Gujarat is renowned for its temple towns, wildlife sanctuaries, and historic capitals. The natural grandeur of the state’s spectacular beaches and hill resorts attracts tourists from across the globe. Art connoisseurs should visit Gujarat to witness its diverse art forms in the form of paintings, sculptures, handicrafts, and more.
“Surat Nu Jaman Ane Kashi Nu Maran” is a popular Gujarati saying, meaning dining in Surat city and breathing one’s last breath in Varanasi is the way to heaven. One of the significant reasons you should keep this birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi on your traveling bucket list is to experience this magnificent Indian state’s multi-cuisine options.
9 Best Non-Veg Dishes in Gujarat
Whatever your eating habits, you will find a range of veg and non-veg restaurants in Gujarat. Here are a few must-try non-veg cuisines in the Kathiawar peninsula.
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Mutton Nu Shaak
It is a Gujarati-special mutton curry dish that is a major part of Kathiawadi cuisine. You simply need an earthen pot, a male goat, and a few spices to prepare that perfect Mutton Nu Shaak. The dish is slowly cooked until the meat turns brown.
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Gharab Nu Achaar
It is a seafood cuisine made by marinating or coating fish roe with a paste. The paste is a kind of achaar made of green chilies, pickle spices, and vinegar. If you love tangy and spicy dishes, go for Gharab Nu Achaar.
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Patra Ni Machhi
Patra Ni Machhi is well-known in many parts of the country and comes in different varieties and names. Patra Ni Machhi is served during traditional weddings and other special occasions. You can have this cuisine without guilt, especially if you are on a diet. It is available in many traditional non-veg restaurants in Gujarat.
Patra Ni Machhi is a delicious Parsi dish made of pomfret or sea bass fish clubbed with green chilies, fresh coconut, coriander, and mint leaves. The specialty of this dish lies in its unique serving style of wrapping the fish in a banana leaf. It is fun to unwrap this leafy package to savor the deliciously cooked fish inside.
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Bhugo
Bhugo is a popular dish found in Gujarat’s Kutch region. This dry dish was originally made of minced partridge, a kind of small bird. But these days, it is made of chicken or mutton due to the unavailability of partridge.
Bhugo is a satisfying meal that meat lovers will enjoy. It is a hearty combination of robust flavors and has a tender texture of perfectly cooked meats. Bhugo is made of marinated meat, slow-cooked with vegetables like onions and tomatoes, and clubbed with flavorful spices.
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Chaap Ne Bataka Roast
Chaap Ne Bataka Roast is a part of the Kshatriya cuisine of Gujarat. This non-veg dish is a simple preparation of roasted lamb chops, marinated with various spices. After marination, it is roasted over potato wedges. Chaap Ne Bataka Roast is served with bread or roti, thus completing the meal.
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Biryani
Have you ever tried Gujarati-style biryani? If not, you should absolutely try this one during your visit to this historic town. While we all have experienced the joy of relishing a platter of mouth-watering biryani from different parts of the country, the Gujarati variant, also known as Memoni biryani or Kutchi biryani, is a must-try.
Memoni biryani is a flavorful and spicy variety originally developed by the Memon community of Gujarat-Sindh areas in India and Pakistan. Like Sindhi biryani, Memoni Biryani is made with spices, potatoes, chilies, and sometimes seven tomatoes. Apart from the usual chicken or mutton biryanis, Memoni biryani is sometimes made with lamb, too.
Besides the Memoni Biryani, the Masoor Kheema Biryani is another favorite meal generally served during the haldi ceremony rituals in traditional Muslim marriages in Gujarat. It is a one-pot meal, commonly served with matta, a tasty yogurt-based side dish.
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Kebabs
Kebab lovers will love their Gujarat tour as they can get the opportunity to taste a wide variety of kebabs in this state. Kebabs, as we know, are small pieces of marinated and spicy meat grilled on skewers over an open flame.
Many non-veg restaurants, usually the ones offering buffet facilities, keep the kebab skewers over the grill. Customers can enjoy their preferred kebabs directly by transferring them to their plates from the live-grilling skewers. You can relish a wide variety of kebabs, each coming from different parts of the country, with each region adding its own taste and flavors to the dish.
Kebabs are usually made with ground meat (chicken, mutton, lamb, dish, beef, etc.), with a fine blend of herbs and spices. However, these days, there are numerous veg kebab options available too. In Persian cuisine, people prepared kebabs with pieces of beef or lamb marinated in spices and yogurt.
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Haleem
It is a popular dish, especially eaten during Iftar, an evening meal that Muslims have during a day-long fast during Ramadan. Being a famous dish in the Indian subcontinent, as well as in Pakistan and Bangladesh, haleem comprises lentils and meat.
First, it is cooked with spices, such as cumin, cardamom, coriander, and cinnamon. Then the mixture is cooked on low flame for several hours until the lentils have broken down and the meat becomes tender. In a perfect traditional haleem, the lentils will create a creamy, thick texture.
While cooking, haleem is stirred continuously and mashed to give it a consistent and smooth texture. After attaining this texture, the delicious dish is garnished with coriander leaves, fried onions, and a squeeze of lemon juice. So, on your next visit to Gujarat, haleem is a must-have.
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Dabba Gosht
Dabba Gosht is a traditional cuisine of North India and Pakistan that comprises slow-cooked rice and meat, usually mutton or beef. The dish comes from the name of the vessel “dabba” in which it is prepared, that is, a large pressure cooker or pot. Dabba Gosht is served hot with salad, raita (a yummy yogurt-based side dish), and roti or naan (Indian flatbreads).
Final Words
We hope you will love trying the above delicacies of Gujarat during your visit to this land of art, temples, and food. If you are a vegetarian, there are innumerable options for you, too, including dhokla, poha, methi bajri vada, and more. But if you are a die-hard non-veg, the above cuisines are too tempting to ignore!
Read more:
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