Gujarati Cuisine is primarily Vegetarian. A typical thali consists of Roti/ poori, Dhal, Kadhi, Shaak (vegetables), Farsan (Appetizers), Mithai (sweets), Home made pickles and Chaas (Butter milk). Most of the preparation consists of a small amount of sugar/ jaggery added as an ingredient, which makes the dish kind of sweet to taste. Though not much elaborate, i made this Gujarati thali last week for an occasion at home. It is always wonderful to learn other cuisines and try different kinds of food. Got these recipe ideas from a Gujarati friend of mine and also from here, modified to my taste!! :) The amount of ingredients given below serves 2-3 people.
Menu:
- Besan Ladoo
- Tindora and Hyacinth beans fry
- Peas potato baaji
- Dhal
- Cucumber raita
- Chaas
- Poori
- Rice and
- Fried green chillies
Besan Ladoo
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
- Besan / Gram flour - 1 cup
- Sugar - 3/4 to 1 cup
- Fine sooji/ Rava - 1/4 cup
- Ghee - 1/3 cup
- Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
- Cloves - 4, crushed
- Almonds - 2 tbsp, silvered
- Cashews - to decorate
How to make it:
Dry roast besan and rava on low heat for few minutes. Add ghee and mix well until the besan absorbs all ghee, for about 5 minutes. Switch off the flame. Add cardamom powder, cloves and almonds. When the besan is still warm, add the sugar and mix well. Make evenly sized balls. Decorate with roasted cashews. Stiffens as it cools. Makes about 12 balls.
Tindora and Hyacinth beans fry (Shaak)Dry roast besan and rava on low heat for few minutes. Add ghee and mix well until the besan absorbs all ghee, for about 5 minutes. Switch off the flame. Add cardamom powder, cloves and almonds. When the besan is still warm, add the sugar and mix well. Make evenly sized balls. Decorate with roasted cashews. Stiffens as it cools. Makes about 12 balls.
Ingredients:
- Tindora - 1 cup, cut lengthwise
- Hyacinth beans - 1/2 cup, chopped
- Onion - 1, chopped
- Tomato - 1/2 cup, chopped
- Cloves - 2
- Cardamom - 2 crushed
- Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
- Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
- Ginger - 1/2 tsp, shredded
- Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
- Turmeric powder - a pinch
- Dhania -jeera powder - 1 tsp
- Hing - a pinch
- Salt - as required
- Besan/ gram flour - 1 tsp
- Cilantro - to garnish
How to make it:
Heat oil in a pan, add cloves, cardamom, fennel and cumin. When it sizzles, add ginger and onions and fry until onion turns translucent. Add all the powders mentioned in the ingredients, except salt. Fry for a while. Add tomatoes, tindora, hyacinth beans and salt. The water from tomatoes must be sufficient to cook the veggies. Cook covered on low-medium heat until done. Sprinkle 1 tsp of besan and mix well. Garnish with cilantro.
Peas-potato baaji
Ingredients:
Heat oil in a pan, add cloves, cardamom, fennel and cumin. When it sizzles, add ginger and onions and fry until onion turns translucent. Add all the powders mentioned in the ingredients, except salt. Fry for a while. Add tomatoes, tindora, hyacinth beans and salt. The water from tomatoes must be sufficient to cook the veggies. Cook covered on low-medium heat until done. Sprinkle 1 tsp of besan and mix well. Garnish with cilantro.
Peas-potato baaji
Ingredients:
- Potato - 2, boiled
- Peas - 1/2 cup, cooked
- Onion - 1, chopped
- Tomato - 1, chopped
- Cloves - 2
- Cardamom - 2, crushed
- Cinnamon - 1/2 inch piece
- Fennel - 1/2 tsp
- Green chillies - 3 or 4
- Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
- Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
- Corriander powder - 1/2 tsp
- Salt - as required
- Besan/ gram flour - 1 tsp
- Oil - 2 tbsp
- Ghee - 1 tsp
- Cilantro - to garnish
How to make it:
Heat oil + ghee in a pan. Add cloves, cardamom, fennel and cinnamon. When it sizzles, add green chillies and onions and fry until onion turns light brown. Add tomatoes and cook until tomatoes become soft. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and corriander powder. Add boiled and cubed potatoes, cooked peas and fry for a while. Add 1 1/2 cups water and salt. Cook covered for about 5 minutes. Add besan mixed with little water to thicken the gravy. Cook until thick. Garnish with cilantro.
Dhal
Ingredients:
Heat oil + ghee in a pan. Add cloves, cardamom, fennel and cinnamon. When it sizzles, add green chillies and onions and fry until onion turns light brown. Add tomatoes and cook until tomatoes become soft. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and corriander powder. Add boiled and cubed potatoes, cooked peas and fry for a while. Add 1 1/2 cups water and salt. Cook covered for about 5 minutes. Add besan mixed with little water to thicken the gravy. Cook until thick. Garnish with cilantro.
