Gujarati

Chocolate Shiro / Gujarati Semolina Halwa

Shiro is a Gujarati sweet dish made for many celebratory occasions. My mom makes a very special chocolate version that is really unique – I don’t know any other Indian auntie that makes it this way so I consider this recipe a rare treat 🙂    My mom used to make chocolate shiro any time my brother and I weren’t feeling well and it was such a delicious pick-me-up. Recently my husband was feeling under the weather so I asked him if he wanted shiro and his face lit up and just the thought of it seemed to make him feel better. One really interesting thing about Indian food is how a base ingredient like semolina can easily become something sweet or savory (see Upma recipe). This shiro recipe is unique with the addition of chocolate chips – traditionally it is only spiced with cardamom, some golden raisins, and sliced nuts (cashews/almonds). Enjoy!  (more…)

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Sweet and Spicy Roasted Cauliflower

This is a recipe that I created after seeing a bunch of posts about roasting cauliflower. I love Indian flavors that have a little sweetness with spice – Gujaratis are notorious for adding sugar to all of their savory dishes. This is a fun appetizer that has a slightly crispy texture. The sesame oil seems to blend the flavors a little bit better than olive oil but any vegetable oil will do. One head of cauliflower seems like a lot for just a few people but it shrinks down during cooking. My husband and I ate 1 cauliflower each when I first tried out this recipe.  (more…)

Spinach and Kale Thepla (Gujarati-Style Flatbread)

My husband had a cold so of course my mom had 15 Indian herbal remedies to make for him to ensure a speedy recovery (my personal favorite is ginger, lemon, and honey tea). One of these suggestions was buying as many leafy greens as possible and throwing them in a blender with tons of ginger and garlic so I thought I’d try it out. ‘Thepla’ is pronounced just as it sounds and can be eaten alone, with some plain yogurt, or used as a bread.  (more…)