Indian cuisine is well known for its thousand flavors. In terms of cuisine, each region has its own characteristics and specialties. While travelling in India, you can discover various typical dishes. Among the many regions of India, we will focus here on the north Indian state of Rajasthan where the cultural and culinary traditions are very unique. This article describes some of the most famous traditional dishes of Rajasthan, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian, that any traveler should try during while visiting the royal state of Rajasthan.
Because the local cuisine is part of the discovery during a tour in Rajasthan, we recommend that you taste all the dishes that will be offered to you. They will amaze you.
Daal-Baati Churma
Daal-Baati Churma is one of the most famous dishes of Rajasthan. It consists of Baati, hard balls made from whole wheat dough grilled over coals. Although the exterior is hard, the interior is more or less spongy. Baati are often eaten dipped in a lentil soup called Daal. Churma is wheat cracked and cooked with sugar or jaggery and clarified butter. This dish is truly delicious and highly praised for its simplicity. Although this dish is tasty and popular, its history remains unknown until today. In general, it is served during all festivities and events such as wedding ceremonies, religious events or even birthday parties. If you plan to go to India soon, do not forget to taste this traditional dish during your visit to Rajasthan.
Rajasthani Thali
The Rajasthani Thali is a very rich traditional dish. It is served on a large plate and also consists of a number of traditional dishes. It allows you to discover regional cuisine from all angles. Traditionally, this traditional dish is a set of gourmet preparations including pickles, curries, breads and desserts. It will be an opportunity to eat a bit of everything. You can therefore enjoy Daal-Baati Churma (round bread rolls made from flour and fried in ghee), a wide variety of curries, Gatte Ki Sabzi (nuggets boiled and cooked in a delicious sauce), and Panchmela Daal (combination of five types of lentils). For the accompaniment, most are made from milk, curd and buttermilk, such as raitas (beaten yoghurt with pieces of cucumber, onions and tomatoes), and lassi (plain beaten yoghurt mixed with sugar, salt and fruit).
Gatte ki Sabzi
Gatte Ki Sabzi is a dish that can easily be found in any restaurant all over Rajasthan. This delicious traditional dish is made with dumplings of gram flour decorated with dry spices. These dumplings resemble “momos”, a typical Ladakhi dish found in the northernmost state of India. It is then cooked and steamed in a yogurt-based curry. It can be eaten with typical bread like “bati”. Respecting the culture of the region, the Gatte Ki Sabzi is made from easy-to-find ingredients. By tasting this dish, you will dive directly into the culture of the desert where fresh food is almost impossible to find and the use of dry products is common.
Mughlai cuisine in Rajasthan
The so-called “mughlai” cuisine, a legacy of the Mughal tradition of medieval India, is that of dishes cooked in a tandoor oven, dug in the ground. Chickens and other skewers of lamb, marinated in yoghurt and spices and roasted in this oven, are a gourmet’s delight. Many snacks, fried, are offered everywhere, whether in restaurants or in markets. It is always pleasant to get some during a walk in a local market: watching them being prepared and tasting them on the spot is one of the charms of these walks. The Indians, moreover, do not deprive themselves of it.
As for the desserts, they are less varied and less refined but those offered remain very fragrant and pleasant to enhance the end of a meal. The fruits, which the traveler will find in all the markets of Rajasthan, in abundance, will be available according to the season (bananas, oranges, mangoes, melons, watermelons, papayas, pomegranates, etc.).
Rajasthani Street Food
Your trip to Rajasthan will remain incomplete without experiencing, at least once, what Indians love, at any time of the day: street food… There is not a city or a village in India where one does not find vendors, on every street corner, to satisfy a craving: sweet or salty, the snacks offered are as tasty as they are varied. Here are a few examples of what you should try: gol gappa, jalebi, samosas, pakoras, aloo tikki, kathi rolls, etc.
