We all have different tastes, so any list of favourite foods is totally subjective. That said, here are my top 15 Gujarati dishes that I think deserve a spot alongside all the incredible food from India!
When most people think of Gujarati cuisine, they probably imagine khakhra, fafda, or dhokla. But there are so many other delicious dishes you might not be familiar with. Here are a few of them:
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Undhiyu
Undhiyu is a must-try! This mixed vegetable dish includes root veggies, eggplant, fresh mixed beans, raw bananas, pigeon peas, green peas, fried chickpea flour, fenugreek leaves dumplings, and a blend of spices. The name comes from the Gujarati word ‘Undhu,’ meaning inverted, as it’s traditionally cooked upside down in an earthen pot. It’s usually served with puris (deep-fried bread). -
Handvo
Handvo is a savoury cake, either oven-baked or steamed in a pressure cooker. The lentil and rice flour batter is fermented overnight and mixed with bottle gourd and other veggies, then tempered with mustard seeds, asafoetida, and sesame seeds before baking. -
Surti Locho
Originating from Surat, Surti Locho is made from gram flour, lentils, and flattened rice mixed with spices. It’s steamed and served with chutneys, sev, and raw onions. -
Khandvi
Khandvi is a popular evening snack—soft, melt-in-your-mouth goodness. Made from gram flour and yogurt, the mixture is cooked, spread thin, rolled up, cut into bite-sized pieces, and then tempered with mustard seeds, coriander, and fresh coconut. -
Khichu
Khichu originated as the dough used for making rice papads. This healthy, soft, and gooey snack is made by adding rice flour to boiling water with green chilies, sesame seeds, and other spices, shaped like a donut, and steamed. It’s typically topped with oil and chili powder when served. -
Dabeli
Dabeli is a popular street food from the Kutch region. It’s made by stuffing bread rolls with mashed potatoes, chutneys, and special masala, then topping them with spiced roasted peanuts, sev, and pomegranate seeds. -
Dal Dhokli
Dal Dhokli is a one-pot meal featuring lentil (pigeon pea) soup with rolled, spiced wheat flour pieces boiled in it. It’s a flavourful blend of spicy, sweet, and tangy tastes. -
Patra
This amazing snack is made from colocasia leaves stuffed with gram flour and spices, rolled up, steamed, and then cut into pieces. It’s either stir-fried or deep-fried and served with chutneys. -
Dhebra
Also known as Vada, Dhebra is a flatbread snack made from millet flour, fenugreek leaves, yogurt, and spices. The dough is shaped into small vadas and deep-fried, served with plain yogurt and chutneys. -
Gota
These crispy fritters are quick and easy to make. The main ingredients are gram flour and fenugreek leaves mixed with spices, served with various chutneys. -
Chorafali
Chorafali is a crunchy snack that can be stored in a jar for a few days for when you feel peckish. It’s made from black lentil flour and gram flour, rolled out, cut into strips, and deep-fried. Black salt and dry mango powder are sprinkled on top while it’s hot. -
Muthiya
Muthiya gets its name from the Gujarati word ‘Muthi,’ meaning fist, due to how the dough is shaped. This dish combines wheat flour and gram flour with grated bottle gourd and spices. The dough is shaped into fists, steamed, cut into pieces, and then stir-fried with mustard seeds, sesame seeds, and curry leaves. It’s perfect with hot Indian tea.
But let’s not forget about the sweet side of Gujarati cuisine! Here are some popular desserts:
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Mohanthal
Mohanthal is a household favorite—a soft, fudge-like sweet made from gram flour, flavored with saffron, nuts, and cardamom. It’s often enjoyed as part of a meal. -
Shrikhand
Shrikhand is a creamy, delicious Gujarati sweet made from strained yogurt and powdered sugar, flavoured with saffron, cardamom, and nuts. It’s usually served as part of a meal, especially with puris. -
Ghari
Ghari hails from Surat and is one of the best Gujarati sweets. It’s made from milk, ghee, and puri batter, filled with sweetened powdered nuts, and shaped into rounds. It’s especially popular during the Chandani Padva festival in Surat.
These are just my top 15 Gujarati dishes, but there are so many more! By now, you’re probably drooling just thinking about these spicy, delicious, and aromatic treats. So, what’s your favourite Gujarati dish?
