Gujarati cuisine

Khandvi, a popular Gujarati snack (Farsan).

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Gujarati cuisine (Gujarati: ગુજરાતી ભોજન) refers to the cuisine of Gujarat, India, a state in western India. It is primarily a vegetarian cuisine, despite having an extensive coastline for seafood, due to the influence of Jain vegetarianism and traditional Hinduism. The typical Gujarati Thali consists of Rotli, Dal or Kadhi, Rice, and Shaak/Sabzi (a dish made up of different combinations of vegetables and spices, which may be stirfried, spicy or sweet). Gujarati cuisine varies widely in flavor and heat, depending on a given family's tastes as well as the region of Gujarat they are from. North Gujarat, Kathiawad, Kachchh, and Surti Gujarati are the four major regions of Gujarat that all bring their own style to Gujarati food. Many Gujarati dishes are distinctively sweet, salty, and spicy at the same time.

Overview

Staples include homemade pickles, Khichdi (rice and lentil or rice and mung bean), and chaas (buttermilk). Main dishes are based on steamed vegetables and dalsthat are added to a vaghar, which is a mixture of spices sterilized in hot oil that varies depending on the main ingredient. Salt, sugar, lemon, lime, and tomato are used frequently to prevent dehydration in an area where temperatures reach 50°C (122°F) in the shade. It is common to add a little sugar or jaggery to some of the sabzi/shaak and dal. The sweet flavor of these dishes is believed to neutralize the slightly salty taste of the water.

The cuisine changes with the seasonal availability of vegetables. In mango season, for example, Keri no Ras (fresh mango pulp) is often an integral part of the meal. The spices used also change depending on the season. Garam Masala and its constituent spices are used less in summer. Regular fasting, with diets limited to milk, dried fruits, and nuts, are commonplace.

In modern times, some Gujaratis have become increasingly fond of very spicy and fried dishes. There are many chefs who have come up with fusions of Western and Gujarati food.

A very healthy [1] meal popular in the villages near Saurashtra during the cold winters consists of thick Rotis, termed Bhakri, made of wheat flour, garlic chutney, onion, and chaas. It is a good^{[citation needed]} source of energy which suits low-income villagers working their fields on cold days.

Sweets (desserts) made from such ingredients as local sugarcane, jaggery (a solid made from unrefined cane sugar), milk, almonds, and pistachios were originally served at weddings and family occasions as an instant energy booster for relatives traveling long distances to attend.^{[citation needed]} These days, sweets served as part of a thali are more typically made from milk, sugar, and nuts. "Dry" sweets such as Magas and Ghooghra are typically made around celebrations, such as weddings, or at Diwali.

Gujarati cuisine is also distinctive in its wide variety of farsan — side dishes that complement the main meal and are served alongside it. Some farsan are eaten as snacks or light meals in their own right.

Gujaratis will often refer to Dal-Bhat-Rotli-Shaak as their standard, no-frills, everyday fare. For special occasions, this basic quartet is supplemented with additional shaak, sweet dishes, and farsan. A festive Gujarati thali can easily contain a dozen or more separate items. Dietary rules dictate the acceptable combination of dishes. For example, if kadhi is to be served, then a lentil preparation such as chutti dal, vaal, or mug ni dal will also be included. The sweet dish accompanying kadhi will likely be milk or yogurt–based, like doodhpak or shrikhand. However, a yogurt-based raita would not be served with such a meal. Festive meals based on dal will typically have a wheat-based sweet dish like lapsi or ladoo as the sweet accompaniment. Similarly, there are established combinations of spices, thought to facilitate digestion, that are used with different foods.

With so much variety in vegetarian food, cookbook writer Madhur Jaffrey has termed Gujarati cuisine as "the haute cuisine of vegetarianism" in 'Flavours of India', one of her TV shows about Indian food. Yet, Gujarati food remains relatively unknown outside Gujarat, despite Gujaratis being "one of the important regional Indian diasporic communities...Gujaratis, the people from the central western parts of India, are one of the early Indian communities who have ventured out to different parts of the world for multiple reasons. Today, as one of the prominent Indian diasporic communities in the world, Gujaratis are successful not only in business, which is their first love, but also in professional fields such as technology, science, medicine, and business management."

In coastal Gujarat, the Kharwa community has developed a cuisine consisting of fresh and dried fish. The most widely relished varieties of seafood are pomfrets, khandwas, gedadas, surmai, prawns, crabs, lobster. and narsinga (calamari).

