Puran Poli is a classical Maharashtrian dish.  Look wise, this traditional sweet is similar to roti, but the preparation is entirely different.  Puran Poli is  made during the festival such as Gudi Padwa (Maharashtrian New Year),  Holi, Gouri-Ganpati festival in Maharashtra.

The stuffing is known as Puran and outer cover is known as Poli.
The Puran is made by Sweet mixture of Chickpea lentils and Jaggery. The outer cover is made of wheat flour.


Ingredients :

For Poli :

 3 Cups wheat flour
 Water as per need
 1/4 Teaspoon Salt

For Puran :

2 Cups Chana Dal
2 Cups Jaggery
1 Tablespoon Cardamom Powder


Method For Poli : 

In a bowl, add 3 cups wheat flour. Add 1/4 Teaspoon Salt, mix well.  Add water as per your need and knead into soft dough.
Cover the dough and keep it aside for 1 hour.

Method For Puran :

Wash and boil Chana dal in enough water. Cook it till Chana dal becomes soft.
Once Chana Dal is cooked completely,  strain the extra water and keep it aside. (This strain water will be used for spicy curry called Katachi Aamti)
Add boiled chana dal in a pan. Put that pan on medium heat.
Add 2 Cups Jaggery , mix well and cook till mixture becomes thick.
Add Cardamom Powder  and mix well. Turn off the heat, Let the mixture cool down.

Grind the mixture or you can use Puran Strainer/ Puran Yantra to make Puran. (Take the mixture in Puran Strainer and press by hand or spoon)

Method For Puran Poli :

Make a small ball of dough and roll it into a small round shape Poli/ Puri.  Now take a small ball from Puran, and put the ball of Puran over the rolled Poli/ Puri.
Seal the edges.
Dust the dry wheat flour over sealed Puran and again roll it into a Poli.

Heat the pan and roast the Puran Poli well from both sides.
Apply ghee (Clarified Butter) to Puran Poli.
Puran Poli is Ready.
Serve it hot with Gulavani (Boiled Jaggery water), Ghee, and Milk.

Pallavi Mane

Sabudana Khichadi is an Indian dish made from Soaked Sabudana (Sago).  Sabudana Khichadi is a dish specially prepared during the fast(vrat/upwas) in Maharashtra.

Ingredients :

2 Cups Sabudana
1/2 Cup Peanut
4 - 5 Chopped Green Chillies
1 Medium boiled Potato

3 tablespoon oil
Salt to taste

Method :

Wash Sabudana and soak in half cup water for three to four hours.
Roast 1/2 Cup Peanuts and grind coarsely.
Heat oil in a pan. Once oil is hot, add chopped green chillies and saute it.
Add soaked Sabudana and Peanut crush together. Mix Well.
Add Boiled Potato.
Add salt as per your taste.
Saute this mixture for 8 to 10 minutes.
Sabudana Khichadi is ready.

Serve it hot.

Pallavi Mane

Kande pohe is a very popular breakfast dish in Maharashtra.  Pohe is made from flattened rice. It is served with tea and probably the most likely dish that Maharashtrians will offer to their guests.

Ingredients :

2 Cups Pohe (Flattened Rice)
1/4 Cup Raw Peanuts
3 Green Chillies
8 - 10 Curry Leaves

3 Tablespoons Oil
1 Teaspoon Cumin seeds
1 Teaspoon Mustard seeds
1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1 Medium Chopped Onion
Salt to taste
1/4 Teaspoon Sugar (optional)

Fresh Coriander
1 Lemon


Method :

Wash Pohe couple of times in cold water.
Drain out all water and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Heat 3 tablespoon oil in a pan.
Once oil is hot add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Let them splutter.
Add curry leaves and peanuts and fry them for 2 - 3 minutes.

Add onion and saute all together for another 2 minutes.
Add 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder.
Now add soaked Pohe. Add salt as per your taste.
Add 1/4 teaspoon sugar and saute the mixture for another 2 - 3 minutes.

Finally sprinkle chopped coriander.  Serve Pohe with a wedge of lemon and a cup of a cardamom-ginger tea.

 

Pallavi Mane

Mirchi Kharda is very common and popular spicy side dish in Maharashtra.
This Mirchi Kharda goes very well with bhakri.  (Jawar roti or Rice roti)

Ingredients :

20/25 Green Chillies
10 Cloves of Garlic
1/2 cup of Raw Peanuts
1/2 cup Fresh Coriander
2 tsp oil
salt to taste

Method :

Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan.  Once pan is hot add Green Chillies and saute Green Chillies continuously for 3 to 4 minutes till it becomes slightly brown. Now add Garlic,  Raw Peanuts and coriander leaves in the pan, again saute that mixture 2 to 3 minutes.
Turn off the gas and add salt as per your taste. Wait for 5 minutes. Let the mixture cool down. Grind this mixture coarsely.

Zanzanit (Spicy) Mirchi Kharda is ready. 

Pallavi Mane

Pav Bhaji is my all time favorite food. It's a popular snack item in Mumbai. Bhaji is a traditional Marathi name for vegetable dish.  It is a mixture of vegetables cooked with various spices.
In Mumbai you will find small stalls of Pav Bhaji everywhere.
Pav Bhaji is all time favorite food for Mumbaikars.

Ingredients :

4 - 5 Medium Potatoes
2 Medium Green Capsicum
1 cup of Green Peas
4 Medium Tomatoes
2 Medium Onions
3 tsp oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp Ginger Garlic paste
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/2 Red Chilli powder
2 tsp Pav Bhaji Masala
1 tsp Kasoori Methi
1/4 Cup Fresh Coriander Leaves
1 Lemon
Salt to Taste
3 tsp Butter
8 Pav

Method :

Boil all vegetables together. After that mash vegetables and the liquid together to make a fine paste. Keep it aside.

Put a pan for heat. In a pan add 3 tsp oil, add cumin seeds,  chopped onions and turmeric. Saute  onions till they become slightly brown, then add ginger garlic paste. Mix all together. Add chopped tomatoes, red chilli powder, Pav Bhaji masala and mix well and saute till they become soft. Allow this mixture to cook 4 to 6 minutes on medium heat.

After that add the mashed vegetables in to the mixture. Add water and mix everything together. Add 1 tsp Kasoori Methi and salt as per your taste.  Let the mixture cook for another 6 to 8 minutes.

Pav Bhaji is ready!!

Serve Pav Bhaji garnished with coriander, chopped onion, lemon wedges and slightly butter fried Pav.

Pallavi Mane