Food at the Mahalakshmi Saras Exhibition 2014

I was back at the Bandra Reclamation for Mahalakshmi Saras Exhibition on rural fare.Not only are there handicrafts and food items on sale,there is also a large food court that has stalls run by various families from all over Maharashtra and its neighboring states.The best thing I tasted was the Hurda Thalipeeth made by this lady above which had Hurda (jowar grains) and Palak.As I have mentioned,winter time is time for hurda parties in the fields!

There was so much choice for lunch....Malvani,Kolhapuri,Beed cuisine and what not.I settled for Agri food from Alibag.Agri folk are found mainly in Thana and Raigad area.Agri food is different from Malvani as it does not have roasted coconut and onion as masala.It is spicier and has a rustic feel to it.

The Chicken Thali had rice and rice bhakri both of which I managed to finish.

For dessert,I had the Puranpoli made over a khapar...the upturned vessel you see below and the lady swirled it in the air with the ease of a pizza maker :D

The food court is huge....so many stalls and so much to choose

There was pithla -bhakri being made at one.This is nutritious and cheap.Pithla is made from gram flour and bhakri of millets

Bharli Vangi or Stuffed Eggplant is a well known Maharashtrian speciality and was in many stalls

One stall had food from Beed,in the interior of Maharashtra....Usal with Beed Masala

Then there was Seafood from the Konkan....fish from Bhau Cha Dhakka cooked with gram flour,ginger,garlic,salt,turmeric and chilly powder

There was Amboli at another stall.These are Maharashtrian rice dosas

There was Kolhapuri cuisine....spicy ofcourse.Tambda Rassa and Pandhra Rassa are red and white curries made with the same stock....trotters cooked over slow fire for about twelve hours

Papads made of Nachni (millet) and Carrot !!

There was a stall on Warli art....not just paintings but also dupattas!

Terracota tea sets

Gorgeous large coconuts from Murud Janjira,on the Konkan Coast

and dried fish too

Yam and other root vegetables

Cashewnuts

and a host of other goodies from the Konkan such as Amla juice

Kokum Butter (made from kokum seeds) used as a moisturizer

Packs of jaggery

There were pedas made from evaporated milk without sugar

All kinds of rice

Wheat Vermicelli to make Upma

Concoctions of honey with garlic and even cherry! At a stall for Kerala and Jharkhand together

Wooden spoons from Saharanpur,U.P

Pickles from Delhi!

Fresh vegetables from Mahableshwar...

Strawberries....

A fruit called Kavat....made into pickles.....

Lemongrass drops for tea...

A visual treat for foodies.....to say the least!!!