RAG Demo

Tag: Nagpur

  • Saoji Chicken

    Saoji cuisine comes from Nagpur and Vidarbha, developed by the Saoji community of weavers, who are known for intensely spicy mutton and chicken curries. Saoji bhojnalayas line the streets of Nagpur, and their curries are famous for a deep black-brown colour, a thick layer of red oil and heat that builds with every mouthful.

    The flavour comes from Saoji masala, a mix of whole spices such as dagad phool, nagkesar, maratha moggu, star anise and black cardamom, roasted dark with dry coconut, onion and plenty of dried red chilli. The gravy is thin and oily rather than thick, meant to be soaked up with roti or bhakri, and the chicken is tender and coated in spice.

    It is eaten with chapati, jowar roti, rice and raw onion, often with a glass of buttermilk to cope with the heat. In Nagpur, a Saoji meal is a weekend ritual. Mutton Saoji is just as famous, and many families cook it on Sundays. The dish is unapologetically hot, so serve it with plenty of cooling sides.

    At a glance

    RegionMaharashtra
    CuisineVidarbha
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time45 minutes
    Total time75 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelHot
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientschicken / dry coconut / red chillies / saoji masala

    Ingredients

    For the Saoji masala

    • 8-10 dried red chillies (spicy variety)
    • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1 tsp black peppercorns
    • 1 tsp fennel seeds
    • 1 tsp poppy seeds
    • 4 cloves
    • 1 inch cinnamon
    • 1 black cardamom
    • 1 star anise
    • 1 dagad phool
    • 2 nagkesar (dried cassia buds)
    • 1 maratha moggu
    • 1/2 cup dry coconut, grated

    For the curry

    • 750 g chicken on the bone, curry cut
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tsp salt plus more to taste
    • 1/2 cup oil
    • 2 large onions, finely sliced
    • 1 1/2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 1 tbsp red chilli powder
    • 3 cups hot water
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Rub the chicken with turmeric and 1 tsp salt and set aside.
    2. Dry roast the whole spices and chillies on low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring, until they darken and smell intensely aromatic. Remove and roast the coconut for 4-5 minutes until dark brown.
    3. Heat 2 tbsp oil and fry the sliced onions on medium for 10-12 minutes until very dark brown, almost black at the edges. Grind them with the roasted spices and coconut and a little water to a smooth, dark paste.
    4. Heat the remaining oil in a heavy pot on medium until hot. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry for 1 minute.
    5. Add the ground paste and fry for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until it turns very dark and oil floats out clearly.
    6. Add red chilli powder and the chicken. Fry on medium-high for 6-8 minutes until the chicken is browned and coated.
    7. Pour in the hot water, add salt to taste and bring to a boil. Simmer covered on low for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is tender and a thick layer of red oil floats on top. Garnish with coriander.

    Tips

    • Saoji curry is meant to be oily; the oil carries the spice and is scooped up with roti.
    • Roast the masala to a deep colour but stop before it smells burnt.
    • Ready Saoji masala from Nagpur shops is a good shortcut.

    Serve with

    Chapati or jowar roti, steamed rice, raw onion and buttermilk.

  • Tarri Poha

    Tarri poha is Nagpur's own breakfast, sold from carts outside railway stations, colleges and offices from dawn. Plain, lightly spiced poha is topped with tarri, a thin, fiery gravy of black chana floating with red oil. The combination of soft, mild poha and spicy chana curry is unique to Vidarbha.

    The poha is cooked simply with onions, turmeric and mustard seeds and kept soft and slightly sweet. The tarri is sharp, garlicky and spicy, with a thick red oil layer from slow-cooked onion and dry coconut masala. Raw onion, fine sev, coriander and a squeeze of lemon on top add crunch and freshness.

    It is eaten for breakfast or as an evening snack, with a cup of hot tea. At home, the chana tarri can be made the night before and reheated in the morning. Stalls near Nagpur railway station and Sitabuldi are known for it, and a plate costs very little, making it a filling and cheap start to the day.

    At a glance

    RegionMaharashtra
    CuisineVidarbha
    DietVegan
    CourseStreet food
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time40 minutes
    Total time60 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelHot
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientspoha / black chana / onion / dry coconut

    Ingredients

    For the chana tarri

    • 1 cup black chana, soaked overnight
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1/2 cup oil
    • 2 onions, sliced
    • 1/4 cup dry coconut, grated
    • 8 garlic cloves
    • 1 inch ginger
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
    • 2 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1 tsp garam masala
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 4 cups hot water

    For the poha

    • 3 cups thick poha
    • 2 tbsp oil
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 8 curry leaves
    • 2 green chillies, chopped
    • 1 onion, chopped
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tsp sugar
    • 3/4 tsp salt

    To serve

    • 1 onion, finely chopped
    • 1 cup fine sev
    • 1/4 cup chopped coriander
    • Lemon wedges

    Method

    1. Pressure cook the soaked chana with salt and 3 cups water for 5-6 whistles until soft.
    2. Heat 1 tbsp oil and fry the sliced onions until dark brown, about 10 minutes. Add coconut, garlic, ginger, cumin and coriander seeds and roast for 3 minutes. Grind to a paste with a little water.
    3. Heat the remaining oil in a pot on medium. Add the paste and fry for 6-8 minutes until oil separates.
    4. Add turmeric, red chilli powder and garam masala and stir for 30 seconds. Add the chana with its water and 4 cups hot water.
    5. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes until a thick layer of red oil collects on top. The gravy should be thin and soupy.
    6. For the poha, rinse in a colander, drain and toss with sugar and salt. Heat oil, crackle mustard seeds, add curry leaves, chillies and onion and cook until soft. Add turmeric and the poha, toss, cover and cook on low for 2 minutes.
    7. To serve, place poha in a bowl, pour tarri generously over it with some chana, and top with raw onion, sev, coriander and a lemon wedge.

    Tips

    • The tarri should be thin and oily, not thick like chole.
    • Skim the red oil from the top and drizzle it over the poha for the classic look.
    • Add sev only when serving so it stays crunchy.

    Serve with

    Hot tea and an extra lemon wedge.

  • 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.