Gujarat is often associated with dhokla, khakhra, and the mouthwatering Gujarati Thali. But Gujarati cuisine is much more than that. Gujarat is divided into four major regions: North Gujarat, Kaccha, Kathiyawad, and Surti Gujarat. Each region contributes to Gujarati cuisine in its way.
1. Muthiya
These fist-cakes, named after the action needed to shape the dough, are a delicious breakfast or evening snack. A mixture of chickpea flour, bottle gourd, and spices is steamed, pan-fried, and seasoned to make these. It becomes a terrific supper for health-conscious people if you forgo the pan-frying. Spinach, fenugreek, amaranth, and bitter gourd are some of the other options. No one can ever say no to a bowl of muta hiya, which is juicy and fluffy on the inside and golden and crispy on the exterior. With a sprinkle of mint-coriander chutney or ketchup and a cup of steaming hot tea, this dish is perfect.
2. Handvo
Handvo is a savoury cake that is traditionally cooked over charcoal or in a pressure cooker. Handvo is made from a batter of lentils and rice that is fermented overnight before being baked. They can also be pan-fried to make them crunchy and golden, and the sesame seed spice adds a great flavour to them! These healthful pan-fried or baked lentil cakes are a popular one-dish dinner in Gujarati households. They go well with tangy green chutney and a hot cup of tea, just like most other Gujarati delicacies.
3. Fafda Jalebi
This is (nearly) every Gujarati’s dream cheat-day breakfast, thanks to the daily soap ‘Taarak Mehta ka Ulta Chashma.’ Jalebi is a sweet deep-fried pretzel made of wheat flour and dipped in sugar, whereas fafda is a crunchy, fried chickpea flour snack. They’re a match made in heaven when they’re together. You will undoubtedly be in gastronomic nirvana when you combine a piece of crunchy, salty, spicy fafda with a piece of crunchy, sweet jalebi. With this combo, add a fried chilly or a squirt of dry papaya chutney, and your taste receptors will explode.
4. Lilva Kachori
Kachoris are flour balls stuffed with any filling of your choice. They make a great winter and monsoon tea-time snack. In the western and northern parts of India, they are a favourite delicacy. Lilva Kachori is a Gujarati delicacy made with pigeon peas as the stuffing. To make these, make a kachori dough out of white flour and semolina, roll it out, fill it with life (pigeon peas, green chillies, coriander, and spices), roll it into balls, and fry it. This crunchy, delectable snack, best paired with tangy chutney or sauce, may make cold evenings warmer and more pleasurable.
5. Sev Tameta Nu Shak
A popular Gujarati cuisine, especially among youngsters, is a sweet, salty, acidic, spicy shak (vegetable preparation) made with tomatoes and sev. Diced tomatoes and onions are sautéed with oil and spices before being cooked in steam to make this meal. Crispy sev and freshly cut coriander are added as a garnish at the end of the meal. It’s simple to prepare and great to eat. It checks all the criteria in terms of colour, texture, crunch, and flavour. For a hearty lunch, serve it with parathas, theplas, or the simple phulkas.
