While some head to Gujarat around this time to witness the vibrant and energetic Garba sequences, there are a handful who travel to the state for its rich culinary offerings during Navratri. Chef Gary Mehigan belongs to the second group.
The renowned chef, who is touring India and uncovering the country’s varied cuisine as part of his new show India’s Mega Festivals, was in Ahemadabad and he tasted Gujarati food at its finest. The chef revealed that he started his culinary adventure in India in Mumbai, then moved to Ahmedabad and is now headed to Vadodara and Surat.
Talking about all the dishes he tasted while in Ahmedabad, Gary penned, “I’m getting a proper taste of Gujarat now after a few days. All vegetarian, full of flavour and a textural overload! Crunchy, gooey, crumbly, slippery, soft, oozy, crispy, thick, runny, stretchy, or all of the above jammed together... Not missing meat at all or alcohol for that matter. It’s a dry state. The tea is working its magic..!”
He added, “have loved fried snacks, papdi, fafda, gathiya & jalebi. The chickpea overload includes panki chatni, cooked in banana leaves, the khandvi & bowls of chana masala. Patra which is spiced gram-stuffed colocasia leaves (pic 3) is delish…!”
Also Read: Celebrity chef Gary Mehigan travels the length and breadth of India to discover its mega festivals!
In an exclusive interaction with Indulge ahead of the aforementioned show’s release, Gary talked about his experience tasting varied Indian dishes associated predominantly with festivals. He said, “This has been a unique and unrepeatable experience for me. I have travelled to all corners of the country and now have a much deeper and more appreciative understanding of all these wonderful, auspicious occasions.”