Recipes:
Jhupdi:An Explosion of Flavors

We all know that there is more to Indian food than just naan, chicken curries. This place is awesome with the best vegetarian food in all of the US!

Green Dhokla

Located a few steps away from the Indian stores on Oak Tree Road in Edison, New Jersey, this rare gem is a place with the food to die for. Jhupdi has great Thalis with a great variety of vegetables to choose from. The thali patters are not only delicious and replete with the exotic flavors of Saurashtra & Kathiawad provinces of Gujarat, they are fulfilling.

I personally recommend the Kathiawadi Thali (which comes with pure ghee on the side), the Jhupdi Special Thali and most of all the Mini-Thali, which is an absolute delight and fills you up even if you are prone to gluttony. The “Mini Thali” also comes with yummy seasoned buttermilk. And the accompanying rotis are soft and fresh. Jhupdi also serves many side dishes like achars, raitas, papads, chutneys etc. Another delicious finale to the thali is the mind-blowing Rava Sheera and Laddu.

Kathiawadi Thali

There was nothing that I and my friends did not love – the delicious Kadhi, Gobi Fry, Turia Curry, Beans Curry, Baingan Bharta, Undhiya just to name a few. The portions were adequate. And what’s more, everything had the right amount of spices. My suggestion is to go there on an empty stomach so that you can sample most of the tasty delights that are offered. Or, you can go with a bunch of friends and share different delicious morsels that come your way.

The place is not fancy but the prices are great, the food scrumptious and healthy (not a least bit oily like the Punjabi and Mughlai cuisines of India) with an explosion of flavor.

The décor is part modern and part like a jhupdi (a hut) with tons of regional paintings and hut style cabins and chairs surrounded with plumped up and lush cushions.

While almost all the appetizers we tried were good, the only sour note was the weird green colored tasteless Dhokla and the uninspired horribletasting Khichdi. But despite that I have recommended the place to countless friends and acquaintances, who have all raved about the food and the service.

BY BELA SHARMA