art-culture

Gujarat

Gujarati cuisine is primarily vegetarian. The typical Gujarati Thali consists of Roti (a flat bread made from wheat flour, and called rotli in Gujarati), daal or kadhi, rice, and sabzi/shaak (a dish made up of different combinations of vegetables and spices, which may be stir fried, spicy or sweet). Cuisine can vary widely in flavor and heat, depending on a given family's tastes as well as the region of Gujarat they are from. North Gujarat, Kathiawad, Kachchh, and South Gujarat are the four major regions of Gujarat that all bring their own style to Gujarati food. Many Gujarati dishes are distinctively sweet, salty, and spicy at the same time. The cuisine changes with the seasonal availability of vegetables. In mango season, for example, Keri no ras (fresh mango pulp) is often an integral part of the meal. The spices used 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. Kachori, Jilebi, undhiyu ,Kakra are some of the snacks famous in Gujarat.

GUAJRATI DAL DHOKALI RECIPE

Ingredients:

250 grams tuver daal,

500 grams wheat flour,

3 green chilies

3 tbsp green chili paste

50 grams groundnut

25 grams cashewnut,

1 tbsp Turmeric powder

1 tbsp Mustard seeds,3-4 cloves

2 cinnamon, 2 tomatoes

1 tbsp Tamarind 100 grams brown sugar,

Salt To Taste,

1 tbsp Garam masala,

1 tsp Ajama 4-5 tbsp.Oil,

2 tbsp Red chili powder asafetida

1/2 cup cilantro leaves

3-4 tbsp. Ghee.

Preparation:

Shift wheat flour. Add salt, turmeric powder, ajama, red chili powder. Mix well. Add oil and knead the flour to roti like consistency.

Wash tuver dal and pressure cook it for three whistles.

Cool and remove the dal. Heat oil and ghee in a pot, then put cloves and cinnamon and then add mustard leaves.

When they crackle add curry leaves, green chilies and a pinch of asafetida. Pour tover dal.

Mix tamarind and brown sugar water, cashew nuts, groundnut, garam masala, red chili powder and mix well.

Add tomato pulp, turmeric powder, salt and 2 cups of water. Boil the dal. roll out big rotis and cut them into pieces and add these pieces in boiling dal.

Boil for 10 minutes and remove. Serve the dal dhokli warm. Sprinkle cilantro leaves.

Note: Prepare kachori of green peas or of any other vegetable or coconut and add in boiling curry.

TOOR DAAL RECIPE

Ingredients:

1 cup Tuvar (Toor) Daal

1 Pinch Turmeric Powder

Salt To Taste

1 Lemons

1/2 tsp Jaggery

1 Pinch Asafoetida

1 tbsp Ghee

2 Dry Red Chillies

1/4 tsp Cumin Seeds

3 Garlic Cloves

Preparation:

* Pressure cook tuvar dal with sufficient water and turmeric powder.

* Mash the dal, after it has been cooked.

* Chop the garlic cloves finely.

* Heat the ghee in a pan, add cumin seeds, dry red chillies and garlic cloves. Fry till they pop up.

* Add the dal with 2 cups of water and salt.

* Cook until the toor daal boils, then add jaggery. Cook for 4-5 minutes more.

* When the tuvar dal is cooled add lemon juice and serve.