Gujarati food is a unique variety of cuisine that is both delicious and intriguing. It is usually vegetarian, as two-thirds of Gujaratis abstain from meat consumption, the largest proportion of any Indian community. Its most distinctive characteristic is that almost every dish is sweetened and no other style of cooking suits the Gujarati palate.
The vegetarianism of the Gujaratis is mainly derived from their typical religious beliefs, with Jainism which is widespread amongst Gujaratis prohibiting the consumption of animal flesh. The teachings of the founder of Jainism, Mahavira and later Jain teachers were instrumental in influencing the culinary habits of Gujaratis, along with the precepts of Vaishnavaism, which also demands vegetarianism.
Typical ingredients in Gujarati cuisine are buttermilk, yoghurt, groundnut, coconut, sugar, lime juice and sesame seeds. A traditional Gujarati meal is served on a Thali (silver platter used on festive occasions) with the mainstays being a variety of wheat breads and rice, along with vegetable pulaos, mung bean khichdi and baked rotlas. The Thali also features sweetmeats, farshans (Gujarati fried crisp savories), and an assortment of sour and sweet pickles and chutneys. The main objective of Gujarati cooking can be said to be the achievement of harmony between the mixture of the salty and the sweet.
The state of Gujarat is also well known for an array of snacks, sweets, pickles and savories. Roti, a staple diet for the locals, comes in a variety of forms, from the extremely dry khakra which is often taken on journeys to the delectably soft phulkas.
The various traditional Gujarati preparations all feature the flavors of sugar and jaggery, and great care is taken to achieve the correct seasoning, using such exotic ingredients as fenugreek, thyme, asafoetida and mustard.
Naturally there is a huge variety of vegetable dishes, with the five vegetable stew undhiu taking pride of place. Other Gujarati specialties include various papads, curd-based raithas and relishes.
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