Welcome all Kk Fans!
We are back with Cuisine of the Month, after a long break!
This month's cuisine is from Gujarat!
About the State
Situated on the western coast of India, the name of the state is derived from Gujjaratta, which means the land of Gurjars, who had migrated to India around the 5th century AD. The real cultural history of these people, however, is believed to have begun much earlier when Lord Krishna arrived here with the Yadavs, some 3,500 years ago. Gujarat has three distinct regions. One is Gujarat proper and the other two are Saurashtra and Kutch. Communities practicing religions like Jainism, Islam, Zoroastrianism etc. can be found in the state.
Eating in Gujarat
Faithful to Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy of "simple living, high thinking" and abhorrence of western customs, even the richest families in the state believe in eating seated on the floor. In all the three regions, dining tables are scarcely seen and food is served in thalis, to people sitting cross-legged on the floor. Being a food that is basically rather bland, the dishes are pepped up with plenty hot pickles and chutneys that accompany all meals. The Bohras set out dishes on a large metal plate, thali, mounted on a low stool around which eight to ten people can be seated. For a taste of traditional Gujarati cuisine, one has to try the typical Gujarati thali that consists of one variety of dal, Kadhi (curd preparation), two to three vegetables and pulses, salad savories, sweets, puri or chappati, rice chutneys, pickles and papad.
Gujarati restaurants serve traditional meals in most towns but the best place to savor all three types of food is the open-air village restaurant-Vishala-in Ahmedabad city. Vishala was conceived basically as a place that gives people a chance to get away from all that was artificial, and relax and unwind in natural surroundings. Real Rajasthani puppets, an idol of Ganesha, and the smell of jasmine, roses, and incense welcome tourists visiting Vishala. Like the dining rooms of crafted clay, and plates and katoris of woven leaves and bark, the traditional Gujarati meal too, is built around a natural theme. There are salads of chopped and grated vegetables, chutneys of mint and coriander - all served in earthenware. Bajra-ki-roti, dals (lentils), an assortment of green vegetables, kadhi and khichari cooked with a minimum of spices. The butter is homemade and the ghee is pure. Besides the traditional food and the ambience, Vishala also has an unusual, interesting museum of over 3,000 traditional metal utensils and ceremonial objects collected from all over Gujarat.
Background Information on Gujarat
The varied Gujarati cuisine is a gourmet's delight. Sea food along the coastal regions or the 'rotla and sag' of the Rann dwellers of Kachchh largely complement the terrain and lifestyles of its people. The vegatarian delicacies of Gujarat hold a unique position amongst the Indian cuisine. A Gujarati 'thaali' offers an endless variety of savoury vegetables, lentils, fried snacks, sweets etcetera accompanied by buttermilk, yoghurts and nuts. The choice of delicacies is so varied and palate pleasing that one turns vegetarian willingly.
Some of the common dishes are:
Dhokla : a steamed cake made of gram paste.
Doodha Pak : a milk confection.
Sev, Ganthia : which are a type of spicy snack food.
Kadhi : a curry made of yoghurt.
Undhyo : a winter delicacy cooked in earthen pots.
Shrikhand : a yoghurt dessert flavoured with saffron, nuts and fruits.
Suter Pheni : which is a fine vermicelli cooked in sweet round.
So start posting delicious recipes from Gujarat!
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