Rajasthani cooking was influenced by the war-like lifestyle of its inhabitants and the availability of ingredients in this region. Food that could last for several days and could be eaten without heating was preferred, more out of necessity than choice. Scarcity of water, fresh green vegetables have had their effect on cooking. In the desert belt of Jaisalmer, Barmer and Bikaner, cooks use a minimum of water and prefer, instead, to use more milk, buttermilk and clarified butter.
Dried lentils, beans from indigenous plants like sangri, ker etc. are liberally used. Gram flour is a major ingredient here and is used to make some of the delicacies like gatta ki sabzi, pakodi; powdered lentils are used for mangodi, papad. Bajra and corn are used all over the state for preparations of rabdi, khichdi and rotis. Various chutneys are made from locally available spices like turmeric, coriander, mint and garlic.
Perhaps the best known Rajasthani food is the combination of dal, bati and churma but for the adventurous traveller, willing to experiment, there is a lot of variety available. Besides, each region is distinguished by its popular sweet - Mawa Kachori from Jodhpur, Malpuas from Pushkar, Rasogullas from Bikaner, Ghevar from Jaipur..to name a few.
Dal
Baati
Churma
Shahi Gatte
Garlic Chutney
Bati
| Whole wheat flour | 2 cups |  |
| Ajwain | 1 tsp. | |
| Ghee | ½ cup | |
| Ghee to soak into. | 1 tsp. | |
| Salt | 2 tsps. | |
2.Rub ghee into the flour mixture till it resembles bread crumbs.
3.Add ajwain and make a stiff dough using water.
4.Make small balls and roast them in a hot oven for about 10 mins and then at medium heat for 20-25 mins.
5.Take out, press lightly and soak in a bowl of ghee.
6.Drain and serve with dal.
Dal
| Mung dal and Chana Dal | 100 gm each | Hing | 1 pinch |
| Arhar dal | 100 gm | Tejpatta |
1 |
| Salt | to taste | Ginger | 1" |
| Haldi | ½ tsp. | Green Chilli | 2 |
| Ghee | 2tbs | Coriander |
For flavour |
| Lemon | 2 | Jeera | 1 tsp |
| Garaam masala | 1 tsp | Badi elachi | 1 |
1. Soak the dal in water for 1 hour.
2. Put it in a pressure cooker and add salt and haldi.
3. Wait for 2-3 whistles. Turn off the gas.
4. Heat ghee in a kadahi. Add jeera, hing , all sabut garam masala, ginger and green chilly.
5. Add dal. Put lemon juice and garam masala powder.
6. Add chopped coriander. Serve hot with Baati, Churma .
Serves: 7-8 adults
| Wheat Flower | 200 gm |
| Ghee | 400 gm |
| Khoya/Mawa | 100 gm |
| Sugar | 200 gm |
| Soaked almond finely chopped | 50 gm |
| Cardamom(small) | 4 |
1.Melt
150 gms. of ghee and mix it in wheat flour.
2.Make a stiff dough using very little water.
3.Heat the rest of the ghee in a kadahi.
4.Make about 15-20 balls with the dough.
5.Fry it on low flame till it becomes golden brown.
6.Churn it in grinder after it cools down. Mix khoya.
7.Heat 1 tbsp. ghee in kadahi.
8.Add cardamom seeds and dalchini.
9.Add the above mixture of wheat flour and khoya. Fry it for one minute.
10.When it cools down, add sugar and chopped almonds. Mix well. Serve in a plate. You can enjoy the taste of churma for 8-10 days if you keep it in an airtight box.
To be served with Dal and Baati.
Serves: 7-8 adults
Besan 1 cup Onion, chopped 1 no Chilies, ground 2 nos. Ginger-Garlic paste 1 tsp Ajwain 1/2 tsp Curd 1 cup Water 1 liter Ghee 1 tbsp Salt 1/2 tsp For Gravy
Onion Paste 1/2 cup Tomato Puree 1 cup Coriander powder 1 tsp Garam Masala 1 tsp
Chili powder 1 tsp Coriander leaves, chopped Few Ghee 1 tbsp Salt 1/2 tsp 1.Mix besan, chopped onion, ground chili, salt, ginger, garlic paste, ajwain, ghee and rub for a minute. 2.Knead with the curds and make banana like sticks and cook in boiling water for about 30 minutes
3.Take the sticks out of the water, cool and cut into 1" pieces.
4.Do not throw away the remaining water.
5.For gravy, fry the onion paste and dry spices till they are brown.
6.Add tomato puree, the remaining water and cook for 10 minutes.
7.Add gattas and serve hot, garnished with coriander leaves.
