Traditional Maharashtrian Food

Maharashtrian cuisine covers a range from being mild to very spicy dishes. Wheat, rice, jowar, bajri, vegetables, lentils and fruit form important components of Maharashtrian diet. Popular dishes include puran poli, ukdiche Modak, batata wada and “Kande-pohe”.

The staple dishes of Maharashtrian cuisine are based on bread and rice. The Thali consists of salt, wedge of lime, a fresh chutney, achar (pickle), a raita (vegetables or fruits in spiced yogurt), rice wafers and pakoras. Maharashtrians are particularly proud of their astonishing range and diversity of chutneys, achars, brine pickles and koshimbirs. 

Another vital point of maharashtrian etiquette is arrangement of rice. the rice should never be in the middle of the thali. It should never be the haphazard mountain of rice. It should be placed to one side of the thali. Above the rice is thoordal puree. Next is one dry vegetable and one curry. In even the fanciest maharashtrian meal there will still be only two vegetable dishes on the right-hand side of the thali. The vegetables are never overcooked and the spices are always mild.

Popular Dishes

Sweets :

• Puran poli
• Gulachi Poli
• Modak
• Karanji
• Gulab Jamun
• Anarsa
• Chirota
• Basundi
• Shrikhand
• Laddu

Snacks :

• Chivda
• Poha
• Upma
• Surali wada
• Vada pav
• Pav Bhaji
• Thalipeeth
• Bakarwadi
• Misal Pav
• Kanda Bhaji

Curries:

• “Amti” (Sweet and Sour Lentil Curry, made with Tamarind and Jaggery)
• Batatyachi Bhaji (Potato preparations)
• Vangyache bharit (Baingan Bharta)
• Dalimbya (Beans)
• Farasbichi Bhaji
• Palkachi Takatli Bhaji (Spinach cooked in buttermilk)
• Kelphulachi Bhaji (Banana/plantain bloom)
• Fansachi Bhaji ( Jackfruit preparation)
• Walache Birdha

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Traditional Kerala Food

Kerala cuisine mainly consists of coconut based foods. Since, Kerala is the chief exporter of coconut, it  is used liberally over here. Kerala is a place well known for its beautiful backwaters and thus, this place is a paradise for seafood lovers. There is an abundance of seafood specialties.

Rice is the staple food in Kerala. Closeness to the sea ensures easy availability of the choicest seafood. Kerala state are known for their exotic dishes and a delicious spread consisting of mouthwatering biriyanis, pathiri ( a pancake made out of rice flour), fish moilee(fish cooked the traditional way in coconut milk), meen pollichattu(fish cooked in a banana leaf) and other delicacies vegetable dishes .

Weddings and other auspicious occasions are not complete without an elaborate Sadhya.

With coconut being available in plenty, coconut oil is the main medium of cooking. However, there has been a significant shift in preferences in the recent times. With the health aspect gaining prominence, many Keralites are shifting to low fat cooking oils. However, the flavor and taste of a dish cooked purely in coconut oil still remains unmatched.

Popular Vegetarian Food: Aviyal, olan
Popular Non-vegetarian Food: Shrimp coconut curry, fish poriyal

Some of the popular Kerala dishes and recipes are:

