On a Silver Platter
By now you know I am in the state of Gujarat, in the Western part of India. Gujurati food is known to be sweeter than other parts of India and due to the influence of Hinduism and Jainism, it is almost vegetarian – and for someone who didn’t eat vegetables for most of her life, I can attest that this is the place to be a vegetarian!
Traditional Gujarati meals are served on a silver platter with small silver bowls. Breads such as wheat rotis, chapatis, and fried puffy puris (LOVE THEM) accompany the meal. Dishes included dals (lentils), spiced aloo (potatoes), and the most flavorful greens. This is usually finished with buttermilk.
One dish that is ridiculously out of this world is mango ras – aam ras – a cooling, sweet, refreshing mango puree. You can eat it with a spoon or top it on ice cream…and the best thing is that right now is mango season in Gujarat. Ras can be made with milk or cardamom or simply mangoes pureed into a smooth consistency. The most famous mangoes in Gujarat are known as Alphonso mangoes, and they are one of the most expensive kinds. Frankly, I have never, ever eaten better mangoes in my life. I usually love mango-flavors but not the mango itself as it is often fibrous. Alphonso mangoes just slide down your throat and they are the sweetest, purest, freshest mangoes I have ever had the fortune of eating.
Another popular snack food is paan. It is a betel leaf full of ingredients, such as cloves, cardamom, rose syrup, mint, and areca nuts. Some also include tobacco. It apparently is used as a mouth freshener, which I can attest – it works! There are many flavors and the first time I had one, I didn’t know what to do with the complexity of flavors exploding in one quick bite. It was minty, but sweet with the rose syrup, and then a bit grounding with the nuts – I think I must have tasted about 25 different flavors of every combination in that one bite. One of the best things was watching the vendor make the paan with such precision and care.
Gujarat has such a rich food culture and cuisine that I could spend a lifetime here and only learn a little. Exploring local food and culture in a global context – the journey can be as sweet as an Alphonso mango.
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