Maharashtrian cuisine is perhaps one of the least known cuisines in India. In fact, very few people outside of that region really know about the dishes of that culture. However, having had friends from that place I have had the good fortune of having sampled a lot food from Maharashtra. In fact, the cuisine there is pre-dominantly vegetarian, which suits me just fine.
In fact, the dish we are going to cook today is called Patichya Kandyachi Zunka. Sounds exotic? Well in some ways it can be. This is essentially fresh plucked spring onions sautéed in chickpea flour. This combination of flour into what will other wise be a dish very close to sautéed vegetables, elevates this recipe from mediocre to exotic.
You can also make modifications by adding additional veggies into the recipe. This dish however does NOT support incorporation of non-vegetarian items into it.
However, this dish is extremely good for health. The benefits of this dish are multi-faceted. Spring Onions are a good source of dietary fibre and vitamins A and B6, thiamine, folate and minerals. Some research suggests that spring onions may lower cholesterol levels, decrease the risk of heart attacks and strokes and have antibacterial and antifungal properties. Chickpea flour is also better than wheat in terms of fibre content and vitamins. The dish goes very well as a dry accompaniment with rice. However, do note while having with rice you may need another accompaniment which has a bit of gravy.
So! Let’s get this show on the road!
Ingredients
• 3 cups finely chopped Spring Onions (Bulb & stems).
• 1/2 cup Gram flour.
• 1 Green Chilli, finely chopped.
• 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon Red Chilli powder.
• 2 teaspoons Sunflower Oil
• 1 pinch Asafoetida (Hing)
• Salt, to taste
The Recipe
1.To begin making Maharashtrian Style Patichya Kandyachi Zunka Recipe, clean, wash and finely chop the spring onions, separate the white parts from the greens, chop and keep aside.
2.Dry roast the chickpea flour on medium heat till aromatic in a wide pan. Once aromatic remove into a bowl and keep aside.
3.Heat oil in the same pan in medium flame, add the mustard seeds and let it splutter.
4.Once the mustard seeds splutter add the asafoetida and green chilies and let its flavors infuse into the oil.
5.Add the white bulbs of spring onions and saute until they turn translucent.
6.Now, add the green portion of the spring onion, salt and saute until it is cooked well. Sprinkle water if needed.
7.Add in the red chilli, turmeric powder and chickpea flour little at a time and mix well.
8.If the mixture is too dry, sprinkle some water and bring the consistency to your desired level.
9.The consistency should resemble crumbs yet be soft.
10.Check for the seasoning, add salt if needed and let it cook on low flame for 10 more minutes till chickpea flour is fully cooked. Occasionally stir in between.
11.Once done, switch off the flame and garnish with little green portion of the spring onions.
There your fancy health food is ready. This goes well with Roti (Indian flat bread) and Rice. If you are imaginative you can use this with mayo and sandwich spreads to even create health sandwiches.
So many times, my mom has used this tactic against me when I was a child. She would stuff sandwiches with greens and then cover it all up with a thin layer of cheese. As kids we would always eat it up. Your kids may not Love this recipe. But it sure is healthy for them.
I hope you enjoy cooking this recipe as much as I do. If you need any info on Indian cooking do feel free to reach out via comments. I will try my best to share with you.