Best Dishes	Meen Moilee, Mutton Biryani, Theeyal, Duck Roast with Malabar Porotta, Chilly Fried Crabs, Lacy Idiappam, Crisp Meen Prichathu, Appam with Mena Curry, Fresh Toddy, Parpu Kari, Kuttanad Fish Curry, Chemmeen Coconut Fry, Fish Korma, Chamundi Dish.
Cuisine Exotica	Puttu, Vattayappam, Kallappam, Idiappam.
Non Veg Dishes	Fishes like Pomfret, Sardines, snapper, crustaceans, Karimeen, Egg and Poultry, Mutton, Beef and Pork.
Veg Dishes	Mix Vegetable Avial, Stew with Coconut Milk, Cheena Molagu (local Cuisine), Puzhukku- Root Vegetables.
Feasts for all Occasions	Sadyavattams, Aviyal, Olan, Kootu Curry, Puli-inji, Kaalam, Koova.
Famous Drinks	Kattan Kapi, Black Coffee, Chooku-Kapi (Dried Ginger Brew).
Not To Be Missed	Dishes like Crisp Appam, Parakka Kerdatam, Parippu Vada with Cocunut Chutney, Vada Sambhar.
Frying Spree	Alathur Chips, Nendrankai, Chakkara Varattina Varuval – (Thick Chip cut in Halves or Quarters), Jackfruit (Chakka) Chips.
Festival Dishes	Sambar/Kuzhambu Varieties, Rasam Varieties, Kootu/Curry Varieties, Payasam Varieties, Keerai Varieties, Podi Varieties, Rice Delights.
Sweet Dishes	Mango Pachadi, Kheema Pulao, Payasam, Sweet Sauce, Milk Rice, Coconut Rice, Vermicelli sweetened with Jaggery, Avalose.
Traditions of Central Kerala	Erachi Olathiyathu (Fried Mutton, beef or Pork), Meen Mullgattathu ( red fish Curry), Meen Pollichathu ( Fish Roasted in plaintain leaf), Prawn Mappas, Peera Pattichattu (fish dish with grated Coconut), Ducjk Roast and Kozhi Piralen ( a fried Chicken).
Grand Fiest with Sadya	Sadya is Traditional Big Feast. An improperly laid Ela (plantain Leaf) is an indicator. The leaf is laden with Lime Curry, Mango Pickle, Puli-Inji, Lime Pickle. Remaining area is studded with Thoran, Vegetable Strew or Olan, Avail ( thick Mixture of Vegetables), Pachadi (Raw Mango and Curd Mixture), Elisseri (Vegetable like Pumpkin or Green Banana). Rice served at the bottom and Rasam( Fiery Pepper Soup) is served throughout the course of the meal.

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Traditional Kashmiri Food

A Kashmiri food can be a simple meal that can be prepared for a family or it can be an extravagant 36 – course wedding banquet which they call it Wazawan. The Kashmiri staple diet is rice. A mutton meat, fish and chicken are also important part of a Kashmiri meal.

Kashmiri food makes an extensive use of turmeric and yoghurt. In the making of Kashmiri dishes, garlic and onion are not used much as in the case of other Indian cuisines. The strong influence of Kashmiri pandits, who are predominantly meat eaters, explains the reason why the cuisine of Kashmir has more of non vegetarian dishes. Kashmiri thali is preferred mainly for its non vegetarian dishes.

Traditional Kashmiri thali consists of Wazwan, which demands lot of preparation. Infact, preparing Wazwan in itself is considered a great art. Substantial time and effort is spent on the making of this special feast. The cuisine of Wazwan encompasses near about 36 dishes. The head chef known as Vasta Waza does all the requisite preparations. It is mostly prepared on some big family occasion or festivity.

The use of curd in the preparation of food gives the dish a creamy touch. To enhance the flavor of the meat dishes, Kashmiris add asafoetida (Hing) to it. Other addictive spices used to add to the taste are dry ginger and Saunf (aniseed). Sometimes, ginger is used in excessive quantity that makes the dish pungent. Kashmir being the leading producer and chief exporter of saffron makes an extensive use of it in the form of a colorful flavoring agent. For its amazing aroma, it is added to pulaos and sweets.

Kashmiri dishes make a regular use of dry fruits, especially in the preparation of curries. Kashmiris use ghee to cook meals, though in urban areas, well educated families have started using mustard oil as an alternative, to avoid the intake of high fat in ghee. Kashmiri rice is also quite aromatic and light and thus the Kashmiri rice pulao is well liked by people. The cuisine of Kashmir is truly unique and has absolutely no comparison. This food is usually mixed with fruits to add flavors to the dish.

Some of the delectable Kashmiri recipes are given below

Daniwal Korma	a mutton curry with lots of coriander.
Rogan Josh	Roghan Josh is the succulent lamb meat, prepared in yogurt cream with authentic mixture of different rare spices.
Chaman qaliya	cottage-cheese squares in gravy with kashmiri spices.
Dum Aloo	potatoes cooked in yogurt gravy.
Hak (with Nadeir/Vangan)	a local variety of greens.
Muji Chetein	a sharp radish and walnut chutney.
Nadeir Yakhean	lotus stem in a delicate yogurt sauce.
Nadier Palak	lotus stem with spinach.
Rista	meatballs in a fiery red gravy.
Tabak Maaz	ribs of lamb simmered in yogurt till tender, then fried, can be served as a snack/side-dish.
Aab Gosht	spicy lamb curry purely made in kitchen of kashmir
Martswangan Korma	an extremely hot lamb preparation.
Kabaab	minced meat roasted on skewers over hot coals.
Gushtaba	velvety textured meatball in white yogurt gravy,a specialty .
Yakhni	delicately spiced yogurt curry.
Phirni	a dessert of rice flour thickened in milk set in earthenware cups with nuts and “varq”-silver leaf.
Razmah dal aanchar Razmah Goagji Veth Chaman Dhani Phul Gaad kufta Gushtaba Shami Kabab Choek Vangan

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Traditional Karnataka Food

Karnataka cuisine is a blend of distinctive cuisines of its various regions like Mangalore, Malnad, Udupi, Coorg, North Karnataka etc.