List of Gujarati dishes

Breads

• Bajri no Rotlo: Thick millet flour flatbread usually grilled over coals.
• Bhakhri: Made with whole wheat flour, thicker than Rotli, crispy.
• Fulka rotli (Also called Rotli or Chapati): Made with whole wheat flour, rolled thin.
• Juvar no Rotlo: Thick sorghum flatbread.
• Parotha: Fried whole wheat flatbread.
• Puran Poli (Also known as Vedmi): Whole wheat bread filled with sweet moong dal filling usually made for special occasions.
• Puri: Made with whole wheat flour, deep fried.
• Thepla (Also called Dhebra): Made with a mixture of flours, pan fried, mildly spiced, usually contains shredded vegetables.

Rice

In addition to plain Rice, Gujarati cuisine also includes rice based dishes such as:

• Biranj: Steamed rice flavored with saffron, sugar, and dried fruit.
• Khatta-Mittha Bhaat (Sour and Sweet Rice): Rice, boiled with potatoes and spices, yellow in color and accompanied with lemon peel.
• Kheer: Rice Pudding made by boiling rice with milk and sugar, and flavored with cardamom, raisins, saffron, cashews, pistachios, or almonds. It is typically served as a dessert.
• Khichdi (Rice & a Dal): Cooked like porridge accompanied with ghee, yogurt, and pickle.
• Pulao (Rice with vegetables)

Vegetables (Shaak/Subzi)

• Batata nu Shaak (Potato Curry)
• Batata Sukhi Bhaji (Dry Potato Curry)
• Bharela Bhinda (Stuffed Okra)
• Bharela Karela (Stuffed Bitter Melon)
• Bhinda nu Shaak (Okra Curry)
• Chola nu Shaak (Chickpea Curry)
• Dudhi Bataka nu Shaak (Bottle Gourd and Potato Curry)
• Dudhi Chana Ni Daal nu Shaak (Bottle Gourd and Split Black Chickpea Curry)
• Dudhi Ganthia nu Shaak (Bottle Gourd)
• Dudhi Mag ni Dal nu Shaak (Bottle Gourd and Mung Bean Curry)
• Dudhi nu Shaak (Bottle Gourd Curry)
• Fansi ma Dhokli nu Shaak (French Bean Curry with Dumplings)
• Fansi nu Shaak (French Bean Curry)
• Ganthoda nu Shaak
• Gathia nu Shaak
• Guvar nu Shaak (Cluster Beans Curry)
• Kanda Bateta nu Shaak (Onion and Potato Curry)
• Karela nu Shaak (Bitter Melon Curry)
• Kobi Batata nu Shaak (Cabbage and Potato Curry)
• Mag nu shaak (Mung Bean Curry)
• Methi nu Shaak (Fenugreek)
• Panchkutiyu Shaak (Five Vegetable Curry consisting of Ridge Gourd, Potato, Bottle Gourd, Eggplant, and Green Peas)
• Parwal Bateta nu Shaak (Pointed Gourd and Potato Curry)
• Ringan nu Shaak (Eggplant)
• Ringna no Olo (Mashed Eggplant Curry)
• Sev Tameta nu Shaak (Curry made of Green (Unripe) Tomatoes)
• Tameta Bataka nu Shaak (Tomato and Potato Curry)
• Tindora nu Shaak (Ivy Gourd Curry)
• Undhiyu: A mixed vegetable casserole that is traditionally cooked upside down underground in earthen pots fired from above. This dish is usually made of the vegetables that are available on the South Gujarat coastline during the winter season, including (amongst others) green beans, unripe banana, muthia, and purple yam. These are cooked in a spicy curry that sometimes includes coconut. Surti Undhiyu is a variant that is served with puri at weddings and banquets. Again it is a mixed vegetable casserole, made with red lentils and seasoned with spices, grated coconut, and palm sugar in a mild sauce. It is garnished with chopped peanuts and toasted grated coconut, and served with rice.
• Vadi Papad Nu Shaak

Side Dishes (Farsan)

Khandvi

Handvo

Farsan are side dishes in Gujarati cuisine.

