Although, I am a self-confessed, hard-core non-vegetarian, I occasionally pleasure my taste buds with vegetarian delights as well. One of the most popular vegetarian cuisines that the innumerable food joints in the city of Mumbai have to offer is the cuisine from the state of Gujarat. A little on the sweeter side, this cuisine is renowned for its yummy farsan (snacks) and sweets in addition to the curries and breads that this cuisine offers. Ingredients indispensable to the Gujarati cuisine are groundnuts, coconut, sesame seeds, buttermilk, limejuice, yoghurt, jaggery, sugar etc.
My personal favorites are the scrumptious snacks that are easy to gobble. If you wish to tickle your taste buds with Gujarati snacks, then feast yourself to Daal Dhokli, Dhokla, Khandvi, Khakhra, Sev Khamani, Muthia, Handva, Patra, Ghughra, Fafda, Ganthia, Kachori and Khaman. The preparation of these snacks follows any of the following methods – frying, roasting or fermentation followed by steaming and finished off by tempering with mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, asafetida, curry leaves and fresh coriander garnish.
Gujarati cuisine is synonymous with sweets and the famous, mouth-watering sweetmeats this cuisine will offer you are Shrikhand, Keri no ras, Nankhatais, Kesar Biscuits, Sutarfeni, Halvasan, Basundi, Mohanthaal, Magaj, Ghari, Saglu Baglu Mithai and Ghevar. Sweet to the core, these mithai (sweets) are any epicure’s dream come true.
There is more to Gujarati cuisine than just snacks and sweets. The breads of this cuisine are highly relished not only by the people of the Gujarati community dwelling in the city but also by scores of other communities who feast on the Gujarati cuisine. Thepala, Dhebara, Puri, Bajri no rotlo, Fulka rotli, Parotha and Bhakhri are the popular bread items and go down well with yummy vegetable preparations such as Undhiyun, Paunk, Vangi Batata Bhaaji, Sev Tametanu Shak, Makai Na Bharta, Tuvar Dal, Meethi (Sweet) Kadhi among the many dishes the cuisine offers. Gunda and Chhundo are the yummy pickled preparations that none can refuse. You can even try out tasty rice dishes such as Mag ni Dal ni Khichdi, Khichu, Vagharelo Bhaat and Leelva rice to name a few.
Therefore, if you want to try all the aspects of Gujarati cuisine in one go itself then you can settle for the famous Gujarati thali. The thali will offer you everything- farsan, sweets, rice and bread preparations, pickles, vegetables, pulses and even a glass of deliciously flavored buttermilk.
Go ahead and enjoy the cuisine of the state of Gujarat and I am sure you will get more than what you asked for.
Image: Ttrn
Via: Wikipedia, Indianfoodforever
