Gujarati Thali

Check out a mini version of this thali here.

A decade before, I had been to a Gujarati restaurant with my two brothers. We ordered the unlimited Thali meals. The pleasant waiter started fine, bringing all the delicacies with enthusiasm. But towards the end, he totally ignored our table.

Can’t blame him, because that’s how much my brothers ate! After all the restaurants too are there to make a profit. With a few patrons like my brothers, they can kiss good bye to their profit.

Anyway, it was all long time back. My brothers are grown up now (old old old!) and their food intake is normal now. But I can never forget those growing up years and our appetite at that time.

So even though my brothers were not received kindly at Gujarati restaurants, this food has held a fascination for me. I love the light phulkas they serve for the thalis. Super soft and fluffy.

I have tried recreating a mini thali here, and it indeed proves how much old I have become, I just had to look at the spread to feel full!

Some of the dishes are from Nita Mehta’s book Taste of Gujarat. Others are from the internet, so I have no idea how authentic they are. So please bear with me in case I have gotten them wrong.

Gujarati Thali

*Scroll down for recipe

Vegetable dishes and Curries
- Sev Tameta Nu Shaak* : Tomatoes cooked with spices and served with farsaan sev
- Tindora Nu Shaak* : Ivy gourd cooked with simple spices
- Batata Nu Shaak : Simple Potato subzi
- Khatti Mitti Dal : Sweet, sour and spicy lentil preparation
- Gujarati Kadhi : Yogurt and besan based preparation
Plain rice
Roti
- Bakri : A thick flat bread, made with whole wheat
Sides
- Mint Coriander Chutney : same as in Punjabi Thali
- Khaman Dhokla: A healthy snack made with besan. Microwave version
- Panha* : A drink made with cooked raw mango that is pureed with cardamom powder and sugar (**The book had this as a Gujarati drink, but its actually from Maharashtra)
Sweet
- Jalebi : A fried sweet, dipped in sugar syrup. Store bought!

Sev Tameta nu Shaak

Tomatoes : 2 cups, chopped
Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder : 1/2 – 1 tsp
Coriander – jeera powder : 1 tsp
Sugar/Jaggery : 1 tsp
Salt
Farsan sev : 1/2 cup, readymade

For tempering

Oil : 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds : 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida(hing/kayam) : a pinch

Method:

Heat oil. Add the mustard seeds and once it crackles, add hing.
Add the chopped tomatoes. Add the chilli powder, salt, turmeric powder and coriander-jeera powder. Mix.
Add the sugar/jaggery as well. Mix until everything combines well. Add 1/4 cup water, turn the heat to low and let the tomatoes cook till soft and release their juices. Do a taste test and adjust seasonings.
At the time of serving, add the farsaan sev as garnish.

=============================================================

Tindora Nu Shaak:

Ingredients:

Tindora/kovakka/Ivy gourd : 1/4 kg
Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder : 1/2 tsp
Coriander-cumin powder : 1 tsp
Jaggery : 2 tsp (optional)
Salt

For tempering:

Oil : 2 tsp
Mustard seeds : 1/2 tsp
Hing : a pinch

Method:

Wash, clean and slice each tindora lengthwise into 4-6 pieces. (Cut into half lengthwise and cut each half in middle again. If those pieces are really big, then slice them once more lengthwise).
Microwave covered for 6-8 minutes or until tindora is cooked and soft, checking and stirring once every 3-4 minutes. This can be done in stove top as well, but I used MW.
Once its cooked, heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds and once it crackles, add the hing. Add the cooked tindora and the spice powders, jaggery and salt. Sprinkle water if its too dry.
Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes for the flavors to mingle. Stir in between and add more water to avoid sticking to the pan. Do a taste test, adjust seasonings if required. Serve.

=============================================================

Ingredients for Panha:

Raw mango : 1, peeled and chopped
Sugar : 1/4 cup
Cardamom powder : 1/2 tsp

Method:

Cook the raw mango with half cup of water. I did this in the Microwave.
Once its cooked and has cooled down, puree it in the mixer with sugar. Strain.
Add cardamom powder and mix. When ready to serve, in a glass tumbler, take about 2-3 tbsp of this concentrate.
Add cool water and bring it to the brim. Serve chilled.

The jalebi and the sev used for tomato curry is store bought. Everything else was made at home.

I have made kadhi multiple times, but other than that I am cooking most of them for the first time. Surprisingly, I found that the dishes weren’t all that different from our typical South Indian cooking. There was no coconut used, but the side dishes were cooked with chili powder and coriander powder. Not too much of masalas or unheard of exotic spices!

Linked to:

Blogging Marathon #15, under Thali theme
Indian Thali Mela
Mango Mania
Let’s Serve : Chilled Delights

23 thoughts on “Gujarati Thali”

Pingback: GUJARATI THALI – Zhafira Best Recipe

Pingback: Gujarati Thali – Mini Gujarathi thali | My Kitchen Trials

But where are the recipes for all the items?? U could have posted.. And i guess ur not marathi.. In Traditional marathi panha we use jaggery (gur) not sugar.. With sugar it becomes sarbut where we grate mango, dnt cook it and add sugar n cardamom powder.. If u have to prepare authentic panha there must be jaggerry n pinch of salt..

=============================================================

Ingredients for Panha:

Method:

Share this:

Related

23 thoughts on “Gujarati Thali”

Leave a comment Cancel reply