Illustrative stock photos, not this exact recipe. Photo credits are at the bottom of the page.
Ingredients in this recipe
Tap any ingredient to read its history, origin and where it is used.
Zunka (also called pithla) is a quick, humble dish made from besan, or chickpea flour. Cooked in a pan with onion, garlic and green chilies, it ranges from a thick, crumbly zunka to a looser pithla with more water.
It is everyday food across Maharashtra, and in Khandesh it is typically served with a jowar or bajra bhakri, a raw onion and a spoonful of thecha. Read more about the region in Khandesh cuisine: history and what makes it different.
Recipe label: Based on traditional technique. Photo: illustrative stock photo, not the finished dish from this exact recipe. Regional recipes vary by family and village.
Photo credits: Photo 1: Jack Baghel on Pexels; Photo 2: Lunarly on Pexels; Photo 3: Aditya Mara on Pexels. Free stock photos, used under the Unsplash or Pexels license and shown here as illustrations only.
Khandeshi Zunka (Spicy Gram Flour Pithla)
Description
Zunka, a dry-style pithla made from chickpea flour, onion, garlic and green chilies. A quick everyday Khandesh dish, served with bhakri.Ingredients
For the zunka
Instructions
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Whisk the chickpea flour with the water and salt in a bowl until completely smooth with no lumps.
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Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds and let them sizzle, then add the asafoetida.
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Add the garlic, green chilies and curry leaves and cook for 1 minute. Add the onion and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until soft and lightly golden.
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Stir in the turmeric, then pour in the chickpea batter, stirring constantly.
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Cook on medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until thick and no raw taste remains. For a drier zunka, cook longer, mashing with the back of a spoon until crumbly.
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Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Garnish with coriander and serve hot with bhakri, roti and raw onion.
