Shengdana Chicken
In the kitchens of Vidarbha and Marathwada, peanuts have a habit of sneaking into everyday cooking and making everything considerably more interesting. In Shengdana Chicken, they are roasted, coarsely ground and cooked with Kanda Lasun Masala until they turn into a thick, nutty gravy that clings shamelessly to the chicken. There is no coconut, cream or fancy thickener required. The peanuts have that department covered. Spicy, earthy and unapologetically rustic, this is the sort of curry that makes a bhakri less of an accompaniment and more of an essential piece of eating equipment.
Chawli Usal
Chawli usal is one of those delightfully practical Maharashtrian dishes where a humble bag of beans somehow transforms into a full-on comfort feast. The chawli gets cooked till soft and tender, then it happily simmers away with onions, garlic, Kanda Lasun Masala, and a cheeky little bit of jaggery until the gravy turns thick, spicy, and deeply addictive. The bottle gourd isn’t just along for the ride either, it soaks up all that masala goodness like a sponge and makes the usal extra hearty and satisfying. Scoop it up with bhakri, rice, or pav, or go all out and use it as the base for a very proudly homemade misal.