The most delicious and extravagant cuisine comes from the land of scintillating sand and culturally rich and ancient heritage- "The Rajasthani Food". The extremes of the palate with some of the spiciest dishes on one spectrum and sweetest desserts on the other, Rajasthani food has it all. The cuisine is rich in spices having a strong flavor and rich texture.
The land of Royals has seen the most elaborate menus and the biggest kitchens of all times. Royal feasts of earlier times have taken shape of Rajasthani Thali known as "The Chappan Bhog". A thali containing 56 food items to be consumed in a single meal is beyond imagination. That is how our Royals feasted once, but now Chappan Bhog is affectionately made and offered to Lord Krishna on Janmashtami as Prasad. The thali has food items that are spicy, sweet, savory, fruits, and nuts.
Rajasthani people have traditional means to prepare exotic dishes that impart a unique taste and aroma. Some of the most popular and loved snacks consumed all over the nation have their roots in the land of the Royals. Items like Kachori, khasta, matri, ghevar, dal-batti, gatte ki sabzi, kadi, boondi ka raita, gujiya, etc., have become household names in other states of North India.
RAJASTHANI TRADITIONAL COOKING
A dry and arid land thriving with hard crops like jowar, bajra, millet, barley, maize, ragi, etc which are nutritious and can easily survive the harsh weather conditions. Rajasthani cuisine is high on red chili and gram flour is an important ingredient. Most of the Rajasthani snacks are deep-fried. Being a water-scarce area you will find less of green vegetables in their diet and water is replaced by curd or milk which enhances the taste.
Rajasthan is famous for its tandoori roti also known as missi roti which is quite popular for its taste, nutrition, and traditional cooking style. A tandoor is a mud oven filled with coal or wood as fuel. The roti is cooked directly without any utensil inside the tandoor by sticking it to its wall. The grilled effect gives the roti an interesting texture and taste.
Let us scroll down at some of the most loved and exotic Rajasthani dishes that can leave you tempted by the time you finish reading!
FOOD WALKS- JAISALMER-JODHPUR-JAIPUR
A kaleidoscopic view of the old bustling streets and markets of the famous tourist cities of Rajasthan while experiencing some of the authentic finger food of the state.
Almost every tourist city in Rajasthan has a food walk in which you are toured around the old city lanes by a guide. You are made to try the traditional food of the Rajasthani cuisine from age-old artisanal shops selling the same item for years. Kachori, lassi, ghevar, dal batti, dal pakwan, chat, ras malai, malpua, moti chur ladoo, etc are some of the snacks you will find in just walking.
These walks cover hidden lanes of the town in the old city area and you get to try food from shops as old as 50years. This is an experience of a lifetime but you really need to have a huge appetite and strong digestion to gulp them all in the scorching heat of the desert land.
GHEVAR
Disc-shaped desi cake which is specially made around certain festivals or special occasions. Ghevar originally from Rajasthan is a very popular sweet dish in the central part of Northern India.
Ghevar has a crunchy base and a creamy topping which is quite rich and flavourful. Ghevar is a dessert that is specifically made during auspicious occasions of Teej and Raksha Bandhan and is often presented as Sargi one night prior to Karva Chauth fasting.
MOHAN MAAS
Mohan maas is a fusion of laal maas and safed(jungli) maas that leads to a creamy meat gravy dish that is flavorful beyond words. Owing to the addition of curd or milk it has a much milder flavor and is not too spicy or heavy. Mohan Maas is one of the finest Rajasthani preparations and is exclusive to the state.
Often served with bajra roti dipped in ghee or rice. Ingredients like cardamom, lemon, and khus-khus are used to give it a delectable taste. This creamy meat dish was once favorite and exclusive to Royals and was cooked on special occasions but now is a local delicacy.
BOONDI RAITA
Crunchy raita, made from blended curd and crispy gram flour balls with a sprinkle of red chili powder, chaat masala, and a garnish of chopped coriander. Boondi raita is a very popular form of yogurt in Northern India and is often relished with poori and sabzi.
This boondi is made at home and is deep-fried or sun-dried or can be bought from a general store. Boondi is not soaked in the curd in advance and is added at the end to retain its crunch. Boondi raita goes great with biryani or pulao and is often cooked at the time of festivals or pooja.
MAWA KACHORI
Rajasthan is the birthplace of the famous snack "kachori". You can find a huge variety of kachori in the state with the same crunchy crust outside but varied fillings. Some of the popular ones are dal kachori, aloo kachori, pyaz kachori, and mawa kachori. A crunchy bite stuffed with sinful sweet pleasure defying the usual savory snack.
Meva bites are nothing like your usual Kachori except for being deep-fried. They are stuffed with a mix of khoya and dry fruits, later dipped in chashni (sugar syrup) and laced with silver foil, rose petals, or churned dry fruits. A festive delicacy enjoyed with tea, Rajasthani Thali, or as a dessert post-meal.
