Gujarathi Cuisine - III Sem F & B Production Practicals on 6th & 7th of August 2007

GUJARATHI CUISINE

Gujarati cuisine refers to the cuisine of the people from the state of Gujarat in the Northwest Region of India. It is predominantly vegetarian. The typical Gujarati Thali consists of Rotli (a flat bread made from wheat flour), daal or kadhi, rice, and sabzi/shaak (a dish made up of different combinations of vegetables and spices, which may be stir fried, curry-like, or even dry boiled). Cuisine varies in taste and heat, depending on a given family's tastes and caste. Mainly vegetarian, energy-efficient, environment-friendly, and highly nutritious with many subtle tastes, it is also very hygienic and high in food safety. Many gujurati dishes have a beld of sweetness. Dishes are not too sweet, but some are a bit sweeter then other other parts of India.
Staples include salad, homemade pickles, Khichdi (rice and lentil or rice and mung daal), and chhaas (buttermilk). Main dishes are based on steamed vegetables and dals that are added to a vaghaar, which is a mixture of spices sterilised in hot oil that is adjusted for the digestive qualities of the main ingredient. Salt, sugar, lemon, lime, and tomato are used frequently to prevent dehydration in an area where temperatures reach 50C (120F) under the shade. It is common to add a little sugar or jaggery to some of the sabzi/shaak and daal. The sweet flavour of these dishes is believed to neutralize the slightly salty taste of the water.
The cuisine changes with the seasonal availability of vegetables and, in knowledgeable families, the spices also change depending on the season. Garam Masala and its constituent spices are used less in summer. Regular fasting, with diets limited to milk and dried fruits, and nuts, are commonplace.
In modern times, some Gujaratis have become increasingly fond of very spicy and fried dishes, which has led to increased incidence of Western diseases. There are many chefs who have came up with ultimate fusion of Western and Gujrati food.
Sweets made from such ingredients as local sugar cane, jaggery, milk, almonds, and pistachios were originally served at weddings and family occasions as an instant energy booster for relations travelling long distances to attend. They are now being enjoyed every day by those with sedentary occupations.

Almost always strictly vegetarian, Gujarathi cuisine is unlike any other Indian cuisine. The difference lies in the unusual blending of the sweet with the savoury into a harmonious whole. Even though the state of Gujarat has absorbed many outside influences down the ages, the cuisine has remained much the same. The grand spread of Gujarati cuisine can be glimpsed and savoured in the very popular "Gujarati Thali" a large silver platter consisting of innumerable bowls full of vegetable curries, dals or lentil based gravies, a variety of breads, savouries - crisp spicy fried farsans, sweetmeats and an amazing range of sweet and sour chutneys and pickles. The entire meal including the vegetables and dals (curried lentils) achieves a delicate balance of flavours – sweet and sour, salty and spicy, crisp and soft, low fat and deep-fried!
Some of the well-known Gujarati delicacies are Paunk (combination of various roasted cereals), undhyoo (a speciality of potatoes, sweet potatoes, brinjals and broad beans baked in an earthenware pot in a mud oven), kadi (a curry of yogurt and chopped vegetables), khamam dhokla (a salty, sweet-and-sour cake made from chickpea flour), shrikhand (a dessert made from yoghurt spiced with saffron, nuts, cardamom and dry fruit) and doodh pak (a dessert of thick sweetened milk with dry fruit and nuts).
METHODS
The state of Gujarat is renowned for sophisticated, light, vegetarian meals and there are slight variations in eating habits and modes of preparation in its three component regions.

Kathiawari and Kutch food both use red chili powder to make the cuisine spicy. The cuisine in south Gujarat too, is spicy but here green chilies add 'life' to the food. The Suratis also use far more sugar in their cooking and as a result the cuisine has a sweet, tangy flavor.
SPECIALITIES
A Kathiawari favorite is debra. Made with wheat flour mixed with spinach, green chilies, a dollop of yogurt and a pinch of salt and sugar, these are eaten with chudo-a thick sweet chutney made with raw man-goes, cardamoms, cloves, saffron and sugar. Yet another specialty is methia masala, a dry powder made from fenugreek seeds, chili powder and salt. This is sprinkled over raw vegetables and salads for a piquant flavor. A peanut fudge made from gur is another specialty, which is quite delicious.

