Gujarat

Within the colourful diversity of Indian regional cuisine, Gujarat merits a special position of pride as the state that has perfected the true art of vegetarian cooking. This is mainly due to the influence of the Jain religion, which prescribes an attitude of non-violence to all things and therefore forbids the consumption of any food whose production may involve the harming of animals. This means that meat, fish, eggs and, for some, dairy products are not permitted. Despite these limitations, Gujarati cooks have created a dazzling array of delicious and nutritious dishes that have become famous across the whole of India and, increasingly, elsewhere.