My Home Kitchen

I love home coocked food, hence the best restaurant for me will be my home kitchen. The restaurant and home kitchens cannot be compared at all but my answer to the prompt will be my home kitchen.

The food prepared in my home kitchen is healthy, tasty and full of love. In India, the taste of same food items will be different if it is prepared by different people. There is unique taste to the dish prepared by my mother, as well as different taste for the same dish prepared by my wife. Though using the same recipe and same ingredients, the dish tastes different.

Kitchen is a sacred place for us

We treat our kitchen as a sacred place and the food preparation is a ritual. Generally the women will not start cooking the food unless she takes bath. It is believed that the person who cooks the food items has to be clean and tidy. The person who prepares the dishes should be in good mood. It is believed that the mood of the person who cooks food , transforms to the food items and then to the person who consumes the food.

Since the kitchen is treated as a sacred place, it is kept utmost clean and hygienic. My mother was very strict in terms our entry to the kitchen. She will never allow anyone to enter the kitchen without taking bath. If he is entering the house from outside then he has to wash his hands and clean the feet and then only permitted to enter the kitchen.

The Maharashtrian Square meal

My house prepares Maharashtrian meal and serves with love. It is completely balanced and delicious food with all vegetarian dishes.

A traditional Maharashtrian meal is a scientifically balanced , nutrient-dense diet designed scientifically around local millets, plant proteins, digestive spices, and healthy fats. By combining complex carbohydrates with bioavailable proteins and gut-friendly components, it naturally fulfills daily macro- and micronutrient requirements. 

In traditional Maharashtrian culture, serving a meal, follows a precise , clock like arrangement based on Ayurveda, ease of eating with the right hand and digestive flow. The arrangement is explained below

The Top Position (12 o’clock)

• Salt: Always placed directly at the top center (12 o’clock position) as the vital first element served.

The Left Side (Daavi Baju)

Items placed on the left side are meant to be consumed in smaller, measured quantities.

• Condiments & Accompaniments: Moving counter-clockwise or downwards from the salt, serve  lemon cut pieces, green chutney, pickles, koshimbir/salads.
• Crispies & Fritters: Place fried items like papad, Khurda I, Sandge, Ali-vadi, or Kothimbir Vadi  towards the lower left or bottom edge of the plate.
• Breads: Soft Chapatis, Polis, or Poori are stacked neatly towards the lower left side near the snacks. 

The Center and Right Side (Ujwa Baju)

The center and right sections hold the substantial main course items.

• Rice & Dals: Steamed white rice is placed slightly towards the center or right side (often shaped neatly as round dome called as Bharathi mood. paired with varan (plain yellow dal) and a generous spoonful of golden ghee (toop). Special rice dishes like masala Bhat sit adjacent to it.
• Vegetables & Curries: Dry vegetable stir-fries Suki bhaji, leafy greens paale bhajji, sprouted legume preparations (Usal ), and wet gravies or aamti  are arranged systematically along the right side of the plate.
• Sweets: Traditional desserts like shrikhand , puran Poli or kheer,  are placed at the bottom right or lower edge of the plate. 

External Placements

• Water & Liquids: The drinking water glass or traditional digestive drinks like mathha (spiced buttermilk) are always kept on the left side of the plate so you do not cross your eating hand (the right hand) over your food to pick up the glass.

All these items are prepared at home and served.

I would also like to share the unique dishes prepared by my family. While my mother was expert in preparing Andhra style dishes, my wife makes delicious Pulao and Aloo Paratha. My elder daughter makes nice Pav Bhaji while the younger one cooks tasty Chole Bhature apart from our traditional food items.

I am already feeling hungry now, so I stop here and move towards our kitchen.

Thank you my dear readers for stopping by

Stay happy and keep smiling 😊

Don’t forget to eat healthy

Happy Sunday