Rajasthan: A Royal Feast!
Introduction
The Rajasthani Thali: perhaps the most famous of all Indian thalis!
Rajasthani cuisine has been shaped by its rich heritage and the arid growing conditions of the region. Spanning centuries, the lifestyles and interests of the state’s royalty resulted in innovative recipes and preservation techniques, forming the foundation of Rajasthani food today. Hailed as one of India’s best cuisines, Rajasthani dishes are defined by their rich, bold flavours, generous use of spices, and wonderful aromatics.
Ingredients such as gram flour, wheat, and millets are used to make dumplings and breads. Dairy products feature heavily in both savoury and sweet dishes, resulting in very rich foods which can play havoc with even the most resilient of stomachs!
Street Food in Rajasthan
Bottom left: Pyaaz Kachori, Top right: Aloo Tikki, chole and chutney.
The street food in Rajasthan, especially in Jaipur and larger cities such as Udaipur and Jodhpur, is diverse and exciting. Popular food carts, some of which have been around for decades, are frequented by locals and tourists alike. You never have to wander too far to find iconic dishes such as poha, kachori, mirchi vada, and gol gappa. The street foods in Rajasthan are flavoursome, fun to eat, and almost too affordable.
Chatting with stall owners, learning the history of their businesses and the origins of their recipes is not only interesting, it gives so much meaning to their dishes. Rajasthanis are passionate about their food; if you pass a busy stall be sure to join the queue. There are many fried items which can become heavy, especially on a street food binge! My advice would be to create a long list of all the items you’d like to try and then space them out over the course of your time in Rajasthan, always leaving room for spontaneous indulgence. You’ve got dinner coming, too, remember!
The Rajasthani Thali
Rajasthani Thali at Thali & more, Jaipur. In fact, this was one of the best thalis I ate during my 6 months in India. Good quality, clean food, and busy!
The Rajasthani thali, as with all thalis, consists of multiple dishes arranged on a thali: plate or tray. Thalis are a fantastic way of trying different dishes from any region and are usually great value for money. Alun and I opted for thalis time and time again whilst living in India for exactly this reason.
Traditional Rajasthani thalis often include ‘Baati’- hard wheat balls, typically eaten with panchmel daal. Gatte, kadhi, aloo or vegetable curries usually feature, along with Ker Sangri: a traditional Rajasthani dish made with dried ker berries and sangri beans- another unmissable dish and delicious when done well. Breads are usually made from besan, wheat or millets, such as the Bajra roti. Finishing the line-up is Churma: coarsely ground wheat cooked with ghee and sugar, often garnished with almond shavings. Although it’s granular, sand-like even, it’s very moreish. I usually finish the Churma before all the other dishes!
POPULAR Restaurant dishes
Spicy Laal Maas and Gatte Ki Sabji, at Spice Court, Jaipur.
No trip to Rajasthan would be complete without trying one of the state’s most famous foods: Laal Maas.
Laal Maas is a curry usually made with mutton. The thick red-brown, yoghurt-based gravy is loaded with garlic and spices, including the Mathania chilli. I made a point of eating a few whilst I was travelling around Rajasthan and even though they can vary in quality and spice-level, a good one is a great thing. The photo to the right was my favourite, from Spice Court in Jaipur. Earthy and smokey, with black pepper and chilli heat, and served with a fresh roti. Proper!
The other dish in the photo is Gatte Ki Sabji, a deep yellow yoghurt-based curry containing chickpea flour dumplings. The curry has a lovely texture and a slightly sour tang. Also heavily spiced, usually with turmeric, fenugreek, chilli, garlic, ginger and cumin, it’s rich and very fragrant. It’s a dish that shouldn’t be skipped but I struggled to finish a whole serving by myself. All that yoghurt will get you!
Breakfast in Rajasthan
Poha: Indian breakfast staple made with flattened rice, onions, potato, curry leaves and mustard seeds, topped with peanuts and aloo bhujia.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, or so we’re told, and with as many tasty treats as Rajasthan has to offer, you’ll want to put your intermittent fasting on hold. I’d be lying if I said Rajasthani breakfasts are typically healthy and nutritious, but they are delicious, and isn’t that what food is about sometimes?
Poha may be the most nutritious and particularly this one pictured to the right was a standout for me; a dish I could eat most days and be very happy. It’s fair to say Poha can be too sweet but it can be balanced using lemon juice.
Kachori is another breakfast staple popular across Rajasthan. Kachoris are deep-fried pastry pockets usually filled with onion or moong dal and served with chutney. Do research online in an attempt to find a good one because I did have some average ones I didn’t think were worth eating.
Breakfast Continued…
Bun maska, oozing with butter, and masala chai - Gulab Ji Chai Wale, Jaipur.
Mirchi Vada are stuffed chillies, made by stuffing a green chilli with mashed potato and spices, then dipping them in gram flour batter and, you guessed it, deep frying them. Mirchi Vada make a great snack for those of you who fancy a little spice to kick-start your morning.
Perhaps it’s because I’m English but the most memorable breakfast I had was Bun Maska with Masala Chai. I arrived in Jaipur at 7am, after an 18-hour train journey, and visited the already bustling Gulab Ji Chai Wale: a 74 year-old chai stall serving very simple but very tasty food. It might not sound like much, because it isn’t, but eating a buttered bun dipped in hot masala chai is so comforting, far greater than the sum of its parts.
final thoughts…
Aloo Tikki stall in Johri Bazar, Jaipur.
Rajasthan should be at the top of your list if you’re travelling India. The cuisine has a colourful and interesting history, as well as a strong identity. The iconic dishes of Rajasthan, such as the Laal Maas and the Dal Bati Churma, are loved and appreciated across the country and the locals are incredibly proud of their food, too!
However, it’s important to be honest in the hope it gives a more representative account of my time in Rajasthan and gives you a better idea of what to expect when you visit India. I unfortunately became quite ill and developed gastrointestinal issues whilst travelling, which was the culmination of 6 months spent eating and drinking anything and everything India had to offer. My gut health was suffering and even though the consequences didn’t stop me exploring, I wish I had exercised more discipline and balance. I, like Alun, believe it’s very easy to stay free of sickness in India. I would still encourage you to eat and drink as much as you like, and wherever you like, but keep in mind that excessive eating and repeatedly eating poor-quality fats and oils will likely cause digestive issues. Use your best judgement when assessing where you eat and always be open to trying new things but if you’ve already eaten every samosa on the street, do you really need to try them all again the next day?
