Deshpande - Culinary treasures of Marathwada

CONTENTS The Tale of a Delectable Hobby M any years ago at a cookery competition, I was witness to how women, in the absence of modern equipment and resources, become uniquely inventive and used the simplest methods to turn out delightful dishes. The competition was to make a quick-fix basundi (thick, sweetened milk). Most contestants were from the rural areas. One group amongst them wowed the judges and audience alike by preparing a creamy, delicious concoction in no time, by using two charcoal burners. T heir skills had me in awe. It spurred me to write a newspaper column on the culinary skills of rural and semi-urban women.

But the column never saw the light of the day. Thus it is serendipity that I should now be connected with a book that deals with a topic close to my heart written by none other than my older sister Mai! I must mention that this book was written by her with a great deal of dedication, after she turned seventy. Our Mai was renowned in neighbouring towns as a gourmand. She taught many young girls the fine art of cooking. So great was her passion for cooking that she missed no opportunity to experiment with new recipes, drawing like-minded home makers to her kitchen and to the joy of cooking. Never did Mai think of taking classes or having her recipes published for fame or fortune.

But even as she was hampered by the aches and pains of advancing years, Mai diligently and with great determination wrote these recipes down fulfilling her children's and grandchildren's wishes that she does so. Ravi, Mai's older son, well-established in the world of advertising, grew up savouring her delicacies. He realised the rarity of her culinary genius, and decided that her skills must be shared with the world. Ravi's wife Nandini, brother Kiran and sister-in-law Nutan provided support to the cause. After Mai's sudden passing away in March 2009, Nandini relentlessly toiled to help bring the English edition to fruition. Mai learnt the ABCs of cooking from our mother, Ambu tai.

She was barely 9 or 10 years old when she began cooking under the fastidious supervision of our mother who was particular that Mai cooks strictly according to her instructions no matter how hard she would need to work to attain perfection. But our father's untimely and unexpected demise left such a void in our mother's life that she gave up cooking altogether! Thus, the entire responsibility of the kitchen fell on Mai's young shoulders. Having thus had the entire responsibility of the kitchen thrust upon her, Mai was encouraged to try out new recipes, rather than simply churning out the conventional ones. Earlier, our mother would be exacting about what we should eat, but as time passed, her demands grew less strict. Thus, Mai was given a free hand in the kitchen and as a result, she introduced sweeping changes in our culinary regimen. She would learn traditional recipes from older culinary artists in family circles and then add her own magic to create something unique yet delicious.

Thus, she spent many years grooming herself to become a home chef with a difference. Apart from making scrumptious dishes, Mai loved books. We grew up watching her read works of famous novelists such as Khandekar, Phadke and Bhave. One such riveting memory was Makar Sankrant day; Mai reading a novel held in one hand, while adeptly shaping sesame and sugar confections with the other. Time passed. Mai's family grew to include daughters-in-law and grandchildren.

But her role in the kitchen remained undiminished. Reading and cooking were two hobbies which always kept Mai fruitfully occupied, right till the end. With the task of compilation of her recipes in a book, her passions were given new depth and direction. Mai's cookbook consists of Marathwada dishes prepared for everyday meals as well as for special and festive occasions. According to Mai, once a woman becomes adept in everyday cooking, she can easily innovate and create newer dishes on her own. The recipes given here are indicative in nature.

A few changes here and there in the ingredients or method will not make major changes in the original taste of the dish. What matters is the attention and devotion with which you carry out the cooking, Mai always believed. Mai's cookbook consists of Marathwada dishes prepared for everyday meals as well as for special and festive occasions. A typical Marathi meal consists of one or two vegetables, a gravy-based dish of sprouts, a salad or raita, chutney, pickle, papad, kadhi or buttermilk, lentils in the form of varan or aamti, chapati and rice. A full-fledged meal in a Marathwada household is no different. However, it is not possible to prepare such elaborate meals in a household every day.

The tradition of serving a well-laden thali as in Gujarat, is not as prevalent in Maharashtra. In fact, Marathwada meals in particular can be best categorised as 'compact'! Superficially, the meal might not look extraordinary but take a bite and its uniqueness comes to the fore. Marathwada cooking may not be as spicy as Kolhapuri or Khandeshi cooking, but neither is it bland. It has a delicate blend of spices which provide a delectable balance of flavour and heat a skill Marathwada women learn very early through experience and tradition. A Marathwada speciality worth mentioning is the last-minute addition to the table even as people are about to commence a meal. Thus a 'highlight item' is a must at every meal.

It is a typically Maharashtrian trait to add such a dish at the last minute. There seems to be a historical reason behind this custom. In the old days, Marathi households would be brimming over with people. So much so, that by the time women could start eating their meals, two groups of men folk would have already finished their meals and with it, most of the dal and vegetables. In order to make up for the absence of curries an impromptu additional dish would be conjured up. Harbharyachi bhaaji (spiced tender green gram leaves), tavyavarcha pithla (spiced dried gram), paratlelya mirchyancha kharda (Fried chilli chutney), olya chinchecha thecha (fresh tamarind chutney), hirvyaa mirchyancha thecha (green chilli chutney), shengdanyachya kutaacha bhurka (peanut chutney) would be some of the last-minute additions included to spice up the meal.

Even if none of these were turned out, a tadka or frying spices in oil to release their flavour, would surely be In order. Marathwada has, for long, added flavour to Its dal and vegetables with this humble technique. The fragrance of tadka wafting through the hallways was enough to know that womenfolk were eating their meals! As conventions such as these get established, we refer to them as culture. Geographically similar regions acquire similar culinary cultures as was the case with Marathwada. Yet, Marathwada has retained a distinctive culinary identity vis-avis the rest of Maharashtra. This distinction was especially prominent during the reign of the Nizam.

The scarcity of ingredients and general lack of exposure created an impact on the cooking techniques then practised in the region. Those were testing times that deeply affected the eating habits and culinary landscape of Marathwada, unbeknownst to the rest of the state. A Marathwada speciality worth mentioning is the last-minute addition to the table even as people are about to commence a meal. Yet, though life was cloistered and restrictive during the Nizam's reign, the Marathi populace in the region never gave up their identity. What is commendable is that even in times of acute shortage and severe political conflicts, Marathwada retained its spirit of communal harmony and generosity. A Muslim officer would affectionately visit a Maharashtrian household for Diwali and with similar affection would invite the Maharashtrian family to his house for Eid.