Dal baati churma
This is the state’s classic signature dish. Baati is hard, unleavened bread cooked in the desert areas of Rajasthan. Baati is prized mainly for its long shelf life, plus it requires hardly any water for its preparation. It is always eaten with dal (lentil curry). The dal is made of lentils while churma is a coarsely ground wheat mixture crushed and cooked in ghee and jaggery or sugar.
Ker sangri
One of the most popular Rajasthani dishes, ker is a wild berry that is tangy and peppery while sangri is a type of long bean grown abundantly in the desert areas of Jaisalmer and Barmer. Sangri is a mainstay during drought, when little else is available as it is 53% protein. Legend has it that long ago there was a famine in Rajasthan and the villagers found these two vegetables when all other vegetation had withered away.
Raab
This is a thick broth made from millet (bajra) flour and buttermilk, which is heated and fermented. Bajra flour and buttermilk are put in an earthen pot and mixed to make a thick sauce. This is then left to simmer over a low flame for several hours until fully cooked. It is then eaten, usually as a soup. A variant is ‘makki ki raab’, or corn raab, in which boiled corn kernels are added.
Panchkuta
This is a quintessential curry made up of five ingredients found widely across the Thar Desert. For a long time, travellers in the desert relied extensively on panchkuta during long drives on carts and camels. It has a long shelf life after being cooked and is traditionally eaten with pooris/rotis. The five ingredients of panchkuta are sangri, ker, Kumat (seeds from the pod of a deciduous tree), gunda (a kind of wild berry) and dry red chillies.
Mohan Thaal
This royal dessert is equally royal to amaze the taste buds of food connoisseurs. Mohan Thaal is unique to Rajasthan and is a sweet dish prepared from Besan and dry fruits. The aroma and taste of ghee add the cherry to the cake!
Gatte – Famous Food of Rajasthan
Typical Rajasthani food platters are almost incomplete without gattes; Rajasthan has a variety of Gatte preparations. Shahi Gatte or Masala gatte are Gattes covered with spicy gravy. Gatte pulao are a festive preparation, where vegetables are replaced by gattes, served with Mangodi ki Daal or Kadhi.
Bhuna Kukda
Bhuna Kukda is a Rajasthan take on chicken. Chicken is thoroughly marinated with local spices and then cooked until it becomes tender, the end result is a mouth-watering dish that will leave you hankering for a second helping. Top with fresh coriander, and savour with Indian flatbread.
