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Map of Maharashtra
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Spices or Masalas arethe soul of an Indian kitchen. Spices are used to flavor the food not just makethem hot ( There are misconception about Indian food). However thereare many flavors that are very different to our palate may take sometime to understand or train our palates to enjoy them. Garam Masala iscommonly use in all over India but each community use different proportions ofspices as per supply and weather of Indian sectors.
Mostly all different typesof Garam masalas were named as community wise.
Being Mumbaikar and raised in Maharashtrian family , I have been fortunate tobeen part of delicious and authentic Maharasthrian food. Maharashtra is mainlydivided in to five regions and each region has own unique flavor of GaramMasala. Recently Indian Food Observance Day celebrated Masala Day. Here in this blog post you will find information of famous of masalas which were followed by generation to generation and to identify the history of Maharashtra's community. Lets take a tour of Maharashtra's Masala !!
1) Kolhapuri Masala / Kanda Lasun Masala
Kolhapur and spicy food arevery connected to each other. Kolhapuri Misal is one of the famous dish of this community and specially their famous non-vegetarian food - Tambada rassa (Red curry) and Pandhara rassa (White curry). Kolhapuri masala is also known as Kanda Lasunmasala because it contains large portion of onion and garlic. Traditionally local people make large portion of this masala at one time and store it for 1-2 years which is called Sathavanicha Masala (साठवणीचा मसाला). This masala contains two fresh ingredients (onion & garlic) and rest of all ingredients are in dry form.
If you want to buy this masala then you can try Prakash Kolhapuri Masala brand which is available in local market or you can also buy oniline. - https://www.flavorsofmycity.com/pkm-foods-pvt-ltd
There are also some videos on YouTube to make it. - https://youtu.be/bQv2YUGEH9o
2) Malvani Masala
In Maharashtrian cuisine, Malvani food has a different sort of specialty and among that, Malvani masala is a important one. It is also known as Bhajaka masala (भाजका मसाला). This masala contains 22 ingredients of dry spices and it has very appetizing flavor and beautiful aroma which results from the interplay of all spices. I was traveling towards Malvan in summer and I saw almost every house surrounded by bedgi and kashmiri red chilies on the terrace or in front of the door in order to dry them.
Malvan is coastal area of Konkan thats why fish dishes dominate in the Malvani cuisine. Malvani food is not spicy as the balnace the flavor of masala in dishes but their food cant be plain and simple. It should be always flavorful like we call in Maharashtra, it should be chamchamit (चमचमीत).
3) Koli Masala
The unique Koli Fisher Folk community of Mumbai...and ofcourse their masala too! This masala is traditional mix of 18 odd spices like red chilli, cinamon stick, cassia buds, poppy seeds, mace, nutmeg and more quantity of corinader seeds. It needs to roasted and blend to form a spice mix which has a strong and sharp flavor.This spice mix is made in order to add some flavor to their sparse fish that they eat every day or even into their vegetable curries. Who really wants to enjoy authentic koli cuisine food they should attend annual fish festival at Versova Koliwada. Since 2006, 2007 annual fish festival attracts 20 to 30 thousand people to this fisherman’s village of versova (Also called ‘Vesave’) in Mumbai.
Check out more about koli masala and their food https://annaparabrahma.blogspot.in/
4) Aagri Masala
Another well known folk community of Mumbai is Agri community. This community mostly similar to Koli community but their masala and method of cooking are different. Agri masala is made from 3-4 different types of dry red chillies and 24 different types of dry spices. Usually this masala makes according to individual preferences of spiciness.
I had tried Gavraan chicken dish which is signature dish of Aagri cuisine and its taste aflaatoon ! (delicious).
5) Dhansak Masala
Special spice powder mix of Parsi cuisine is Dhansak Masala. The specilaty of this masala where I found , the quantity of dry chilis are less than coriander seeds which gives nice brown colour to the masala and also very well balanced in Mutton Dhansak Curry. My very first experience of parsi cuisine was at Ideal Corner near by Fort and Mutton Dhansak curry with roti was first bite of parsi cuisine only.