• Bhajiya (Deep fried savory snacks. A popular variety is Pakora.)
• Chaat (A mixture of Potato pieces, Crispy fried bread, and Spices topped with Chutney, Cilantro, and Yogurt.)
• Dahi Vada (Fried dumplings soaked in Yogurt and topped with Salt, Cumin, and Cayenne Pepper.)
• Dhokla (Steamed cake made primarily of Rice Flour.)
• Handvo (Steamed cake made of Rice Flour, Various Beans/Lentils, Yogurt, and Bottle Gourd.)
• Kachori (A deep fried dumpling made of flour and filled with a stuffing of Yellow Moong Dal, Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, and Ginger.)
• Khaman (Steamed snakes made out of Gram Flour, garnished with Green Chilies and Cilantro.)
• Khandvi (Roll made of Gram Flour and Yogurt topped with Mustard Seeds, Cilantro, and Grated Coconut.)
• Khichu (A thick porridge-like mixture made of Rice Flour and seasoned with Cumin seeds. Once prepared, the mixture is often topped with Oil, Cayenne Peppper, and Salt.)
• Lilva Kachori (A variety of Kachori made with Pigeon Peas.)
• Methi na Gota (Fried Fenugreek Dumplings)
• Muthia (Steamed dumpling made of Gram Flour, Fenugreek, Salt, Turmeric, and Cayenne Peppper. The steamed dumpling can also be stir fried with Mustard Seed.)
• Pani Puri (A round hollow flatbread that is fried crisp and filled with potato, and Black Chickpeas and topped with Water seasoned with Mint and Green Chili, and Tamarind Chutney.)
• Patra (Taro Leaves, coated with Gram Flour, rolled and steamed. Sometimes, the steamed roll is sliced and stir-fried with Mustard Seeds and Grated Coconut.)
• Sev Khamani (Khaman topped with crispy, fried Gram Flour.)

Nasto

"Nasto" means snacks. (Deep fried snack foods made with besan/gram or a similar type of flour)

• Sev
• Ghanthia
• Chakri
• Khakhra
• Chola
• Mathia

Daal (pulses)

• Moong Daal
• Meethi (Sweet) Kadhi
• Kadh (an intermediate between kadhi and daal)
• Tuer daal

Mithai (Sweets)

• Sutarfeni
• Kansar
• Halvasan
• Malpua
• Keri no ras
• Basundi
• Ghari (sweet from Surat)
• Ghebar or Ghevar (sweet from Surat)
• Son Papdi
• Magas (or Magaj)
• Sukhadi
• Mohanthal
• Gud papdi (Gol papdi)
• Ronvelia
• Penda
• Barfi
• Ladu
• Shiro, roasted semolina/flour/dal with milk, butter, sugar, nuts and raisins
• Ghooghra
• Jalebi
• Shrikhand, a thick yogurt-based sweet dessert garnished with ground nuts, cardamom, and saffron
• Laapsi, coarse ground/ broken wheat cooked with butter and sugar
• Doodhpak, a milk-based sweet dessert with nuts
• Shakkarpara, a deep fried snack made out of sugar and wheat
• Copra paak - Coconut halwa/barfi: Halwa is soft, barfi more like cake
• Gajar Halwo - Carrot Halwa
• Dudhi no Halwo - Bottle Gourd Halwa
• Gur - unrefined brown sugar sold in blocks

Condiments

• Chutney
• Pickles

Spices/Seasonings

• Kokum
• Ambli
• Gaur
• Chaat Masala
• Hardar
• Kothmir
• Elaichi
• Garam Masala
• Hing
• Jeeru
• Kesar
• Mirchu
• Lal Mirchu
• Methi
• Phoodino
• Soonth
• Laving
• Limbdo

References

• Tarla Dalal (1999). The Complete Gujarati Cook Book. Sanjay & Co.. ISBN 8186469451. http://books.google.co.in/books?id=QXtEgtCJVucC&pg=PA4&dq=gujarati+cuisine&hl=en&ei=5rRDToXkJ8nrrQevjNWmBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CE0Q6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=gujarati%20cuisine&f=false. 
• Robert Bradnock; Roma Bradnock (2001). Rajasthan & Gujarat handbook: the travel guide. Footprint Travel Guides. ISBN 190094992X. http://books.google.co.in/books?id=d8obZYiYJf0C&pg=PA54&dq=gujarati+cuisine&hl=en&ei=5rRDToXkJ8nrrQevjNWmBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CFIQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=gujarati%20cuisine&f=false. 

External links

• Gujarati recipes - Indian Food Kitchen
• Gujarati cuisine
• Excellent Gujarati Cuisine Page by Tourism Department of Gujarat
• Download Gujarati Recipes for free