Dhal
Ingredients:
- Toor dal - 1/2 cup
- Tomatoes - 1, chopped
- Ginger- chilli paste - 1 tsp
- Peanuts - 1/4 cup, roasted
- Cloves - 2
- Cinnamon - a small piece
- Bay leaf - 1
- Cumin - 1/2 tsp
- Hing - a pinch
- Salt - as required
- Jaggery - a small piece , if preferred
- Turmeric powder - a pinch
- Curry leaves - few, to garnish
- Cilantro - to garnish
- Oil - 1 tbsp
- Ghee - 1 tsp
- Lemon juice - 2 tsp
How to make it:
Pressure cook toor dal with enough water. Mash the dal well. Heat oil + ghee in a pan, add bay leaf, cloves, cumin and cinnamon. When it sizzles add tomatoes and hing. Cook until tomatoes becomes soft. Add ginger-chilli paste and saute for a while. Add Peanuts, cooked toor dal, salt, jaggery and turmeric powder. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Garnish with curry leaves and cilantro. Add a squeeze of lemon.
Cucumber raitaPressure cook toor dal with enough water. Mash the dal well. Heat oil + ghee in a pan, add bay leaf, cloves, cumin and cinnamon. When it sizzles add tomatoes and hing. Cook until tomatoes becomes soft. Add ginger-chilli paste and saute for a while. Add Peanuts, cooked toor dal, salt, jaggery and turmeric powder. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Garnish with curry leaves and cilantro. Add a squeeze of lemon.
Ingredients:
- Fresh home made yogurt - 1 cup
- Cucumber - 1, peeled and shredded
- Salt - as required
- Cilantro - 1 tsp, chopped
How to make it:
Beat the yogurt well. Add cucumber, salt and cilantro. Mix well.
Chaas
Ingredients:
Beat the yogurt well. Add cucumber, salt and cilantro. Mix well.
Chaas
Ingredients:
- Fresh Home made yogurt - 1 cup
- Cilantro - 1 tsp, finely chopped
- Green chillies - 1, finely chopped (if preferred)
- Hing - a pinch
- Salt - as required
- Ginger - 1/2 tsp, shredded
How to make it:
Beat the yogurt well. Dilute with 1 to 1 1/2 cups water.Add finely chopped cilantro, green chillies and ginger. Add salt and hing. Mix well. Serve chilled.
Poori
Ingredients:
Beat the yogurt well. Dilute with 1 to 1 1/2 cups water.Add finely chopped cilantro, green chillies and ginger. Add salt and hing. Mix well. Serve chilled.
Poori
Ingredients:
- Wheat flour - 1 cup
- Salt - as required
- Water - to knead
- Oil - for frying
Knead the dough by adding salt and water. Add 1 tsp of oil while kneading to get a soft dough. Make balls out of the dough. Roll each ball into small round shape and fry in oil until it puffs up and becomes light brown.
Rice
Cook rice with cloves and cardamom for a wonderful aroma....
Fried chillies
Ingredients:
Rice
Cook rice with cloves and cardamom for a wonderful aroma....
Fried chillies
Ingredients:
- Green chillies - 7-8 nos.
- Besan flour - 1 tbsp
- Hing - a pinch
- Salt - as required
- Oil - for frying
How to make it:
Mix besan, salt and hing. Add wet green chillies and mix well so that the chillies are nicely coated with flour. Deep fry in oil.
Mix besan, salt and hing. Add wet green chillies and mix well so that the chillies are nicely coated with flour. Deep fry in oil.
Looking for other Indian regional Cuisines?
Here is the full course meal of Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Rajasthan
Thats a filling, healthy, fantastic and delicious thali...loved those gorgeous besan laddoos..
hey Anu,
Gujarati thalis are great and seem never endingly delicious to me :) ur choice of recipes looks superb, nice presentation.
TC
Love Gujarati dishes, so tasty and so much variety. Looks wonderful, enjoy.
looking at this thali..i'm drooling..loves those besan lados...I'm gujarati myself..
What a feast! Everything looks fantastic!
What a delicious spread...everything looks so delicious :)
wow - i love your thali
Hi
Lovely spread!! I love Gujarati food!
yummy delights over there
Wowo that is such a beautiful and so delicous looking thali. Wow i wish i could make dishes like this.
what a great thali!
Hey Anu, lovely thali... I wish I was there to have lunch!!! Very inviting!!!
That's a fantastic thali, gorgeous spread!
Lovely spread.....looks yummy.
Lovely spread.....looks yummy.
Wow lovely.. and wonderful presentation..came through combo event...and following you now !!
wow gr8 one yaar.