, add asafoetida, curry leaves and the chopped onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft.
    4. Add the ground masala paste and fry for 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until the oil separates and the paste darkens.
    5. Lower the heat, add turmeric, both chilli powders and goda masala and stir for 30 seconds without burning.
    6. Remove one-third of this masala to a separate pan for the kat. Add the cooked matki with its water to the main pot, plus 1 cup hot water, half the salt, jaggery and a kokum petal. Simmer for 10 minutes to make the usal.
    7. To the reserved masala add 3 cups hot water, the rest of the salt and a kokum petal. Boil for 10-12 minutes until a layer of red oil (tarri) floats on top. This is the kat.
    8. To serve, ladle usal into a bowl, pour kat over it, top with farsan, chopped onion and coriander, and add a lemon wedge. Serve with pav and extra kat on the side.

    Tips

    • Do not overcook the sprouts; mushy matki makes the misal pasty.
    • The red oil layer on the kat is the hallmark of a good misal; let it boil until you see it.
    • Add the farsan only at the table so it stays crunchy.

    Serve with

    Soft pav, buttermilk or cutting chai, and extra kat in a jug.

  • Puran Poli

    Puran poli is the festive sweet bread of Maharashtra, made for Holi, Gudi Padwa, Ganesh Chaturthi and Pola, the bullock festival. Chana dal is cooked with jaggery until it becomes a thick, fragrant paste called puran, which is wrapped in a very soft dough and rolled thin. Karnataka has obbattu, Gujarat has vedmi, but the Maharashtrian poli is known for being paper-thin.

    The dough is made very soft and pliable with plenty of oil, often with maida mixed into wheat flour so it stretches without tearing. Inside, the puran is sweet, smooth and perfumed with cardamom and nutmeg. Each poli is roasted dry on a tawa until speckled and then brushed with ghee.

    It is eaten warm with a generous pour of ghee or with a cup of milk. The dal water is never thrown away: it becomes katachi amti, a thin, spiced dal served alongside. Making puran poli is a family effort and a skill passed down through generations. Leftover polis are often eaten the next morning.

    At a glance

    RegionMaharashtra
    CuisineMaharashtrian
    DietVegetarian
    CourseDessert
    Prep time40 minutes
    Cook time60 minutes
    Total time100 minutes
    Serves6
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyHard
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientschana dal / jaggery / wheat flour / ghee

    Ingredients

    For the puran

    • 1 cup (200 g) chana dal, soaked 2 hours
    • 3 cups water
    • 1 cup (200 g) grated jaggery
    • 2 tbsp sugar
    • 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
    • 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
    • 1 tsp ghee

    For the dough

    • 1 cup (120 g) fine whole wheat flour
    • 1/2 cup (60 g) maida
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric
    • A pinch of salt
    • 1/4 cup oil
    • Water as needed

    For rolling and roasting

    • Rice flour for dusting
    • Ghee to serve

    Method

    1. Make the dough: mix flours, turmeric and salt, add water gradually and knead to a very soft, sticky dough. Pour 2 tbsp oil over it and knead for 5 minutes until it absorbs. Add the rest of the oil, cover and rest for at least 1 hour.
    2. Pressure cook the soaked chana dal with 3 cups water for 3-4 whistles until it mashes easily between your fingers but is not mushy.
    3. Drain the dal in a colander for 10 minutes, saving the water for katachi amti.
    4. Put the dal and jaggery in a heavy pan on medium heat. The jaggery will melt and make it loose. Stir continuously for 15-20 minutes until it thickens; it is ready when a spoon stands upright in the centre.
    5. Add sugar, cardamom, nutmeg and ghee. While still hot, pass the mixture through a puran yantra or mash smooth with a masher. Cool completely, then divide into 12 balls.
    6. Oil your hands, take a lemon-sized piece of dough, flatten it into a cup and place a puran ball (about twice the dough's size) inside. Bring the edges up, seal and pinch off excess dough.
    7. Dust generously with rice flour and roll gently, without pressing hard, into a thin 8-inch circle. Rotate often and dust again if it sticks.
    8. Roast on a medium-hot tawa for about 1 minute until light brown spots appear underneath, flip and roast the other side. Do not add ghee while roasting. Brush with ghee and serve warm.

    Tips

    • If the puran is not cooked thick enough, it will ooze out while rolling. Do the spoon test before turning off the heat.
    • A very soft, well-oiled dough is the key to thin polis; rest it for at least an hour.
    • Polis keep for 2-3 days and can be warmed on a tawa.

