It would not be an exaggeration to say that Maharashtrian cuisine is famous all over the world. From Vada Pav to Kanda Poha, these dishes are loved by people all over the world. However, have you ever seen a British chef cooking Maharashtrian food? UK-based chef Jake Dryden, who often cooks Indian food, prepared a “Maharashtra-inspired spread” for his girlfriend’s flatmate. On Wednesday, Jake shared a video of the entire meal preparation on Instagram. The clip begins with the text, “POV: Your girlfriend’s flatmate wants to taste your Indian food.”
Jake starts with thecha, a spicy chutney popular in Maharashtra. He heats oil in a pan and adds cumin seeds, garlic cloves, green chillies and peanuts. After cooking, he blends everything into a thick paste. Next on Jake’s menu is batata vada. He peels and chops potatoes, then boils them. In a separate pan, he heats oil and adds finely chopped garlic and green chillies, turmeric, curry leaves and boiled potatoes. He mashes the potatoes, cooks the mixture and pours it into a bowl. He prepares chickpea batter and after making balls of the potato mixture, dips them in the batter and fries them.
Also read: Popular UK food vlogger makes Rice and Dal And Aloo BhujiaHe was called a “certified Indian” on the Internet
View this post on Instagram
Jake also chops green beans and beans for the sabzi. He prepares a tempering with onions and spices, then mixes it with the chopped beans. For the dal, Jake picks red masoor dal, washes it, and boils it with green chilies, salt, and turmeric. In another pan, he heats ghee and adds chopped garlic and a red chili, followed by chopped tomatoes. The boiled dal is then added to the mixture. He separately cooks cumin seeds and red chili powder in hot oil and pours this tempering over the dal. Finally, Jake prepares quick besan chillas and a side salad. “Made a little Maharashtra-inspired spread for a friend,” reads the caption.
Also read: Watch: American vlogger drinks sugarcane juice from a roadside vendor in Delhi
Of course, desis were quick to share their reactions in the comments section. “Brother I am from India and I can attest that you know what you are doing, all the foods look perfect,” wrote one user. “Can’t believe this guy does all this without visiting India,” said another. “OMG this is crazy! I am a Maharashtrian and I think you have brought back old memories in one plate. Batata vada, thecha.. just amazing! Your passion and effort really shows, I love it,” said one person. “This guy is more Indian than 99.9% of Indians,” wrote one comment. “Adding crushed peanuts to beans would be a totally Marathi thing to do,” someone said.
What do you think of this video? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
