चक चक चकली काट्याने माखली
तुकडा मोडता खमंग लागली
Marathi cuisine is famous for its astounding
variety and diversity. Vegetarian, non - vegetarian, sweet, savories,
delicious and filling each delight is ready to serve gourmet. Much like
medical terminology the names of Maharashtrian preparations are
indicative of process. BHAJANEE refers to preparation of flours by
broiling process called BHAJANEY. It could be Chaklee Bhajanee, Upvaas
Bhajanee (specially used for fast, upvaas means fast), Thalipeeth
Bhajanee etc. There are innumerable permutations and combinations with
no specific ingredients for any Bhajanee and varies from region to
region. CHAKLEE comes from word CHAKRA meaning circular. Thus CHAKLEE is
actually a savory preparation circular in shape, with sharp edges known
as KAATA. The PEETH in Thalipeeth refers to flour and since
traditionally it is prepared by pressing dough ball with palms, the
process being called THAPNE, hence the word Thalipeeth. Thus whether it
is prepared using Upvaas, Chaklee or any other Bhajanee, the product is
called Thalipeeth.
MODAK and
POORUN POLEE are classical sweet preparations from Maharashtra . MODAK a
delicacy offered to Lord Ganesh is actually a dumpling, which can
either be steamed or deep fried, two very different processes. It's
constituents can vary as far and wide from rice flour to wheat flour,
with stuffing comprising of coconut, jaggery and flavoring. Be it any
method the product is still called MODAK. Similarly POORUN POLEE is
actually a sweet pancake. Polee means roti and as stuffing changes from
jaggery to khoya its nomenclature changes to GULACHI POLEE to MAWYACHI
POLEE CHI means "of the". Coming back to POORUN POLEE, the POORUN
meaning complete derived from word PURNE is a mixture of Bengal gram
again with combination varying from sugar to jaggery. Each of the
combination gives distinct output which is totally different from other
one. Yet it is called POORUN POLEE.
CHUTNEY
is accompaniment to any type of food. The word comes from CHATAK
meaning tangy and it gives tickling sensation to tongue. It can be
prepared with groundnut (DANYACHI CHUTNEY), sesame (TILACHI CHUTNEY),
black sesame (KARALYACHI CHUTNEY) etc. Unlike rest of India where
chutneys are in semi liquid state, majority of Maharashtrian chutneys
are more or less in powder form and eaten dry.
KOSHIMBEERS
are basically salads of grated or coarsely chopped vegetables and are
mostly tempered and with or without addition of groundnut powder, yet
everything is called KOSHIMBEER derived from word KOCHNE or CHOCHNE
meaning coarse chopping.
Much
like in French cuisine there are soups in Maharashtrian foods too called
SAAR and KADHAN. KADHAN are extracts of pulses thickened with butter
milk or coconut milk. Coconuts are extensively used throughout all the
courses Of Maharashtrian menu. SAAR means gist of anything and that more
or less is perfectly near to definition of soups - extracts of
vegetables etc. in liquid - in Catering Technology.
RASSA
are generally hot taste liquid vegetable or non - vegetarian
preparations. RASSA is derived from word RUS meaning juice. The RASSA'S
always carry adjectives of ingredient or style followed in particular
region. Thus you have BATATYCHA RASSA (made of potatoes) or KOLHAPURI
RASSA (prepared in and around region of Kolhapur . This is synonymous
with word ' a la ' meaning "in the style of ", in Gastronomique
nomenclature e.g. Poulet a la Kiev or Gite a la Noix.
CHIWDA
is derived from word CHIVADANA, an action involving only finger tips
like in finger foods. it can be prepared where in the basic ingredient
can be processed by broiling, on one hand to deep frying method on the
other. Even basic ingredients are heterogeneous. So where the pressed
rice (poha) is broiled the preparation is called BHAJLELA CHIWDA and
when it is deep fried it assumes name of TALLELA CHIWDA. When potatoes
are used it becomes BATATYACHA CHIWDA. Again there is no specific
ingredient or recipe for CHIWDA.
As
state of Maharashtra spreads across various climatic zones, the food
compositions are vast and varied. One has coastal belt called KONKAN on
west side where rice, coconut and jaggery is used extensively to
VIDARBHA region on east where use of wheat, flour and sugar is wide
spread. The hot tongue tickler with extensive use of red chilies come
KOLHAPUR belt in southern to mix of sweet and hot coming from KHANDESH
in the northern region. Still everything is called the Maharashtrian
food.
The distinctive feature of
Maharashtrian food which sets it apart from rest of India is Plate - de -
Jour. while in whole of India it is the vegetable or non-vegetarian
preparation which is considered main dish of party, in Maharashtra it is
the sweet preparation which stays as main course, be it Shrikhand or
Poorun Polee or Basundi etc.
We are sure your tongues must have started rolling by now at the glance of mouth watering names.
Bon Appetit
VADANI KAVALE GHETA
NAAM GHYA SHREE HARI CHE
SAHAJ HAVAN HOTE
NAAM GHETA PHUKA CHE
JIVAN KARI JIVITV
ANNE HEY POORUNE BRAMHA
UDAR BHARANE NOHEY
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