    Serve with

    A spoon of ghee, warm milk, or katachi amti on the side.

  • Sabudana Khichdi

    Sabudana khichdi is the most popular fasting food in Maharashtra, eaten on Ekadashi, Mahashivratri, Navratri and on weekly fast days. Tapioca pearls were introduced to India in the nineteenth century and became permitted upvas food because they are not a grain. Every Maharashtrian kitchen has an opinion about how to get the pearls soft but separate.

    Properly made, the khichdi is a pile of glossy, chewy, translucent pearls coated in coarsely ground roasted peanuts, with soft cubes of potato, green chilli heat, cumin and a squeeze of lemon. It should never be gluey. The trick lies in soaking: just enough water to barely cover the pearls, then a long rest so they absorb it.

    Apart from fasts, it is a much-loved breakfast in Pune and Mumbai, sold at small eateries with a bowl of curd on the side. Eat it hot, as it hardens as it cools. A small piece of cucumber or a few grapes on the side is a traditional fasting-day pairing. Ground peanuts are essential, both for flavour and for keeping the pearls apart.

    At a glance

    RegionMaharashtra
    CuisineMaharashtrian
    DietVegetarian
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time10 minutes
    Cook time15 minutes
    Total time25 minutes
    Serves3
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientssabudana / peanuts / potato / green chilli

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup (160 g) medium sabudana
    • Water to soak
    • 1/2 cup raw peanuts
    • 2 tbsp ghee
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 2-3 green chillies, chopped
    • 8 curry leaves (optional, some families skip during fasts)
    • 1 medium potato, boiled and cubed
    • 1 tsp sugar
    • 3/4 tsp sendha namak (rock salt)
    • 1 tbsp lemon juice
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
    • 1 tbsp grated fresh coconut (optional)

    Method

    1. Rinse the sabudana 2-3 times, rubbing gently, until the water runs clearer. Drain and add water just to the level of the pearls, not above. Cover and soak for 6 hours or overnight.
    2. Check: a pearl pressed between your fingers should squash completely with no hard white centre. Fluff with a fork; the pearls should be separate and dry, not sitting in water.
    3. Dry roast the peanuts in a pan on medium for 5-6 minutes until the skins blister. Cool, rub off the skins and pulse to a coarse powder.
    4. Mix the soaked sabudana with the peanut powder, sugar and salt. The peanut coats each pearl and is what prevents stickiness.
    5. Heat ghee in a wide non-stick pan on medium. Add cumin, and when it splutters add green chillies and curry leaves for 20 seconds. Add the potato cubes and saute for 2 minutes.
    6. Add the sabudana mixture and toss gently. Cook on low-medium for 5-7 minutes, stirring lightly every minute, until most pearls turn translucent.
    7. Turn off the heat, squeeze in lemon juice and fold in coriander and coconut. Serve immediately.

    Tips

    • Too much soaking water is the main cause of sticky khichdi. If the pearls feel wet, spread them on a plate for 15 minutes before cooking.
    • Cook on low heat and stop as soon as the pearls are translucent; overcooking turns them gluey.
    • Varieties differ: some sabudana needs only 3-4 hours of soaking, so do the squash test.

    Serve with

    A bowl of chilled curd or a glass of sweet lassi.

  • Kanda Poha

    Kanda poha is the everyday breakfast of Maharashtra and the dish served to guests in the traditional bride-viewing visit, so much so that the visit itself is jokingly called kanda-pohe. It takes fifteen minutes, uses pantry staples and appears on breakfast plates from Nagpur to Kolhapur. In Vidarbha it is also eaten as an evening snack from roadside stalls.

    The flattened rice is rinsed, not soaked, so it softens while keeping a light, fluffy bite. Onions are cooked only until translucent so they keep a little sweetness and crunch, and turmeric gives the familiar yellow colour. Peanuts add crunch, while lemon, sugar and fresh coconut balance the dish. Each grain stays separate and soft.

    Poha is eaten hot, topped with sev, chopped coriander and a lemon wedge, with a cup of tea. Some families add potato cubes, called batata poha, or green peas in winter. In Indore, a neighbouring city across the border, poha is steamed and topped with jeeravan masala and sev, and in Nagpur it comes with spicy tarri.

