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

1. 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.
2. Gatte ki sabzi: Steamed gram flour dumplings simmered in a yoghurt or spicy tomato gravy.
3. Ker sangri: A desert speciality made from small wild berries and long beans, cooked with spices and often served on special occasions.
4. Bajre ki roti: A rustic millet flatbread, usually eaten with garlic chutney and a vegetable in winter.
5. Rajasthani kadhi: A tangy gram flour and yoghurt curry, sometimes served with fritters.
6. Papad ki sabzi: A curious and tasty dish where papads are simmered in a spiced gravy.

Snacks and Street Food

1. Pyaaz kachori: A flaky pastry with a spiced onion filling, a breakfast staple in Jaipur and Jodhpur.
2. Mirchi vada: A big green chilli stuffed with spiced potato and fried in a gram flour coat.

Sweets

1. Ghewar: A disc-shaped, lattice-like sweet that is especially popular around the monsoon festivals of Teej and Raksha Bandhan.
2. Malpua: A sweet pancake dipped in syrup.
3. Mawa kachori: A round, sweet pastry filled with milk solids and nuts, and soaked in syrup.

For Non-Vegetarians

1. 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.