In Gujarat, during winter when green vegetables are available in plenty, a delicious vegetable concoction called undhyoo is made using potato, brinjal, and green beans amongst several other vegetables. Paunk, another winter favorite in this region, is a dish that is a blend of tender, roasted cereal, jowar, and sev (a type of farsan), savory twists, garlic chutney and sugar balls.

Gujarati specialties like the nankhatais, kesar biscuits, khari biscuits, ghebar, gharis, a rich, round sweet made with condensed milk, ghee and dry fruit and the saglu baglu mithai are sold in bakeries and confectionery shops in Surat.

The main dish of Kutch cuisine is the khichdi, a simple lentil and rice mixture. It is eaten with kadhi-a savory curry made with yogurt using bay leaves, ginger, chilies and finely chopped vegetables as garnishing-onions and pickle.

Using the same lentils and rice, Kutchi kitchens produce delectable items like the khaman dhokla, a salty steamed cake made from chickpea flour; doodha pak, sweet, thickened milk confectioned with nuts, and srikhand, a dessert made of yogurt, flavored with saffron, cardamom, nuts and candied fruit which is eaten with hot, fluffy pooris. These three delicacies have made their way into the favorites list of the rest of India too and can be found in restaurants all over the country.

In contrast to the majority Hindus who are pure vegetarians, the Bohras, a community of Muslim traders, are famous for their beef preparations called malai tikka and malai wa khalija. An exclusive beef dish is the sagle bagla - exclusive because it is available only in a particular shop in Surat.

HOW TO EAT
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.


MENU

Chaas
Gujarati Kadhi
Undhia
Achaari Paneer /Theplaas
Trevti dal/Bhakri
Gujarathi Khattai Aloo
Peela Bhat
Makai na bharta
Papaya Salaad
Shrikhand

Chaas
Ingredients:
Buttermilk 4 litres
Oil 30 ml
Mustard seeds 30 g
Curry leaves 1 big bunch
Ginger 50 g
Asafetida 5 g
Green chillies 30 g
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves 1 bunch
Mint leaves 1 bunch
Method:
• Pour the yoghurt, add ginger, green chillies, little curry leaves and coriander leaves chopped finely and salt to taste into a food processor and blend well.
• In a small pan heat the oil. When it is hot add the mustard seeds, remaining curry leaves and asafetida. Remove from the fire and add this to the buttermilk mixture and mix well.
• Serve in glasses.

Gujarati Karhi:
Ingredients:
Bengal gram flour 200 g
Yoghurt, 2 litres
Water 4 litres
Grated ginger 50 g
Green chilli(es) slit 50 g
Sugar 50 g
Mustard seeds 30 g
Cumin seeds 30 g
Asafoetida 5 g
Turmeric 10 g
Ghee 30 g
Red chilli 10 g
Curry leaves 1 bunch
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves 1 bunch

Method
o Mix the yoghurt, gram flour and water in a vessel beating well so that no lumps are formed. Add the grated ginger, slit green chillies, curry leaves, sugar and salt. Keep on low flame for 5 minutes or till the mixture comes to a boil. Keep simmering.
o For the tempering, heat the ghee in a pan for 2 minutes. Add the mustard seeds and the cumin seeds. Let them crackle. Now, add the asafoetida, the red chilli bits, turmeric powder, chilli powder and fry on low heat for a few seconds.
o Add the tempering to the gram flour gravy and stir occasionally whilst simmering on very low heat for few minutes.
o Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves before serving with steamed rice.

For the Pakhora (optional)

Ingredients:

Bengal gram flour 400 g
Spinach 1 kg
Soda bicarbonate 5 g
Salt to taste
Coriander powder 30 g
Ajwain 15 g
Ginger, julienne 50 g
Green chillies 50 g
Oil 1 litre
Method:
• Mix all the ingredients together, add little water and mix well.
• Heat oil in a kadai and drop spoonfuls of the batter.
• Deep fry over medium heat until golden.
• Remove to an absorbent paper to drain the excess fat and add to the boiling kadhi.
.
Theplaas
Ingredients
Wheat flour 1 kg
Gramflour 250 g
Red chilli powder 20 g
Turmeric powder 10 g
Salt to taste
Asafetida 15 g
Cumin seeds 30 g
Sesame seeds 30 g
Oil 100 ml
Oil for shallow frying 300 ml

