Temjen Imna Along, the Minister for Tourism and Higher Education from Nagaland, is known not only for his wit and humour, but also for being a foodie. Not only does Temjen Imna Along regularly post about his delicious escapades, especially the lavish meals he enjoys, as well as the rich culture of Nagaland but also adds flavour to the posts by commenting on the dishes he is enjoying. A recent social media post of his proves just that.
Minister Temjen Imna Along is visiting Ahmedabad, Gujarat and interacting with young students to promote Nagaland tourism. While on this tour of the city, he not only indulged in a lavish and loaded Gujarati Thali, but also posted a picture of the same, giving us a close look at all the dishes he enjoyed. “Is it even possible that you visit Gujarat and don’t taste Gujarati food?” he said in his post in Hindi, following up with a few words in Gujarati too: “Gujarati food is absolutely delicious!”
A closer look at the Gujarati Thali shows that it is indeed loaded with the best that a traditional Thali from the region has to offer. One can clearly see that Minister Temjen Imna Along’s plate is packed with starters, main courses and desserts too. The easiest to spot are Gujarati starters like Gota, Dahi Vada and Methi Pakodas served with a few chutneys. Among the main courses, we can easily see that he’s been served a number of vegetable curries, both dry and with gravies.
To scoop up the veggies are some puris and rotis on the plate, and of course there is a side of papad too. Among the sweet dishes, a huge Gulab Jamun and some Kheer. There is also a earthen pot full of Chaas to wash the meal down with. Minister Temjen Imna Along’s traditional Gujarati meal not only looks lavish but is also shows just how diverse India’s culinary heritage is and how rich the exchange of food culture can be.
For those who don’t know, a traditional Gujarati Thali is always pure-vegetarian and offers a variety of dishes that reflect the rich culinary heritage of the state. Whether you indulge in a Gujarati Thali in Ahmedabad or any other Gujarati city, a multitude of sweet and savoury dishes are always included. The meal usually starts with Farsaan and snacks like Dhokla, Gota, Ghughra and chutneys, followed by a variety of vegetable curries prepared with seasonal ingredients. Gujarati Kadhi is always served in a traditional Thali.
Usually, flatbreads made with whole wheat, bajra millet and jowar millet are also served on the side, which are either in roti or puri forms. Gujaratis never skimp on ghee, so a traditional Gujarati Thali is always served with ghee on the side and the flatbreads are also ghee-soaked. That apart, sweet dishes like Aamras and Srikhand are usually served to end the dish.