Gujarati food isn’t just a meal, it’s a mindset. A generous, satvik, joy-infused expression of life where even a simple curry whispers sweetness, and where restraint meets invention on every plate. From the slow-simmered kadhi to the fiery crunch of sev tameta nu shaak, Gujarat’s culinary identity is at once humble and highly distinctive.
Spanning deserts, coastline, and fertile plains, Gujarat’s cuisine reflects its geography, spiritual roots, and climate. The state’s long-standing vegetarian traditions, shaped by Jainism and Vaishnavism, fostered creativity with grains, legumes, and vegetables. Sweetness is often from jaggery or sugar, and is not an afterthought here; it’s a defining flavour, even in savoury dishes. But that’s not all. Clever preservation techniques, pickling, steaming, and fermentation, lend Gujarati food its unmistakable character.
The everyday Gujarati thali is a rhythmic, rotating affair of light yet filling, balanced in flavours, textures, and colours. And while the components may vary from Kathiyawad to Kutch, from Saurashtra to Surat, the spirit remains rooted in balance and nourishment.
Dhokla
4
servings20
minutes15
minutesFluffy, tangy, and airy, dhokla is more than a snack; it’s Gujarat on a plate. Made from fermented gram flour, it's steamed to perfection and topped with a crackling tempering.
Ingredients
1 cup besan (gram flour)
1 tbsp semolina
1 tsp ginger-green chilli paste
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp ENO fruit salt
Salt to taste
Water as needed
- Tempering:
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp sesame seeds
1-2 green chillies, slit
Curry leaves
Directions
- Mix gram flour, semolina, ginger-chilli paste, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and water to make a batter. Rest for 10 mins.
- Add ENO, mix, and steam immediately in a greased tray for 15–20 mins.
- Cool, cut into squares, and pour over the tempered mustard-sesame-chilli oil. Garnish with coriander and grated coconut.
Sev Tameta nu Shaak
2
servings10
minutes15
minutesThis everyday curry of tomatoes and crispy sev is quick, tasty, and deeply satisfying.
Ingredients
3 large tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp jaggery
Salt to taste
1 cup thick sev
2 tbsp oil
Directions
- Heat oil, add mustard, cumin, and hing. Sauté tomatoes with spices and cook till soft.
- Add jaggery and a splash of water; simmer till slightly thick.
- Just before serving, stir in or top with sev, not too early or it’ll go soggy!
Undhiyu
4
servings30
minutes45
minutesThis seasonal Gujarati delicacy is a one-pot wonder of mixed vegetables, fenugreek dumplings, and spiced coconut masala, slow-cooked to perfection and traditionally enjoyed with puris or shrikhand.
Ingredients
1 small raw banana, diced
1 small sweet potato, diced
1/2 cup surti papdi (valour beans), stringed
1/2 cup purple yam (kand), diced
1/2 cup baby potatoes
1/2 cup brinjal, slit but kept whole
1/2 cup methi muthia (fenugreek dumplings – steamed or fried)
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
A pinch of hing
Salt to taste
3 -4tbsp oil
1/4 cup water
- Undhiyu Masala Mix:
1/2 cup grated fresh coconut
2 tbsp roasted peanuts
1 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp chopped coriander
1 tbsp ginger-green chilli paste
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
Salt to taste
2 tbsp oil
Directions
- Undhiyu Masala Mix:
- Combine all ingredients to form a coarse, moist stuffing mix. Set aside.
- Undhiyu Recipe:
- Gently stuff the brinjal and some of the diced vegetables with the prepared masala.
- Heat oil in a thick-bottomed pan. Add ajwain and hing.
- Add all vegetables (except muthia), sprinkle salt, turmeric, and chilli powder, and mix gently.
- Add the remaining masala and water. Cover and cook on a low flame for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add methi muthia toward the end. Cook uncovered for another 10 minutes till vegetables are tender and coated with masala.
- Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot.
Handvo
4
servings20
minutes40
minutesThink of this as a spiced, crunchy-bottomed lentil cake loaded with vegetables, a meal in itself.
Ingredients
1 cup rice
1/2 cup toor dal
1/2 cup chana dal
1/4 cup moong dal
1/2 cup grated bottle gourd
1 tsp ginger-green chilli paste
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp ENO or baking soda
Salt to taste
- Tempering:
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp sesame seeds
A pinch of hing
Directions
- Soak dals and rice for 6 hours. Grind into a coarse batter.
- Mix in bottle gourd, spices, salt, and soda. Pour into a greased pan.
- Heat oil, pour tempering on top. Bake at 180°C for 30–40 minutes or cook covered in a thick-bottomed pan till golden.
Mohanthal
9
pieces15
minutes35
minutesA rich, fudgy sweet made with gram flour, ghee, sugar, and cardamom. Mohanthal is a festive essential in Gujarati households, especially during Diwali and weddings.
Ingredients
1 cup besan (gram flour)
1/4 cup ghee (for roasting)
1/2 cup ghee (for mixture)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
A few strands of saffron (optional)
2 tbsp chopped almonds and pistachios
1 tsp khoya/mawa (optional, for richness)
Directions
- In a bowl, mix besan with 1/4 cup ghee and 1/4 cup milk. Rub together with fingers to make a coarse, crumbly mixture. Set aside for 15 mins.
- Sieve the mixture to break any lumps.
- Heat 1/2 cup ghee in a thick-bottomed pan, add the besan mixture, and roast on a low flame until it turns golden and aromatic. Stir constantly.
- In another pan, make a sugar syrup with 3/4 cup sugar and 1/3 cup water. Heat till it reaches a one-string consistency.
- Add cardamom, saffron, and khoya (if using) to the roasted besan.
- Slowly pour the sugar syrup into the besan, stirring quickly to combine.
Gujarati cuisine is a culinary comfort zone, where restraint and richness coexist. It doesn’t overwhelm, it embraces. The thali here is not just a plate, but a philosophy: balance in taste, rhythm in routine, joy in everyday eating. And above all, a quiet reminder that food cooked with love, even the humblest of ingredients, can become a feast of emotions.
