Maharashtra Day: Chefs share authentic Maharashtrian recipes from their family kitchens

On Maharashtra Day today, chefs hit the rewind button to share authentic recipes that they’ve inherited from their family kitchens. Plus, a round-up of restaurants that serve lip-smacking, Maharashtrian cuisine

Sweet rush

The Pathare Prabhus had settled in Mumbai, and the surrounding regions around the 13th century, and gained prosperity during the development of Bombay by the British in the 18th century. We are a very small community, but highly qualified and multi-talented. Mathlele ladoos are one of our authentic sweets. I customise these ladoos in the shape of apples, peacocks and burgers. Similar to besan ladoos, these can be made in just two minutes.

Kalpana Talpade, home chef, Kalpana’s Kitchen

Mathlele ladoos 

Ingredients
>> 1 cup roasted chana dal
>> 1/2 cup sugar                                      
>> 1/2 cup pure ghee                              
>> 9 nos badam                                     
>> 9 nos pista                                        
>> 6 nos cardamom

Method
Powder the roasted chana dal in a mixer. [I microwave the dal for one minute to get fine powder]. Powder the sugar and cardamoms. In a glass bowl, beat the pure ghee till it is fluffy and changes colour. Add cardamom powder, powdered sugar and chana dal powder and mix well. Get the dough together and form ladoos. You should get seven to eight ladoos. You can garnish the ladoos with badam pista or powder it and add to the mix.

Labour of love

Kala mutton curry originates from the north-western regions of Maharashtra, like Jalgaon, Malegaon and Nashik. This dish is a part of Khandeshi cuisine, which is also known to be one of the hottest cuisines of Maharashtra. I learned this recipe from my maasi who lives in Nashik. I would always visit her during school vacations and enjoy eating her kala mutton. The main element of this dish is the kala masala. I would watch her closely and help her in the kitchen. She would serve it with piping hot bhakris and mattha [Maharashtrian spiced buttermilk]. 

Chef Vinit Gidwani,restauranteur and restaurant consultant, @chefvinitgidwani

Kala mutton curry

Kala mutton curry by chef Vinit Gidwani 

Ingredients
>> 1 kg mutton>> 15 cloves garlic 
>> 3 inch ginger (chopped) 
>> 1/3 coriander leaves with stem >> 1/2 tsp turmeric powder >> 1/3 cup curd  >> 2/3 tsp salt 
>> 3 tbsp mustard oil  >> 5 nos onion (slit) >> 1/2 portion dry coconut>> 7 nos green chilli
>> 1 tbsp red chilli powder
>> 500 ml hot water >> 2 tbsp coriander seeds>> 2 nos bay leaf >> 8 nos black peppercorn >> 4 dry red chilli>> 4 nos clove>> 1 star anise>> 1 black cardamom >> 1 inch cinnamon>> 1 mace>> 1 tbsp clarified butter (ghee)>> Salt to taste

Method
Make a marinade for mutton. Put garlic, ginger, coriander leaves with stem and water in a mixer grinder and make a paste. Put mutton in a bowl, add the green paste we made along with turmeric powder, salt, and yogurt, mix and set aside to marinate for 60 minutes. Next, make charred masala (kala masala). For this, put this whole onion, dry coconut and green on a grill and char each from all sides on direct flame.  One by one, put the whole dry coconut on a grill and char from all sides on direct flame. Roughly chopped charred onion, dry coconut 7 green chilli and put in a mixer grinder and make a paste. Take oil in a pan and put marinated mutton on hot oil. Add charred masala paste in the pan. Mix well and add hot water. Cover and cook on medium to low heat until mutton is cooked properly. For tempering, take coriander seed, bay leaf, black pepper corn, dry red chilli, clove, star anise, black cardamom, cinnamon and mace in a hot pan, toast on low heat until aromatic. Then put in a mixer grinder and make a powder. Add toasted masala powder and clarified butter (ghee) in mutton, mix well. Serve hot with rice or roti or bhakris.

Simple and delicious

During our summer holidays, the family sometimes used to get together in Kolhapur. And if you are in Kolhapur you cannot leave without the taste of local mutton. So, mom used to get kilos of the meat, slow cook the mutton, let it get a little chewy, fry it and mix in this spicy dry coconut mix. We just needed to have this mutton lonche with hot chapati and bhakri. It is a simple dish to prepare, where we used to let the Kolhapuri mutton and tikhat masala shine. 

Reshma Mane, founder, homechef, Every Aroma

Mutton lonche

Ingredients (serves 2) 
>> 300 gms mutton pieces with bones >> 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
>> 1 tbsp Kolhapuri tikhat masala
>> 1/2tsp turmeric powder >> 1/2tsp coriander cumin powder >> 1/4 cup chopped coriander >> 1/4 cup white sesame seeds >> 1/2 cup dry coconut powder >> 1 onion chopped (optional) >> Salt and oil

Method
Boil the mutton with sufficient water and a little ginger garlic paste (1/2 tsp) till well done. In a kadai, heat oil (4 tbsp). Once hot, add only the mutton pieces, no water and brown them a little. Remove and keep aside when done. Continue cooking in the same kadai. Add a little oil again. When hot, add the chopped onions and dry coconut powder. On low flame, brown both together. Enough to roast, we don’t want burnt taste. Add the tikat masala, rest of the ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder and coriander cumin powder. On low heat, fry all the masala mix together. Then, add the mutton pieces and toss. Use a little of the mutton stock to wet the masala, just a little, enough to coat the mutton well. Add the sesame seeds, coriander and season with salt.  Toss well and serve with hot chapati/bhakri with a side of sliced onion.

Amcha Maharashtracha

Head to these places for your fave picks from the state

Vegetarian delight
A favourite haunt among vegetarians, the restaurant is best known for its spicy misal pav (R120) 
and kothimbir vadi (R105). Pair it up with their (above) Piyush (R60) for a wholesome meal. 
At Vinay Health Home, CP Tank, 
Girgaon. Call 7045660110

Swaad yaha hai
This traditional restaurant is famous for its Chaitra thali (R483). Do not miss their seasonal special kairi panhe (R86). 
At Aaswad, Gadkari Chowk, Dadar. 
Call 24458176

Sabudana fans, ahoy! 
This restaurant is best known for its chutney that comes along with their sabudana vada (R80). They also have an exhaustive menu for Maharashtrian snacks and sweets.
At Prakash Dugdha Mandir, Girgaon.
Call 7045660110

All out on curries
Explore the flavours of Maharashtrian curries. Their (above) mutton Kolhapuri thali (R390), crab curry (R510) remain bestsellers among the regulars of the eatery. 
At Maharashtra Lunch Home, Naupada Thane West. Call 9326691866

Misal magic
This restaurant has a huge variety in misal pav. Those who prefer the spicier option can try the Kolhapuri misal (R110). If you’d rather go for a medium misal version, order their 
Puneri misal (R120). 
At I Love Misal, Parel; Dadar; Girgaon.
Call 7738696846

The healthy way
Indulge in their healthy thalipeeth (Rs 40) that’s a huge draw at this eatery. 
At Tambe’s Pallinath, Shantivan, 
Borivali East. Call 28961995

Enter the Koliwada
This restaurant specialises in Koli food. While their mutton masala (R430) is a must-try, do not miss the (right) seasonal special mango mastani (Rs 330).
At Mi Hi Koli; outlets 
At Panchpakhadi, Ghodbunder Road and Mulund West.
Call 9769635644

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