    At a glance

    RegionMaharashtra
    CuisineMaharashtrian
    DietVegan
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time10 minutes
    Cook time10 minutes
    Total time20 minutes
    Serves3
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsthick poha / onion / peanuts / curry leaves

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups (150 g) thick poha
    • 2 tbsp oil
    • 2 tbsp raw peanuts
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • A pinch of asafoetida
    • 10 curry leaves
    • 2 green chillies, chopped
    • 2 medium onions, chopped
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tsp sugar
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • 1 tbsp lemon juice
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
    • 2 tbsp grated fresh coconut
    • Nylon sev to garnish (optional)

    Method

    1. Put the poha in a colander and rinse under running water for 15-20 seconds, tossing with your fingers, until just softened. Drain well and leave for 5 minutes.
    2. Sprinkle sugar and salt over the damp poha and toss gently with your fingers to loosen any clumps.
    3. Heat oil in a kadhai on medium. Fry the peanuts for 2 minutes until golden and remove them.
    4. In the same oil, crackle mustard seeds, then add cumin, asafoetida, curry leaves and green chillies for 20 seconds.
    5. Add onions and cook for 3-4 minutes on medium until soft and translucent but not brown. Stir in turmeric.
    6. Add the poha and fried peanuts and toss gently until evenly yellow. Cover and cook on low for 2 minutes so it steams.
    7. Turn off the heat, add lemon juice and coriander and toss. Serve topped with coconut and sev.

    Tips

    • Do not soak poha in a bowl of water; rinsing is enough. Soaked poha turns mushy.
    • Use thick (jada) poha; thin poha is meant for chivda.
    • Add turmeric after the onions soften, not with the hot oil, so it does not burn.

    Serve with

    Hot tea, with sev and a lemon wedge on top.

  • Bharli Vangi

    Bharli vangi, literally stuffed brinjal, is a Maharashtrian classic made for weddings, festivals and Sunday lunches. Small round purple or green-striped brinjals are slit and filled with a nutty, sweet-sour masala of roasted peanuts, sesame, dry coconut, jaggery, tamarind and goda masala, then cooked slowly in oil until they collapse.

    Goda masala, the dark, aromatic spice blend of Maharashtra with stone flower and dagad phool, is what gives the dish its character. The brinjals turn creamy inside, while the stuffing that falls out thickens the small amount of gravy into a rich coating. The balance of sweet jaggery, sour tamarind and chilli is typical of Desh cooking around Pune and Satara.

    It is served with jowar or bajra bhakri, or with chapati and varan bhaat in a festive meal. In Vidarbha and Khandesh, a spicier version with more chilli and garlic is common. Leftovers taste even better the next day, once the brinjals have soaked up all the masala, so many cooks make it a few hours ahead.

    At a glance

    RegionMaharashtra
    CuisineMaharashtrian
    DietVegan
    CourseMain course
    Prep time25 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time55 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientssmall brinjal / peanuts / sesame seeds / goda masala

    Ingredients

    For the stuffing

    • 1/4 cup roasted peanuts
    • 2 tbsp sesame seeds
    • 1/4 cup dry coconut, grated
    • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 6 garlic cloves
    • 2 tbsp goda masala
    • 1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tbsp grated jaggery
    • 1 tsp tamarind paste
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander

    For cooking

    • 8-10 small round brinjals (about 400 g)
    • 3 tbsp oil
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • A pinch of asafoetida
    • 8 curry leaves
    • 1 small onion, finely chopped (optional)
    • 3/4 cup hot water

    Method

    1. Dry roast the sesame seeds on low heat for 1-2 minutes until they pop and turn golden. Remove, then roast the coconut for 2-3 minutes until light brown, and the coriander and cumin seeds for 1 minute.
    2. Grind the peanuts, sesame, coconut, coriander, cumin and garlic to a coarse powder. Mix with goda masala, chilli powder, turmeric, jaggery, tamarind, salt and coriander, adding 1-2 tbsp water to make a moist, crumbly paste.
    3. Wash the brinjals, keep the stems and make two deep cuts in a cross from the bottom, stopping just short of the stem. Soak in salted water for 10 minutes and drain.
    4. Stuff each brinjal generously with the masala, pressing it into the cuts. Reserve the leftover masala.
    5. Heat oil in a wide heavy pan on medium. Crackle mustard seeds, add asafoetida, curry leaves and onion and cook for 3 minutes until soft.
    6. Arrange the brinjals in one layer and fry for 4-5 minutes, turning gently, until the skins are glossy and slightly wrinkled.
    7. Mix the leftover masala with the hot water and pour around the brinjals. Cover and cook on low for 15-18 minutes, turning once halfway, until a knife slides through easily and the gravy thickens and leaves oil at the edges.

