Gujarati cuisine has blessed India with delicious dishes like Thepla, Dhokla and Khakhra. We all know that, right? But it seems some enterprising food vendors in Gujarat have gotten a little too creative with their inventions. They’ve been coming up with the worst food combinations ever imagined!
Thanks to highly affordable internet connections, these so-called hidden food gems of Gujarat are now all over Instagram. We’ve compiled a list of 10 such weird dishes for you. So, if you ever come across them, just scoot away and treat yourself to a refreshing cold coffee or a pizza and burger instead.
Table of contents
Maggi Milkshake
Maggi noodles is something that comes across as a favourite among people of all ages. Everyone has their favourite memory from childhood with Maggi instant noodles. But seems like this street food vendor decided to take his and his customer’s love for the noodles a step further and create something new – Maggi Milkshake.
Yes, looks and tastes as gross as it sounds. It is a sad sight of soggy, yellow Maggi noodles with peas and carrot bits, topped with a milky liquid in a tall glass. The internet, as expected and deservedly so, lost their collective minds upon seeing the video of it. Some called it a crime against humanity, while others called for having the fear of god before creating anything like this.
Ice Cream Dabeli
This one left us scratching our heads. With our roots in Gujarat, we too grew up enjoying the humble Dable in its most traditional form, the savoury, crunchy and slightly tangy Kutchi Dabeli. But, when this snack shop in Bhuj decided to seek inspiration from ice cream sandwiches and create a desi version of it. Called the Ice Cream Dabeli, the cook slices open a Pav, stuffs it with ice cream from a cup and goes on to toast it on a hot pan.
While we are all for innovation and pushing the boundaries of exploring new flavours, we believe some things are better left untouched, like the good old Dabeli.
Oreo Pakoda
Look away now, because this next creation will have you hiding your childhood cookies in a vault. Oreo Pakoda is the brainchild of a culinary adventurer (or perhaps someone with a serious sweet tooth). Imagine your beloved Oreo biscuits, dipped in a besan batter and then deep-fried until golden brown. Sounds delightful? Well, the internet seems to be divided on this one, with some users comparing it to a Thanos-level threat. But hey, if you’re curious (and maybe a little bit brave), give it a try!
Cadbury Cheese Sandwich
Brace yourselves for the Manek Chowk special – the Cadbury Cheese Sandwich. This “chocolaty delight” (well, for some, maybe) is layers of bread with everyone’s favourite Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate bar pieces between them, followed by a generous spread of butter and a mountain of grated cheese. Topping it with a sprinkle of chocolate chips, the vendor told us it’s a chocolate flavour ka dhamaka (it’s a chocolate-flavoured explosion). We, however, politely declined (with hands folded, no less) and opted for something a little less, well, surprising vegetable cheese sandwich. To our foodie fam out there, when in doubt, go for the no-nonsense options like some good pizza in Ahmedabad. And leave such experiments to the brave souls of Manek Chowk!
Cheese Blast Soda
A Surat soda shop has created the “Cheese Blast Soda” – a beverage that will leave you scratching your head (and maybe rinsing your mouth too). Imagine a glass filled with ice and peanuts (because apparently, cheese craves some crunchy companions?). Then comes the “soda” part – a questionable mix of pineapple and blueberry soda poured in for some reason unknown to science (or taste buds). The grand finale? A generous grating of cheese to top it all off.
The internet, as you might guess, is having a collective meltdown. Why the peanuts? Why the cheese? Why would anyone do this to a perfectly good glass of soda? The answer, my friends, is a mystery as deep as the questionable taste this concoction must surely have. So, if you’re ever offered a Cheese Blast Soda, politely decline.
