The cuisine of Gujarat is largely vegetarian, owing to the strong influence of Jainism and later Vaishnavism on the people of the state. Also, the Gujarati’s are one of the largest vegetarian communities in the country.
However, with the amount of variety the Gujarati’s have put in into their food, the famous Indian British cookbook writer Madhur Jaffrey has termed Gujarati cuisine as “the haute cuisine of vegetarianism”. So guys sit back and let the mouth watering session START!!!
1. Rava Sheera Or Sooji Halwa – Semolina Pudding
Ingredients
Semolina 1 Cup (16 tbs)
Milk 3 Cup (48 tbs)
Ghee 1⁄4 Cup (4 tbs) (Clarified butter)
Sugar 1⁄2 Cup (8 tbs) (Use according to your taste)
Cardamom powder 1⁄2 Teaspoon, divided (A pinch reserved and kept aside for the garnish)
Raisins 1⁄2 Tablespoon (To garnish)
Almonds 1 Tablespoon, slivered (To garnish)
Pistachios 1 Tablespoon (To garnish)
Tulsi patta 4 Medium, torn (To garnish)
Directions
GETTING READY
1. In a pan boil 3 cups of milk, stirring occasionally so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Once boiled, set aside.
MAKING
2. In another pan, heat 1/4 cup of ghee (clarified butter) and roast the semolina (rava) on a medium heat. Continue to stir till it starts to bubble.
3. When the rava bubbles, continue to stir and cook it a little more. After a few minutes, add the cardamom powder, raisins and dried cranberries and stir.
4. Once the semolina is cooked, slowly and carefully add the boiled hot milk, stirring continuously. The semolina would start getting thicker.
5. Continue to stir till the semolina thickens more. Once the semolina is lumpy and thick and does not stick to the spatula, it is done.
6. Reduce the heat and add the sugar. Stir well to blend in the sugar to the cooked semolina (sheera).
2. Sukhdi (Gor Papri Or Gol Papdi)
Ingredients
Whole wheat flour 3 1⁄2 Cup (56 tbs)
Ghee 2 Cup (32 tbs)
Jaggery 1 Cup (16 tbs)
Dates/Rice crispies/fried poha 1 1⁄2 Cup (24 tbs) (more or less to taste)
Directions
MAKING
1. Take a pot, and heat it with the ghee. Once the ghee starts melting, add the flour.
2. Reduce the heat to medium and stir well continuously.
3. Once done and the color is brownish, add the jaggery and keep stirring for about 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Add the dates and continue to stir for about 10 minutes.
5. Take a large greased plate (Indian thali) or a baking dish and spread the gol papdi in it. Press tightly so that it firmly fits into the dish. Set aside and allow it to cool.
3. Methi Pak Or Adadiya Pak – Fudge With Indian Herbs And Spices
Ingredients
Ghee 1 1⁄2 Cup (24 tbs), divided (Use as needed to cook each of the flours and dates separately)
Gram flour 2 Cup (32 tbs) (Laddu besan used)
Black gram flour 1⁄2 Cup (8 tbs) (Urad dal flour)
Wheat flour 1⁄4 Cup (4 tbs)
Water chestnut flour 1⁄4 Cup (4 tbs) (Shingoda flour)
Dates 1⁄4 Cup (4 tbs), chopped
Coconut 1⁄4 Cup (4 tbs), grated
Ground almond 1⁄4 Cup (4 tbs)
Ginger powder 3 Tablespoon (Sonth)
Methi powder 4 Tablespoon (Fenugreek powder)
Cardamom powder To Taste
Sugar/Jaggery 1 Cup (16 tbs)
Almonds 1 Tablespoon, slivered (To garnish)
Directions
MAKING
1. Take a heavy bottomed pot, heat it to a medium temperature and melt the ghee.
2. Once the ghee melts add the laddu besan, stir and cook for about 18 to 20 minutes or until the raw smell and taste vanishes.Stir occasionally.
3. After around 20 minutes, the mixture changes color releasing the aroma of the cooked flour and becomes lighter as well. Once done remove the cooked besan into another pot and use the same heavy bottomed pan to cook the rest of the flours.
4. Cook the flours one by one separately if possible. The black gram flour and the wheat flour may be cooked together.
5. Once the black gram flour and the wheat flour are cooked well, add them to the cooked besan flour set aside. Let the flour mixtures rest to cool down.
6. Now, cook the chestnut flour till it changes color and releases the cooked aroma. Add this to the other flour mixture and let it cool.
7. Coat the dates with any of the flour so that they stay separate and do not stick to each other.
8. To the heavy bottomed pan add more ghee and cook the chopped and coated dates along with the coconut. Make sure not to overcook them.
9. Once cooked add the ground almonds and stir for some time to combine all the ingredients.
10. Add the dates-coconut-almonds mixture to the flour mixture. To this also add the ganthoda, ginger powder, fenugreek powder, cardamom powder and mix it well to combine with the flour.
11. Add vasani batrisu (optional) and combine well.
12. When the mixture is cooled or just warm, add the sugar and combine well into the flour mixture.
4-Sutarfeni – Shredded Vermicelli
Ingredients
Fried vermicelli 7 Ounce (approx. 1 packet of fine vermicelli)
Sugar 1⁄4 Cup (4 tbs)
Water 2 Tablespoon
Saffron 1 Pinch
Cardamom 1⁄4 Teaspoon, ground
Almonds 1 Teaspoon, slivered (for garnishing)
Pistachio 1 Teaspoon, slivered (for garnishing)
Directions
MAKING
1. In a pot over medium high, add sugar, water and bring it to a boiling point.
2. Once done check for the 1 thread consistency. Switch off gas, add kesar and cardomom powder. Mix well.
3. Place this hot sugar syrup over a large bowl of ice water to let it cool quickly.
4. Take the fried vermicelli and put it in a plate. Once the sugar syrup has cooled, pour it over the fried vermicelli.
SERVING
5. Serve the sutarfeni garnished with slivered almonds and pistachio.
5-Shrikhand..My Favourite 😀
Yogurt 4 Cup (64 tbs)
Sugar 3⁄4 Cup (12 tbs) (as needed)
Saffron 1⁄2 Teaspoon
Crushed cardamom 1⁄4 Teaspoon
Sliced almonds 1 Tablespoon
Sliced pistachios 1 Tablespoon
Directions
GETTING READY
1. On a bowl, place a muslin or a cheese cloth lined strainer.
2. Pour the yogurt and drain all the excess water, let the water get collected in the bowl.
3. Once done gently squeeze the excess water from the yogurt, using your hands.
4. Move the yogurt with strainer and bowl into the refrigerator for 6-8 hours to drain excess water.
MAKING
5. After 6-8 hours the yogurt will become thick in consistency.
6. Dissolve saffron in warm milk; add the sugar, cardamom powder and the saffron milk to the yogurt.
7. Beat well until the sugar is dissolved, using a hand mixer.
8. Add the almond and pistachios reserving some for garnish.
9. Once done chill the shrikhand in the refrigerator.
There are lot more than this too like Halvasan, Malpua, Keri no ras, Basundi, Ghari (sweet from Surat), Ghebar or Ghevar (sweet from Surat), Puran Poli. Most of the sweet delicacies in Gujarati cuisine are fried in ghee and thereafter dipped into sugar syrup locally known as chashni.
– Vatsal Doshi
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