    Tips

    • Choose small, tender brinjals that feel light and have shiny skin; heavy ones are seedy.
    • Do not stir with a spoon; turn the brinjals with tongs or by shaking the pan so they stay whole.
    • If you do not have goda masala, garam masala works but the flavour will be less authentically Maharashtrian.

    Serve with

    Jowar bhakri, thecha and a bowl of varan bhaat.

  • Gujarati Kadhi

    Gujarati kadhi is the light, pale yellow counterpart of the thicker, pakora-laden Punjabi version. It is made from sour curd whisked with a small amount of besan, sweetened with jaggery or sugar and tempered in ghee with whole spices. Most Gujarati thalis include it beside dal-bhaat or khichdi, and many people drink it straight from the katori.

    The taste is sweet first, then gently sour, with warmth from ginger and green chilli and a fragrance from cloves, cinnamon, methi seeds and curry leaves. It should be smooth and pourable, about the thickness of single cream. Because the besan quantity is low, it must be stirred continuously until it boils or the curd will split.

    Kadhi-khichdi is the comfort dinner of Gujarat, eaten when someone is unwell or when the cook wants a simple meal. It is also served with rotli and shaak on weekdays and alongside undhiyu in winter. Some families add a few pieces of bhindi or pakodi to make it more substantial, but the plain version is the everyday standard and the one most Gujaratis grew up drinking.

    At a glance

    RegionGujarat
    CuisineGujarati
    DietVegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time5 minutes
    Cook time20 minutes
    Total time25 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientscurd / besan / jaggery / curry leaves

    Ingredients

    For the kadhi

    • 1 cup sour curd
    • 3 tbsp besan
    • 3 cups water
    • 1 tsp grated ginger
    • 1-2 green chillies, slit
    • 2 tbsp grated jaggery or sugar
    • 1 tsp salt

    For the tempering

    • 1 tbsp ghee
    • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1/4 tsp methi seeds
    • 3 cloves
    • 1 inch cinnamon
    • 1 dried red chilli
    • A pinch of asafoetida
    • 10 curry leaves
    • 1 tbsp chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Whisk the curd and besan together in a deep pan until there are no lumps at all. Gradually whisk in the water to a smooth, thin mixture.
    2. Add ginger, green chillies, jaggery and salt and place on medium heat.
    3. Stir continuously as it heats, scraping the bottom. This is the critical stage; after 6-8 minutes it will come to a boil. Do not stop stirring before it boils or the curd will curdle.
    4. Once it boils, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring now and then, until slightly thickened and the raw besan smell is gone.
    5. In a small pan, heat ghee on medium. Add mustard seeds and let them pop, then cumin, methi seeds, cloves, cinnamon and red chilli for 20 seconds. Add asafoetida and curry leaves.
    6. Pour the tempering into the kadhi, stir, and simmer for 2 more minutes. Taste and adjust sugar and salt; it should be clearly sweet-sour. Garnish with coriander.

    Tips

    • Curd that is 2-3 days old gives the right sourness. With fresh curd, add a squeeze of lemon at the end, off the heat.
    • Kadhi thickens as it cools; thin it with a little hot water before reheating.
    • Use hing that is certified gluten-free if you need the dish strictly gluten-free, as many brands contain wheat flour.

    Serve with

    Plain khichdi or steamed rice, with papad and pickle.

  • Handvo

    Handvo is a savoury cake from Gujarat made with a fermented batter of rice and mixed lentils, folded with grated bottle gourd and baked until the outside turns into a crunchy, sesame-studded crust. Traditionally it was cooked in a special handva cooker, an aluminium pot with a central chimney that sat over a sand base, but a heavy pan on the stove or an ordinary oven works well.

    The inside is soft, moist and slightly tangy from fermentation, flecked with vegetables, while the top and bottom are dark golden and crisp. A little sugar balances the sourness, and the tempering of mustard, sesame and curry leaves poured into the pan becomes part of the crust. Edges darken almost to brown, and that is how it should look.

    Handvo is eaten for breakfast, tea or a light dinner, cut into wedges and served with green chutney and tea. Leftovers are excellent the next day, toasted on a tawa, which makes it a sensible weekend dish to cook in a large quantity. Vegetables can be changed with the season: grated cabbage, corn or methi all work well alongside the lauki.

