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Gujarati food is not only about sweets and farsan from shops. In many kitchens, families make their own snacks at home using fresh ingredients and homemade spice mixes. While some recipes still rely on old-style steamers or large pans, more households now use an Usha OTG for baking these snacks.
An OTG is a compact oven that uses heating rods for cooking. It does not take up too much space and is often more affordable than large microwave ovens with convection settings. It works well for recipes that need slow baking or a crusty top layer. In Gujarat, this has opened new options for preparing age-old dishes like dhokla, handvo, and muthia in a slightly different way.
This article shares five popular Gujarati recipes that can be made using an OTG. Each one uses everyday ingredients like besan, rice flour, curd, and seasonal vegetables. These recipes are not completely new, but they work well with small changes to suit baking. Instead of steaming or frying, you can now bake these at home in your OTG without changing the taste too much.
1. Baked Khaman Dhokla
Khaman is one of the most recognised snacks from Gujarat. Traditionally, it is steamed in a thali using a pressure cooker without the whistle. In the OTG, it can be made using a greased rectangular baking tin. The batter is made from gram flour, curd, water, a little semolina, and Eno fruit salt for instant rising. The batter needs to be poured immediately into the tin and baked at a moderate temperature.
The key is to check for doneness using a toothpick. Once baked, it should cool slightly before cutting. The tempering of mustard seeds, green chillies, curry leaves, and sugar water is poured on top just as in the steamed version. The texture may be slightly firmer, but it works well for packing into lunch boxes or serving for evening snacks.
2. Vegetable Handvo In A Baking Dish
Handvo is usually made on a tawa or in a thick-bottomed pan with a slow flame. But it bakes very evenly in an OTG when spread in a metal dish. The batter uses a mix of rice and lentils that are soaked, ground, and fermented slightly. Some people prefer to use readymade handvo flour for convenience.
Grated vegetables like bottle gourd, carrot, or cabbage are added to the batter along with sesame seeds and ginger-green chilli paste. After pouring the batter into the dish, it should be topped with oil and a tempering of mustard seeds and sesame seeds. Baking gives it a crisp brown crust, and the inside remains soft and spongy. This version is easier to manage, especially for larger quantities.
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3. Oven-Baked Methi Muthia
Muthia are typically steamed or shallow-fried dumplings made from wheat flour, besan, and chopped methi leaves. The steamed ones are soft, while the fried ones are crisp. In the OTG, they can be baked in a tray by shaping them into logs or small patties.
The dough is kneaded with curd, oil, and spices like ajwain, turmeric, and hing. After shaping, the pieces are brushed with oil and baked until golden. They should be turned halfway to get an even colour. The baked muthia are lighter than fried ones and keep well in an airtight box. These can be served as they are or added to vegetable dishes like undhiyu.
4. Stuffed Bhakharwadi Rolls
Bhakharwadi is often deep-fried and sold in packets across the country. But at home, smaller versions can be baked with less oil. The outer dough is made using maida and besan, and the filling includes dry coconut, poppy seeds, sesame, fennel, and powdered spices.
The dough is rolled out thin, and the filling is spread evenly before rolling it into a tight log. After slicing into thick rounds, the pieces are arranged on a tray and baked till crisp. Brushing oil on top helps them brown better. This method works well in the OTG and produces a snack that tastes close to the original but is easier on the stomach and requires no frying.
5. Bajri Lasan Crackers
This is not a classic recipe from old Gujarati cookbooks, but more of a modern take on traditional flavours. Bajra, or pearl millet, is often used in winter rotis, but it also works well for baked savoury snacks. A simple dough can be made using bajra flour, crushed garlic, green chillies, oil, and a bit of salt.
The dough is rolled and cut into thin strips or rounds and placed on a baking sheet. These are then baked until they become crisp. They pair well with chai or buttermilk and stay fresh for several days. These crackers are a good way to use up leftover flour and make a quick, healthy snack.
Baking Gujarati snacks in an OTG is not a big change in technique. It simply means using a new method with the same ingredients. For many families, especially in cities, this method makes sense. It keeps the kitchen cleaner, uses less oil, and lets people try new versions of old favourites. With time, more recipes are likely to shift in this direction, giving traditional dishes a new way of being cooked without losing their roots.