Method
• Mix all ingredients except oil for shallow frying.
• Use a little water and knead a soft pliable dough .
• Divide dough into even shape, roll each into a 5" round.
• Sprinkle flour over chappati while rolling, for ease.
• Place on a hot griddle, roast and drizzle oil, to shallow fry.
• Repeat for other side. Repeat for remaining dough.
• Serve hot with chunda (refer pickles) or other pickle or curds.
• Equally tasty when cold too.
Trevti dal
Ingredients:

Bengal gram dal 250 g
Green gram dal 250 g
Red gram dal 250 g
Ginger 50 g
Green chillies 50 g
Onions 250 g
Tomatoes 250 g
Garlic 100 g
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder 15 g
Oil 100 ml
Lemon Juice 6 nos
Corainder leaves 1 bunch

Tempering:

Dry red chillies 10 g
Cloves 10 g
Bay leaves 5 g
Asafoetida 5 g

Method:

• Soak all the dals for one hour and pressure cook the dals. Keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan, add the spices and fry until they turn brown.
• Add chopped ginger, garlic, chillies and fry for 4-5 minutes.
• Add onions and tomatoes, salt, turmeric powder and cook until done.
• Mash the dals. Add the dals with water. Simmer the flame and let the dal boil for few minutes.
• Add the lemon juice, corainder leaves and stir well.
• Serve hot with rice and papads.
Makai na bharta

Fresh corns 1 kg
Onions 250 g
Tomatoes 250 g
Green chillies 50 g
Coriander leaves 1 bunch
Coriander powder 30 g
Red chilli powder 30 g
Turmeric powder 5 g
Garam masala powder 15 g
cumin seeds 15 g
Oil 50 ml
Salt to taste


Method

• Boil the whole corn, take off the niblets and grind it coarsely in a blender.
• Finely chop the onions, tomatoes and green chillies.
• Heat up oil in a kadhai, mix in cumin seeds and stir fry till they crackle.
• Add the chopped onions, green chillies and stir fry till light brown.
• Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and salt.
• Stir fry for few seconds and then add the chopped tomatoes, cook till they are soft and add corn, salt and little water.
• Stir fry for another 5-10 minutes.
• Serve hot decorated with cut coriander.
Dhokla
Gram flour 1 kg
Water 1 ltire
Sugar 50 g
Citric acid 15 g
Soda bicarb/Eno salt 25 g
Green chillies 15 g
Ginger grated 15 g
Salt to taste
• For Tempering
Coconut grated 2 nos
Coriander chopped 1 bunch
Mustard seeds 30 g
Oil. 50 ml.
Method
o Mix gram flour, oil, salt, sugar, chilly powder(optional), citric acid and then add boiled water enough to make a thick paste and mix them well
o Then, take a vessel which can fit in steamer or pressure cooker and grease it with oil, and then add soda or eno to the gram paste and stir well and pour into prepared tin before the foam goes down
o Steam cook it for 45 minutes on medium low flame (but keep it for 2-3 minutes on medium high flame).
o After it is ready take it out let it cool for 5 minutes.
o In the mean time take a pan and pour 2tbsp. of oil in it and then add mustard seeds
o When the seeds splutters, add curry leaves, hing, sesame seeds(optional) and green chillies to it.
o Then, pour the khatta mixture over the dhokla (to keep it moist) and cut into square pieces and pour the oil in the pan over the khaman.
o And then garnish it with chopped coriander leaves and shredded coconut and serve with green chutney.

Undhia
Ingredients

Mixed vegetables 2 kg
Spring onions ½ kg
Coriander-chopped fine 1 bunch
Cumin seeds 15 g
Powdered coriander 50 g
Chilli powder 30 g
Turmeric 10 g
Salt to taste
Oil 100 ml
Small muthias (make a dough with besan, methi, seasoning, a little ghee. Make small round flat shapes and fry)
(Mixed vegetables are yam, potato, raw banana, broad beans, egg-plants, peas)

• Grind Together
Grated coconut 1 no
Chopped garlic 50 g
Chopped ginger 50 g
Green chillies 50 g
Method
o Heat oil and add the cumin seeds. Add garlic and the ground ingredients and stir fry.
o Add coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric and the salt.
o Stir fry till the fat separates and add the parboiled vegetables. Turn around a few times over high heat and then lower the heat and let it cook till all the vegetables are tender (takes approx. 45 minutes.).
• Add muthias and simmer for about 15 minutes more and serve hot.


