Surat situated in Gujarat was previously known as Suryaput. It is located in the southern portion of the state. The local cuisines that are served here are mainly vegetarian. They love to have vegetables along with rice in any form. Sugar is the most used ingredient in every dish. The dishes have a local flavor of their own.
Gujarati cuisines are mainly vegetarian. The staple food is Khichdi (a mixture of rice and lentil) along with a variety of side dishes which are locally known as farsaan.
Local delights
In Surat, a Gujarati thali has 3 or 4 types of side dishes along with Khichdi. A pickle is a must with it. Main side dishes that are served are a mixture of cooked vegetables with different spices and daals (lentil soup). These vegetables are often dipped into hot oil and mixed with some common ingredients like tomato, salt, sugar and lemon. Sugar is a must in every farsan or a side dish. This mainly covers the bland taste of the vegetables.
Local cuisines change according to the seasonal availability of vegetables. During summer, mango is the most common ingredient in every dish. Ripe mangoes are widely available in Surat. The locals use fresh mango pulp in most of the dishes. Spices like garam masala is less used during summer as it is a very hot and dry place.
Bajra Roti is also a very common thing in Surat. It is mainly consumed during winter. Made of wheat flour, its local name is Bhakhri. Garlic chutney is the perfect side dish for this. In Surat, fried foods are also available, but in a very small amount. They have boiled and fried potatoes for snacks which are commonly known as Aloo Tikki. They also serve flour patties with peas inside. This is famous as Ragda Patties. Though a very few places of Gujarat consume non vegetarian food, Surat offers mainly vegetarian dishes.
The snack one must taste while in Surat is Naankhatai. An eggless buttery cookie, it is made of flour, sugar, ghee or butter. Sometimes a small amount of besan or sooji is poured into the mixture before baking, to add some flavor. It is must in every occasions like Diwali, wedding and Rakhi.
Dry sweets are also very common here. They are made of milk, sugar and nuts. Locally known as Magas or ghoogra.
Some distinct dishes of Surat are
Thepla/Dhebra: Mixture of flour, mild spices and shredded vegetables are mixed together.
Pooda: A sweet dish made of flour mix.
Biranj: Steamed rice along with saffron, sugar and dried fruits.
Doodh Pak: Rice pudding made with milk and sugar. Some cardamoms, saffron and cashews are added to bring more taste.
Dhokla: Made of mixed rice and besan, it is served with sweet chutney and dried chilies.
Uundhiyu: A traditional dish of mixed vegetables which is cooked upside down in an earthen pot. Main ingredients are green beans, unripe bananas, muthiya and purple yam. It is a spicy curry that may contain coconut.
Even when passing through Surat in train, one can order food delivery at Surat station to relish its traditional food.