It’s Pujo time, Pune!
Author: Sthubanta Mukherjee
Yes, the king of fruits is here and yes, we are loving it! And here we are going to make the kings’ visit way more interesting and enticing than it already is. Coming up, four savoury dishes you can totally use ripe mangoes for and make them totally drool worthy.
Kokum, the summer essential. Packed with flavour, vitamin C and that oh to die for shade of violet. Though we all seemingly love this ingredient, we don’t give it much importance or explore it further than the sol kadhi, sherbet or the odd couple of kokums in a curry to add that tangy freshness. So, I thought, why not make it a hero for some summer suppers? It’s cooling, it’s zesty and a super summer cooler. Here are five dishes that make kokum shine…
Summers are here! Here are the top eight favourite foods of all times, that we Punekars love and look forward to every summer.
The 2-minutes-wonder that has been a life saver since we were kids, yes MAGGI! From eating a bowl full of it at night while studying for exams, to heading outside Pune station to satiate the post party hunger cravings, Maggi has forever been the ‘go-to’ 4 am and 4 pm friend alike. In an ode to our best buddy for years, here are five recipes to make it simply more awesome!
Be it marathwada or marwar, Poha or pohe has been the breakfast of choice since one can remember. The spill over or rather adoption of the dish by other parts of the country is purely because it is an easy way out to get some essential carbs and vegetables into our system, packed with taste. In Pune, we have had a few versions of it. Be it the dadpe pohe at Poona Guest House, or the 4 am pohe fix at Amruteshwar.
I have had paani puri from almost all parts of India; and hell, I am Bengali. So, ‘puchka’ is supposed to be like a gospel. But, for me the paani puri of Pune is always on the top of the charts. You could devour these little bursts of joy at Ganesh Bhel or Kalyan Bhel or a roadside vendor opposite Fergusson college or one in any of the galli bolas of Pune; the spicy, sweet, tangy and crunchy pools of flavour will never let you down. And that taste of Pune, you will never find in any other paani puri all over India.
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5 Lip-Smacking Variations of Mastani
Way before we had coffee shops sneaking up at every nook and corner in Pune, we had our own version of deliciousness in a glass, the Mastani. True to its name, it is a delectable milkshake, loaded with dry fruits and all things good and served with a generous scoop of ice cream. The memories of going to Sujata Mastani and delving into a divine glassful, are still fresh and mouth-watering.
For years now, Pune has been gifted with its favourite joints like Garden vada pav, Joshi wadewale, Shivshakti and many others, who, while retaining the quintessential deliciousness of the snack, have little secrets tucked up their sleeves to make it extra special. It could be the chutneys they add, the masala in the potato mixture or simply the way they fry the green chillies to accompany the Indian burger, that makes it the most sought after street food item. Seriously, no other snack has ever been able to dethrone the vada pav from that position.
Misal pav can be experimented with and jazzed up to be a gourmet dish. I mean really, it’s Misal Pav; what better than comfort food that also doubles up as gourmet cuisine. This is not just a delicious and healthy dish, but it is SOUL food. Here are five ways to jazz up the traditional Misal Pav to be a thick favourite on a pan-Indian palette…