Maharashtrian Festival Thaali

This is one of those thaali meals that I truly enjoyed without having to do the guesswork while cooking, about how the dishes are going to end up tasting. I have cooked most of these dishes before but not all at once as a meal. I built this simple thaali around a 'Akshaya Tritiya' thaali video I saw last year though I am unable to trace it back now. I added a few more dishes to the thaali including puranpolis and vadas to make it more festive. The thaali was appealing to both our eyes and palates.

The state of Maharashtra lies along the Western coast of India and it's capital city Bombay is the financial hub and the largest city in the country. The city which has been attracting people from all over the country for years now have become synonymous for it's lip-smacking street food. While traditional festive dishes such as modak, pooran poli, basundi, shrikhand, gulachi poli, masale bhath, unerringly point towards the state. 

Thaalipeet, a mixed flour flatbread is one of the popular breakfasts from the state along with sago / sabudana khichdi and poha. Sago / sabudana vadas, bhakarwadi, vada pav, misal pav, kothimbir vadi, are a few among the long list of popular snacks from the region. Most of the staple food in the state is lacto-vegetarian and the home cooked food is usually a complete, balanced meal like any other regional cuisine in India. It includes rice, dal, curry, chutney and a form of bread made from wheat, jowar or sorghum flours. Varan bhaat, aamti, kadhi, jhunka are every day foods. Peanuts and sesame seeds are widely used in the preparation of curries, chutneys and sometimes even in salads. 

I remember that a thaali from Maharasthra always includes varan bhaath, koshimbir, papad, pickle, a sweet dish, a vegetable curry along with a bread. That idea and the video I watched helped me in creating this menu. I did not include any rice dish because I was the only one at home eating lunch that day. My husband was having a lunch with his colleague which I did not realize until after I started cooking the meal. Poor planning, I know. However a masale bhaath would be an apt addition if having company.

My menu

Salad 
Koshimbir - Cucumber salad 

Rice and Breads:
Rice
Poori - Puffy fried breads

Curry and Dal:
Valachi bhirdi usli / Dried field beans curry
Batatyachi bhaji - Potato curry
Phodanicha Varan - Tempered dal (Recipe here.)

Accompaniments
Haldiche lonche / Fresh turmeric pickle
Green coconut chutney

Papad

Snack and Sweets
Sabudana vada - Pan fried tapioca pearl fritters (Recipe for deep fried version is here.)
Shrikhand - Sweetened yogurt, garnished with nuts (Recipe here.)
Puran poli - Sweet, stuffed flatbreads

I am posting the recipe for valachi bhirdi usli which is dried field beans / val beans curry. It is a simple preparation loaded with protein and done in no time since the val beans gets cooked fast. Easy dishes like these are life savers and apt to include in a thaali meal.

Ingredients:
1 tsp. oil
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
10 curry leaves
1 pinch of asafoetida powder
1 pinch of turmeric
2 handfuls of val beans

Salt to taste

Chili powder to taste

2 to 3 tbsp. shredded fresh coconut
Minced cilantro to garnish

Directions:

1. Rinse the val beans and add them to a pot along with about half a cup of water. Boil them until they are completely cooked. Add a little extra water if needed. They must still hold their shape when they are done but not turn mushy. 
chillu powder

2. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, When they start to brown add curry leaves, asafoetida and turmeric in quick succession. (The uncooked beans and water can be added and cooked at this point if preferred instead of step 1.)

3. Add the cooked beans, salt, chili powder and coconut and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more and turn off the stove. Garnish with cilantro.
4. Serve it warm as a side dish to rice / rotis.

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