Achaari paneer

Ingredients
Paneer 1 kg
Sauf 30 g
Mustard seeds 30 g
Methi dana 15 g
Kalonji 10 g
Jeera 30 g
Garlic 50 g
Ginger 30 g
Curd 300 g
Oil 150 ml
Onion 250 g
Green chilli 30 g
Haldi 10 g
Amchur powder 30 g
Slit green chillies 50 g
Salt to taste

Method:-
• Cut paneer into rectangular pieces.
• Collect all seeds-saunf, mustard seeds, methi dana, kalonji and jeera together.
• Crush garlic and ginger and keep aside.
• Heat oil. Add the collected seeds together to the hot oil. Let them crackle for a minute.
• Add onions and chopped green chillies. Cook till onions turn golden brown.
• Add haldi and crushed garlic-ginger paste. Cook for a minute.
• Beat curd with a spoon till smooth. Add gradually and keep stirring. Add dried mango pdr and salt. Cook till the curd dries up a little.


Peela bhat

Ingredients:

Basmati rice 3 kg
Ghee 200 g
Cloves 10 g
Cinnamon 10 g
Turmeric 30 g
Salt to taste
Method:

• Heat the ghee, add the cloves and cinnamon, sauté and add the rice, sauté.
• Add the turmeric, boiling water and salt and cook till done and serve with kadhi.


Bhakri
Ingredients

Whole wheat flour 3 kg
Ghee ¼ kg
Cumin seeds 50 g
Carom seeds 30 g
Salt to taste

Method:
• Combine the flour, ghee, cumin seeds, salt and mix well.
• Add enough water and knead into a firm dough. Keep aside for 15 to 20 minutes. Divide into equal portions.
• Roll out each portion into a 100 mm. (4") diameter round.
• Roast each round on both sides on a tava till golden brown, putting light pressure on the bhakhri so that the insides cook evenly.
• Serve hot with any vegetable of your choice

.
Gujarati khattai alu
Ingredients:

Floury potatoes 1 ½ kg
Tamarind pulp 50 g
Brown sugar 100 g
Ghee or oil 150 ml
Black mustard seeds 30 g
Turmeric 10 g
Chili powder 15 g
Ground coriander 30 g
Ground cumin 10 g
Salt to taste
Green chilies, 50 g
Desiccated coconut 1 no or 300 g

Method:
• Peel and dice potatoes.
• Soak tamarind in hot water for 5 minutes and then squeeze it firmly to extract all the juice and strain the liquid through a sieve. Dissolve the sugar in the liquid.
• Heat the ghee or oil and fry the mustard seeds until they pop.
• Add the turmeric, chili powder, coarse coriander and cumin powder and fry for about few minutes on low. Add the potatoes and toss for about a minute.
• Sprinkle with salt and little water, cover tightly and cook on a very low flame for about 15 minutes.
• Add the tamarind juice, sliced chilies and coconut and stir well.
• Cover and cook for about 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through.
• Serve hot with rice or chapattis.

Papaya salad

Ingredients:

Raw papaya 1 kg
Lemon juice 8 nos
Peanuts 200 g
Coriander leaves 1 bunch
Green chillies 50 g
Sugar 50 g
Salt to taste

Tempering:
Mustard 15 g
Cumin seeds 15 g
Asafetida 5 g
Oil 30 ml


Method:

• Heat the oil; add the asafetida, cumin seeds and mustard seeds and green chillies and sauté.
• Add the grated papaya, sugar, peanuts, lemon juice, coriander leaves and salt and mix thoroughly and remove from heat. Keep aside to cool.
• Serve cold as an accompaniment

Shrikhand
Ingredients

Hung curds 3 litres
Sugar-powdered ½ kg
Elaichi powder 10 g
Saffron(optional) 1 box

Method
• Hang the yoghurt overnight in a strainer lined with a thin cloth and leave to drain the extra water.
• Transfer the hung curd into a mixing bowl start sieving the hung curd by adding sugar little by little and collect it into a clean vessel.
• Mix in half the elaichi and soaked saffron in milk well till smooth
• Transfer on to a serving bowl and garnish with the rest of the elaichi powder and saffron strands.
• Leave to set in the refrigerator, chilling for at least 2 hours and serve.