Gujarati cuisine is strictly vegetarian, people relish the tastes of Gujarati food crisp spicy fried Farsans, which is a speciality of Gujarati snacks. The famous Gujarati thali served at weddings, festivals or any other important ceremony includes farsans, sweetmeats and a variety of sweet and sour chutneys and pickles. Gujarati food is famous for mixing sweetness with salt and that makes the cooking of Gujarat different from the rest of India.
Due to climatic differences, Gujarati cuisine is divided into four geographic regions, and in all four regions, there are slight variations in eating habits and modes of food preparation.
The first region which should be described here is Kathiawad also known as Saurastra which has miles of dry land but the farmers successfully cultivate sugarcane, wheat, millet, peanuts, sesame etc. Here various types of pulses dominate the cuisine menu, also different kinds of sweets made of gur(jaggery) are added to the delicacy of Saurashtra. The Kathiawad is popular for the various pickles preparations with unique methods and preparations.
Kathiawari favourites include Dhebras which is made of wheat flour mixed with spinach, green chillies, a dollop of yoghurt and a pinch of salt and sugar, these are eaten with a hot and sweet shredded mango pickle known as Chhundo. Another speciality of this region is Methia Masala, a dry powder made from fenugreek seeds, chilly powder and salt freely sprinkled over raw vegetables and salads and gives the food a special flavour.
Another region Kutch have a great heritage of culture and tradition here the food habit is relatively simple. The main cuisine consists of khichdi eaten with Kadhi, Kadhi is a savoury curry made of yoghurt. Some common dishes also include Khaman Dhokla, Dabeli, Doodhpak, a sweet, salty steamed cake, thickened milk confectionery and Shrikhand, flavoured with saffron, cardamom, a dessert made of yoghurt nuts and candied fruit which is eaten with hot, fluffy pooris.
Unlike other regions, South Gujarat is blessed with plenty of rainfall. Green vegetables and plenty of fruit allow the cuisine to taste exotically different with elaborate preparations made, and expensive ingredients yet the food is in its utter simplicity, Popular items include a delicious vegetable concoction called Undhyoo and Paunk, a tangy delicacy.
The Gujarati vegetarian section has a wide variety of food and hard-core food lovers, Gujaratis keeps inventing and re-inventing dishes. The best thing about Gujarati cooking is it is not very complicated and anyone can prepare Gujarati cuisine with a little preparation.
Gujarati cuisine is famous for its snacks like Khaman dokla, Khandvi, Farsans, Sev Ghantia, Papdi etc most of these snacks can be served with meals or at snack times, as one likes. Most Gujarati love sweets and hence there are desserts like the aam ras (thick juice of Mangoes), Shrikand (Yoghurt mixed with nuts, saffron, powdered cardamom), and Gharis.
