Zunka

Zunka

Zunka

Veg Vegan

The dry version of pithala — besan cooked with crushed garlic, dried red chillies, and onion until crumbly and spiced throughout rather than saucy. Zunka is always served with bhakri, a raw onion, and green chutney; together they form the iconic 'zunka bhakar' combination that defines the Marathi working-class meal.

Cuisines

Malvani Vidarbha Saraswat Kolhapuri North Karnataka Maharashtrian Nagpuri

Best for

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Recipe

Prep: 10 min Cook: 20 min Total: 30 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

Gram Flour 1 cup Gram Flour
oil 2 tablespoons Oil
Mustard Seed 1 teaspoon Mustard Seed
Cumin 1 teaspoon Cumin , seeds
asafoetida 1 pinch Asafoetida
Onion 1 cup Onion , finely chopped
turmeric powder 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
red chili powder 1 teaspoon Red chili powder
water 1 cup Water
salt — Salt , to taste
Cilantro 2 tablespoons Cilantro , finely chopped

Instructions

  1. 1 Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.
  2. 2 Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
  3. 3 Add cumin seeds and asafoetida, sauté for a few seconds.
  4. 4 Add chopped onions and sauté until they turn golden brown.
  5. 5 Stir in turmeric powder and red chili powder.
  6. 6 Add water and bring to a boil.
  7. 7 Gradually add besan, stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
  8. 8 Cook the mixture on low heat, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and the raw smell of besan disappears.
  9. 9 Add salt to taste and mix well.
  10. 10 Garnish with chopped coriander leaves before serving.

Tips

Serve Zunka hot with bhakri or chapati for a traditional experience.