Rajasthani food was shaped by the desert: little water, few fresh vegetables and a long tradition of travelling merchants and warriors. The result is a cuisine built on lentils, gram flour, millet, dried beans and generous amounts of ghee. Here are twelve dishes worth trying.
Savoury Classics
- Dal baati churma: The state’s signature meal. Baati are baked wheat dumplings served with ghee and a spiced mix of lentils, with a sweet, crumbly churma on the side.
- Gatte ki sabzi: Steamed gram flour dumplings simmered in a yoghurt or spicy tomato gravy.
- Ker sangri: A desert speciality made from small wild berries and long beans, cooked with spices and often served on special occasions.
- Bajre ki roti: A rustic millet flatbread, usually eaten with garlic chutney and a vegetable in winter.
- Rajasthani kadhi: A tangy gram flour and yoghurt curry, sometimes served with fritters.
- Papad ki sabzi: A curious and tasty dish where papads are simmered in a spiced gravy.
Snacks and Street Food
- Pyaaz kachori: A flaky pastry with a spiced onion filling, a breakfast staple in Jaipur and Jodhpur.
- Mirchi vada: A big green chilli stuffed with spiced potato and fried in a gram flour coat.
Sweets
- Ghewar: A disc-shaped, lattice-like sweet that is especially popular around the monsoon festivals of Teej and Raksha Bandhan.
- Malpua: A sweet pancake dipped in syrup.
- Mawa kachori: A round, sweet pastry filled with milk solids and nuts, and soaked in syrup.
For Non-Vegetarians
- Laal maas: A fiery red mutton curry associated with the royal kitchens. It is not for everyone, and you can ask for the spice to be reduced.
Tips for Eating Well
- Ask about ghee and dairy if you follow a vegan or dairy-free diet. Many dishes can be made with oil if you request it, though not all can.
- Choose busy places where food is cooked fresh.
- Drink bottled or filtered water.
- Try a thali to sample several dishes at once.
- Start mild. Rajasthani cooking can be spicy.
Where to Eat Next
For city-specific street food, read Street Food of Jodhpur and Jaipur. For a Hindi guide, see दाल-बाटी-चूरमा से घेवर तक. If you are visiting Bikaner, read about its famous snacks.
