| Rajasthan Food and Drinks |
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| In the royal kitchens of Rajasthan food was very serious business and raised to the level of an art form. Hundreds of cooks worked in the stately palaces and kept their recipes a closely guarded secret. Some recipes were passed on to their sons and the rest were lost for ever. It became a matter of great prestige to serve unusual dishes to guests and the royal cooks were encouraged to experiment. The monthly budget ran into tens of thousands of rupees and the royal guests were treated to such delicacies as stuffed camels, goats, pigs and peacocks. it was perfectly normal to have live pigeons and other birds fly out of elaborately decorated dishes. The food was served in gold and silver utensils and the number of dishes at one meal ran into hundreds. It was usually never possible to taste all the delicacies served. The food in Rajasthan is especially made keeping in mind the geographical nature of the state. Food that could last for several days and could be eaten without heating was preferred, more out of necessity than choice. Scarcity of water and fresh green vegetables and the tradition of hunting by the royalty have all had their effect on the cooking. Some of the most popular dishes of Rajasthan are dal, bati and churma, sula-smoked kebabs and 11 traditional ways of cooking lamb with an assortment of spices. Besides the non-vegetarian food the vegetarian cooking in Rajasthan knows no comparison, especially the cuisine prepared by the Maheshwaris of Jodhpur. These dishes are purely vegetarian and are prepared without onions and garlic. Each region has its own traditional dishes and specialties. In the desert belt of Rajasthan including Jaisalmer, Barmer and Bikaner, cooks use the minimum of water to use more milk, buttermilk and clarified butter. Dried lentils and beans from indigenous plants are frequently used. Gram flour is a major ingredient here and is used to make some of the delicacies like khata, gatta ki sabzi, pakodi, powdered lentils are used for mangodi, papad. Bajra and corn is used all over the state for preparations of rabdi, kheechdi, and rotis. Rajasthan is also popular for the chutneys that are made out of local spices such as coriander, mint, garlic and turmeric. These mouthwatering concoctions are used to add flavor to different dishes. Different region of Rajasthan are known for their fancy sweet dished like ladoos, mawa kachori, sohan halwa and more |