How to Navigate Food in Gujarat – Important Things to Know

How to Navigate Food in Gujarat – Important Things to Know

If you drive down any highway around the Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar region (twin cities, with Ahmedabad being the economic capital and Gandhinagar being the administrative capital of Gujarat) there is one thing you will notice. It is that Gujaratis simply love eating out. On the sides of the roads, an average foodie will find a wide variety of options. These will range from a small charming café to one of a chain of “bhaji-paav” outlets to smart restaurants of all hues. South Indian, Punjabi, (Indo)Chinese, Rajasthani, Kathiawadi cuisines are available, sometimes altogether in the same restaurant! I certainly noticed this absolute abundance of eateries, returning to live in Gujarat after 20 years of living elsewhere in India.

So Gujaratis (or “Gujjus”, a term that is no longer considered offensive) do love to eat out and a visitor to the state will not be short of options in Gujarat.  As someone who was born and schooled in Gujarat I consider this my home state; as such I have some insight to share on how to navigate food in Gujarat. We look at some of the important cultural and dietary aspects of Gujarati food as well as food related Gujarati words and terms.

Its veg – mostly – but not vegan

The disclaimer first: Gujarat is one of the most vegetarian regions in India. Even though it is only the fourth most vegetarian state of India (after Rajasthan, Haryana and very surprisingly, Punjab), vegetarianism is kind of a default setting. Entire food courts may often be “pure veg”. All outlets of the Domino’s pizza chain in Gujarat are vegetarian. So, the meat-eater such as myself would frequently be dejected by the meatless options on offer. Pure veg also means no eggs, so eggless mayo and baked goods as well.

Food packaging in India is required to be marked with a green dot to indicate that it is vegetarian and a red dot to indicate that it is not. Food products containing egg as an ingredient are also required to carry the red dot.

All those pure veg options may well include copious quantities of milk products: cream, cheese, paneer (પનીર or cottage cheese), condensed milk, so vegans, beware! In fact, Gujaratis have a particular fondness for cheese and will liberally festoon the most unlikely of dishes with grated cheese: cheese flavoured “khakhra” anyone? As for paneer, it now finds ubiquitous mention on veg as well as non veg menus in a region where it was virtually unheard of just a few decades ago.

There is of course, the “aamlet”

So yes, eggs are considered non-vegetarian. In Gujarat, eggs are not grouped together with dairy, but are considered a group by themselves. While in other areas of India you will find eggs at the shop when you go out to get bread and milk, in Gujarat, you may have to go farther afield to find eggs.

Eggs are a food that some vegetarians (usually self-described as “eggetarians”) will eat as their one concession to “non-veg” food or for protein requirements in their diet. These will be more readily eaten in winter because many feel that eggs are too calorific to eat in summer.

One of the more ubiquitous items of street food is the omelette food cart (pronounced “aamlet” આમલેટ) that will make fragrant the night air with its distinct aroma. This “aamlet laari” (આમલેટ લારી) as it is locally known, is easily identifiable with its stack of egg trays and large griddle or “tawa”. People who like to eat eggs but are forbidden from doing so at home will head out for the masala omelette, bhurji (ભુરજી), egg rice, boiled egg, and of course the inevitable cheese omelette.

The Gujarati Thali

Gujarati cuisine really comes into its own with the “Thali” (થાળી which literally translates as plate or platter). This is a proper multi course meal which includes mains, snacks and sweets. The more the number of desserts, the higher the average Gujarati will rate the meal. One is seated at a table with a large plate with numerous little bowls on it and what ensues is a veritable assault of food! Busy waiters will surround the person and typically proceed to ply the hungry guest with the following:

  • Buttermilk – Chhaas (છાસ)
  • Salad – Usually pronounced Salaad (સલાદ)
  • Various chutneys and pickles (ચટણી, અચાર)
  • Savoury snacks – Farsan (ફરસાણ) such as dhokla, khaman, gota, wada (ઢોકળા, ખમણ, ગોટા, વડા ) etc.
  • Papad – Fried or toasted (પાપડ)
  • Vegetable preparations – various vegetables cooked in masalas and oil (શાક)
  • Legumes, lentils, kadhi – (દાળ, કઠોળ, કાઢી)
  • Various breads – rotli, bhakri, puri (રોટલી, ભાખરી, પૂરી)
  • Rice, khichdi which is rice and lentils cooked together) – (ભાત, ખીચડી)
  • Desserts such as ice cream or halwo, chamcham, jalebi, fruit cream, keri no ras (liquidised mango) etc – (હલવો , ચમચમ, જલેબી, ફ્રૂટ ક્રીમ, કેરી નો રસ)

The Gujarati is usually partial to sweets and in cases this does also mean that some of the vegetable and lentil preparations tend to be sweet.

