3 Easy-to-make Gujarati recipes

3 Easy-to-make Gujarati recipes 

Surat the city famous for diamonds has so much more in-store for people with that big appetite, we find out more about the famous and all time favourite dishes of Surat. 

If you're passionate about good food then Surat has to be your next holiday destination just to indulge your taste buds. As our shastras read 'Surat nu jaman, ane Kaashi nu maran' - Eat in Surat and die in Kaashi. 

It is very rightly said because Surtis are extremely fond of good food that leaves that lingering taste on your taste buds making you crave for more. Yes, Surti dishes have some very unique names too from tapela to locho to methipak to ghari to shalampak; Surat is definitely a hub to make your mouth water. 

Surti Ghari is sought after for all lovers of Surati cuisine. This irresistible dish is a favourite for all, for its beautiful flavours that come out of the delightful concoction. Ghari is made of puri batter made into round shapes with sweet fillings. Anand Kumar Thakkar who has been making ghari a traditional sweet at his home says, "Ghari is a very popular sweet and is a 200-300-year-old recipe, though it's changed with time, it's still a delicacy." Made all round the year its sales increase after Diwali and during the winter seasons. 

Kunjan Ghariwala who owns a sweet shop is famous for his Shalampak and Ghari. He says, "It's a winter sweet as it's base is hot. We usually use 23-26 spices to make it and there are three types of shalampaks. One is the regular that is for all who are above the age of 15 years. The second is the masala which is spicy and only the people above the age if 18 years should consume it. The third is the sugar free one especially made for diabetics." 

Another all time favourite dish is khaman. It's made by soaking gram dal for four hours, grinding it coarsely and then leaving it to ferment for eight hours. Then ginger and chili paste, soda bi-carbonate, turmeric and salt are added before the batter is steamed and you are ready to eat. Locho a dish made by 'mistake' as Surtis say is made by a semi cooked khaman batter. Sushma Patel a homemaker says, "The trick lies in the steaming as unlike other khaman, locho is a collapsed cake. It is usually served with a special chili pickle and chopped onions. It is Surats specialty." Locho is best served steaming hot with a hint of oil and a dash of finely chopped onions and chilies and it's a delicacy for Surtis. "It's an all time favourite breakfast and I end up getting or making Locho at least thrice a week," adds Purvi Panchal a student. 

Specially made in the Khatri household tapela is a dish made during occasions like marriages or celebrations. It is made in large quantities like 20-50 kgs at one go. Naveen Lacewala a tapela master who has been making tapelas since a decade comments, "The more the quantity of this dish the more the flavour." Not everyone can make the tapela as it requires precision and patience. The spices used to make the tapela are specially made by mixing different herbs into a paste. "Tapela is a dish that has been passed on from generations. My father and his father were all tapela masters," adds Naveen. 

Ingredients to make Ghari 

For the filling of Ghari: 

500 gms Meva 

4 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil for frying 

750 gms powdered sugar 

Grounded pistachios and almond 

25 Cardamom pods (grind to powder) 

15 - 20 Saffron strands (soaked in 2 tsp. of milk) 

For the puri of Ghari: 

500 gms Flour or Indian maida 

2 tbsp Ghee or clarified butter 

2 cups Ghee or vegetable oil for frying 

Milk for proper holding 

Method: 

Method to make the filling: 

-Heat the ghee or vegetable oil in a non stick pan and add the ricotta cheese along with paneer. 

-Stir constantly over medium heat till the cheese and paneer are well mixed. 

-Separately, dry roast semolina for 3 - 4 minutes, frequently stirring on medium heat. Mix to the cheese and paneer mixture. 

-Mix the condensed milk and the sugar and stir constantly. 

-As the water evaporates, add the pistachios, almonds and saffron and set aside to cool in normal temperature. 

-Make balls with the help of hand, each approximately 1" in diameter. Set aside. 

Method to make the Puri: 

-Add together the ghee to the flour and mix well with the help of hand making sure no lump is left. 

-Pour milk to make a soft but firm dough. Make small balls and roll out to make thin puris. 

Preparing the Ghari: 

-Place a ball of the filling into each puri. 

-Pull up the sides of the puris to completely wrap around the filling ball. 

-Remove excess dough and seal properly. 

-Flatten a little with a soft press of hand. 

-Heat the ghee or vegetable oil in a frying pan. 

-Fry the puris properly on both sides on low flame till light golden color. 

-Set aside for 3-4 hours and allow it to cool. 

-Garnish with ghee and almonds/pistachios. 

Ingredients to make Khaman: 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp lemon juice 

2 tbsp coconut scraped 

A pinch asafetida 

2 tbsp oil 

100 gm Bengal gram divide (chana dal) 

1/2 tsp mustard seeds 

2 - 3 green chilies 

4 - 5 curry leaves 

1 tsp sugar powdered 

1 inch ginger 

250 gm cucumbers 

2 tsp coriander leaves chopped 

Method: 

-Dry roast the chana dal for 2-3 minutes on a high flame .Heat up and then soak in water for 8-10 hours. 

-Remove and dry grind coarsely. 

-Take off the cucumber and shred. 

-Mix in salt and keep it aside in a round dish for half an hour. 

-Take off the ginger and grind it with green chilies. 

-Remove out all the water from the cucumber. 

-Mix chana dal, cucumber, ginger-green chili paste and little more salt if required. 

-Mix in cut coriander leaves, scraped coconut, lemon juice, powdered sugar and mix well. 

-Heat up oil in a pan. 

-Mix in mustard seeds, asafetida and curry leaves. 

-When it starts crackling, mix in this tempering on salad and mix. 

Ingredients to make Tapela: 

1 kg mutton 

750 gms onions 

40 gms green chilies 

50 gms ginger 

40 gms green turmeric 

40 gms garlic 

15 gms salt crystals 

5 gms red chili powder 

10 gms garam masala 

125 gms oil 

Method: 

-Heat oil in a big vessel. 

-Once the oil is hot add the mutton pieces and the salt crystals to the vessel, mix and cover the lid for 40 - 50 mins. 

-Keep checking and mixing to make sure the mutton doesn't stick to the pan. 

-Till then grate the green chilies, ginger, green turmeric, garlic and red chili powder together to form a paste. 

-Keep in a separate vessel. 

-Cut each onion in four large pieces. 

-Once the mutton is soft and tender add the onions and cover for at least one hour till the onions become transparent and soft. 

-Once the onions are cooked add the masala paste only on the brim of the vessel making sure not to add it in the centre. Then cover the lid, remove from heat and let it simmer on low flame. 

-After a while open and mix the Tapela wel
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