    At a glance

    RegionGujarat
    CuisineGujarati
    DietVegetarian
    CourseSnack
    Prep time25 minutes
    Cook time40 minutes
    Total time65 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice / toor dal / bottle gourd / sesame seeds

    Ingredients

    For the batter

    • 1 cup rice
    • 1/4 cup toor dal
    • 2 tbsp chana dal
    • 2 tbsp urad dal
    • 2 tbsp moong dal
    • 1/2 cup sour curd
    • 1 cup grated bottle gourd (lauki), lightly squeezed
    • 1/4 cup grated carrot
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
    • 1 tbsp ginger-green chilli paste
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1 tsp sugar
    • 1 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp baking soda or 1 tsp Eno

    For the tempering

    • 3 tbsp oil
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
    • 1/2 tsp ajwain
    • A pinch of asafoetida
    • 10 curry leaves
    • 1 dried red chilli

    Method

    1. Wash the rice and dals and soak for 5-6 hours. Drain and grind with the curd and minimal water to a coarse, thick batter. Cover and ferment overnight in a warm place.
    2. Mix the bottle gourd, carrot, coriander, ginger-chilli paste, turmeric, chilli powder, sugar and salt into the fermented batter. It should be thick and drop off the spoon in clumps.
    3. Just before cooking, sprinkle the soda over the batter, add 1 tbsp water on it and fold in well.
    4. Heat the oil in a heavy 8-9 inch non-stick or cast iron pan on medium. Add mustard seeds, and when they pop add sesame, ajwain, asafoetida, curry leaves and red chilli. Let the sesame turn light gold, about 30 seconds.
    5. Pour the batter over the tempering and spread it evenly about 1 inch thick. Cover and cook on low heat for 15-18 minutes, until the top looks set and the bottom is deep golden and crisp.
    6. Slide the handvo onto a plate, flip it back into the pan and cook the other side, uncovered, on low for 10-12 minutes until crisp. A skewer should come out clean.
    7. Rest for 5 minutes, then cut into wedges. Oven method: pour batter into a greased tin, top with tempering and bake at 180 C for 40-45 minutes.

    Tips

    • Squeeze only some water out of the lauki; the rest keeps the inside moist.
    • The low flame is essential. On high the crust burns before the thick centre cooks.
    • Ready-made handvo flour from Gujarati stores can replace the soaked grains; mix with curd and ferment 6-8 hours.

    Serve with

    Green coriander chutney and a cup of masala chai.

  • Sev Tameta nu Shaak

    Sev tameta nu shaak is a dhaba and home favourite from Kathiawad and Saurashtra, a region where fresh green vegetables were once scarce in the dry months. Tomatoes and the crunchy besan sev that every Gujarati kitchen keeps in a tin were combined into a curry that could be cooked in fifteen minutes. Highway dhabas around Rajkot serve it in large bowls with bajra rotla.

    The base is a thick, tangy tomato gravy with garlic, red chilli and a touch of jaggery that rounds off the acidity. The sev goes in at the very last moment, so part of it stays crunchy while the rest softens and thickens the gravy. Thick ratlami or gathiya sev holds up better than fine nylon sev.

    It is eaten with rotli, thepla or bajra rotla, often with raw onion, buttermilk and a green chilli on the side. Because it relies on pantry items, it is a frequent weeknight dish when the vegetable basket is low. Restaurants in Gujarat often finish it with a spoon of butter and a sprinkle of extra sev on top for crunch.

    At a glance

    RegionGujarat
    CuisineGujarati
    DietVegan
    CourseMain course
    Prep time10 minutes
    Cook time15 minutes
    Total time25 minutes
    Serves3
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientstomato / besan sev / garlic / jaggery

    Ingredients

    • 4 large ripe tomatoes (about 400 g), chopped
    • 1 cup thick sev (ratlami or gathiya sev)
    • 2 tbsp groundnut oil
    • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • A pinch of asafoetida
    • 6 garlic cloves, crushed
    • 1 tsp grated ginger
    • 1 green chilli, chopped
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric
    • 1 1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
    • 1 tsp coriander-cumin powder
    • 1 tbsp grated jaggery
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • 1/2 cup water
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Heat the oil in a kadhai on medium. Add mustard seeds and let them crackle, then cumin and asafoetida.
    2. Add garlic, ginger and green chilli and saute for 1 minute until the garlic smells cooked and turns pale gold.
    3. Add the tomatoes with turmeric and salt. Cover and cook on medium for 5-6 minutes until they collapse completely.
    4. Mash the tomatoes with the back of the spoon. Add chilli powder, coriander-cumin powder and jaggery and cook uncovered for 2-3 minutes until oil starts to separate at the edges.
    5. Pour in the water, bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes. The gravy should be fairly loose, since the sev will absorb a lot.
    6. Turn off the heat. Just before serving, stir in the sev and coriander and serve within a minute or two.

