RCI June: Maharashtrian Cuisine!

A couple of months ago, Lakshmi of Veggie Cuisine started an event that is very close to my heart: it is called RCI or Regional Cuisine of India. Each month, a region or state of India is chosen as a theme, and food bloggers are encouraged to explore the cuisine of that region and try making some delicious and authentic food from that region. The first month was Tamilian Cuisine, and here is the appetizing feast of the Tamil round-up. Right now, the second event, Andhra Cuisine is ongoing (last 2-3 days, so hurry!), hosted by Latha of Masala Magic...that round-up will be up by the first of June. When Lakshmi was looking for bloggers to host for this event, I jumped up and begged her to let me host one of them. And so, here it is, the RCI for the month of June is...

(Pictured: Marigold flowers and Mango leaves, depicted in yarn, woven into a garland or "toran", a must-have for every festive occasion in Maharashtra)

...Maharashtrian Food! From the Southern Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, we move a little bit to the North and all the way to the West Coast of India, to the state of Maharashtra. Maharashtra is the third-largest state of India, densely populated and a hot-bed of commerce and agriculture. The language spoken there is Marathi. It is the state where I spent the first 22 years of my life, hence my obsession with love for Marathi food. Maharashtra has many different regions...the coast by the Arabian sea is home to rainy tropical forests while interior Maharashtra is dry and prone to extreme temperatures. Marathi food is very diverse, reflecting the many different regions and sub-cultures of Maharashtra.

If you are not very familiar with Maharashtrian cuisine, here are some resources that might be helpful: Lokpriya and Mumbai Masala have good recipes, Wikipedia provides several links, and here is an essay on Maharashtrian food.

I can't think of many (or, actually, any!) English-language cookbooks that specialize in the food of Maharashtra, but cookbooks on general Indian cuisine (of which there are hundreds) often have a few recipes that come from Maharashtra so it is worth looking through them.

Of course, you can also go and look for recipes and ideas from all the blogs who cook up a lot of Maharashtrian cuisine. In these wonderful blogs, you will find everything from fasting foods to feasting foods and everyday favorites.

You could choose to tuck into some breakfast, or eat a wholesome meal of bread, amti (dal), simple bhaaji (vegetable), rassa (curry), flavored rice and salad.

Or you might be more in the mood for some tea-time snacks, washed down with steaming hot chaha (chai) or a cool beverage. You can even go "back to basics" and try a recipe for an authentic Maharastrian masala.

Let's not forget that Maharashtra is home to the the sprawling, throbbing megapolis of Bombay. All the dozens of Indian culinary traditions collide in Bombay, for it is home to people of all regions of India, who migrate to this city in search of work or education, chasing dreams of a better life. Bombay is home to chaat of all types, including a spicy one-dish meal that is popular all over Maharashtra!

So whether you decide to go with traditional techniques or their creative counterparts, have fun and cook up a storm! We would love to hear of the stories behind the recipes too, whether it is food memories from childhood or from traveling to Maharashtra, or knowing someone who comes from there.

If you would like to participate...
1. From now until 25th June, write a post on your blog that features Maharashtrian (Marathi) cuisine.
2. In your post, please include a link to this post so that your readers can play along.
3. Feel free to use either or both logos given below in your post: the RCI one (courtesy: Lakshmi) or the RCI:Maharashtrian one.
4. Mail me at nupurDOTkitturATgmailDOTcom with the permalink/URL of your post.
5. If you have a picture of the dish, please attach a photo (400 X 400 pixel) to the mail.
6. Check back on July 1st for the round-up right here on One Hot Stove!





Please e-mail me if you have questions, or need ideas or resources. Thanks in advance for your enthusiastic participation!