Rajasthan Cuisine

The culinary delights of Rajasthan's royal kitchens are best savored from the kitchens of its heritage hotels; many being still managed by the descendants of erstwhile royals and their loyal cooks.

The art of fine dining has been taken to new heights of by the royal families of Rajasthan. The royals were well-traveled and connoisseurs of the finer things of life. The recipes vary with each royal family according to their regional, cultural and religious influences. Its desert topography, the warrior culture, a penchant for hunting, influence of the Mughals; all these and more have influenced the choice of ingredients as well as cooking styles.

The recipes have always been jealously guarded and passed down from generation to generation. The traditional gourmet food includes both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. The gastronomic delights of the Land of Princes include Dal, Bati and Churma (lentils, baked wheat balls and powdered sweetened cereal respectively); Lal Maas (a spicy mutton curry with Kashmiri red chilli powder that gives colour to the dish); safed mass (white meat cooked with almonds, cashew nuts and coconut milk) and are must haves.

Rajasthan cuisine is also known for sweets like Ladoos of Jaisalmer, Mawa Kachori of Jodhpur, Malpuas of Pushkar, Dil Jani of Udaipur, Mishri Mawa and Ghevar of Jaipur, Sohan Halwa of Ajmer, Mawa of Alwar, and Rasgullas of Bikaner.