You may have heard of the flavourful Gujarati Thali which consists of most of its famous delicacies. Well, that’s not the best part of Gujarat’s culinary heritage. The state is known for its excellent variety of cuisines ranging from Dhokla and Jalebi Fafda to Undhiyu. There are dozens of varieties and delicious spices used in the cooking.
Gujarat is divided into different sections, such as Surti Gujarat and Kathiyawad. They all bring unique flavours and recipes to make Gujarati Thali full of colours. So, are you ready to try some scrumptious traditional food in Gujarat? We’ve researched a few best Gujarat delicacies that you should not miss when in the state.
Try these Traditional Dishes from Gujarat
1. Khaman
Similar to Dhokla, Khaman is a steamed snack served with green and red chutney. It’s made of chickpea flour and lentil paste. A small amount of baking soda is added to the dish to make it fluffy. It is garnished with coriander leaves, curry leaves, green chillies, sev, and mustard seeds. The only difference between Khaman and Dhokla lies in the fluffiness and flavour. Khaman is the fluffier version of its sibling Dhokla.
These fluffy and spongy cake-like snacks taste super delicious and are a perfect evening snack for your kids. Although its taste has made it popular in all parts of India, the dish hails from Gujarat, and you can’t find that taste elsewhere. Order a plate of Khaman with your favourite chutney on Swiggy, or hit a local restaurant to try this yummy snack. You will love the deliciousness of Khaman.
2. Thepla
If you are fond of Gujarati shows, you might have probably seen Thepla in their routine diet. These flatbreads are made of gram flour, fenugreek leaves, and a whole range of spices, which make them delicious. For long road trips, it’s a perfect snack item that you can bring for your kids. It also makes a perfect breakfast recipe.
You can have it with tea to feel refreshed. Theplas taste delicious during monsoon when you are craving something spicy yet healthy. These are served with pickle and curd and are often enough to satisfy your hunger pangs. These flatbreads can be made with different ingredients, including spinach and radish, although Methi Theplas are the most popular.
3. Undhiyu
One of the scrumptious dishes of Gujarat, Undhiyu is called the king of all Gujarati recipes. If you are looking for the best traditional food in Gujarat, try this mixed vegetable dish with Roti and rice and enjoy the spicy flavours of the state. Undhiyu is prepared during winter, one of the reasons why Gujaratis wait for winter eagerly.
The dish is named from the Gujarati word Undhu, which means inverted or upside down. It’s cooked in an upside-down clay pot with fresh vegetables, including chickpeas, eggplant, potatoes, green peas, bananas, and so on. The ingredients are slow-cooked until all flavours of the dish are released. You can find Undhiyu at Gujarati weddings with Shrikhand, Puris, and Plain Chapatis.
4. Fafda Jalebi
Another popular dish that rose to popularity from the famous TV show “Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashma”, Fafda Jalebi is a cheat-day breakfast recipe. It’s a perfect combination of salty Fafda with sweet Jalebis that you can have any day without getting bored. Fafda is made of gram flour and carom seeds, while Jalebi is prepared from maida and is deep-fried until it achieves a yellowish colour and is then dipped into sugar syrup to add some extra sweetness to the recipe.
The combo is popular all over India, but it is especially famous in Gujarat. Many street shops in Ahmedabad sell Fafda Jalebi and there’s a long queue of customers waiting outside these shops on Sundays. Order this duo online, too. Just find a sweet shop in your area and order Fafda Jalebi on Swiggy.
5. Gujarati Kadhi
Another popular Gujarati dish that completes a regular Gujarati Thali is Gujarati Kadhi. It’s made of gram flour and yoghurt. What sets it apart from other Kadhi variants prepared in the Northern and other regions is the lightweight and less-spicy flavour.
Gujarati Kadhis are easy to digest and have minimal spices, making them a perfect, healthy recipe for your lunch and dinner. Kadhi Chawal Duo is also quite popular in the state. The light texture is achieved by adding water to the mixture. The resulting Kadhi has a thin consistency but is still creamy enough to give a wonderful taste.
6. Sev Tamatar Nu Shaak
Made of tomatoes and sev, Sev Tameta Nu Shaak brings sweet, tangy, salty, and spicy flavours to the table. The recipe is simple. Onions and tomatoes are sauteed in oil and are cooked until the flavours of tomatoes are absorbed completely. Sev is used for garnishing. There you go!
It can be enjoyed with Roti, Theplas, and Puri. You can also serve it with bread to your little ones. If you happen to visit Gujarat, make sure you try Sev Tamatar Nu Shaak here. It’s a simple yet flavourful recipe that every local and tourist enjoys.
7. Handvo
Cooked in a pressure cooker, this delicious cake is made of lentil and rice batter. These are then fried until they achieve a little crunchy texture. These are seasoned with sesame seeds. Handvo is an incredibly popular and delicious dish in Gujarat.
The dish looks like Dhokla, but the taste and cooking style are totally different in these two recipes. Handvo is a perfect combination of sweet and savoury cake that you can have on special occasions or can serve to guests. The seasoning of sesame seeds, plus lentils used in the batter make Handvo a healthy recipe.
8. Gota
Gujarat offers its own variant of Pakodas, which are best enjoyed during monsoon with green chutneys and a cup of hot tea. Made of fenugreek leaves and gram flour, Gota is mostly cooked on Holi and other special occasions. It’s an evening time snack that hails from the Dakor region in Gujarat. If you are craving something salty and savoury, order Gota on Swiggy and have these hot, fried snacks with tea.
You can have it with just about any chutney or tomato ketchup. It’s also an easy and quick recipe that you can make at home. But if you visit Gujarat, you must taste Gota at street shops. They are incredibly delicious.
9. Mohanthal
Made of sweetened Besan, Mohanthal is widely popular in Gujarati households. Each city in Gujarat prepared its own version of Mohanthal and it’s just incredibly delicious. These are seasoned with cardamoms, saffron, and other spices, lending them a sweet and delicious taste.
It’s believed that Mohanthal is Lord Krishna’s favourite sweet recipe, which is why it’s prepared in nearly every Gujarati household during Janmashtami. You can order Mohanthal from nearly any Mithai shop in the state.
Bottom Line
Gujarat’s traditional food never disappoints. Whether it’s Sev Tameta Nu Shaak, Jalebi Fafda, or Khaman, there’s something special about Gujarati cuisine that just tastes incredibly delicious. The mouth-watering flavour of these recipes leaves you craving more. The next time you plan a visit to Gujarat, make sure you include the above-listed sweet and savoury dishes in your list of foods to eat in Gujarat.
