Blogging Marathon# 39 – Indian States: Day 8
State: Gujarat
Dish: Mini Gujarati Thali
Gujarat is a state in the North-Western coast of India. It is known locally as Jewel of the West. Gujarat is the home of many many freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhai Patel, successful entreprenuers like Dhirubhai Ambani (Reliance Industries), Azim Premji (Wipro Limited) and Jamsetji Tata. Gujarat played an important role in the economic history of India.
Cuisine: Gujarat is primarily a vegetarian cuisine due to the influence of Jain vegetarianism and traditional Hinduism. When i think of Gujarat, I think of the wide variety of dishes they have. There are so many snack items, so many breads, so many of everything. Gujaratis travel with bags full of snacks wherever they go and most of them are probably homemade. Adding a little sugar or jaggery to some of the dishes is common in Gujarat, the sweet flavor is believed to neutralize the slightly bland taste of the vegetables. Sweets (desserts) are extremely popular too in Gujarat.
Staple Food: Wheat, Rice, Lentils
Specialties: There are hundreds of Gujarati specialties, here are a few: Handvo, Muthia, Patra, Undhiyu, Khandvi, Dhokla, Kachori so on and so on.
For my thali, here’s what I made:
- Simple Gujarati Bhindi nu shaak (Okra Curry)
- Sev Tamatar nu Shaak (Tomato Curry)
- Gujarati Aloo nu shaak (Potato curry)
- Gujarati Osaman Dal
- Lauki Muthiya
- Jeera Rice
Gujarati Bhindi nu Shaak: I added spices that my Gujarati friends used to use in their dry curry recipes to make this simple curry.
Gujarati Bhindi nu Shaak
Hearty & comforting vegetarian mini meal from Gujarat. Thali consists of Simple Gujarati Bhindi nu shaak (Okra Curry), Sev Tamatar nu Shaak (Tomato Curry), Gujarati Aloo nu shaak (Potato curry), Gujarati Osaman Dal, Lauki Muthiya, Jeera Rice.
Ingredients
Steps
- Heat 1tbsp oil in a nonstick skillet; add the cumin and mustard seeds and once the seeds start to splutter, add the okra and mix well. Cook until okra is cooked through and slightly crispy around the edges.
- Add all the dry masalas and mix well, cook for another 1~2 minutes.
Sev Tamatar nu Shaak: Recipe courtesy Rajani @ mykitchentrials.
Sev Tamatar nu Shaak
Hearty & comforting vegetarian mini meal from Gujarat. Thali consists of Simple Gujarati Bhindi nu shaak (Okra Curry), Sev Tamatar nu Shaak (Tomato Curry), Gujarati Aloo nu shaak (Potato curry), Gujarati Osaman Dal, Lauki Muthiya, Jeera Rice.
Ingredients
Steps
- Heat 2tsp oil in a saute pan; add the mustard seeds and hing. Once the seeds start to splutter, add the tomatoes and cook covered until the tomatoes turn mushy.
- Add the dry masalas, sugar and salt. Mix well and cook for 1~2 minutes.
- Add the sev just before serving.
Gujarati Osaman Dal: This is a very flavorful dish which is sweet, tangy and crunchy.
Recipe adapted from DK’s Chefinyou.
Gujarati Osaman Dal
Hearty & comforting vegetarian mini meal from Gujarat. Thali consists of Simple Gujarati Bhindi nu shaak (Okra Curry), Sev Tamatar nu Shaak (Tomato Curry), Gujarati Aloo nu shaak (Potato curry), Gujarati Osaman Dal, Lauki Muthiya, Jeera Rice.
Ingredients
Steps
- Pressure cook masoor dal until soft and mushy.
- Once done, add peanuts, jaggery, tamarind paste, turmeric and salt to dal and simmer for 3~4 minutes.
- Heat 2tsp oil in a small pan, add mustard, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds and once the seeds start to splutter, add the hing and curry leaves. Add this to the dal and Enjoy!!
- Gujarati Batata nu Shaak: This is a very simple potato curry. I boiled a potato, peeled and diced it. Then cooked it in a little bit of oil with mustard seeds, red chili powder and salt. Finally tossed some sesame seeds just before turning off the heat.
Lets check out what my fellow marathoners have cooked today for BM# 39.
love them all!!! want to grab it from the screen… sighhhhhh
you girls who prepare complete thali meal are simply amazing and you pavani with a todd at home, cant believe . also like your choice of dishes to go in the meal
Looks awesome Pavani! Love all the subzi’s…I also like the Gujarati flavors a lot 🙂
That is a wonderful mini thali. The spices used in the shaak are so simple and available in every Indian kitcthen.
Pavani you rock dear..lovely Gujju Thali..sev tameta nu shaak is very popular in our house, I love the bhinda nu shaak…in fact all the dishes look so so inviting..Kudos on that effort.Gujarat rocks!!
What a wonderful thali that is ! Loved all recipes…..
Wow Gujarati thali, that batata shaak makes me hungry, wonderful subzis there, wish i could make a thali like u guys.
love all of them could u pass me some? what a treat
Amazing thali! Great job with the posting Pavani..I haven’t been commenting much (here or anywhere else these days) but have been checking your posts. Keep ’em coming!
this is no mini thali. this is THE thali.. looks fabulous. love every item on it.. I ma going to try each one of them.. bookmarked
Wow! This thali looks fantastic. Loving all the thalis being featured for Gujarath…
What a lovely platter. That is a pretty elaborate meal. Awesome!
Wow! What a lovely spread, Pavani.
Wonderful looking spread,looks so tempting.Nicely captured..
Lovely spread ! And an entire thali wht toddler on tow ! U rock gal ;-))
What a lovely display pavani..in love with your gujju thali…wish I had tasted everything you made!
Wow Pavani what a spread! I love it by the way by ground coriander do you mean the seeds or leaves?
If you call this a mini-thali, would would you do for a full thali 🙂
If you call this a mini-thali, would would you do for a full thali 🙂
Thank you Vani. Hope everything is going well with you and the kids.
Archana, by ground coriander I meant the seeds.
Yummy plater.. All dishes are so inviting & delicious.
Fabulous spread. I have to yet try that osaman.
Wow awesome spread pavani!!! Have to try those muthias!!!
omg pavani such an tempting and delicious spread 🙂 love the effort you have taken to put up this thali 🙂
Wow!! Mouthwatering drool worthy thali. Very well explained and neatly presented.
Wow!! Mouthwatering drool worthy thali. Very well explained and neatly presented.
I love all sabji!! Great post with Great image!! I will try recipe of bhindi sabji..