I’m taking a break from recipes today to go back to the Indian regional food lessons so you know your kali dhal from your sambhar in no time.

This time, we’re talking Gujarati food with a little help from Trupti. Trupti is what this blog is all about - she has her hands full with two children, a husband, a job as a trainee nurse and manages to dish up delightful dishes at home and write her blog. Genius!

Gujarat is a state on the Western coast of India. Gujaratis or Gujjus, as they are affectionately known, are primarily vegetarian. Their dishes have a light way about them, with steaming and gentle heating often being use to make light, fluffy and sweet n sour dishes. Over to Trupti:

One way people can distinguish Gujarati food from the rest is it is much simpler and has a sweeter taste to its curries rather than the heavily spiced Mughlai or South Indian curries. But I really think the liberal use of sugar/jaggery in practically EVERY dish sets it apart!! And also, we do not use coconuts or poppy seeds as a base for our curries.

If this has made you hungry and you want to know what the typical Gujarati dishes are, read on: 

Dhokla, Undhiyu, Handvoh, Khandvi – all reminders of a cuisine loved by all. A medley that brings together the simplest of ingredients in a delightful manner, better known as Gujarati food.

What sets this cuisine apart from the others? Perhaps it’s the blend of earthy ingredients such as potatoes, eggplants, yams, raw bananas simmered in a garlic-based sauce – a dish popular from the Southern part of Gujarat called Surat.

Or would you rather try the ever popular Khaman Dhokla- a steamed chickpea flour delicacy from the Northern part of the state?

Or maybe you’re feeling adventurous and would like to go for the Sev-tameta nu shaak, a sweet and sour curry made from ripe, juicy tomatoes and topped with chick pea fritters?
And bhartu, roasted and charred eggplant blended with onions and tomatoes from the Kathiawad region?

What can beat the delicious yogurt curry known as ‘Kadhi’ along with ‘khichdi’ a hodgepodge of lentils and rice accompanied by crispy ‘papads’ and pickles? Comfort food indeed.