A Typical Gujarati Meal fills your Heart

Gujarati cuisine is a rich mix of leafy vegetables and pulses flavored subtly with spices. They are accompanied with a range of breads and rice.

Visit any local restaurant in this state and you are likely to be served a traditional Gujarati meal. It consists of a variety of “dal” or pulses, “Kadhi” which is a curd recipe, two or three cooked vegetable dishes, salads, “puri” or “rotlas”, rice, “athanu” or pickles, chutneys, “papad” and “chhaas” or buttermilk.

As you travel to Kutch, Saurashtra and Surat, you realize that with the change in geographical areas, the flavors and the style of cooking changes within the state. If you are game for the spiciest of meals, you must head to Saurashtra region where “Kathiawadi” food is the staple.

Gujarati “Dal” is Soupy

Most of the classic “dal” dishes of Gujarat are uniquely flavored with a subtle combination of spice, salt and sweet. The sweet tinge is exclusive of Gujarati cuisine. People here add jaggery or sugar to their “dal” and “shaak” or vegetable dishes.

Gujarati “dal” is thin in consistency, but brimming with flavors. Ask a local cook or a Gujarati housewife, she will say that when you keep a bowl of “dal” for a few minutes, the soupy water must float on the top and the thick “dal” must settle at the bottom. Only then it is said that it is the typical Gujarati “dal”. Whenever you are served this Gujarati dish, you must stir it properly and usually served hot to let your senses imbibe each flavor completely.

Gujaratis relish their “dal” like a soup. One of the best ways to enjoy this dish is to team it with a plate of steaming rice topped with a spoonful of ghee and cooked green vegetables. Pour some “dal” on this, mix it and mouth a spoonful…it is heavenly!

Yet another favorite way of Gujaratis to savor “dal” is to team with “Bharelu Bhinda nu Shaak” or stuffed lady’s finger dish with hot rice, some pickles and a glass of “chhaas” or buttermilk to wash this rich meal down the stomach.

Coastal Trip

If you are traveling to the south-west coast of Gujarat, you should visit Dahej or the Port of Dahej. It is located about 100 km from Vadodara and about 40 km from Bharuch. If not for sight-seeing, you must visit this place to give your taste buds a divine trip.

The town’s popular dishes include “Oondhiyu”, “paunk”, “Dabeli”, Gujarati “kadhi”, “dal dhokli”, “chakli”, “Khandvi”, “thepla” and Gujarati “kasundi”. Almost every eating joint serves them. Each dish is uniquely flavored and spiced up accordingly.

Did you know that Dahej is the only Special Economic Zone (SEZ) of India to be named in the list of the best 25 SEZs of the world!!

While holidaying in Gujarat don’t forget to bring back home packs of “farsan” or fried and crunchy dry snacks like “sev ganthia” and “chakli”. They are made from chickpeas and gram flour and are the specialties of this state.