All those who know Chef Gary Mehigan right from his MasterChef Australia judging days to his increasingly frequent visits to India, know that this master of the culinary arts loves Indian food. From eating Sadhya right off of banana leaves to eating a curated meal in Mumbai and indulging in Bengali sweets during Durga Puja, Chef Gary Mehigan has done it all while sharing the same with the world. And now, Chef Gary Mehigan is wooing the internet with his Gujarati feasts!
In a recent post on Instagram, Chef Gary Mehigan was seen sharing images of some of the most delicious Gujarati dishes ever. For those unaware, Chef Gary Mehigan has been touring India and tasting its culinary delights for his new show, India’s Mega Festivals. In Ahmedabad for a leg of his food journey across Western India, Gary Mehigan tasted a variety of snacks and dishes Gujarati cuisine is known for.
Video Credit: YouTube/MasterChef Pankaj Bhadouria
The very first dish Chef Gary Mehigan shared a picture of is the popular Dahi Papdi Chaat loaded with moong dal, yoghurt, spices and coriander leaves. This starter was followed by the popular and unique Panki Chutney, where a spiced rice flour batter is steamed inside a banana leaf and served with some spicy chutney. You can also get a glimpse of fried chillies in the corner of this plate.
Up next is the popular Gujarati street food snack, Patra, which is also quite famous in Maharashtra and goes by the name of Aluwadi. Made with colocasia leaves stuffed with a spicy gram flour batter, this one is a rolled up, steamed and fried snack. The one Chef Gary Mehigan tasted is clearly topped with the tadka of mustard seeds, sesame seeds, coriander leaves and grated coconut.
After these starters, Chef Gary Mehigan tasted a small but authentic Gujarati Thali loaded with Chana Masala, what looks like Tindora Nu Shaak, Dal, rotis, rice, Halwa and Chhaas. Next, Chef Gary Mehigan gives us a glimpse of fresh Fafda getting deep-fried. These gram flour snacks are served with fresh Jalebis, which the chef also tried. He also tasted Ghotala Dosa, Aloo Methi Nu Shaak, Thepla and many more dishes.
In the caption that went with this droolworthy post, Chef Gary Mehigan explained that the food was all “vegetarian, full of flavour and a textural overload!” He also added that thanks to this diverse and textural Gujarati feast of dishes, he did not miss any meat or alcohol during his Ahmedabad visit. While we didn’t get a glimpse of it, the chef explained that he also tasted Khandvi. Chef Gary Mehigan is now all set to visit Vadodara and Surat, the latter of which is known to be the food capital of Gujarat.