This post may contain affiliate links. Please read the full disclosure here.
Ever heard of zunka bhakar? A delicious comfort food from the state of Maharashtra. Zunka is a dry version of Pithla. Pithla is a curry made up of besan (gram flour). Unlike pithla, zunka is made with added vegetables such as onion, cabbage, spring onions, methi, palak, and padwal to name a few.
Today we are making spring onion zunka which is called as Patichya Kandyacha Zunka in Marathi.
Patichya Kandyacha Zunka is a typical Maharashtrian style recipe prepared by sprinkling roasted besan (gram flour) over the cooked Spring Onions which are infused in basic spices. This is a vegan, plant-based, diabetic-friendly, and beginner-friendly recipe.
Paticha Kanda in English means Spring Onions. At home, instead of calling it zunka we normally call it peeth perun kandyachi bhaji. This vegan recipe is rich in proteins.
Zunka is often very spicy and goes best with millet bhakri. At home, we sometimes have it with jowar or raagi bhakri or with chapati.
Making zunka of any kind is very simple as most of the ingredients that go into making this dish are already available in our kitchen.
Zunka needs to be served immediately because as it cools down it dries out a bit. When in rush or when there are no vegetables around, whipping up this zunka along with just onions comes to the rescue.
This is an everyday kind of recipe, especially in Maharashtrian households. You will find many variations in making zunka as every household has its unique way of making it.
In Maharashtrian Cusine, you will find many such vegetables that are made using this technique. Some of them are, Kobhi Cha Zunka (Cabbage Zunka), Shimla Mirchi Zunka (Capsicum Besan Zunka) to name a few.
Making spring onion zunka is simple, quick, and easy. It does not need a lot of prep beforehand. Using minimal ingredients & spices this dish tastes amazing. This recipe is made for everyday meals that are best served along with chapati, dal rice.
Being a dry vegetable dish it can be easily packed in a lunch box along with roti. But make sure to reheat it.
This recipe can be made in just under 30 minutes. So during hectic mornings too this sabji / zunka can be made for office or school tiffins.
Besan (gram flour) on the other hand is a good source of protein and nutrition..
This is a typical Maharashtrian dish that is tempered with mustard seeds, hing (asafoetida) and then sautéed along with basic spices.
Sprinkled with roasted besan (gram flour) which gives this vegetable a wonderful rich taste and texture. Besan (gram flour) is a good source of protein and nutrition. This is the best way to include protiens when on plant-based diet.
Growing up this was the go-to dish that I loved to eat with phulka (flatbread) and varan bhat (dal rice).
Do try out this authentic zunka recipe from Maharashtra and you are going to fall in love with it.
Traditionally it is served with bhakri but there is no hard and fast rule. You can serve it with chapati, paratha, or even bread or as a side dish with dal rice.
Paticha Kanda (Spring Onion)i: I have used 1 cup of finely chopped spring onions (paticha kanda).
Besan (Gram Flour): I have used unroasted gram flour here. The quantity of gram flour (besan) depends on how dry you want the zunka to be. So one has to add the besan accordingly.
Spices & Herbs: For making this zunka, I finely chopped 4 big cloves of garlic. The tempering of garlic gives an amazing taste to this zunka /sabji. I have used basic spices like red chilli powder, turmeric powder, and garam masala powder.
Seasoning: I have used salt and sugar for seasoning. Sugar helps in balancing the taste of this dish.
Oil: I have used sunflower oil for tempering this zunka.
Water: I have used just 1/4th cup of water to bind the besan properly
Let’s see how to make patichya kandyacha zunka / spring onion sabji / kandyachi peeth perun bhaji with minimal basic ingredients in your home kitchen.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Cooking level: Easy
Taste: Mildly spicy
Latest Recipe Post
Kobi Cha Zhunka ( Cabbage Besan Sabji)
Capsicum Besan Sabji
Maharashtrian Recipes
Diabetic-Friendly Recipes
Vegan & Plant-based Recipes
Beginner & Bachelor Friendly Recipes
Dry Sabji Recipes (Dry Vegetable Recipes)
Food FAQ’s
- 1 cup Spring Onion (Kandyachi Paat) finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Garlic (Finely Chopped)
- 1 teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- 1/4th teaspoon Hing (Asafoetida)
- 1 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
- 1/4th teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
- Coriander Leaves finely chopped
- Salt as per taste
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- 3 tablespoon Besan (Chickpea Flour)
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1/4th cup water
- In a nonstick kadhai heat oil and add mustard seeds, let them splutter. Add hing and roughly crushed garlic, and saute till the raw smell of garlic fades away.
- Add finely chopped spring onions. Stir for two minutes on high flame. Cover and let the spring onion become tender.
- Let’s add spices, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, and garam masala powder and mix well.
- Add a pinch of sugar and salt to taste.
You may also check out these recipes: Kobi Cha Zhunka ( Cabbage Besan Sabji), Capsicum Besan Sabji, Maharashtrian Recipes, Diabetic-Friendly Recipes, Vegan & Plant-based Recipes, Beginner & Bachelor Friendly Recipes, Dry Sabji Recipes (Dry Vegetable Recipes).
- Add 1/4th cup of water so that when we add besan (gram flour) the sabji don’t dry out too much.
Watch Recipe Video – Patichya Kandyacha Zunka (Spring Onion Sabji)
- Add besan (gram flour) and mix well.
- Cover and let the besan (gram flour) cook for about 2-3 minutes. Stir occasionally in between.
- Lastly, add finely chopped coriander leaves.
- Patichya Kandyacha Zhunka – Spring Onion Sabji is ready.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with bhakri, roti, chapati, or as a side dish with dal rice.
Note:
As besan is used in this recipe, it is highly advisable to use only nonstick utensils while preparing the dish.
In case you are using different metal utensils then cover with a lid adding little water over the lid so that the vegetable does not burn.
You may also roast the besan first and add that to the spring onions, so the zunka will cook faster.
It’s so delicious