DAL BAATI CHURMA
This dish is so popular and a staple to the people of the state that it is almost synonymous with the princely state of Rajasthan. Dal Baati Churma is the most esteemed dish of every household in the state and is quite popular in other North Indian states as well.
On a plate, you get regular dal (lentil) with a Tadka of Kashmiri chili and mustard seeds in desi ghee, baati is made of wheat and is stuffed with spiced semolina and you have churma which is a sweet crushed ladoo made of semolina, bajra or gram flour. So you have a combination of spicy, savory, and sweet consumed together.
IMARTI
The big sister of Persian origin sweet jalebi, imarti is a deep-fried and sugar-loaded dessert from the land of Rajasthan. Imarti also known as Emarti, Amitti, Amritti, etc is a flower-shaped sweet made of lentil batter and dunked in sugar syrup. Imarti is thicker and less sweet than jalebi and is often consumed with Rabdi or Dahi.
Emarti is often laced with silver foil and is also one of the sargi items popular during karva chauth and festivals. It is quite popular in Northern India and is easily available in sweet shops or in the streets by local vendors.
PYAZ KACHORI
Rajasthan gave us one of the most loved snack items Kachori. It has some lip-smacking versions, and Pyaz Kachori is the most relished and popular among all the types available in the state. It is a staple munching or snack item of most people in the state. Pyaz kachori is stuffed with a spicy mix of onions and mashed potatoes, and stir-fried to form a roasted paste.
It is served with aloo sabzi or meethi chutney and tastes delicious. They are deep-fried, heavily stuffed, and huge. Hence, one needs a big appetite and great digestion to grab this one. Although if you ever visit Rajasthan, pyaz kachori is one of those items that one should try.
KER SANGRI
The tang of the Dessert is made with sangri beans and dried ker berry, Ker Sangri is a traditional dish of Rajasthan and is quite popular. Ker Sangri is a spicy and fully loaded vegetable dish that leaves your tongue full of flavor for a long time. It is made of locally sourced ingredients and is a blend of five plant products.
GATTE KI SABZI
A popular gravy dish of Rajasthan with gram flour roundels dipped in an oil-rich curry with yogurt, spices, and herbs. Gatte ki Sabzi is one of those vegetable curries that does not have any vegetables.
An easy and healthy recipe that is full of flavor and tastes great with Tawa roti or rice. It is one of the most consumed and traditional dishes of Rajasthani households and is now quite common in parts of Uttar Pradesh as well.
MIRCHI VADA
When we said Rajasthani food is spicy, and people love chili, we meant it! Mirchi vada is one of those snacks which will awaken all your taste buds and set your tongue on fire. These are green chili fritters stuffed with a spicy blend of potatoes, rolled in a batter of gram flour, and deep-fried.
These extremely spicy Mirchi vadas are served with green chutney and are heavy and hard to digest (if you are eating for the first time) in the heat of Rajasthan. A much-relished snack and a heavily selling street food item, mirch vada are a must-try.
LAAL MAAS
An authentic Rajasthani recipe of meat with Kashmiri Red Chili is an extremely spicy meat curry that is certainly not for the fainthearted. This Royal dish is very popular and no tourist can pass by without trying Laal Maas once.
Laal Maas is fiery hot and gets this intense red color from the Kashmiri chilies. If you have not had this dish being a nonvegetarian, you are missing out on something severe in life.
KALMI VADA
If Mirchi vada is too much for you, then go for kalmi vada. These fritters are made of chana dal and served with green or imli chutney. A tea-time snack, that is crispy on the outside and softer inside is very similar to south Indian snack masala vadai. In Kalmi vada, chana dal is mixed with chopped onions, chili, garlic, coriander, cumin seeds, and red chili powder.
AAM Ki LAUNJI
Aam Ki Launji is a Rajasthani pickle cum chutney made from raw mangoes that is sweet and spicy. It is prepared in households and eaten along with regular meals or with paratha and matri. This delicious Aachar is enhanced by keeping it in sun for a few days and is then stored in large barani ( ceramic or glass containers).
It is a summer recipe as mangoes are prevalent in summers, and the added sugar acts as a natural preserving that keeps the pickle fresh for a long.
METHI BAJRA PURI
Bajra is a prominent and highly nutritious form of grain widely consumed in Rajasthan. bajra rotis are made and eaten along with lehsun chutney or sabzi. It is evident how much Rajasthani people relish fried food, and poori here is no exception.
Bajra meethi poori is made by making a dough of bajra flour and mixing it with chopped meethi (fenugreek) leaves. The dough is then rolled into a small circle and deep-fried in oil, and they emerge as air-blown puffs. These pooris are enjoyed with sabji, achar, or raita.
Rajasthani cuisine is as immense as the land in this princely state and the list of items can be never-ending. From royal cuisine to household staples to street food Rajasthan can never disappoint you when it comes to delectable taste and flavor.
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