For the first time, the National Film Awards is stepping out of Delhi and into Gujarat, with the 2026 ceremony set to unfold in Ekta Nagar, home to the Statue of Unity. It is a symbolic shift, bringing India’s biggest names in cinema to a state better known for its textile heritage and temple towns. As film crews, dignitaries, and cinephiles gather in Ekta Nagar this awards season, they will discover that Gujarat’s real showstopper might just be on the plate.
Gujarat food culture runs on balance. Sweet, salty, and spicy flavors often meet in the same dish, sometimes in the same bite. With the National Film Awards Gujarat edition drawing national attention to the state, here are five iconic Gujarati dishes worth trying.
Dhokla
This is the ambassador of Gujarat culinary traditions. The steamed, spongy cake is made from fermented gram flour batter and tempered with mustard seeds, curry leaves and a hint of green chilli.
Also Read: National Film Awards 2026: Why Ekta Nagar, Gujarat Is the Destination to Watch This
It is light enough for breakfast and filling enough for a snack, making it the dish most visitors meet first.
Khandvi
This dish rewards patience. Thin, tightly rolled ribbons of gram flour and yogurt are seasoned delicately and finished with coconut and mustard seeds. It looks simple, but it demands real skill, placing it among the more refined examples of authentic Gujarati cuisine.
Undhiyu
This is a slow-cooked mix of winter vegetables, purple yam, and fenugreek dumplings. It represents traditional Gujarati food at its most communal. Cooks once prepared it upside down in earthen pots buried underground, and it remains a dish built for festive gatherings, fitting for the celebratory mood Ekta Nagar will host this season.
Fafda-Jalebi
This pairing is Gujarat’s beloved Sunday morning ritual. Crisp, savory strips of gram flour dough are paired with syrupy, spiral-shaped jalebis. Eaten together, they create the sweet and savory contrast that defines many foods to try in Gujarat.
Thepla
These spiced flatbreads round out the list. They are made with fenugreek leaves and whole wheat, and they travel well. People often pair them with pickle, yogurt or a glass of chaas. Their earthy, savoury flavour makes them an easy choice for a quick bite on the go.
Also Read: Why Ekta Nagar Is The New Destination For National Film Awards
As the National Film Awards in Ekta Nagar brings fresh eyes to Gujarat, these five dishes offer more than a meal. They open a window into a culinary identity shaped by geography, festivity and generations of home kitchens. For visitors chasing the glamour of the red carpet, the real story of Gujarat may well begin at the table.
