As the winter chill settles over Gujarat, it brings with it a cherished seasonal treasure: fresh tuver, or pigeon peas, nestled inside delicate pale green pods. For a brief period from December to February, this legume transforms into a culinary obsession across the state, finding its way into an array of traditional dishes.
The Flavour of Winter: Tuver in Gujarati Kitchens
The arrival of fresh tuver sparks a flurry of activity in homes and markets. The earthy sweetness of the peas, best captured through slow cooking with garlic, chilli, and a hint of jaggery, embodies the essence of Gujarati comfort food. Nimita Shah, a home chef operating Ghar ki Yaad in Mumbai, describes this flavour as simple, seasonal, and rich with layered tastes and textures.
Home cooks creatively incorporate the fresh peas into daily meals and special treats. They are stuffed into crispy ghughra (fried pastries) and flaky kachoris, stirred into the iconic mixed vegetable dish undhiyu, or added to spiced gravies thickened with buttermilk and besan (chickpea flour).
More Than a Vegetable: A Cultural Emotion
Tuver is deeply rooted in Gujarat's agricultural and social fabric. Primarily cultivated in the state's central and northern districts, including regions like Saurashtra and Patan, the crop is sown with the monsoon rains in June-July and matures by late winter.
Culinary anthropologist Kurush Dalal emphasises that tuver is more than just an ingredient; it's an emotion tied to memory. He notes that it has evolved into a nostalgia-fuelled craze among the global Gujarati diaspora, connecting them to their homeland.
The ritual begins in vibrant vegetable markets, where mounds of fresh pods arrive, and continues in living rooms as families gather to shell peas together. Abhay Mangaldas, founder of Ahmedabad's heritage hotel The House of MG, recalls how green tuver featured ubiquitously in his childhood thalis. He highlights the sense of community in its preparation, calling it quintessentially Gujarati.
Seasonal Delicacies and Sustainable Traditions
The demand for tuver-centric snacks peaks during winter. Long queues form outside famous farsan shops in cities like Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Surat, and Rajkot, all eager for the first batch of lilva kachori. Rajubhai Patel of Saurashtra Chavana and Sweets in Ahmedabad's Satellite area confirms that this crisp, spiced pea-filled parcel is an unmissable seasonal delight, best served with sweet and spicy green chutney.
At The House of MG, Mangaldas celebrates this legacy through signature dishes like Tuvar na Dana Bataka nu Shaak, Lilva nu Undhiyu, and Lilva Kachori. He sees the traditional use of tuver as a natural form of sustainability. Dishes like undhiyu—a harmonious blend of tuver dana, root vegetables, and methi muthia—epitomise the philosophy of using what the land offers seasonally.
This wisdom extends to preserving the bounty. As the season concludes, many families freeze portions of shelled peas in small packets. This frozen tuver later brings a taste of winter to monsoon shaaks or impromptu snacks, effectively stretching the season's joy. As Nimita Shah concludes, this act of freezing and hoarding is a heartfelt way to carry winter's bounty into the long, hot months ahead, making tuver a true marker of time, memory, and community.
