zunka

Zunka, also spelled zunka, is a traditional savory dish from Maharashtra, India. It is typically prepared from chickpea flour (besan) sautéed with onions, garlic, green chilies, and a tempering of mustard seeds, cumin, and curry leaves, then seasoned with turmeric and red chili powder. In many rural households it is thickened with water to a crumbly, coarse texture. Some regional versions use bhajani, a roasted flour blend of millets and dals, instead of besan, producing a thicker paste.

Zunka is commonly served with bhakri, a coarse flatbread made from jowar or bajra, forming the classic zunka-bhakri combination. It is also eaten with rice or roti and is a staple in Marathi cuisine, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas.

Variants include kanda zunka with onions and batata zunka with potatoes; pithla zunka uses the same technique with different base flours. The dish is valued for its simplicity and protein content, making it a practical everyday meal.

Preparation involves heating oil, adding a tempering of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves, then sautéing onions until translucent; add garlic and chilies; then add flour and spices, and finally water gradually, cooking until the mixture comes together into a crumbly, cohesive mass. Some cooks finish with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lemon.

Zunka is a defining element of rural Maharashtrian cuisine and is widely recognized for its role in the traditional bhakri accompaniment.