Gujarat

Gujarat recipes, mostly vegetarian are famous all over India. A standard Gujarati meal includes dal, kadhi- a curd preparation, bhaat( rice), 2 to 3 vegetables, puri or chappati, kachumbar (mixed vegetables salad), rice chutneys, hot pickles, papad and curd, with snacks like dhokla, khandvi, and basundi most liked for their taste.

Gujarati food with its nourishing, balanced and delicious qualities is a combination of leafy vegetables and pulses. The recipes come with their usual complements of spices. Though the typical Gujarati meal is basically bland in taste, and served traditionally on large silver or stainless steel platters.

As majority population is Hindu, Gujarati dishes are generally vegetarian, but its preparation is slightly different owing to the eating habits of people in the 3 main geographical regions of Kutch, Saurashtra (kathiawad) and Surat. However the Bohras community of Muslim traders, are famous for their beef preparations and a variety of soups.

Some common delicacies liked by both communities include 'khaman dhokla', a salty steamed cake, 'oondhiyu' a vegetarian dish with potato, brinjal, green beans and other vegetables, 'khichdi' a mixture of lentil and rice, 'kadhi' curd with bay leaves, 'debra' flour mixed with spinach and yoghurt etc. also Gujarati 'farsans' or crunchy fried snacks like chakli, sev ganthia and sweets like doodh pak, gharis, nankhatais etc are also delicious.



Gujarat Recipes

(* Specifies Changes for Healthy Diet)

Moong Dal Chakli

Ingredients:

Regular	Improvised*
1) 2 cups rice flour	-do-
2) ½ cup mung dal paste	-do-
3) 2 tsp oil	3) 1½  tsp oil
4) ¼ tsp turmeric	4) ½ tblsp tamarind pulp
5) ½ tsp carom seeds (ajwain) or cumin seeds	-do-
6) 1 red chili powder (optional)	-do-
7) Salt To Taste	-do-
8) oil for frying water as required	-do-

Preparation

• Cook the mungdal to a paste like consistency .
• In a big bowl add rice flour, mungdal paste, turmeric, salt, chili powder, carom seeds or cumin seeds.
• Mix lightly. Heat oil and add the sizzling hot oil to the rice flour mix.
• Add water as needed to make a stiff dough. Knead thoroughly with hand not food processor.
• Take a lemon size dough and place it in a chakli mould or icing bag with star nozzle. Heat oil for frying.
• Test the oil by dropping a small piece of dough and wait for 3 seconds if it does not rise to the top then oil needs to be heated.
• Gently make a spiral with the chakli mould or icing bag and deep fry to a golden brown.
• Cool moong dal chakli completely before storing in an airtight container.

Gujarati Kadhi

Ingredients:

Regular	Improvised*
1) 2 cups sour curd	1) 1½ cups sour curd
2) 4 tsp besan	2) 3 tsp besan
3) ½-inch ginger, chopped	-do-
4) 2 green chillies, chopped	-do-
5) Salt to taste	-do-
6)Handful corainder leaves	-do-
7) 2 tsp oil	-do-
8) 1 pinch turmeric powder	-do-
9) ½ tsp cinnamon powder	-do-
Seasonings:	-do-
1) ¼ tsp cumin seeds	-do-
2) ¼ tsp mustard seeds	-do-
3) Few curry leaves	-do-
4) 1 pinch asafoetida	-do-

Preparation:

• Beat the curd and add two cups of water. Add the besan, salt, turmeric powder and mix well.
• Make a paste of ginger, chillies, cinnamon and corainder leaves.
• Boil the curd mixture on slow heat and stir constinuosly. Add the ground paste, and boil again.
• Heat oil in a pan, add all seasonings. Fry until they splutter.
• Pour this seasonings over guajarati kadhi. Garnish with corainder leaves and serve hot with rice.

Shrikhand

Ingredients:

Regular	Improvised*
1) 1 kg thick curd	-do-
2) ¾ cup powdered sugar	-do-
3) a few strands saffron	-do-
4) 1 tbsp warm milk	-do-
5) 2 tbsp cardamom powder (elaichi)	-do-
6) Pistachios and Almonds	-do-

Preparation:

• Hang the curds in a muslin cloth in a cool place for approximately 3 hours until all the liquid (whey) has drained off.
• Rub the saffron into the warm milk until it dissolves.
• Mix together the hung curds, sugar, saffron mixture and cardamom in a bowl and churn using a hand blender.
• Place in the refrigerator.
• Serve gujarati shrikhand cold garnished with slivers of pistachios and almonds.

Varhadi Aloo Bhat

Ingredients:

Regular	Improvised*
1) 1½ cup basmati rice	-do-
2) 1½ cup potatoes, diced	2) 1 cup potatoes, diced
3) 1 cup green peas	-do-
4) 1 cup carrots, diced	4) ¾ cup carrots, diced
5) 2 cloves	-do-
6) 1 stick cinnamon	-do-
7) ½  tsp cumin seeds	-do-
8) ¼  tsp asafoetida (hing)	-do-
9) ½  tsp turmeric powder	-do-
10) 1 tsp red chilli powder	-do-
11) ½  tsp garam masala	-do-
12) 3 tbsp ghee	12) 2 tbsp ghee
13) Salt to taste	-do-

Preparation:

• Wash and drain the rice. Keep aside.
• Heat the ghee in a cooker, add the cloves, cinnamon, cumin seeds and fry for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the asafoetida, vegetables and salt and stir for few minutes
• Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala and rice and stir again for 5 minutes till it is evenly mixed.
• Add 3 cups of hot water, cover the lid. Cook using the weight.
• Garnish with dry fruits such as cashew nuts and resins.
• Serve vargharelo bhaat hot with kadhi and papad.