6) Pathare Prabhu Sambhar Masala
Pathare Prabhus have been famous for their delicacy food. This is onther very old community of Mumbai which derived from Chitpavans. The special features of this masala is gehu (Whole wheat kernels) and asafoetida powder. It gives different flavor to thier food. Firstly you need to roast chana dal(25 gms), wheat (25 gms), turmeric
powder(5 gms), fenugreek seeds (2-3 gms), black peppercorns (5 gms), whole dry kashmiri red chillies (10-12 gms), coriander seeds (12-15 gms), cumin seeds (7 gms) and mustard seeds (5 gms). Cool down the mixture and add the asafoetida powder and coarse to the powder.
7) Bottle Masala
Bottle masala is a special blend of spices by East Indian community. There are more than 25 spices which goes in making this special masala. All sundried, roasted, pounded and bottled masala ! This masala get store in coloured bottles to protect it from wilting in the harsh light of sun thats why it called Bottled masala. It gives a great flavor to food and quite similar to malvani masala. You can find more information of this masala recipe on http://www.bottlemasala.com/
8) Konkani Masala
Konkani masala is mostly used by local people of Raigad to Ratnagiri district which includes Konkani Muslim, Kokanstha brahmin, Goud Sarswat Brahmin, Rajapur Sarswat Brahmin, Kudaldeshkar Brahmin, Kumbhar, Bhandari, Kunbi and Kuruba community. This masala is similar to malvani and other costal communities but it has low range of spiciness. In fact these all communities have different proportions of spices, traditional method of making and preserving masala but all ingredients are same. I would like to share this receipe from my village Rajapur.
8) Kala Masala / Goda Masala
Kala masala is specialty of Vidrabha which includes Amravati, Nagpur, Vardha, Akola, Buldhana, Washim, Yavatmal, Bhandara, Gondiya and Gadchiroli districts.There are many methods of preparing this masala and every region has its own specialty. This masala needs to be roasted on oil till their colour become black (thats why its called Kala means black) but it should not get burnt and taste bitter. This masla can make either in dry form or wet from. Traditionally if you want this masala in wet form then it needs to be grind on pata or varvanta or sil-batta and if you want in dry form then you need to grind in pounder ( Indian Style Heavy Grinding Stones). Nowdays in metro cities people use grinder where they can miss the real authentic flavor of this masala. This masala use for vegetables as well as non-vegetarian dishes.
9) Ghati Masala
10) Nashik cha Lal Masala powder
11) Marathvadyacha Kal Zanzanit Lal Tikhat
If you want to buy this masala then you can try Prakash Kolhapuri Masala brand which is available in local market or you can also buy oniline. - https://www.flavorsofmycity.com/pkm-foods-pvt-ltd
There are also some videos on YouTube to make it. - https://youtu.be/bQv2YUGEH9o
2) Malvani Masala
In Maharashtrian cuisine, Malvani food has a different sort of specialty and among that, Malvani masala is a important one. It is also known as Bhajaka masala (भाजका मसाला). This masala contains 22 ingredients of dry spices and it has very appetizing flavor and beautiful aroma which results from the interplay of all spices. I was traveling towards Malvan in summer and I saw almost every house surrounded by bedgi and kashmiri red chilies on the terrace or in front of the door in order to dry them.
Malvan is coastal area of Konkan thats why fish dishes dominate in the Malvani cuisine. Malvani food is not spicy as the balnace the flavor of masala in dishes but their food cant be plain and simple. It should be always flavorful like we call in Maharashtra, it should be chamchamit (चमचमीत).
3) Koli Masala
The unique Koli Fisher Folk community of Mumbai...and ofcourse their masala too! This masala is traditional mix of 18 odd spices like red chilli, cinamon stick, cassia buds, poppy seeds, mace, nutmeg and more quantity of corinader seeds. It needs to roasted and blend to form a spice mix which has a strong and sharp flavor.This spice mix is made in order to add some flavor to their sparse fish that they eat every day or even into their vegetable curries. Who really wants to enjoy authentic koli cuisine food they should attend annual fish festival at Versova Koliwada. Since 2006, 2007 annual fish festival attracts 20 to 30 thousand people to this fisherman’s village of versova (Also called ‘Vesave’) in Mumbai.
