Rajasthani Cuisine – Sevanti Adventures

Rajasthani Desert Cuisine

Although located in North India, Rajasthani cuisine has its own distinct character. Rajathani cuisine is influenced by its rich heritage and arid climatic conditions. The little availability of fresh fruits and vegetables and creative use of rich spices distinguishes their cuisine. A few common ingredients are beans, lentils, gram flour, corn, barley, millet, bajra, bread and dairy products, especially ghee.

Rajasthani cuisine was largely influenced by the Rajputs, who were predominantly non-vegetarians. Their diet consisted of game meats and dishes like laal maas (lamb in red gravy), safed maas (lamb in white gravy) and jungli maas (lamb cooked with simpler ingredients). It was influenced by both the war-like lifestyles of its inhabitants and the availability of ingredients in this arid region. Food that could last for several days and could be eaten without heating was preferred. Scarcity of water and fresh green vegetables have all had their effect on the cooking.

As we eat our way through Jaipur and Jodhpur, be aware of the ingredients and flavor profiles. Rajasthani food was influenced by the dearth of vegetables and water in this arid state. The hunting expeditions of the rich and the lifestyle of local warriors influenced a range of innovative dishes and ingredients that historically needed to last for several days. The use of dried lentils, beans, milk and buttermilk is common in cooking. Oil and red chillies help preserve the food and reduces the need for water. Each region of Rajasthan has its own trademark dish.

Kaleidoscopic Flavors of the Thar Desert

The Rajwadi land of Rajputs is a paradise for foodies. Rajasthani cuisine is among those rare cuisines boasting of a never-ending platter with a plethora of dishes; ranging from tangy drinks to spicy starters, mouth-watering sabzis and crunchy bread along with added delights of chutneys, achars, papad and chhach. Not to forget the delicate desserts and rich crunchy delights that melt in your mouth instantly. Every bite will blow your palate away!

Cooked in pure ghee, and fashioned from an innovative blend of ingredients, typical Rajasthani fare can often be a gustatory experiment that the western palate may not recognize, making every bite an adventure.

Some of these dishes, which use desert berries, dry fruits, and regional spices with dals, are testimony to the people’s ability to survive drought-like conditions in the arid land, as well as long sieges on forts in its more fertile areas.

Baati Over Bread

Made with whole wheat flour, semolina, gram flour, salt, milk and ghee, and roasted over firewood, baatis are round-shaped dumplings that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Dals and other rich curries are poured over the baat until it soaks in. Enjoy with your hands for optimal flavor.

Traditionally, dal baati were made by cooking them in a fire made of dried cow dung. The pressed baati balls were put directly into the ash and coals, covered by ashes, and allowed to cook within the coal and ash mound. After cooking was complete, the baati were retrieved from the ashes, placed in a burlap bag, and shaken until all of the ashes were removed. The warm hard baatis were put onto a plate and served with a savory dal and vegetable sauce. The baatis were broken by hand and the dal sauce was poured over the broken baat.

Rajasthani Khoba roti is a thick flatbread made with coarse whole wheat flour and the top of the roti has indents or wholes where you drizzle ghee. In typical Rajasthani home, it’s made by hand and cooked thoroughly on clay stove or tandoor. Rajasthani people love eating khoba with freshly chopped onion, green chilies, and some salt and it’s also served with meats, curries, vegetables or even pickles.

What is Maas?

Maas is lamb. Well, to be clear, maas is the meat from a mature sheep, while lamb is from a baby sheep. In desert cultures such as Rajasthan, lamb would be a foolish luxury. Sheep are used for their wool and milk. In desert cuisine, the flavors are roughly the same. In Rajasthani cooking, maas is cooked until it melts in your mouth. If meat is not your thing, you’ll find a plethora of vegetarian options available.

Laal Maas This is one of the most popular and mouth-watering meat preparations of Rajasthan which is relished best with bajra ki roti, although rice can also be an option. The unique feature of this hot, spicy and rich preparation is its fiery red color which it gets from the liberal use of red chillies.

Mohan Maas is counted among the most delectable Rajasthani non-vegetarian dishes and is a less spicy cousin of Laal Maas. The juicy and tender meat prepared with mild spices and milk comes with rich gravy seasoned with cardamom, lemon and khus-khus among other ingredients.

Popular Dishes

If there has to be a national dish of Rajasthan, it would be a toss up between Dal Baat Churma and the traditional thali spread of multiple dishes.

Rajasthani Dal Baati Churma is one of the signature Rajasthani dishes. This delicious platter includes a Dal, a deep-fried Baati and a mouth-watering and slightly sweetish churma cooked uniquely with different ingredients. The baatis are baked flaky and includes wheat flour, semolina, gram flour, salt, milk and ghee. The unsalted version of the baatis are deep fried in ghee and crushed and mixed with jaggery and sugar thus forming the churma. The dal is usually a mix of five different dals cooked together.

The Rajasthani thaali comprises a serving of a bread-like food – usually bajre ki roti (made from millet), missi roti (made from gram and whole wheat) or rice – along with several gravies and sweets. Other traditional recipes from Rajasthani cuisine include Gatte ki Sabji, Gatta ka Pulav, Moong Dal Pakoda, Mirchi Vada, Ghevar, Malpua, Moong Dal Halwa, panchmel dal etc.

Rajasthani Desserts

The cuisine of Rajasthan is known for its richness, vibrancy and unique flavours. Desserts form an integral part of it. Primarily made with ghee (clarified butter), mawa (milk cheese), sugar syrup, nuts, cardamom and saffron, the sweet delicacies of the royal state will surely satisfy even the pickiest sweet tooth.

Rajasthanis don’t hold back on the use of full-fat milk and ghee in their sweets. All festivals and special ocasions are incomplete without Ghevar, the king of sweets. A honeycomb shaped delicacy made of plain flour and ghee that melts in your mouth.

Imarti is a deep fried sweet loaded with sweet syrup. It is very similar to the jelebi found across all of North India. Just a bite of imarti with piping hot milk is every foodie’s nirvana.