Taste a bit of Gujarat

When we decided to take a trip to Gujarat (Ahmedabad and the Kutch area), I was a bit sceptical about what’s in store considering the trip’s main focus was seeing the migratory birds that come down to Bhuj during this time of the year. My other apprehension was the food. I have heard much about the distinctiveness of Gujarati cuisine, with its variety of fried/roasted snacks on one side and the sweetish tinge to every other dish, the latter being the root cause of my concern (sweet dal? I don’t think so!). I was prepared to face the worst.

Nothing, ofcourse, could prepare me for what Agashiye, a charming restaurant in old Ahmedabad, had in store! Agashiye, is essentially what it means in Gujarati – a terrace. The terrace that greets you in this case is a dining area in an ethnic setting with a spread of old style Gujarati furniture neatly laid out.

There is a snacks area with low seating where you can just hang out with family/friends and relish the appetizers, at the same time soaking in the quaint atmosphere and the polite service provided by the waiters wearing Gandhi caps. A couple of steps ahead is the uncovered dining area with similar furniture where we would eventually proceed for the main meal. In between, it would be worth taking a walk around the heritage home where the restaurant is situated.

The restaurant serves 2 meals – Standard and Deluxe. Mind you, the Standard here would satiate the appetite of a horse (also considering its unlimited). The deluxe would probably offer a few more snacks and a couple of added vegetables. We decided to go in for a Standard. There is a different menu for each day of the week and this day happened to be a Wednesday.

Appetizers

The meal began with snacks or Farsan as they call it, which consisted of White Dhokla and Methi na Gota (Gota being a sort of fried pakoda made with Chane ki Dal/Besan) - both hallmarks of Gujarati cuisine. The dhokla, especially with the green chutney was out of the world, very different from the fluffy ones I’ve had in other parts of the country and the Gota was not far behind. There was a Palak soup which was absolutely fresh.

Although I felt like gobbling a dozen dhoklas that day, we made a conscious decision to contain our appetite considering the spread that was to come and we did not regret it. Not a minute had passed being seated at the dining table that a plethora of waiters descended upon us – one with a tradition copper hand wash vessel, one placing the Sprout salad and Papad (Lijjat no doubt) on the table, one with some glasses and ‘Chaanch’ ready to serve... and the list continues. Service is impeccably professional out here matched with an equal amount of warmth.

A small cute bowl with Papdi Chaat, just enough for a taste was served – it is these small nuances that go a long way in delighting the guest.

Within minutes, my thali was set with 4 vegetables, Kadhi, Dal, kheer and breads – we’ll take it one at a time. The veggies served that day were Tal Mariwala Bataka (semi fried Potatoes with spices), Panchvati (five vegetables cooked with kidney beans), Dahi Wala Hara Channa (green chick pea cooked with yoghurt and spices) and Fansi Makai in Milk (French beans and corn). In addition, we had the customary staple dishes Gujarati Dal and Kadhi. I have to say that the sweetness that I was dreading was actually pleasant to taste. The cooks had managed to create just the right balance between the spices and the sweet tinge. The Dal was exceptional and I couldn’t get enough of it. The accompanying breads were called Fulka Rotli (the North Indian phulka), Palak parotha and Choda ni dal na pudla.

Pudla is basically a salty version of a pancake, which is common in Gujarati households and can be made using Chane ki dal, Moong dal, Besan with different stuffing.

There was also plain rice and Khichdi with rich Ghee to add to the calories. Just take a second here and imagine the coverage of spices, lentils and vegetables that came together in this one meal, all perfectly balanced, each with a unique taste and cooked to perfection - bliss!

As much as I wanted the rich taste to linger a while longer, our stomach had to be full sometime L . We finally come to the sweets, served at the beginning as per tradition. This comprised of a lovely Orange Khir and Gajar ka Halwa.

I have heard the Mango Srikhand here is to die for so if you happen to visit during mango season, do ask for it.

 The meal ends with ice – cream and paan (Betel). Ice creams served here are organic and ours was with Sitafal (sugar apple), not too bad. Paan was a bit of a disappointment since I was expecting the usual North Indian style meetha paan but this was a something different.

Thus came about my first authentic tryst with Gujarati cuisine. One has to remember, that like many large states in India, Gujarat offers more than one cuisine based on the region where it originates so calling any dish Gujarati would perhaps be too generalist. The food at Agashiye was essentially Ahmedabad style, characterized by a bit of sugar added to every preparation. 

If you move towards Kutch as I did, the food will include less of fresh vegetables owing to the climate but a lot of milk based preparations. I got to savour a bit of that as well at a local joint called 'Prince' in Bhuj.

I’m waiting for another chance to come back again to this fascinating state and explore further. For now, next time you’re in Ahmedabad, do not miss Agashiye at the House of MG opposite the exquisite Sidi Saiyad Jali.. baraabar khajo!

Thali rates – Rs. 425 for Standard, Rs. 575 for Deluxe;

Timings – 12 noon to 3:30 pm, 7pm to 11pm

The House of Mangaldas Girdhardas
Opp. Sidi Saiyad Jali, Lal Darwaja
Ahmedabad-380001.
Gujarat, INDIA

Visit the website for more details