When it comes Maharashtrian sweets, we are all familiar with puran poli, modaks and shrikhand. But, did you know of chirote and sandan? The Maharashtrian community boasts of a range of not-so-popular yet delicious sweet treats prepared with as much love and care during festivals and on special occasions.
On Maharashtra Day, let's celebrate these exclusive saccharine delights. These are some Maharashtrian sweet delicacies that you might have not heard of.
Ninaave
Popular among the CKP Maharashtrians, this fudge-like sweet isn’t quite very commonly made. Ninaave is usually made at the end of shravan or on the first day of Bhadrapad. With gram flour or besan as the main element, this is a doughy, fudgy delight with an added crunch from the crushed dry fruits.
Sanjachi Poli
Much like the popular puran poli, the sanjachi poli is also made with a sweet stuffing inside a rolled-out dough and is fairly popular in the Chitpavan Brahmin community of Maharashtra. Usually made with leftover sheera or suji ka halwa, this dish doesn't need much prep and is quite easy to put together.
Gavhale kheer
Although this one takes major effort to make, the results are literally sweet. Gavhale is essentially handmade Maharashtrian pasta that is made from scratch and cooked into this delicious kheer. Offered to goddess Gauri as naivedya on Ganpati, this one is a fading tradition in the modern times.
Chirote
Also known as khaja, this crispy, flaky, sugar-coated sweet is prepared on special occasions. Found mainly in the city of Pune, these sweet teats are made with refined flour, deep fried and coated with powdered sugar. Chirote is loved for its crunchy texture, and when dipped in a cardamom-flavoured sugar syrup, it can be pretty irresistible.
Shingada sheera
Usually eaten during fasts, singhada or waterchestnut flour makes for a pretty good sheera. Cooked with desi ghee, nuts and cardamom, this one is gooey and delicious.
Shrikhand wadi
Shrikhand or the traditional sweetened hung curd is prepared in most Maharashtrian homes, and is usually devoured with hot puris. This wadi is made with the same curd and mixed with sugar, chopped nuts, cardamom and homemade ghee. It's also popularly called as yoghurt barfi.
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Sandan
A traditional recipe made predominantly by the Maharashtrian Konkani community. It’s a combination of rice rava and grated coconut. This sweet is steamed, making it light and flavourful. A tinge of cardamom powder is all that is needed to complete this sweet treat.
Anarsa
This sweet pastry like disc is usually prepared during the festival of Diwali. Made with soaked and powdered rice and jaggery, this crunchy treat is then fried in ghee with a handful of poppy seeds. With a sweet, crispy texture, it doesn't last very long in the house.
Amba poli
For everyone who is a fan of mangoes, this is quite a treat. Made with fresh mango pulp spread to make a thin, even layer, amba poli is usually made during summer. The good thing about this is that you can relish on mangoes, long after they are gone!
Malvani Khaja
A coastal speciality, these long, almost stick-like sweets are made with gram flour and coated with jaggery. With a hint of ginger and sesame, they are usually sold at a mela or fairs in the Malvan region. So, the next time you are vacationing on the Malvan coast, keep your eyes peeled for these.