Indian
Vegan
Gluten freeBhavnagari gathiya
Crunchy gram flour sticks
ભાવનગરી ગાંઠિયા: thick, crunchy gram-flour sticks with ajwain and crushed pepper, rubbed through a gathiya jharo into hot oil
Bhavnagar is Gujarat's gathiya town, and its namkeen shops sell these thick, knobbly sticks by the kilo, warm in the morning with fried chillies and papaya sambharo, and boxed up for relatives abroad. They are thicker than any sev, with a rough, bubbly surface from being rubbed through a flat perforated gathiya jharo (or pressed through the largest disc of a sev press), and the dough is beaten with oil and soda so they stay light and crunchy rather than hard. Ajwain and coarse black pepper give them their warmth. The common mistake is a stiff dough: it will not pass through the holes and the gathiya come out dense. Chef's tip: beat the oil, water and soda together until white and frothy before adding the flour; that is what makes them airy.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Serves
- 8
- Per serving
- 250 kcal
Ingredients
For the dough
- ¼ cup groundnut oil
- ½ cup warm water
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)crushed between your palms
- 1 ½ tsp black peppercornscoarsely crushed
For frying
- 4 ¼ cups groundnut oilfor deep frying
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: In a wide bowl, beat ¼ cup groundnut oil, ½ cup warm water, ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda and 1 tsp salt with your hand or a whisk for 3–4 minutes until the mixture turns pale and frothy.
4 minStep 2: Add 10 ½ oz coarse besan (gathiya or bhavnagari gram flour), 1 tsp ajwain (carom seeds), 1 ½ tsp black peppercorns and ¼ tsp gluten-free asafoetida (hing) and mix to a soft, sticky dough that you can just pick up. Knead it with oiled knuckles for 2 minutes until smooth.
4 minStep 3: Pour 4 ¼ cups groundnut oil into a wide, heavy kadai so it is no more than a third full and heat to 350°F. A pinch of dough should rise to the top at once and fizz steadily. Do not leave the oil while it is hot.
7 minStep 4: Hold an oiled gathiya jharo over the oil and rub a fist-sized lump of dough through the holes with your palm, so thick ropes drop into the oil. Or press through the largest disc of a sev press.
3 minStep 5: Fry for 3–4 minutes, turning, until light golden and the vigorous bubbling dies down to small bubbles, which tells you the moisture has gone. Lift out and drain.
12 minStep 6: Cool completely; they crisp further as they cool. Break into finger lengths and store airtight for up to 3 weeks.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 250 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 21 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bhavnagari gathiya take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of bicarbonate of soda?
- Baking powder, three times the amount (the bake may taste slightly different).
- What can I use instead of black peppercorns?
- Ground black pepper, a little less than the amount.
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