Name: Maharashtrian Zunka
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 cup Gram Flour, besan, sifted to remove lumps; 2 large Onion, finely chopped (kanda is the hero); 6 clove Garlic, coarsely crushed in a mortar; 3 Green Chili Pepper, finely chopped; 10 Curry Leaves, freshly torn; 3 tbsp Mustard Oil, or groundnut oil, requires slightly more oil; 1 tsp Mustard Seeds, mohari; 1 tsp Cumin Seeds, jeera; ¼ tsp Asafoetida, hing; ½ tsp Ground Turmeric, haldi; ½ tsp Red Chilli Powder, for color (heat comes from green chillies); 1 tsp Salt, to taste; ½ cup Water, warm water, sprinkled in batches; 4 tbsp Coriander Leaves, generous amount, finely chopped

25 mintotal

Prep 10 min · Cook 15 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Spice: Spicy

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Method

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed iron kadai. This dish uses slightly more oil than usual for roasting the besan properly. Add mustard seeds and wait for them to pop vigorously.
Add cumin seeds, asafoetida (hing), crushed garlic, green chillies, and curry leaves. Sauté rapidly for 30 seconds until the garlic smells aromatic.
30 sec
Add the generous amount of chopped onions. Sauté on medium-high heat until they turn translucent and lightly pink. Do not brown them completely.
Lower the flame to a minimum. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, and salt. Mix well with the onions.
Slowly add the sifted gram flour (besan) in batches while continuously stirring to prevent lumps from forming. Roast the besan with the onion mixture on low heat for 3-4 minutes until it turns aromatic and slightly crumbly.
3–4 min
Sprinkle (do not pour) the warm water over the besan mixture little by little with your hands. Mix well. The besan will absorb the moisture and swell up slightly.
Cover the kadai with a lid and let the zunka steam on very low heat for 5-6 minutes. Remove the lid and stir it again. The texture should be dry but soft, not powdery.
5–6 min
Turn off the heat, mix in the fresh coriander generously, and serve immediately.

How to tell it's done

Dry, slightly crumbly, but perfectly cooked soft besan heavily loaded with aromatic garlic and caramelized onions.

Nutrition

Per serving, from 2 servings.

453kcal

Where the calories come from

Protein13.3 g11%
Carbohydrate45.9 g40%
Fat25 g49%

Saturated fat: 2.9 g
Fibre: 8.4 g
Sodium: 1206 mg
Potassium: 731 mg
Calcium: 95 mg
Iron: 4.1 mg

Estimated by calculation from the ingredient list, using USDA FoodData Central. Not a laboratory analysis.

Getting it right

Tip

The secret to the perfect Zunka is using an iron kadai, roasting the besan on a very low flame without rushing, and using plenty of crushed raw garlic.

What to serve it with

It is a crime to eat Zunka without Bhakri. Serve hot with Jowar or Bajra Bhakri, accompanied by raw onion, lemon, and Thecha.

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