Popular Gujarati Snacks of Jamnagar

Jamnagar is a princely city and kathiawadis are known for their love for foods such as gathiya, khaman, fafda and of course pan with zarda. While here, sample the local delicacies, shun the other foods and have a blast. Some term these foods as junk but if you consider the ingredients, they are far from it: they can be wholesome besides being tongue tickling.

Gathiya, Khaman, Papdi of Jamnagar

In any town in  Saurashtra region, people love to breakfast on gathiya, khaman, fafda and papdi. You may think these are junk foods but in fact they are not. Gathiya, Khaman, Fafda and Papdi are all made from besan or chickpea flour. To make Ganthia, fafda and  papdi, the  flour is made into a dough using plenty of oil and water and then fried. Fafda contains cooking soda as does ganthia but to a lesser degree. These are crispy and are best eaten with fried chillies, grated raw papaya, chutney of green chilies and coriander and kadhi (a thick potage like consistency soup made of curds and besan). 

 There are innumerable shops, stalls as well as roadside laris selling these and you can see people snacking on these hot favorites throughout the day. Khaman is prepared by fermenting coarsely ground, soaked chickpeas, allowing them to ferment and the batter is steamed, cut into pieces and then garnished with a tadka of oil and  spluttered mustard seeds, served with fried green chillies and kadhi. Dhokla is similar to khaman but is made using rice and lentil flour. Khandvi also is made with besan flour.

Ras Patra Snack of Jamnagar

This is another typical Saurashtra snack or a food in itself. Large colocasia (arvi) leaves are coated with a paste of besan flour, rolled up and steamed.


The rolls are sliced, given a tadka of oil and mustard seeds and then dunked in tamarind based sauce. Heavenly and healthy.

Bhajia and Gota

Chickpea flour is made into a batter. To this you add chopped fenugreek leaves and ground chillies and ginger and put dollops into hot oil and fry them to get “gota”. Potata slices are dipped into the batter and deep fried. Green chillies, stuffed with mashed potato are also dipped into the batter and deep fried. A variety of vegetables such as brinjal slices, cauliflower and others can be similarly fried to give what is known as bhajia, best eaten hot with kadhi, friend chillies and  grated papaya.

Ghughra, Kachori

Kachori is made with a stuffing of lentils. The sweet delicacy is usually filled with raisins and dry fruits, mawa and sugar. Ghughra is similar but has a crescent shape. Refined flour dough is used for the outer covering. Kachori, the hot variety, is best eaten with garlic chutney and sweet chutney  with a bit of curds.

Dal Pakwan, Dal Puri

Pakwan is refined flour dough balls rolled out into circular shape and deep fried to yield crisp pakwan. It is eaten with lentils sprinkled with chopped onions and green chillies. Daal puri is similar but instead of hard crispy pakwan, soft puris made  of wheat flour are eaten with lentils or daal.

Dabeli

This is India’s answer to the burger. A small bun is sliced halfway, the inner portions coated with hot and sweet chutneys and then a spoonful of mashed potato mixed with spices and dry fruits is placed in between.

Bhelpuri and Pani Puri

Bhelpuri is a mixture of various items such as puffed rice, sev, puris, all broken into small pieces, to which are added diced onion, pomegranate seeds and mixed with hot and sweet chutney with a sprinkling of diced tomatoes. Pani  puri is puffed balls made of thin refined flour dough into which  is stuffed a mixture of mashed boiled potato and boiled chickpeas, dipped into a hot and  sour water made with green chillies, tamarind water and mint.

Other Delicacies of Jamnagar

You can find these in shops but best sample the fresh ones made by road side laris. Try American Makai or American corn. Whole cobs are boiled and  then sprinkled with spices and lemon juice. Eat corn on the cob. Katka bread, jotta bread are made with bread broken up into pieces, spread on a plate, sprinked  with hot chutney and  sweet-sour tamarind chutney, diced  onion, tomatoes, green chillies and garnished with sev.

Not only are these foods delicious and lip-smacking, they are also healthy since they contain fiber and the chutneys are made of green chillies and coriander, full of vitamins and minerals. Just try not to gorge.

Sweets of Jamnagar

Then it is time for sweets. Try peda, made of mawa or milk that has been evaporated until it  solidifies and is then mixed with sugar. Gulab jumaan is also made of  mawa, shaped into balls, deep fried and  then dipped in sugar syrup. There is Mesub, dry fruit kachori, anjeer pak or a sweet made with dried figs and sugar, Rasmalai, ragulla and mohanthaal (made of besan flour, sugar and ghee).

Two most rare regional snack that attracts many:

Shrikhand is a favorite of people here. It is made of curds, hung till whey drains out and then mixed thoroughly with powdered sugar. It is best eaten with puris.

In winter Undhiyu is something you must try. It is essentially a mix of  winter vegetables including flat beans, broad beans, potatoes, sweet potatoes, ratalu or yam, mixed with oils and spices and cooked on a low flame or best  done in an earthen pot surrounded by embers in a pit dug in the ground. 

Paan: A Not-to-Miss Item!

When done, do not forget your paan. If you host offers one, please do not refuse, simply say “mitha” paan instead otherwise you will be given a paan containing shredded scented tobacco leaves. Might make you giddy.  Heavenly, the snacks in Jamnagar are; junk, they are not.