In Gujarat, “Nasto” rules!

Gujarati Khakhra Menu

Nasto (નાસ્તો which is a variation of the Hindi नाश्ता) means snack and in this, Gujarati food truly excels. Sweets shops and roadside food carts selling various fried snacks – hot and freshly made as well as snacks that will keep for months – are a mainstay of Gujarati cuisine.

The theory is that Gujarati communities have always been traders and seafarers. This would mean that they had to carry along food with a long shelf life. What has evolved is a wondrous array of snacks that now find their way aboard; accompanying the colourful Gujarati tourist as well as NRIs looking to carry a bit of India back home.

It is truly amazing, what a dizzying variety of snacks emerge from wheat flour (aato or આટો), refined flour (maido મેંદો) and especially besan (chickpea flour or બેસન, ચણા નો આટો) as well as some lentils (દાળ) and leafy veggies. For the non-Gujarati, here is a handy list of Gujarati snacks or “nasta” (plural) and some info about what to expect:

Items to consume in a day or so:

  • Khandvi ખાંડવી – rolls made from chickpea flour and curd, with spices
  • Patra પાત્રા – slices of rolls made from leafy veggies, spices etc.
  • Khaman, Dhokla ખમણ, ઢોકળા – spongy snacks made from chickpea flour, rice, and/or various daals, using fermentation
  • Methi na Gota મેથી ના ગોટા – fried snack with fenugreek
  • Dalwada દાળવડા – fried snack made from lentils
  • Handwo હાંડવો – Baked roti-like snack made from rice, lentils and spices
  • Thepla થેપલા – Roti-like snack made from flour, millets, spices, herbs

Savory snacks (Namkeen નમકીન) that travel well

  • Khakhra ખાખરા – crisp thin flat roasted snack in various flavours and sizes
  • Bhakri ભાખરી – Small crisp wheat preparation to be had by itself or as an accompaniment to veggies
  • Papdi પાપડી – bite size chickpea snack
  • Ganthia ગાંઠિયા – finger size chickpea snacks in various flavours
  • Puri પુરી – Fried flour snack, plain or spicy
  • Chevdo ચેવડો – Mixture of nuts, dried fruit and puffed rice or cornflakes

Remember this list is only a glimpse into Gujarati snacks, the actual variety is bewildering. Just the list of types of Khakhra (ખાખરા) at the famous Induben store is a page long. Also in Gujarat, it is Bhaji-Paav, not Paav-Bhaji. And it could be a Pakodi Centre, not a Pani-Puri centre if someone is looking for Gol-gappa or Phuchkas (puffed balls of wheat served with spicy water and a veg mixture in them).

For the meat-eaters

Beef is not available, if fact it is against the law to procure, possess or eat it. You could get Buff (buffalo meat) in some places but it is never advertised. Cities like Ahmedabad have great restaurants that serve meat and delivery apps will home deliver pretty much anything that one may desire.

Ahmedabad also has Bhatiyar Gali (ભઠિયાર ગલી meaning chef’s street) which is for the meat eater with a strong stomach. Various very spicy stir-fried meat dishes, every type of organ meat imaginable (including, wait for it: udders and testicles) are on offer at extremely economical prices.

Food in Gujarat can be quite the culinary experience for the visitor. As for Gujaratis, their food travels with them – the sheer variety of Gujarati nasta enables this. If not, you can be sure that Gujarati food – often along with signage in Gujarati – will be available in other unlikely corners of India – and abroad as well!

Want to know more

If you are still reading then certainly you may want to know more about Gujarati food, culture and language. Native Gujarati speaking tutors at Amarkosh can help you to navigate Gujarati. Find a tutors who meets your budget and schedule. Book a lesson and take online Gujarati lessons from the comfort of your home or on the go. Learning with private Gujarati tutors is the most effective way to master the language while you get to practice everyday conversations the way native speakers do.


Learn faster with Amarkosh tutor

Learn and speak confidently with effective guidance from a native speaking tutor. Find a tutor that fits your budget and schedule to book a lesson today.
Pay as you go, no subscription required!