The Vibrant Gujarati Gastronomy

IMG_0368Gujarati cuisine varied widely in flavor and spice depending on its regions. The most distinguishing and fascinating fact about Gujarati food is that it can be sweet, salty and spicy at the same time. It was difficult to wrap my head around it at first, mainly because I barely had any previous exposure to such flavors, but I gradually became accustomed to such combination. Gujarati people are very hospitable, everywhere we went we were immediately offered water, even though we had to turn it down at times unless it was bottled water. Chai and snacks were offered shortly after. Masala chai is the most common ultra-sweet tea of aromatic spices and herbs served in small glasses. Chai was literally served everywhere we went; it was consumed at least once a day, every day which unquestionable turned into a habit. It is usually served with tea biscuits or khandvi, a popular midday or tea time snack. Buttermilk is another popular beverage served with any meal.

IMG_0671So how did my vegetarian diet go? Well, taking risks and breaking out of a familiar territory can be challenging at times, but truly eye-opening. For instance, the most flavorful dishes were introduced to me in the most deserted places such as a small diner by a local gas station where we had breakfast one of the mornings while heading south. Similarly, I had a greater appreciation for the food made in villages around small fire pits and later served on the floor than those meals served at elegant restaurants such as Hyatt hotel or Patang, a revolving restaurant in Ahmedabad. A meal prepared in one of the villages of Zankhvav by Manjila, a community leader was exceptional because of newly introduced rice rotis which were plain but also complementary to biryani and dal. Similarly, in one of the Jain tribes, a green sauce made from garden weeds served with denser kind wheat and puffy roties prepared by Cita, another community leader was to die for. In all the missionaries we stayed in, the food was as diverse and incomparable to anything else. There were many other delicious dishes and meals introduced to us during our time in Gujarat, however I was able to fully appreciate and embrace traditional Gujarati cuisine served in the rural areas of Gujarat.

In fact, it was quite effortless to remain vegetarian because Gujarati cuisine is primarily vegetarian and almost all menus consisted of vegetarian items. However there were times when we were offered chicken and fish, every so often tempted, I managed to stick to my vegetarian diet. Does that mean I did not dream of a juicy burger or a grilled piece of steak? Of course, I did. As a matter of fact, R.G. Burgers was one of the first stops upon my return to Monterey. On the contrary, I recently discovered Café Ambrosia which I really enjoyed and hoping to go back one of these days. It is not quite traditional Gujarati cuisine, but then again I remind myself of the rich flavors, mixture of spices, and vibrant colors that Indian cuisine has to offer. I sense there will be more attempts to locate vegetarian cuisine in the nearest future. And besides eating with your own hands and savoring flavors with your fingers is more exciting than using utensils!