Chaat by Maneet Chauhan & Jody Eddy

Author:Maneet Chauhan & Jody Eddy [Chauhan, Maneet]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Potter/Ten Speed/Harmony/Rodale
Published: 2020-10-06T00:00:00+00:00

Pune and Ahmedabad

Kanda Bhaji

Panki

Khaman Dhokla

Khandvi

Kande Pohe

Mango Mastani

The first time I tried Gujarati cuisine was during a college break when I traveled on the train with classmates from Manali in the far north of India to the station at Chandigarh before transferring to a local train for Ahmedabad. The long journey took well over six hours to complete. I didn’t mind, because it afforded me the chance to indulge in chaat I discovered at the stations along the way. I was a little apprehensive about Gujarati cuisine because I suspected it might be too simplistic for my culinary taste. I soon discovered how wrong I was when a vendor approached our train window with a platter of dhokla during one of our stops just after we entered the state of Gujarat. The bright yellow cake, neatly cut into squares, was made from rice and chickpea flour and arranged in pairs on shiny silver paper plates. Each duo was topped with fried cilantro, freshly shaved coconut, and a vibrant ribbon of green chutney. I was sold on the presentation alone until I popped one into my mouth. The fermented batter aerates the dough as it bakes, resulting in a texture akin to angel food cake; it has a perky flavor, as bright as its golden hue. I “accidentally” gobbled up my friend’s dokhla, too, but thankfully it all happened so fast that the vendor was still waiting at the train window for her rupees. I greedily snatched up four more orders before the train set off again. My friend was shaking her head at me in disbelief as she reached for one of the plates that I promptly snatched away from her. “What? Didn’t you get any for yourself?” I asked her (only half joking). She grinned and said, “Must you eat everything you see?” I reluctantly handed her the plate, guarding the other three like a pirate who finally discovered her treasure chest after years of searching.

I ate nonstop during that Ahmedabad visit, but it wasn’t until I moved to New Jersey to help my aunt and uncle manage their restaurant that I was able to cook Gujarati cuisine for the first time. There is a large community of Gujarati expats in this region of the country, and I met one of its matriarchs when she stopped into the restaurant for a cup of chai and a chat with my aunt who she had known for years. As I often do, because I have no shame when it comes to cooking, I invited myself over to her house to learn more about Gujarati cuisine.

I begin popping khandvi rolls into my mouth the moment I arrive at Ahmedabad Junction and don’t stop until I leave the region, so I was very excited to learn that the first recipe we’d make together was khandvi, a tangy, velvety roll made from turmeric, buttermilk, and chickpea flour and topped with fried mustard seeds, fried garlic, and coconut chutney. While she deftly smoothed the khandvi

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