What Is Saoji Cuisine? Nagpur’s Fiery Culinary Legacy Returns To Focus After Maha FDA's Chief Tukaram Mundhe Remark

Saoji cuisine is a fiery, heavily spiced non-vegetarian culinary tradition from the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. Nagpur’s famous Saoji cuisine has once again come into focus following a recent remark by Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe. Known for its intense flavours, fiery spice blends and distinctive cooking style, Saoji food is deeply connected to the culinary identity of Nagpur. Once the food of a weaving community before becoming a working-class meal and the pride of the Saoji community and the city of Nagpur. Keep on reading to know more about the dish and its link to Nagpur pride.

What is Saoji cuisine?

Saoji, also known as Saoji or Savji cuisine, is traditionally associated with the Saoji weaver community who migrated from Madhya Pradesh to Nagpur in the late 19th century to work in textile mills in Maharashtra. When the handloom and cotton mill industries declined, community members turned to their rich culinary heritage, opening small, unpretentious eateries (bhojanalayas) to serve the local working class, and that is how the dish made space in people's hearts.

The dish is famous for its dark, oil-rich gravies and intense heat. It relies on a signature blend of 32 ground spices rather than tomatoes or yoghurt, and that makes Saoji food stand out.

Traditional Saoji dishes use a special masala prepared with a combination of spices, including dry red chillies, poppy seeds, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, coriander and other aromatic ingredients. The heavy use of spices served a dual purpose of deep flavour and preservation during harsh weather cycles.

What was Tukaram Mundhe’s cuisine remark?

Saoji cuisine came into the spotlight after the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said in Amravati, "If I ate that, I would fall sick for a month" referring to Saoji mutton. Mundhe’s recent remark has brought renewed attention to the cuisine, prompting discussions around its ingredients, preparation methods and traditional identity.

Although later he explained the context behind his comments, Mundhe recalled his first experience with Saoji mutton in 2008-09. In a press conference, Mundhe said, "A friend brought Saoji mutton for me. I saw it and immediately realised that I could not eat it. My friend said it looks red but is not that fiery."

He further said, "I took one bite and left it. I found it spicy and oily," Tukaram Mundhe said his remark as the state's food safety commissioner was not intended to target any particular dish or community.