Puneri Cuisine (The cooking of the people of Pune)
What is Puneri cuisine?
Puneri cuisine is basically brahmani cuisine which is pure vegetarian food. It
comprises of various dishes consumed by this sect which may range from varan-
bhath-tup (dal rice and ghee) to rich foods like karanjis (coconut empanadas) and
anarse ( netted sweet). Basically these foods are nishiddh or presented as
nevidya(offering) to God. Therefore these preparations do not contain ginger and
garlic.
Pune has also developed various tastes that are not native to the place which
may include various new trends, successful experimental foods (CAD-B: a fudgy
chocolate milkshake with rich cream and chocolate shavings) peculiar to Pune
and impossible to find them outside. Pune is also very famous for its
lakshminarayan chiwda, chitale bakarwadis, shrews berry biscuit and
mastani(milkshake named after the mistress of Bajirao Peshwa)
GEOGRAPHICAL INFULENCE:
· Pune does not have crops of its own but jowar and bajra are widely
cultivated on the outskirts and surrounding areas
· Pune lies surrounded by areas of Konkan , malwan and Kolhapur one can
experience medley of all the three i.e. one can experience rassas (thin
meat gravies) as well as pithla bhakhri (gram flour gravy with millet rotis).
OTHER VITAL INFLUENCES:
Maratha cuisine: due to Shivaji Maharaj and the reign of Shahu
Maharaj.
Jews: Bene Israeli Jews (descendants of Jewish oil pressers) also
influenced the cuisine. Pune houses the largest synagogue in the
world outside Israel.
Students :Pune known as the Oxford of the East houses many
students due to which there was development of various cuisines
such as chaat, pav bhaji, vadapav and udipi joints. This has also
given rise to many messes in the city.
INGREDIENTS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER CUISINES
Nagkesar(cinnamon fruit)
Triphala(spice berries)
Veldoda(green and black cardamom)
Dagad phul(lichen/rock flower)
Val(bitter beans)
Alu( colocasia)
Kelphul(banana blossoms)
Kokum/amsul(garcinia indica)
Khaycha chuna(edible /slaked lime)
Turathi (pigeon pea stalks)
Turti(alum powder)
Varka (edible silver)
Chik(colostrum)
These ingredients are widely used and some of them like chik for
example is used sometimes to make kharvas(custard) actually chik is
colostrum which is produced by the cow just after calving. In villages
around Pune this is given to neighbours when a new calf is born.
EQUIPMENTS:
Ganja /taakacha bhanda(buttermilk container)
Katna(a pastry crimper uith inundations)
Khalbatta(mortar and pestle) made up of copper
Masalyacha dabba(box of spices)
Modak patra(steaming of modaks)
Parat ( a mixing dish for kneading doughs)
Pata-varvanta(grinding stone and pestle)
Phodnichi kadai(tempering pan)
Puranyacha yantra(food mill) for puran poli
Ravi (butter churning stick)
Sorya (chakli and shev press)
Sup(winnowing fan)
Vati (metal bowl)
Vili (knife and chopping board)
Tambya (water jug)
THE FETIVALS
These festivals are celebrated throughout the year as per the Hindu calendar
which starts with padva they are as follows:
I. Chaitra(mar-apr): gudhi padva, ram navami.
II. Vaishakha(apr-may): akshay truteeya, hanuman jayanti, Buddha jayanti
III. Jyeshtha(may-jun): vata purnima
V. Shravan (jul-aug):nag panchami, narali purnima, rakshabandhan,
gokulashtami
X. Paush: sankranti
XI. Magh: vasant panchami, mahashivratri
XII. Phalgun :holi purnima, dhuli vandan, rang panchami.
Name of the festival Preparation
Gudhi padva (new year) Shrikhand, puranachi poli
Nag panchami(worship of snakes) Dinde, sweet khandvi, modak
Narali purnima(full moon during Narali bhaat, karanji, modak
shravan)
Ganesh chaturthi(installation of lord Steamed/fried modak, karanji
ganesha)
Gauri (during ganesh festival) Ghavan ghatle, vade, gharge
Dusshera Shrikhand, sakhar bhaat, haldichya
panatle patole.
Kojagiri purnima Masala doodh, elaichi coffee
Satyanarayana puja Satyanarayancha shira, elaichi
coffee, panchamrut.
Diwali Sweets and snacks such as anarse,
chakli, shankarpali, ladu , chiwda,
kadboli, shev, chirote, karanji ladu,
pattal pohyacha chiwda
Padva (diwali) shrikhand
Bhaubeej (diwali) Basundi, jilebi, pakatli puri
Sankranti (winter) Gulachi poli, tilache ladu, til gul
Rang panchami(colour) Sakhar bhaat
Holi Puranachi poli
FOODS WHEN FASTING:
The popular fast foods (foods eaten during the fast) are:
· Sabudana vada: wadas of sago
· Variacha bhaat: a soupy treat made up of shama millet
· Shengdanyachi amti: peanut amti
· Sabudanyachi khichadi: tossed sago with chillies and potatoes
· Batatyachi bhaji
· Upaswasachi kachori: savoury empanadas
· Sweet : shrikhand, sitafal rabdi, anjeer rabdi
· Kakdichi koshimbir: cucumber salad
· Rajgiracha ladu and chikki
Restaurants in pune specially prepare upwasachi thali for these
occasions.
Shravan is observed throughout Maharashtra during which the
people do not consume non vegetarian food even though influenced
by kolhapuri and konkanastha cuisines.
STREET FOOD OF PUNE:
Missal : it is an authentic dish especially called as “Puneri
Missal. (two types exist i.e. puneri and kolhapuri missal). It
comprises of matki, moong vatana mixed with onions, chiwda
and served with pav
Thalipeeth: it is a bread made up of various dals , onions and
flavoured with spices.
Puri bhaji: again it finds its home in pune sold by various
vendors
Pithla bhakri: not found on streets but one can relish it at
sinhagad when it is really chilly. Its a dish made up of of
besan and served with jowar or bajra bhakris.
Kanda bhajji: deep fried relish made up of onions and gram
flour.
Alu wadi: originates from pune and is made up of cococasia
leaves and besan.
Pohe: flattened rice savoury especially in the form of kanda
pohe even available at 3 am in the morning at certain places
Vernon Coelho
Ihm Mumbai
2010-2011
