Maharashtra is a western state of India which spread at the vast expanse of the Arabian Sea. The Maharastrian cuisine has its own distinctive flavors and tastes rice is the staple food grain in Maharashtra also like the other coastal states of india, there is an enormous variety of vegetables in the regular diet and fish and coconuts are used extensively for preparing the food.

Maharashtrians consider anna or food equals to Brahma whom hindus consider as the creator of the universe. Like hindus maharashtrians also believe in offering their food first to the God as a thanksgiving. On festive occasions, specific mithais (sweets) are offered such as ukadiche modak (Ganesh Chaturthi) and satyanarayan puja sheera.

Peanuts and cashew nuts are widely used in vegetables and peanut oil is the main cooking oil. Kokum a deep purple berry that has a pleasing sweet and sour taste is widely used in maharastra, its most commonly used in an appetizer-digestive called the sol kadhi, and served chilled.

Maharashtrian meals are planned and cooked to keep the health in mind, the vegetables are more or less steamed and lightly seasoned to retain their nutritional value, almost noor very less deep frying and roasting. Coconut is used in cooking as an embellishment, jaggery and tamarind are used in most vegetables, or dals so that the food has a sweet and sour flavor, the kala masala (special blend of spices) is added to make the food spicey and nutritious.

In the vegetarian fare, the most popular vegetables are brinjals. A popular style of cooking brinjals is bharlivangi or baby brinjals stuffed with coconut. Another typical dish is the Pachadi, which is tender brinjals cooked with green mangoes and flavored with coconut and jaggery. Besides, common vegetables are greatly relished by the Maharashtrians. A typical dish is the patal bhaji, which is a sweet and sour dish flavored with groundnuts.

Maharashtrian papads are eaten roasted or fried. A typical feature is the masala papad in which finely chopped onions, green chilies and chat masala are sprinkled over roasted or fried papads.

The most popular dessert of Maharashtra is the puran poli, which is roti stuffed with a sweet mixture of jaggery and gram flour During Ganesh Utsav every home at maharashtrian welcomes Lord Ganesha by offering a favorite sweetmeat of Lord Ganesh Modak which made of rice flour casting that fashioned like a large flower bud and stuffed with freshly granted coconut cooked with jaggery. The modak is placed on lightly greased banana leaves and steamed well.

Shreekhand is a sort of thick yogurt sweet dish, which is a great favorite at special occasions and the navratri festival. Shreekhand flavored with cardamom powder and saffron, which can be served with piping hot puris.

Same in popular Mumbai the snacking is a favorite pas time which is the capital of Maharashtra. Chaat is the most widely eaten food in the city, followed by bhelpuri, pani puri, pav bhaji, and dosa etc.

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