This is an easy and delicious thali recipe that can be prepared in just 20 minutes. In this thali, I made Gujarati-style vagharelo bhat in a pressure cooker. Vagharelo bhat is a healthy, one-pot recipe made with rice, vegetables, and a special green paste that enhances its flavor. I also prepared crispy vatana bhajiya, which is ready in just 5 minutes. Together, this vagharelo bhat and crispy bhajiya pair perfectly with Gujarati kadhi.
This simple thali recipe is typically served for dinner but can easily be enjoyed at lunchtime as well, with or without any variations. The best part? It’s a no-fuss recipe made with common ingredients that are likely already in your kitchen. Give it a try!
Key Tips for Making an Instant Thali at Home
For Vagharelo Bhat
- Choose the right rice:
Use long-grain rice for a richer flavor, but basmati or sona masuri rice also work well. - Enhance the flavor with a green paste:
I prepared a green paste using green chilies, garlic, and coriander leaves, which adds a burst of flavor to the bhat. Adding vegetables is optional; use your preferred ones, ensuring they are cut to uniform sizes. Avoid overcooking the vegetables to retain their texture. - Follow the correct rice-to-water ratio:
- For pressure cooker preparation: Use a 1:1.5 rice-to-water ratio.
- For kadai preparation: Use a 1:2 rice-to-water ratio (double the water compared to rice). This ensures perfectly cooked, non-sticky vagharelo bhat.
- Serve it hot:
Vagharelo bhat tastes best when served hot with Gujarati kadhi and masala chaas.
For Crispy Vatana Bhajiya
- Prepare a flavorful paste:
I made a coarse paste with green chilies, ginger, garlic, and green peas. This paste enhances the taste and gives the bhajiya a crispy texture. - Use the right gram flour ratio:
Add gram flour (besan) in batches to achieve the perfect coating. For 1 cup of green peas, I used 1 cup of besan. Avoid adding too much besan, as it can overpower the flavor. - Maintain a thick batter consistency:
The bhajiya batter should be thick. Be cautious when adding moisture or water. Usually, the moisture from onion slices is sufficient, but if needed, add water gradually in small amounts. - Fry to perfection:
Deep-fry the bhajiya on medium flame until they are crispy and golden brown on both sides. Serve them hot and enjoy their crunchiness.
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Instant thali recipe | Gujarati vagharelo bhat | crispy vatana bhajiya
Ingredients
For vagharelo bhat
For green paste
- 5-6 green chilli
- 6-7 garlic cloves
- 1 inch ginger
- Some mint leaves
- ½ cup coriander leaves
- 5-6 curry leaves
- 2 tbsp water
For bhat (tempered rice)
- 1 cup rice
- 4 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 dry red chilli
- 2-3 cloves
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 1 cup onion slices
- Prepared green paste
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- ½ tsp biryani masala or garam masala
- 1 tomato pieces
- ½ cup cauliflower pieces
- 1 cup green peas
- Some coriander leaves
- 1.5 cup hot water
For vatana bhajiya
- 3 green chilli
- 5-6 garlic cloves
- 1 inch ginger
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 cup green peas
- ½ cup onion slices
- ½ cup coriander leaves
- ½ tsp ajwain
- Pinch of hing
- 2 tbsp white sesame seeds
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- Pinch or 1/8 of baking soda
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 cup besan
- 1-2 tbsp water
- Oil for frying
Instructions
Making vagharelo bhat
- In a mixing bowl, add 1 cup rice and wash it. Add some water and soak it for 20 minutes.
- In mixture jar, add 5-6 green chilli, 1 inch ginger pieces, 7-8 garlic cloves, some mint leaves, ½ cup coriander leaves, 5-6 curry leaves and 2 tbsp water. Green peaste is ready, keep it aside.
- Now in a pressure cooker, add 4 tbsp oil, 1 tsp cumin seeds, ½ tsp mustard seeds, 1 bay leaf, 2 dry red chilli, 2-3 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon and saute it.
- Add 1 cup onion slices and saute it.
- Now add green paste and saute till oil release from its sides.
- Then add ½ tsp turmeric powder, salt to taste, 1 tsp coriander powder and ½ tsp biryani masala. Saute it.
- Now add 1 tomato pieces, ½ cup cauliflower pieces and 1 cup green peas. Saute it.
- Add 1 cup-soaked rice and some coriander leaves. Saute it.
- Now add 1.5 cup hot water and mix well.
- When water starts to boil cover the pressure cooker lid and on medium to high flame make 2 whistles.
- When pressure cooker release its pressure naturally, open the lid.
- Vagharelo bhat is ready. Serve with kadhi and bhajiya.
Making vatana bhajiya
- In a mixture jar, add 3 green chilli, 5-6 garlic cloves, 1 inch ginger, 1 tsp cumin seeds and 1 cup green peas. Without adding water grind it into coarse paste.
- Take out grinded paste into bowl, add ½ cup onion slices, ½ cup coriander leaves, ½ tsp ajwain, pinch of hing, 2 tbsp white sesame seeds, ¼ tsp turmeric powder, salt to taste, pinch of baking soda and 1 tsp lemon juice. Mix well.
- Add 1 cup besan gradually and mix well. Sprinkle some water and make thick bhajiya batter.
- Now slightly wet your hand and make little batter and slightly shape it.
- Add into hot oil and fry on medium flame till it become crispy from both the sides.
- Serve hot vatana bhajiya with kadhi and vagharelo bhat
Notes
For vagharelo bhat
- Soak the rice for only 20 minutes; do not oversoak it.
- Do not add extra water while grinding the green paste.
- The green paste enhances the taste of the rice.
- You can use garam masala as a substitute for biryani masala.
- Sautéing soaked rice in the gravy gives it an oil coating on its surface, making the rice granules separate.
- In a pressure cooker, the rice-to-water ratio should be 1:1.5. Do not add extra water.
- Adding hot water helps maintain the cooking process and gives perfect results.
- When the water starts boiling, cover the lid and pressure cook the rice.
- The proportion of green peas and gram flour should be equal.
- Make a thick batter for bhajiya to achieve a crispy texture.
- Fry the bhajiya on a medium flame.
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