Koi shaak hai?

Deliciously diverse, there’s a lot more to Kathiawadi cuisine than what meets the eye. Here’s our guide to what to expect and where to find it

Anju Maskeri, Nasrin Modak Siddiqi and Jane Borges

Some movies inspire curiosity. Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s period drama Gangubai Kathiawadi is one such. But, it’s not just the story of the naive, provincial girl who went on to become a “ferocious warrior” that has piqued our interest. It’s also the region she hailed from. Forming part of the region known as Saurashtra, Kathiawar shares its border with the neighbouring state of Rajasthan, which means that the food here may not typically taste like Gujarati cuisine as we know it. Calling it the spicier cousin is too simplistic and may not do justice to its complexity, insist chefs. So, we reached out to people who know it best. And if you want to have a taste, we offer some recommendations too.

‘Kathiawadis like it piquant and colourful’

Vadhvani marcha, a spiced chilli condiment in which the flavour of mustard seeds is dominant

In 2013, the Revival Indian Thali brand earned a mention in the Limca Book of World Records for serving the maximum number of items in a thali. Curating a spread that included 44 dishes meant looking beyond the usual suspects. “That’s when we panned out and began incorporating influences from other regions of Gujarat,” says Kamlesh Barot, director, VIE Hospitality Group.

Patra  is a fried vegetarian snack made with colocasia leaves or arbi

They trained their lens on Kathiawar given the nuances  of the cuisine. “People in this region of Saurashtra like their food to be spicy, piquant, tarty and colourful, which is not the case with the rest of Gujarat.” In 2008, the brand created the food set-up for Ashutosh Gowariker’s Jodha Akbar. The menu here changes everyday, increasing their zeal to experiment, thinks Barot. “We have tried incorporating Kathiawadi items in not just the main course, but also in appetisers, salads and desserts.”

Kamlesh Barot

While dahino tikharo is a spicy, tangy spread that is served with rotla, bhakhri, thepla or khichdi, churmu is a sweet dish made from wheat rotis. According to Barot, guests usually expect dishes that remind them of home. But there are also patrons who are adventurous and want to go beyond the tried and tested. “There are a few constants like the Kathiawadi kadhi that people want in every meal.”
To Order: 8268627777

‘Our undhiyu is red in colour’

Chef Bina Kariya, who runs Jalaram Kathiyawadi Thali at Kandivli West with son Jay Kariya, began her professional career at a Kathiawadi restaurant, which she managed for over four years, only to start her own business in 2017. “Kathiawadi cuisine comes from the Saurashtra region of Gujarat. Unlike the regular Gujarati fare, where the sweet cuts the spice, our dishes are more teekha.

We also use a lot of onions, garlic and ginger in our preparations.” One of the specialties at their eatery is the Kathiawadi undhiyu, which is made with freshly-ground masalas that Kariya specially buys from Gujarat. “The more popular version of undhiyu is green in colour; ours is red, because we use red chilli powder. We also use almost 18-20 green vegetables to prepare the dish. It’s available every Sunday.” The Kathiawadi version is said to be slightly spicy and a combination of sweet and sour in taste, and with a lot more gravy.

Bina and Jay Kariya. Pics/Nimesh Dave

The one you find in other parts of the state is more dry. The other favourites are lasaniya batata (spicy garlic potato curry), bharwa baingan (for which they use large brinjals), and baingan ka bharta. We recommend you try their variety of rotlis with ghee, sev tameta, baingan bharta, and Rajwadi sabzi. Add to it achars, chunda, churma ladoo and you have the perfect homestyle meal. This place is great if you are a fan of authentic delicacies from the homes and dhabas in the Kathiawar region.
To Order: 9702636701

‘Even baingan ka bharta has two versions’

Home chef Panna Gohil prepares wheat bhakri at her Kandivli residence

It’s been 16 years since Panna Gohil, a Kandivli-based home chef, left her home in Kathiawar’s Amreli district to move to Mumbai after she was married. But distance has hardly made a dent in her connection with the peninsula, which also includes major cities such as Porbandar, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Rajkot and Junagad. “A lot of this [connection] has to do with food,” notes Gohil, who runs Panna’s Kathiawadi Kitchen, a fledgling food business. “When we think of Gujarati food, we associate it with

sweetness. But the degree [of sweetness] varies from region to region. For instance, in some areas of Gujarat, the dal tastes like dessert. We call this excessive sugariness ‘gada’.

