Thinking of Gujarati cuisine reminds us of the movie 3 Idiots, where the protagonist, Aamir Khan, pronounces names of Gujarati dishes like khandvi and dhokla, as if they’re some kind of deadly bombs. Well, from what we know, they are bombs of flavour. Be it the spongy texture of dhokla or the ultra-soft taste of khandvi, it is amazing how most of them can fit into your breakfast plate as easily as beside a cup of tea in the evening.
To kickstart a day, breakfast becomes supreme as it sets the tone for the rest of the day and charges us up. Gujarati households are brimming with lip-smacking delicacies early in the morning and the aromas of freshly-made theplas and dhoklas tantalise the taste buds. If you’ve been thinking of ways to spruce up your breakfast platter, it is time to add these Gujarati dishes to it.
Here are a few classic recipes that you can try at home.
1. Pudla
A Gujarati-style vegetarian omelette that satiates all your breakfast needs, this one is made with besan or chickpea flour. The batter is prepared with a host of spices and spread on a tawa. Cooked on both sides, the round-shaped thin omelette also doubles as a desi pancake. Sometimes, sweeter versions of pudla are also made, with caramelised bananas and jaggery.
2. Handvo
A savoury breakfast cake from Gujarat, handvo is the best way to disguise vegetables and treat your kids. The appearance might be like that of a cake, but the filling is very different. Stuffed with grated bottle gourd in summers and red carrots in winters, handvo is baked until it turns crusty. The fermented rice and lentil batter is what makes up this delicious breakfast cake.
3. Khaman Dhokla
The most well-known dish of Gujarati cuisine has to be dhokla. The square-shaped spongy cakes made with besan are steamed and seasoned with mustard seeds or rai. The tangy and juicy flavours of dhokla is what makes it so popular. It is usually paired with a mint chutney and green chillies and savoured during both breakfast and evening snacks.
4. Dabeli
Originating from the Kutch region of Gujarat, dabeli cannot be missed from the Gujarati breakfast table. A sweet and salty combination of potato mixture, sweet chutney and sev stuffed inside a pav that is cooked on a tawa is what dabeli is all about. Garnished with pomegranate seeds, the pav bun is pressed for cooking, which is why it is called dabeli.
5. Jalebi Fafda
For all those who remember Jethalal, there is a high probability that you are aware of this breakfast combination from the region. Crunchy and hot deep-fried jalebis, dipped in sugar syrup, are served alongside crispy and salty fafda made of besan. This sweet-salty combination is a treat to the taste buds and often eaten during Dussehra.