The pleasant fragrances of special Maharashtrian dishes have roots in their origins. The fishing areas to metropolis regions are all the areas of origins of food. The influences on the Mumbai food culture come from Muslim, Gujarati, Goan, Coastal, South Indian, and local Maharashtra influences. The dishes that are famous here are the Chinese bhel, omelet pav, and kebabs which are the local dishes. The local variations are more loved than restaurant food. The Mughlai food, street food, and seafood is the specialty of this metropolitan city. The restaurants and food joints are next to beaches which have both International and Indian cuisine blended.
20. Misal Pav
This is a popular dish from Maharashtra topped with coriander, lemon or sev, and onions with bread. It is a breakfast dish from Kolhapur with its spice content. It might also have noodles in the Maharashtrian curry with potatoes and sprouted beans. The leftover version can also be served with rice or chapattis.
19. Kolhapuri Mutton
Kolhapuri mutton curry or lamb curry is a side dish for chapatti. This traditional dish is full of simple ingredients which is a royal dish from Kolhapur with a dark red color. It has an aromatic flavor with perfect and authentic spice mixes. You just need steamed rice with tenderly cooked mutton from southwest Maharashtra.
18. Pindi Chole
Pindi Chana is an easy-to-prepare chickpea dish with originated from the Rawalpindi area of Punjab. This dry and bold dish has mango powder and chana masala powder with a sour taste of soft chickpeas. This Amritsari Chickpea is tangy with pomegranate seeds but has no tomatoes or onions and it is served with bhature.
17. Fish Fry
The coastal regions on the beach of Mumbai are known for their authentic seafood quality. Bangda fish is an appetizer of an oily fish and it is found in coastal regions of India. The fish has an intense flavor with a tender but crispy flesh. Pomfret fry is a spicy version but you can also cook a tandoori version which is good for health.
16. Nalli Nihari
This grilled flavorful mutton or soft beef stew is slowly cooked and has a rich flavor. It is for marrow, lamb, and shank lovers which is a nutritious meal. It is a dish of the Mughals in India and Nihari is an Urdu term that means morning. Nahar means dawn in Arabic and the dish was for the working class in the days of the Mughals.
15. Chicken Roll
The chicken rolls in Mumbai are customized to the buyer’s choice and spicy too. You can enjoy it next to the beach and the chicken tikka roll is full of green chutney. The wraps in Mumbai are epitomes of spicy, meaty, and juicy aromas like chaap rolls, chicken mayo rolls, and chicken Mughlai shawarmas.
14. Akuri on Toast
This recipe is a Parsi-style spicy scrambled eggs dish that is not overcooked. This street food is a mainstream breakfast dish as eggs are eaten with breakfast and pav. This traditional dish is based on how you cook the eggs and it has a lot of flavors. This is the best food for protein and diabetic patients.
13. The Bombay Sandwich
Street food is an experiment with the most diverse and unexpected spices. This rich dish is full of butter, beetroot, boiled potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and mint chutney. This is a grilled classic Indian sandwich and it is a sweet, salty, and satisfying vegetarian item. The chaat masala powder and cumin powder are important ingredients.
12. Butter Chicken
This is a dish of the Mughals which is marinated overnight in a spice mix of ginger garlic paste and lime juice by professional chefs. The creamy butter chicken is good with rice and rumali roti. The tandoori chicken or chicken kebab is a modern delight to relish in the city which is its specialization.
11. Batata Vada
The batata vada or aloo vada is a fried street snack of coated potato stuffed dumplings. This Maharashtra-style recipe is known as potato bonda in South India. The potato stuffing varies in taste in every region like Kolhapur or Pune. It is eaten with fried green chilies and coriander mint chutney or tamarind chutney which is the ideal spicy combination.
10. Varan Bhaat
This vegan Indian item has pea dal, cumin seeds, and rice as the main ingredients. This quick dal and lentil curry are nutritious and the main dish in Marathi food culture. This is also a part of festive family gatherings and this simple dal is made from toor dal among other basic ingredients.
9. Bombil Fry
This is a fry preparation of fish that is famous in the seafood cuisine of Maharashtra. The Bombay duck has a lot of demand especially in monsoon when people buy the dry version of the fish. This crispy Rawa fry is easy and perfect for dinner and it is popular in coastal regions of Mumbai, Goa, and Bengal.
8. Zhunka Bhakar
This authentic Maharashtra delicacy is an aromatic classic made with curry leaves. This item came from Pune and a flatbread of millet flour is served with it with a stir fry of vegetables. This is the rustic dish of farmers and the stir-fried vegetables like green pepper, spring onions, and chickpea is used to cook it.
7. Bhel Puri
This street food or chaat snack has a unique blend of flavors with every bhelwala. It has puffed rice and small crisp deep-fried flour puris, sev, onions, potatoes, and sweet chutney which is a perfect try-out item for lovers of panipuri. This is also called the beach snack of the Mumbai beaches with a crunchy feel.
6. Chicken Manchurian
This dish is from Mumbai with Chinese flavors and its saucy chicken balls are fried. It is served with Hakka noodles, fried rice, and pan-fried noodles. Manchurian is an Indian Chinese dish of crispy chicken balls or cubes. The spicy and thick sauce of this Indo-Chinese appetizer is served with deep-fried chicken which is a high protein diet.
5. Puran Poli
It is the festive partner in families of Mumbai and Gujarat during Holi, Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, and Dussehra. It is prepared with chana dal, cardamom powders, and jaggery. The real version is only found in the homes of Gujarat and Mumbai. This flatbread has a lot of ghee and it is a part of Marathi cuisine.
4. Butter Garlic Crab
The creamy, silky, and buttery texture of the authentic seafood will crave you to the taste of fresh crabs. Garlic, black pepper, and parsley are added flavors to the richness of the dish. The Asian crab has very intense flavors and it is cooked with cream and basic spices. The dish has sweet chili sauce and it is served Asian style with a beer bottle.
3. Dhokla
This sweet Gujarati snack is loved in all of India because it is spongy and full of savory flavors. It is garnished with mustard seeds and coriander leaves for breakfast. It is made with chickpea, urad, and rice and it is steamed with a batter of lentils. It is light and is made with gram flour and can be eaten with breakfast.
2. Prawn Curry
This fish or prawn curry is the old dish of Mumbai and it is a coconut-based curry. It is full of fresh prawns and flavor. It goes well with roti or rice and it has ingredients like coconut, tamarind, red chilies, and aromatic spices. The ingredients give a rich flavor to this dish like tomato, mustard seeds, and ginger.
1. Kheema Pao
This minced mutton mixture is cooked with chilies, onions, and spices with scrambled eggs. The spicy keema has a creamy element with buttered pav and it is made of crabs and proteins. This is affordable street food and it has many versions which are cooked with scrambled eggs, whole spices, and meat.
