For me every visit to India is a rich and rewarding experience where I can fully savour the ambrosial flavours of the country and its culture in its food. It is a different India every time I visit from the sun kissed beaches of Goa to the gargantuan mountains of Uttaranchal, India has it all. Truly I may sound a bit bias but no other country boasts of such diverse and lovely treasures to explore and appreciate and the foodie that I am I choose to see it no other way than on a plate.

Balance and Harmony

A cuisine variety that I savoured on a recent trip was Guajarati cuisine (the cuisine of the Gujaratis - predominately in western India), which is primarily vegetarian. Sensual yet simple, the cuisine boasts a unique cooking style where ingredients such as buttermilk, yoghurt, coconut, sugar or jaggery (gula meklaka), sesame seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida and lemon or lime juice make up the major ingredients of the cuisine. All these are mostly combined with fresh seasonal vegetables, lentils and legumes and promise to deliver a memorable signature taste and texture. The harmonious ying and yang of sweet and sour flavours is another signature of the cuisine. 

A traditional Gujarati meal is almost always served on a Thaali (silver platter used mostly on festive occasions) and is a true feast for the eyes. Thaalis  comprise of a variety of wheat breads such as pooris (puffed fried breads), baked millet breads called or simple Indian chapattis and steamed rice with a simple sweet and sour lentil is a must have along with one or two a lightly stir fried vegetables, and the much loved pickles and poppadums and always a sweet ending. All this is perfectly washed down with a glass of refreshing  "chaa", a spiced watery buttermilk drink that is said to line the stomach and protect the digestive system. 

The cuisine is also famous for their "farsaans" or snacks, such as steamed spongy lentil and rice batter breads called dhoklas, along with crispy fried gathia  and chevdo - both similar to "Bombay mix". 

Geographic Differences

Geographically the state of Gujurat can be divided into four regions and naturally due to climactic differences small variations in eating habits and modes of preparation can be seen.

Kathiawar (often referred to as Saurashtra) is an arid region famous for its sugarcane, wheat, millet, peanuts and sesame. Piquant pulses dominate the cuisine along with a delectable variety of pickles and sweets. 

The Kutchi table is known for its simplicity, with lentil and rice "congee" making up the mains along with Kadhi a savoury curry that is made with yoghurt. There is also the famous khaaman dhokla (steamed lentil flour bread), and my much loved shrikhand - my recipe is below. Shrikhand is a delectable velvety Greek style sweet yoghurt, laced with saffron and cardamom and jewelled with pistachios and almond. This divine dessert is now gaining popularity amongst Western chefs. 

Northern Gujarat is a region popular for its traditional Gujarati thali consisting of a dahl bhath (rice and lentil) curry along with vegetables, sprouted beans, farsaan, pickles or chundos (sweet pickles), chutneys and a yoghurt raita.

Southern Gujarat is said to be the blessed land that gets plenty of rainfall hence green vegetables and fresh fruits dominate. The very popular Undhiyoo (vegetable stew) hails from this region.

The beauty of Guajarati food does not only lie in its delectable flavour, it comes from its simplicity, with nothing elaborate or expensive, just humble delicious food with some truly exotic flavours. 

While there are no restaurants specialising in the cuisine in Hong Kong, Branto and Khana Khazana both serves dishes from the region.

Recipe - Shrikhand

4 cups yoghurt

1/1/2  cups sugar ( more is you like it really sweet)

½ teaspoon cardamom powder

½ cup slivered almonds

Take a clean muslin cloth and place  the yogurt in it. Tie a knot and hang it so that all the water falls away from the yogurt. Leave this overnight or for at least about 10hrs. The remaining dry yogurt is called hung yogurt.
In a bowl beat the hung yogurt, milk and sugar until all is mixed in well. Add the cardamom and almonds.