Fanta Maggi
What if we told you someone decided to “improve” the classic Maggi noodles with a surprising twist? That’s what Fanta Maggi claims to be. This “innovation” (question mark very much intended) involves drowning your beloved Maggi noodles in a sea of sweet, fizzy Fanta. Yes, you read that right. To top it all off, this creation claims to give you a triple flavour blast of sweet, sour and spicy thanks to chopped onions, chillies and a generous sprinkle of Maggi tastemake. Now, some folks might find this flavour explosion…explosive in a bad way. But hey, if your taste buds crave the unexpected (and maybe a little indigestion), be our guest!
Paan Brownie
Pan and Browny Combo. Only from Ahmedabad, Gujarat. 👍🏽👍🏽 pic.twitter.com/ggXwGURFS1
— Raman (@Dhuandhaar) November 9, 2021
Brownies and paan – two delicious treats enjoyed after a meal, but definitely not meant for a culinary collision course! This is exactly what happened in Ahmedabad, where a food vendor decided to create a “dessert” that will leave you both confused and craving a palate cleanser.
The scene starts off promising – a hot plate drizzled with rich chocolate sauce, followed by a decadent brownie settling in for a warm embrace. Then comes the ice cream – a classic touch that takes things up a notch (or so we thought). But then, the unthinkable happens. The “chef” reaches for…a paan? Yes, you read that right. A whole paan, complete with its betel nut and various fillings, is plonked right on top of the brownie sundae. So, if you’re ever in Ahmedabad and see a Paan Brownie on the menu, run – don’t walk.
Chocolate Samosa
A culinary rollercoaster that combines the crispy, savoury shell of a traditional samosa with a rich, gooey chocolate filling. Yes, you read that right. Imagine your favourite samosa pastry, deep-fried to golden perfection, but instead of the comforting potato filling, it’s bursting with melted chocolate chunks and a sprinkle of grated chocolate on top. Who in their right mind, you ask? Well, that’s the beauty (or perhaps the horror) of this bizarre invention. But hey, if you’re feeling particularly adventurous (and maybe a little sugar-crazed), why not give it a go? Justice for Samosa!
Ice Cream Chaat
Move over, regular chaat! There’s a new contender in town and it’s as bizarre as it sounds – Ice Cream Chaat. This “fusion” dish (we use that term loosely) hails from Vadodara and is essentially a cold take on the famous Gujarati Dabeli. Imagine a bed of chopped bread topped with a scoop of frozen mango dolly ice cream, then drizzled with a symphony of sweet and savoury chutneys. To take things over the top, a generous amount of grated cheese and other mystery toppings are thrown in for good measure. This viral sensation has garnered thousands of views and comments online, but the question remains – is it a culinary masterpiece or a crime against chaat? We’ll leave that decision up to you.
Rasgulla Chai
Targeting Rasgulla and Tea lovers on my Timeline…
— Mohammed Futurewala (@MFuturewala) April 6, 2023
Have you tried this Rasgullah Chai coming directly from aapnu Amdavad🙈🙈🙈
Spread the sweetness ❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/LvpEB6OCjS
Ever had one of those dreams where your favourite foods morph into something unrecognisable? Well, in Ahmedabad, that dream has become a reality with the introduction of Rasgulla Chai. This concoction involves steeping a single rasgulla in a pot of piping hot tea. The result? A soggy, brownish ball of what was once a delightful sweet, floating in a tea that’s probably seen better days (and definitely wouldn’t win any flavour awards). The idea seems to be that you can then either eat the tea-infused rasgulla or drink the rasgulla-flavoured tea. We’re not entirely sure which option is worse, but hey, to each their own!
Some concluding thoughts
So there you have it, folks! Ten “culinary creations” that might leave you scratching your head. Remember, while a little experimentation is always fun, these might be best left on the internet. After all, wouldn’t you rather cool down with a refreshing best cold coffee or indulge in a juicy, satisfying best burger? Ajay’s Cafe is always a safe bet for these classics and who knows, maybe they’ll even get inspired by your adventurous spirit and whip up something truly delicious next time! Play it safe, satisfy your cravings and leave the bizarre food experiments to the internet.