14 Vegetarian Gujarati Dishes

Some people don’t know much about Gurajat, in that wise, they associate it with dhokla, kharkra, in fact, some associate it with drool-worthy Gujarati Thali. But maybe as a result of their ignorance, they do not know that there is more to Gurajat than what they think. Why is because, all the four Gujarat regions namely North Gujarat, Kacch, Surti, and Kathiyawad has its uniqueness to Gurajati cuisine.

Let’s take you through a list of 14 Gujarati food items you can’t afford to miss.

1. Khaman: also called a sponge snack, khaman is made from freshly ground lentils and chickpea flour, it’s a taste and healthily steamed recipe that has similar qualities with that of its cousin, the popular dhokla. Let’s help you understand how to prepare this delicious delicacy, mix the khaman flour and boil with turmeric, salt, and baking soda to make it light and fluffy in hand. The next thing is to garnish it with mustard seed before cutting it into cubes; you can as well garnish it with some other stuff like coriander leaves, sev, and chopped onions to make it more nourishing. Serving it on an extended green leave is its preferred and traditional way of consuming it. Those in the urban areas serve it in used newspapers in farsan (snack) shops with tangy chutneys and some other several pieces of green chilies.

2. Thelpa: this meal has its nickname, they refer to it with the following acronym “A snack that every Gurajati swear by” we may not be able to know the main reason it was given that acronym but because every Gurajati loves to go on a journey loves to take it they found an acronym for it. They love to take it when they go for a picnic, foreign trips; in fact, some take it while they are on business trips. Maybe these reasons are why they gave it that acronym. Thelpa is made from various ingredients such as gram flour, whole wheat flour, fresh fenugreek leaves, and spices. Thelpa is usually served pickles or chundo, making it a pleasant meal.

3. Khandvi: also has an acronym “the delectable Gujarati Naashta” it’s a thin layer of gram flour usually cooked with buttermilk. Makers of this recipe roll it up in pulpy goodness, seasoned with sautéed and spiced with some other great spices to make it delicious for consumption. Depending on the area you find yourself, in a place like Maharashtra they call Khandvi their unique name which is ‘suralychya wadya’ which they find as a popular snack among them.

4. Undhiyu: for those that are not familiar with it, its acronym is winter delicacy. This meal is the king of all Gurajati dishes, and it’s the main reason why the Gurajatis always await the winter season to come. Its name was derived from the Gurajati word Undhu which means inverted. Undhiyu, the classic gurajati dish is traditionally prepared is with a clay pot making it a special winter delicacy.

5. Muthiya: nobody has ever said no to this meal. Muthiya is a first cake meal great for breakfast or evening snack. Preparing this great meal is easy; it only requires a few things to do, a mixture of chickpea flour, steamed, pan-fried, bottle gourd and spices is prepared and seasoned. However, in case you choose to skip the pan frying, it automatically turns to a great meal for folks that are conscious of their health.

6. Handvo: here is the tasty cake that is prepared either traditionally over charcoal or in a modern way with a pressure cooker. For you to prepare this meal, you need to get a battle of lentils and rice prepared and fermented overnight and then baked.

7. Fafda-Jalebi: this crisp is made largely by a daily soap company ‘Taarak Mehta Ka Ulta chashma.’ It is made of wheat flour and eaten preferably when dipped into sugar, dipping it in sugar makes it taste like a match in heaven. If you visit Gujarat, every street in the city is filled with people and makers of this meal either shopping or selling it. If you want to be sure of what we are saying go there on Sundays, you will find a long queue outside particularly in front of farsan shops, not for any other purpose but just to indulge in breakfast of this heavenly duo, sugar, and fafda-jalebi.

8. Lilva Kachori: it’s a perfect rainy day snack. With any filling of your choice, you can enjoy or take Lilva Kachori the great winter and monsoon tea-time snack as you like. These balls are made of flour, and it’s a very popular delicacy in the western world of India. The special Gurajati dish is patronized and enjoyed as most of the times it is filled with any lilva mixture like pigeon peas, green chilies, coriander and spices that are eventually rolled into balls before being fried.

9. Sev Tameta nu Shak: it’s a special delicacy made from tomatoes, and it is also one among other nice Gujarati dishes. The sweet, spicy shake with vegetable preparation is an exciting meal. Preparing this dish, you need diced tomatoes and onions sautéed with oil spices before eventually cooked in steam.

10. Gujarati kadhi: there is no how you can make any of the Gujarati meal complete without the use of Kadhi. Kadhi is a traditional dish made of spiced, sour curd, sweetened with jaggery or sugar and distinctively recognized because of its white color. Its cooling nature makes it an excellent summer dish

11.  Kichu: this is a soft and gooey snack. It is made from rice flour and commonly found across food stalls in many garba and dandiya venues during Navratri. This dough made from rice flour cooked in steam and seasoned with groundnut oil will give you a gourmet of this simple, wholesome dish.

12. Gota: the Gujaratis has its acronym as the Gujarati Pakoras. Each state in the Republic of India has its own version of this yummy golden pakodas even as Gurajati is not an exception. This dish originated from a village called Dakor a suburb of Gujarati. This is a traditional Gurajati dish and special delicacy made available during the holidays. Best prepared with an iron kettle or a sweet and tangy chutney made from dates and tamarind.

13. Mohanthal: its acronym is Janmashtami delicacy; it’s a sign of many Gujarati households. Every homemaker on their own adds their touch to this traditional recipe to make it unique. Made very lovingly during the festival of Janmashtami, is this simple and homely treat for the palate.

14. Murghanu shaak: this recipe is mainly for all the non-vegetarians out there. This recipe is a slap on the face particularly for those who only think there is non-vegetarian food among all the Gurajati’s recipes. It is prepared with chicken marinated in a mixture of oil, yogurt, and spices cooked in lovely gravy of great ingredients like onions, garlic ginger and so on.

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