Undhiyu season and the Uttarayan weekend
From December to February the menu follows the winter vegetables. Here is what changes and when.
Khaman before eleven: a morning in our farsan kitchen
The first batter goes into the steamer at 6.15 am. Here is what happens next.
Our farsan kitchen starts before the dining room is even swept. Bhikhabhai arrives at 6 am and the first khaman batter, made from gram flour, curd, ginger and green chilli, goes into the steamers at 6.15. Each tray steams for 18 minutes. While it rests, the khandvi batter is already cooking in a heavy kadai, and it has to be stirred without stopping for about 20 minutes.
By 7 am the jalebi man is frying at the counter by the gate, because Ahmedabad eats fafda and jalebi early, especially on Sundays. Patra comes next: colocasia leaves are washed, spread with spiced batter, rolled, steamed and left to cool before they can be sliced.
By half past nine the khandvi has been spread on steel counters, cut into strips and rolled by four people at once. Everything is tempered last, with mustard seed, sesame and curry leaves fried in groundnut oil, so it still smells fresh when the counter opens at 11.
We make a second batch of khaman and gota at 4 pm for the evening. We do not hold farsan from one day to the next. What is left at closing goes home with the staff, which is one reason nobody in our kitchen complains about the early start.