Check out more about koli masala and their food https://annaparabrahma.blogspot.in/
4) Aagri Masala
Another well known folk community of Mumbai is Agri community. This community mostly similar to Koli community but their masala and method of cooking are different. Agri masala is made from 3-4 different types of dry red chillies and 24 different types of dry spices. Usually this masala makes according to individual preferences of spiciness.
I had tried Gavraan chicken dish which is signature dish of Aagri cuisine and its taste aflaatoon ! (delicious).
5) Dhansak Masala
Special spice powder mix of Parsi cuisine is Dhansak Masala. The specilaty of this masala where I found , the quantity of dry chilis are less than coriander seeds which gives nice brown colour to the masala and also very well balanced in Mutton Dhansak Curry. My very first experience of parsi cuisine was at Ideal Corner near by Fort and Mutton Dhansak curry with roti was first bite of parsi cuisine only.
6) Pathare Prabhu Sambhar Masala
Pathare Prabhus have been famous for their delicacy food. This is onther very old community of Mumbai which derived from Chitpavans. The special features of this masala is gehu (Whole wheat kernels) and asafoetida powder. It gives different flavor to thier food. Firstly you need to roast chana dal(25 gms), wheat (25 gms), turmeric
powder(5 gms), fenugreek seeds (2-3 gms), black peppercorns (5 gms), whole dry kashmiri red chillies (10-12 gms), coriander seeds (12-15 gms), cumin seeds (7 gms) and mustard seeds (5 gms). Cool down the mixture and add the asafoetida powder and coarse to the powder.
7) Bottle Masala
Bottle masala is a special blend of spices by East Indian community. There are more than 25 spices which goes in making this special masala. All sundried, roasted, pounded and bottled masala ! This masala get store in coloured bottles to protect it from wilting in the harsh light of sun thats why it called Bottled masala. It gives a great flavor to food and quite similar to malvani masala. You can find more information of this masala recipe on http://www.bottlemasala.com/
8) Konkani Masala
Konkani masala is mostly used by local people of Raigad to Ratnagiri district which includes Konkani Muslim, Kokanstha brahmin, Goud Sarswat Brahmin, Rajapur Sarswat Brahmin, Kudaldeshkar Brahmin, Kumbhar, Bhandari, Kunbi and Kuruba community. This masala is similar to malvani and other costal communities but it has low range of spiciness. In fact these all communities have different proportions of spices, traditional method of making and preserving masala but all ingredients are same. I would like to share this receipe from my village Rajapur.
8) Kala Masala / Goda Masala
Kala masala is specialty of Vidrabha which includes Amravati, Nagpur, Vardha, Akola, Buldhana, Washim, Yavatmal, Bhandara, Gondiya and Gadchiroli districts.There are many methods of preparing this masala and every region has its own specialty. This masala needs to be roasted on oil till their colour become black (thats why its called Kala means black) but it should not get burnt and taste bitter. This masla can make either in dry form or wet from. Traditionally if you want this masala in wet form then it needs to be grind on pata or varvanta or sil-batta and if you want in dry form then you need to grind in pounder ( Indian Style Heavy Grinding Stones). Nowdays in metro cities people use grinder where they can miss the real authentic flavor of this masala. This masala use for vegetables as well as non-vegetarian dishes.
9) Ghati Masala
10) Nashik cha Lal Masala powder
11) Marathvadyacha Kal Zanzanit Lal Tikhat
This blog beautifully explores Maharashtra's rich culinary heritage through its diverse "Masalas." The detailed insights into Kolhapuri, Malvani, and Koli masalas reflect the authentic flavors of the regions. A delightful read for food lovers and spice enthusiasts!
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