Maharashtrian foods are known for their nutritious nature and healthy preparation. Although whenever one talks about the food of Maharashtra, the first thing that comes to the mouth is Vada pav and all things Pav! Yes, Vada pav is a Famous item to eat, once you’re in Maharashtra, but eating fried vadas regularly can be harmful to health. On the contrary, the authentic Maharashtrian cuisine is quite healthy- Poha, usal, pithla, sabudana khichdi, steamed modaks, misal, and thaalipeeth are all nutritious and light on the weight!
Maharashtrian Foods
Today we have brought an authentic Maharashtrian recipe for you, which you can have when on a diet, and is rich in nutrients too, the comfort food of many- Methi Pithla with Jowar Bhakri.
Methi Pithla Recipe
- Take a cup of besan in a bowl, add 2-3 cups of water and stir well, make sure no lumps are formed, whisk for a while, cover with a lid and keep it aside
- Now, take a kadhai, put 2-3 tablespoons of oil, let it heat, then add chopped onions and cook them
- After you see the onions cooked, add chopped methi leaves, heeng, and green chilies depending on the spice level you eat, stir for 2-3 minutes
- Now add the whisked besan, and the spices- turmeric powder, chili powder, salt as per taste
- Now mix all the ingredients and keep stirring for 5 minutes on low-medium flame, if you stop stirring the besan might get stuck to the kadhai, so it’s essential to stir continuously with a light hand.
- Your hot methi pithla is now ready to serve.
Jowar Bhakri Recipe
Now, time for some Jowar Bhakri, pithla with Bhakri is an excellent low-calorie combination and it tastes delicious when served hot.
- To knead the dough, on a curved plate, take a cup of jowar flour, add some salt, and mix well.
- Now add some warm water while continuously kneading the dough, keep adding water in little quantities till the dough is ready
- Now take out a small ball-sized amount of dough, and make a ball, you can now flatten the dough using a flat surface and your hands, don’t use a rolling pin as it might break the bhakri, sprinkle dry jowar flour on the roti so that it doesn’t stick to the surface
- Once you see a flat circle of dough, now preheat a Tawa and transfer it to that, apply some water with your fingers on the Bhakri
- Let it cook and then as you see brown spots, flip and cook the other side
- Now, similar to roti, cook the bhakri on the direct flame from both sides, till it swells up.
Takedown the bhakri, apply ghee on top, and serve hot!
You can serve the Methi Pithla and Jowar Bhakri with Green thecha, and some onions. It is perfect for a healthy lunch, and dinner and is also a special meal to serve when guests come home.
Before you proceed to make some, have a look at the nutritional values of both items.
Nutritions
Methi Pithla
- It has a low Glycemic index, thus very good for diabetic patients, and weight loss.
- All ingredients are extremely healthy- Besan is rich in protein, methi is low calorie, and rich in Vitamin K and Onions are a great source of Vitamin C all good for your body!
- It is high in Dietary fiber, which is great for people dealing with constipation issues and also reduces the risk of heart diseases.
- It has zero cholesterol, making it a very safe choice for even older ones.
- Pithla is rich in Vitamins and minerals, making it an ideal choice to add to your daily diet!
Jowar Bhakri
- Jowar bhakri is gluten-free- can be had by people intolerant to gluten or following gluten-free diets.
- It has zero oil, thus cutting out all the bad fats, and can be consumed worry-free by people following low-calorie diets.
- Low in calories and high in fiber and protein content, these are fit for people wanting to lose weight.
- Keeps you full for longer, so no more worrying about those cravings.
You can have this authentic healthy Maharashtrian Dish, even when on a diet! The sight of hot pithla and bhakri with ghee has surely made my mouth water, plus point is the preparation is quite easy and quick, and no planning of ingredients is required!
Kanda Poha Recipe
Can be had for – Breakfast or Snack
It is light on the stomach and has very less fat, making it ideal for people on a diet.
With a chatpata flavor, you will surely love this recipe!