    Tips

    • Add the sev at the table if you are not eating immediately; it turns mushy within ten minutes.
    • Use fully ripe, deep red tomatoes. With pale tomatoes add a spoon more jaggery and a little tomato puree.
    • Groundnut oil gives the authentic Kathiawadi flavour.

    Serve with

    Bajra rotla or rotli, chaas, sliced onion and green chillies.

  • Dal Dhokli

    Dal dhokli is Gujarat's one-pot comfort meal, made by cooking strips of spiced wheat dough directly in thin toor dal. Rajasthan has a similar dish called dal ki dulhan, and Maharashtra makes varan phal, but the Gujarati version is distinctly sweet-sour, with jaggery, kokum or lemon, and peanuts that soften in the dal. Sunday lunch and rainy evenings are its usual occasions.

    The dhokli are rolled from wheat flour seasoned with ajwain, turmeric and chilli, cut into diamonds and dropped into the bubbling dal. They swell, turn tender and release a little starch that thickens the broth. The dal itself is light, fragrant with cloves, cinnamon and curry leaves, and finished with a spoon of ghee.

    It needs nothing else, though most families serve it with a squeeze of lemon, chopped onion and papad. The dish thickens a lot as it stands, so serve it hot and freshly made. Adding a handful of chopped peanuts, a few cashews or drumstick pieces is common in some homes, and leftovers are reheated with a generous splash of hot water.

    At a glance

    RegionGujarat
    CuisineGujarati
    DietVegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time35 minutes
    Total time55 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientstoor dal / whole wheat flour / peanuts / jaggery

    Ingredients

    For the dal

    • 3/4 cup toor dal, washed
    • 3 cups water, plus 2 cups more later
    • 1/4 cup raw peanuts
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tomato, chopped
    • 1 tsp ginger-green chilli paste
    • 1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
    • 2 tbsp grated jaggery
    • 3-4 kokum petals or 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
    • 1 1/2 tsp salt

    For the dhokli

    • 1 cup (120 g) whole wheat flour
    • 2 tbsp besan
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric
    • 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1/4 tsp ajwain
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1 tbsp oil
    • Water to knead

    For the tempering

    • 2 tbsp ghee
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1/2 tsp methi seeds
    • 3 cloves
    • 1 inch cinnamon
    • 2 dried red chillies
    • A pinch of asafoetida
    • 10 curry leaves
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Pressure cook the toor dal and peanuts with 3 cups water and turmeric for 4-5 whistles on medium heat until the dal is very soft. Let the pressure drop naturally.
    2. Meanwhile, mix all dhokli ingredients and knead into a firm, smooth dough, slightly stiffer than chapati dough. Rest for 10 minutes.
    3. Whisk the cooked dal smooth, leaving the peanuts whole. Add 2 cups water, tomato, ginger-chilli paste, chilli powder, jaggery, kokum and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
    4. Divide the dough into 3 balls and roll each into a thin round about 8 inches wide. Cut into 1 1/2 inch diamonds with a knife.
    5. With the dal at a rolling boil on medium-high, drop the dhokli in a few at a time, stirring gently so they do not stick together.
    6. Lower the heat to medium and simmer for 12-15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the dhokli are cooked through and no longer taste of raw flour when bitten. Add hot water if it gets too thick.
    7. Heat ghee in a small pan, crackle mustard seeds, then add methi seeds, cloves, cinnamon, red chillies, asafoetida and curry leaves. Pour over the dal dhokli, garnish with coriander and serve hot.

    Tips

    • Keep the dal boiling when adding the dhokli; if it is merely warm, the pieces turn gummy and clump.
    • Roll the dough thin. Thick dhokli stay doughy in the centre.
    • The dish keeps thickening; thin it with boiling water before serving leftovers.

    Serve with

    A squeeze of lemon, chopped onion, roasted papad and a spoon of ghee.