July's Cuisine Of The Month: Gujarat!

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!

Interested in posting the next Cuisine of the Month, please let us know throw the following topic: Volunteer Lists

Love,
Khana Khazana Dev. Team

Gujarati Khaman Dhokia Recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup rice
1 cup urad dal
1 cup yellow moong dal
3 cups sour buttermilk
2 green chillies crushed fine
1/4 tsp - ginger grated fine
1/2 tsp - soda bicarb
2 tbsp - oil
2-3 pinches red chilli powder
1/2 tbsp - coriander finely chopped
Salt To Taste

Preparation:

• Mix the rice and dal, wash, drain and dry on a clean cloth for a few hours.
• The grain should be completely. Grind to a coarse flour in dry grinder or at the flour mill. This flour should be like very fine soji in texture.
• Store in airtight container and use as required. Will keep good upto 2 months. To make khaman, take 1 cup flour in a bowl.
• Add buttermilk, and mix well. Keep- aside for 4-5 hours. Dissolve sodabicarb in the oil. Add to batter.
• Mix all ingredients except red chilli powder and coriander. Pour immediately in a 6" diam. greased plate.
• Steam over water either in a cooker or steamer. Pierce knife, and check, should come out clean if done.
• Sprinkle the chilli powder and coriander, steam again for 2-3 minutes.
• Cut dhaman dhokla into squares or diamonds and serve hot with coconut chutney.

Ingredients:
• 2 Cups rice flour
• 1/2 Cup mung dal paste
• 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
• 2 tsp Oil
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric
• 1 Red chili powder (optional)
• Oil for frying
• Salt to taste
• Water as required

How to make Moong Dal Chakli:

Wash, take off and dice potatoes, yam and raw bananas. Wash brinjals and slit them into four without cutting the stem. Make a paste of garlic, green chillies and ginger and mix cut coriander. Mix all the muthiya ingredients except oil and prepare a firm dough. Divide into small portions and shape each into one-inch long half-inch thick rolls. Deep fry in hot oil, remove and keep aside. String beans and cut into one-inch long pieces. Heat up oil in a thick-bottomed handi, mix in asafoetida and mustard seeds. When mustard seeds crackle mix in ground masala and broad beans. Put the rest of the vegetables in layers one on top of the other. Sprinkle salt and turmeric powder. Stir fry for five minutes on high flame heat. Pour out one cup of water, cover and simmer (boil slowly at low temperature) on a very low heat up for 10-15 minutes. Mix in fried muthiyas and again simmer (boil slowly at low temperature) for 15 minutes. Shake the vegetables occasionally but do not use a spoon to stir.
• Serve hot decorated with scraped coconut.

Enjoy................... 😃

1. Beat the yogurt and pour 2 cups water in it
2. Add turmeric powder, besan and salt. Stir the contents well.
3. Prepare paste of cinnamon, ginger, chilies and coriander leaves.
4. Keep the curd mixture on low flame. Stir constantly while boiling.
5. Add the above prepared paste and bring to boil again.
6. Heat ghee in a frying pan and saute all seasoning ingredients.
7. Add this spluttered seasoning to the kadhi.
8. Garnish with coriander leaves.
9. Enjoy with rice.

For seasoning:

How to make Patra Bhajia:

Clean, wash and wipe leaves. Cut thick veins with a pair of scissors. Roll lightly with a rolling pin. Keep aside. Mix all ingredients (not those for seasoning) The mixture should be a thick paste. Place a leaf backside up on a flat worksurface. Take a little paste and apply thinly all over leaf surface. Place another leaf over it. Repeat. Get a set of 3-4 layered leaves, top layer being that of paste. Fold in the edges and roll the leaves, starting with their base towards tip. Make the roll tight and seal sides with some paste. Place in the perforated vessel of a double boiler or steam cooker. Repeat for all the leaves and paste. Steam in the cooker for 30-40 minutes till cooked. Cool, and remove. Cut into 1/2" thick slices and allow to cool Heat oil, add seeds, allow to splutter. Add sesame, coriander, and coconut. Check and adjust, salt, chilli and sugar as desired.
1. Mix well, serve hot or cold.

Enjoy...... this is my all time fav.