postcards from bombay: bhaji gully in the early evening

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postcards from bombay: bhaji gully in the early evening

February 8, 2008 by traderjanki

[A post from when I was in Bombay, in December.] I accompanied my grandmother on a shopping trip to bhaji gully, or vegetable road, where she was buying goods for the next day’s feast, a lunch of undhiyo.

[king of corn, cabbage, and cauliflower]

Undhiyo (undhiyu) is a Gujarati winter specialty that stars papdi as its main ingredient. We usually bring back frozen Undhiyo from India which we heat up and enjoy at home in Massachusetts.

But the chance to have it fresh! It really was fantastic, mostly because of the fresh green garlic. Its delicately sharp taste accented the rustic flavors of the stuffed vegetables and fruit (baby eggplant, kandh, sweet potato, banana) and made each bite complex and addicting.

I was so excited to go to bhaji gully to buy groceries. It’s essentially a large open-air market, and much more fun than a supermarket.

[papdi painting]

Many vendors sell the same goods, but my grandmother has her specific tomato-vallah, kaandha (onion)-vallah and brinjal (eggplant)-vallah.

[gully gully]

[a coin for corn]

[fresh water chestnuts]

[baby eggplant]

[daal]

[platter of tamarind]

[karela]

[going home]

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Posted in bombay adventures, photographs | Tagged bhaji gully, bombay!, indian vegetables, mumbai, photographs | 7 Comments

7 Responses

on February 9, 2008 at 2:35 pm | Reply tamasha

I love going to bhaji gully too! Nice pix!
on February 9, 2008 at 8:13 pm | Reply Pavani

When I was visiting India at the end of last year and the relative hosting us asked what I would like to eat I said anything but karela (actually I said kakara, the word for it in Telugu). Now that I think of it, it’s really just the smell while it’s being prepared that turns me off and not so much the actual taste.
on February 10, 2008 at 12:00 pm | Reply traderjanki

Hey guys,

thank you! Pavani, I really detest Karela too. But it looks so spiky and cool.
on May 13, 2008 at 8:25 am | Reply onion butter rava chili coriander masala, baby! « The Gourmet Cartographer

[...] Susan also paints, and I think she used her talents very effectively by transforming this photograph I took in December into super cool [...]
on January 29, 2009 at 11:17 pm | Reply Leshar

Nice pics!!
on November 19, 2009 at 11:57 am | Reply lifelong

Janki,

I was looking for a recipe for undhiyo, and look I chanced upon this post on your blog! Janki, now that you are in Bombay, and approaching winter temperature, would you write about your grandmom’s undhiyo recipe? I would love to make it.

I’m loving your posts from Bombay. It seems like a dream.

Thanks
on September 14, 2010 at 1:10 am | Reply groceries in Bombay « the gourmet cartographer

[...] sold a bit far from us, have yolks the color of the setting sun. On Grant Road, vendors set up Bhaji Gully every day (except Sunday) – basically a large outdoor produce market- much like a [...]