When we talk of Maharashtrian cuisine, names like Puran Poli, Misal Pav, and Vada Pav instantly come to mind. But beyond these well-loved dishes lies a treasure trove of forgotten flavours — recipes passed down orally through generations, once simmered in traditional kitchens but now missing from modern menus.
Today, let’s revisit some of these lost and lesser-known Maharashtrian recipes that deserve a place at our dining tables again.
1. Ukadpendi – The Humble Cousin of Upma
A nourishing porridge-like dish made from roasted wheat flour (gavhacha peeth), Ukadpendi was once the go-to comfort food in rural Maharashtra. Cooked with tempered spices, onions, green chillies, and sometimes buttermilk, it was a farmer’s energy booster before a long day in the fields. Its simplicity and nutritional value make it a perfect candidate for a modern revival.
2. Shevgyachya Shenganchi Amti – Drumstick Delight
While drumsticks are used in sambar and bhaji, the flavorful amti (dal) made with shevgyachya shenga (drumsticks) is slowly disappearing from city kitchens. Cooked in a spicy, tangy coconut-based masala, this amti brings together earthiness and aroma in every bite.
3. Gavhlyachi Kheer – Handmade Wheat Pasta Pudding
Before packaged vermicelli came along, Gavhlya were hand-rolled, roasted wheat pasta beads used in this traditional dessert. Made during festivals and special occasions, the kheer was slow-cooked with milk, jaggery, and cardamom. Today, the art of making Gavhlya at home is nearly extinct.
4. Alu Vadi in Peanuts and Jaggery
Unlike the usual steamed version, this recipe from Vidarbha uses colocasia leaves (alu/arak) in a spicy-sweet peanut and jaggery paste, rolled and shallow-fried. Its unique balance of flavours is hard to find in restaurant menus.
5. Dashmi Roti – The Sweet-Savoury Flatbread
A festival favourite, Dashmi is a mildly sweet roti made with wheat flour, jaggery, fennel seeds, and sometimes coconut. It was traditionally prepared in Maharashtrian Deshastha homes and paired with milk or dry chutney. Urban households have rarely heard of it today.
6. Bharleli Vangi in Goda Masala
While stuffed brinjals are common across India, the Maharashtrian version using goda masala (a spice mix with dry coconut, sesame seeds, and dagad phool) is a fragrant dish that’s slowly vanishing from daily cooking. Often cooked in iron kadhais, its deep rustic flavour is irreplaceable.
7. Kharvas – A Steamed Delicacy Made from Colostrum Milk
Kharvas is a delicate steamed pudding made from cow or buffalo’s first milk (colostrum) after giving birth. It’s lightly sweetened and flavoured with cardamom. Due to changing dairy practices and urban detachment from cattle, this once-popular sweet is now a rare find.
Why Are These Recipes Disappearing?
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Urbanisation and migration have broken the chain of generational cooking traditions.
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Time-intensive techniques like hand-rolling Gavhlya or sourcing colostrum are inconvenient for modern lifestyles.
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Health fads have replaced traditional fats, jaggery, and indigenous grains with ‘modern’ alternatives.
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Lack of documentation has pushed many oral recipes into oblivion.
Reviving Our Culinary Legacy
Let’s preserve and celebrate these dishes:
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Document family recipes from elders before they’re lost.
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Cook one forgotten recipe a month and share it online.
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Organise food memory meetups where people share childhood food stories.
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Involve children in traditional cooking, and make it a fun family ritual.
Food is not just sustenance — it is culture, memory, and identity. The lost recipes of Maharashtra are reminders of simpler times, seasonal wisdom, and regional pride. In reviving them, we don’t just rediscover forgotten tastes — we reclaim a piece of who we are.
Have a forgotten recipe in your family? Share it with us in the comments! Let's revive Maharashtrian rasoi one dish at a time.
Neerja Bhatnagar
Neerja Bhatnagar
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