It’s a no-brainer that Gujarat is a pure vegetarian state since it is the land of Bapu. Another insight is that it is a dry state. The holy and pious land on which Mahatma Gandhi stepped foot has witnessed several historical incidents and is also home to the famous milk brand in the country. Gujaratis are considered to be great businessmen and street smart. But it is not just their brains that do all the talking. The sweet and tangy, crunchy and soft delicacies that are prepared in a Gujarati kitchen literally make ones mouth water. Dhokla, khandvi, thepla and a plethora of dishes come under the ambit of Gujarati cuisine. I remember this one time when I wanted to try a Gujarati restaurant, my friends were really excited because they had a big sweet tooth and Gujarati food is largely sweet.
Now, when it comes to breakfast, most of us are thinking bread and some eggs. Or it could be a paratha or simply a toast. How about the vegetarians? How would they eat an omlette? Seems like Gujaratis have the answer to that. They have their vegetarian omlette and that’s why they aren’t complaining. It’s called pudla. Pudla, for those untouched by the phenomenon, is a Gujarati-style omlette that also qualifies as a savoury pancake. This is a vegetable-loaded dish, made with besan aka brown chickpea flour and lots of spices. A dish that stands apart from the run-of-the-mill sweet delights from this regional fare, pudla is a refresher.
A commonly-eaten breakfast dish in Gujarati households, pudla comes packed with the nutrition of chickpea flour and the taste of a host of vegetables. Most of the times, the pancake is stuffed with seasonal vegetables like bottle gourd, carrots, coriander and many others. Since chickpea is a great source of nutrition, it is believed that chickpea flour-based omlette can actually help give the nutrition that is generally acquired from eggs.
To prepare pudla for breakfast, you need to begin by prepping up a batter for the pancake. Take some chickpea flour and add chayote, carrots, cilantro and ginger. Next, add some spices like red chilli powder, cumin, coriander powder, garlic paste and salt to taste. Add some water to the bowl and mix all this together until it forms a semi-thick consistency. Heat some oil in a pan and pour this batter onto it. Cook it from both sides by flipping the pancake once in a while. Once it turns golden-brown, take it out in a plate and serve with coriander chutney and tomato sauce.
Like the idea of pudla? Here’s a detailed recipe that you can try.
In fact, there’s a sweet version of the pudla too that sweet toothers can enjoy. Perfect for a sweet snack in the evening or a dessert, the meetha pudla is topped with caramelized bananas, roasted cashews and jaggery. Want to try this too? Go ahead and try this recipe then.