A typical Karnataka meal is pure vegetarian cooked in sesame and ground nut oil. The coastal areas have a simple, yet flavorsome cuisine with meat, fish and seafood varieties cooked in coconut oil. Especially Mangalore coast with their Goan influence have their own distinct fish and meat specialties cooked in coconut milk. The Bhakri meal of northern Karnataka based on Jowar is very different as is the raagi meal of the rural areas of Mysore. The Kodavas or Coorgis, who are culturally quite different from the rest of the state, have an equally distinct cuisine. The three staple items of Karnataka’s culinary culture are rice, raagi and jowar (millet). The people in the northern districts prefer millet rotis with spicy vegetable preparations while in rural Mysore the preference is steamed raagi balls served with hot chutney or ‘huli’, very similar to Sambhar.

It is believed that every meal is a wholesome meal containing essential components of a healthy meal such as proteins, carbohydrates and vitamins. It is a tradition here to start the meal with a dessert.

Popular Karnataka Dishes

Rice Dishes Bisi bele bath Vangi bath Chitranna Puliogare Maavinakayi Chitranna Mosaranna	Sweets Huggi Ginna Kadubu Karjikaayi Kajjaya Gas Gase paayasa Sabbakki Paayasa Obbattu	Gojju Menasinakayi Gojju Hunase Gojju Haagalkai Gojju Tondekai Gojju Tomato Gojju
Breads Akki Rotti Ragi Rotti Jolada Rotti Ragi Mudde Paddu (Gundupongla)	Sakkare Achhu Kesaribath Chiroti Karadantu Sheekarni Mysore Pak Dharwad Peda	Snacks Bonda / Bajji Vade Chakkuli Nippattu Kodubale

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Traditional Gujarati Food

The traditional Gujarati food is primarily vegetarian and has a high nutritional value. The typical Gujarati thali consists of varied kinds of lip smacking dishes. Gujarati cuisine has so much to offer and each dish has an absolutely different cooking style. Some of the dishes are stir fry, while others are boiled. Gujaratis use a combination of different spices and flavors to cook their meals and this is what makes their food truly exotic. The traditional Gujarati thali mostly encompasses rotli, dal or kadhi, sabzi also known as shaak and rice. People in Gujarat eat one or the other type of curry along with rice and roti in almost every meal Gujarati dishes usually have a very subtle taste that makes it truly distinct from other Indian cuisines.

Most of the Gujarati dishes are sweet, while others have a quite larger concentration of sugar as compared to salt and spices. Sometimes, jaggery is used as an alternative to sugar. Gujarati food is highly energy efficient and thus do not cause much of fuel wastage. The staple food of Gujarat consists of homemade pickles, chhaas (buttermilk), salad etc. main course includes vegetables which are usually steamed and dal. Vaghaar is a blend of spices, which is purified in hot oil and then added to the dal. To prevent the body from becoming dehydrated, lot of salt, sugar, tomato and lemon is used.

Popular Gujarati Dishes

Sweets Basundi Ghari Ghebar or Ghevar Halvasan Keri no ras Malpua Puran Poli Shrikhand Son Papdi Ronvelia Shiro Sutarfeni	Farsan (Snacks) Daal Dhokli Dhokla Fafda Farsi Falafel Ganthia Hahdwoh Kachori Khakhra Khaman Khandvi Khichu	Shaak and Daal: Vegetables and Curries Meethi (Sweet) Kadhi Sev Tameta nu Shak Undhiyun Kadhi Pakori Magaj Mula ni Kadhi Kantola nu shaak Lasaniya Batata Ringna no oolo Fansi ma Dhokli nu shaak Dudhi Bataka nu rasawalu shaak Panchkutiyu shaak
Diwali Special Snacks Cholafali Ghooghra Mathia Soonvali	Khaman Dhokla Lilva Kachori Muthia Sev Khamani	Breads Bajri no rotlo Bhakhri Dhebara Thepala Masala Puri

Have you checked these : Kashmiri Food, Kerala Food, Karnataka Food, Bengali Food, Andhra Food