- Take a strainer, add 2 cups poha, rinse it in water and then drain the water
- In the strainer itself, add 1 teaspoon of sugar, some salt, and 1/4th spoon of turmeric powder, and mix with a spatula or a hand very lightly. Make sure the poha doesn’t break
- Now take a kadhai, put 1-2 tablespoons of oil, let it heat, now take 1/2 bowl of peanuts, roast them until crunchy and take them out in a bowl
- As the oil in the kadhai remains, if not add a tablespoon of oil, add some rai(mustard seeds), heeng, and a few curry leaves, stir, and cook till they start spluttering
- Now add 1 chopped onion, (one chopped tomato, this is optional, you can skip also) grated ginger, and chopped chilies if you like your poha spicy
- Now add salt as per taste, red chili powder, and 1/4th spoon of turmeric, mix all the ingredients gently
- Now add the soaked poha and stir again
- Cover the kadhai and cook for 2-3 minutes on low flame, do not overcook as the poha will become too soft and turn mushy
- Open the lid, add crispy peanuts, stir again
- Now garnish with some chopped coriander, and pomegranates, and squeeze a whole lemon.
Serve hot, you can sprinkle some aloo bhujia on top and serve for that crunch in your poha!
Sabudana Khichdi
The famous Maharashtrian recipe is often eaten during fasts and served for breakfast.
The white sabudana pearls or also called tapioca are healthy and filling.
Can be had for Breakfast, snack, or Fasting meal.
- Before making the khichdi, wash the amount required by you in a strainer, and then soak the pearls a night before you want to cook the dish.
- See if the sabudana pearls have softened, to check take a pearl between your fingers and try to mash it, if not then soak it for some more hours.
- Drain the pearls and set them aside.
- Now take a pan and add 1/2 tablespoon oil, fry half a bowl of peanuts, and cook them till they are dark brown and have turned crispy.
- You can add the peanuts as it is or also for the traditional recipe, grind the peanuts in a mixer, do not make a powder, just make it semi-fine.
- Now add the peanuts mixture to the sabudana containing bowl, add sendha namak(Rock Salt) as per taste, and half a tablespoon of sugar, mix well with a light hand
- Take a kadhai, add 2 tablespoons of ghee (you can also add oil), now add some jeera, and cook till it starts spluttering.
- Now add chopped green chilies if you like your dish spicy (if you don’t add half for the flavor)
- Now add chopped Pre boiled potatoes, saute for a minute and then add the sabudana peanut mixture.
- Now cook the sabudana stirring continuously for 5-7 minutes with a light hand or the pearls can get mashed.
- Now cover for a minute.
- Open the lid, squeeze a lemon and add chopped coriander leaves.
Serve hot!
You can serve sabudana khichdi with a bowl of curd or coconut chutney as well.
Matki Amti
This is a sprouted matki curry that is light on the stomach, good for people on a diet, and highly nutritious. This is also called moth beans curry and can be had for – lunch or dinner.
You can use readymade sprouts or sprout them at home which can take 2-3 days.
- Take a strainer, rinse 3-4 cups of sprouted matki in running water and set aside.
- Now to make the masala, take a mixed pot, add one chopped tomato, one chopped onion, add a few garlic pods and half grated ginger.
- Grind to make a smooth paste, take out in a bowl and set aside.
- Now take a kadhai, heat 1-2 tablespoons oil and add mustard seeds to it, stir till it starts spluttering.
- Now add some jeera and 9-10 curry leaves, and stir till this starts spluttering too.
- Now add the pasta and stir well
- Cook the masala on low flame till you see the masala and oil separating.
- Now add goda masala (traditional Maharashtrian masala), Haldi and red chili powder, and salt as per taste
- Now add the strained Matki and mix well.
- Now add 2 cups of water for thick gravy, add a cup more if you like a thin gravy.
- Cover with a lid and cook for a few minutes till the matki is cooked.
- Once the matki amti is cooked, garnish with some chopped coriander leaves and serve hot!
This traditional Maharashtrian dish can be served with chapati, rice, bhakri, and paratha or can be had just like this.
