MY POSTS

Khichdi If someone asks which two dishes are the most special in Marathi cuisine, the first unanimous answer will be puran poli. In Marathi culture, puran poli has a place of honour… in fact, it’s an inseparable part of our tradition. But although everyone agrees on puran poli, there will never be agreement on the second dish. People from Kolhapur will vote for pandhra rassa or misal. In Nagpur, they’ll think of pudachi vadi or vada bhaat. The always-in-a-hurry Mumbaikars might agree on pompano fish or vada pav. And the argumentative-by-hobby, “principled” Punekars will first fight endlessly over Ukdiche modak or Chitale’s Bakarwadi. Later, seminars on the topic will also be organised. Some Punekars will even recommend chakli or shrikhand... Then someone will point out that shrikhand isn’t originally Marathi at all — it’s a Gujarati dish, brought to Maharashtra by Bajirao I in the third decade of the 18th century. Evidence will be shown too! And then another debate will begin — was it ...