But in Saurashtra, the food has only a hint of sweetness,” she explains. Khada masala is used sparingly to ensure the flavour is distinct yet mellow. It’s also the treatment of spices that sets the cuisine apart, thinks Gohil. “Some of it is pounded or ground using mortar and pestle and rolling pin, depending on the dish.” Although time-consuming, she continues to follow the traditional route of crushing aromatics.  Food processors, she feels, do not yield the texture and flavour that kitchen tools of yore do. A signature Kathiawadi dish is the ringna no oroh or roasted eggplant. Similar to the baingan ka bharta seen in other parts of India, ringna no oroh is made with roasted eggplants, which are then peeled, mashed and tempered in spices. “Even here, you’ll find two versions of the same dish. The one that’s popular in the community is the kacho oroh, made using chilli powder, groundnut oil, green garlic [also called young garlic or spring garlic] which is simply garlic that hasn’t fully matured, and scallion. The other version has tomato, green chillies and haldi.” Gohil believes that it’s the television show Tarak Mehta Ka Ulta Chashma that made Kathiawadi food go mainstream. Sev tameta nu shaak and vagharelo rotlo are now household names. “It was the show that made even non-Gujjus take interest in the dishes.”
To Order: 9004465575

We tried these

Dine like a king

Maharaja Bhog’s premium unlimited vegetarian thali has a host of Kathiawadi options, served in bronze servewares. There’s bateta nu shaak, lasaniya bataka, vagharelo rotlo, vagharelo khichdi, bajra no rotlo, guvar dhokli nu shak, methi thepla, adadiya pak and of course, the winter special undiyu. This wholesome home-style food is made from traditionally sourced recipes. They offer their thali in a box and you can ask for vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free versions as well. Founder and managing director Maharaja Bhog, Ashish Maheshwari says, “This cuisine originated in Kathiawar region of coastal Gujarat (Saurashtra) that often faces dry, harsh weather. In cities like Porbandar, Jamnagar, Bhavnagar, Rajkot and Junagadh, there isn’t much vegetation and hence, you’d notice that most dishes are made with either potato. Think bateta nu shaak, lasaniya bataka or millets, with frequent use of tomatoes, brinjal. Farsan is a staple and helps lift the flavour quotient of any dish. Compared to the other regions, food here is spicy and uses a generous amount of onion, garlic and green chillies—for instance, vagharelo rotlo and vaghareli khichdi. Bajra no rotlo and methi thepla are common flatbreads and puran polo and adadiya pak are common sweets from the region. Kathiawadi dishes are the essence our thali and our maharaj make them in the most authentic way.”
WHERE: Maharaja Bhog outlets in Juhu, Malad, Kalbadevi and Goregaon
PRICE: Rs 599 onwards
To Order: 9322197480

Chain reaction

A legit Kathiawadi chain, their bhindi masala, lasaniya bataka and jalaram khichdi is a hit. The food comes with lots of pickles and accompaniments. A few other favourites include sev tameta, baingan bharta, rajwadi sabzi and muthiya. Be warned that their food comes floating in oil, which means you would either love it or hate it. So go at your own risk.
WHERE: Shree Khodiyar Kathiyawadi Dhaba, 17, Old, SV Rd, Siddharth Nagar, Goregaon West
PRICE: Rs 95 onwards
To Order: 9136584355

De thali

A homely place in a new fine dine avatar, Shree Thaker Bhojanalya have been around since 1945 and SoBo old timers will vouch for their sumptuous, well-laid out thali with dishes from different regions of Gujarat, including the Kathiawar. We like how it is authentic, not overly oily or painstakingly sweet—thus matching everyone’s taste. One may find it a little expensive (especially on weekends), but we’ve seen serpentine queues for their thalis laden with simple Gujarati food.
WHERE: Shree Thaker Bhojanalya, 31, Dadisheth Agyari Lane, Kalbadevi
PRICE: Rs 700 onwards
To Order: 22069916

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