Indulge in Authentic Flavors of Rajasthani Cuisine

Rajasthani cuisine is a true reflection of the state’s royal heritage, rich culture, and diverse geography. It offers a unique blend of spices and flavours, making it one of the most popular cuisines in India. From delectable vegetarian dishes to mouth-watering meat preparations, Rajasthani food has something to offer everyone. This cuisine has drawn its real character from the Rajput Gharana. The Gharana, in simple terms, is the background of the Indian royals. It is because of this reason that the food is so rich and, at the same time, offers you a burst of flavour.

One of the key features of Rajasthani cuisine is the use of local ingredients and spices. The preparation requires a lot of ghee, which adds to its richness and flavour. The use of dried fruits, nuts, and milk-based products is also quite common in Rajasthani dishes. Today, the one type of cuisine that we will discuss is the trendy Rajasthani cuisine. 

History and Origin of Rajasthani Food

Rajasthani cuisine’s first and most important thing is that it gets its personality from its geographic location. As many of you would know, the area of Rajasthan is a desert. Because the rainfall is deficient, vegetation in this part of the country is also low. Such is the geography and the temperature of this location that there are a few staples in Rajasthan. These are Jawar, Bajra, Ragi, tur, pulses, and gram. Besides that, another variant of the plant that proliferates in such harsh weather conditions is beans. Hence, the predominance of this element is also seen in Rajasthani food. 

When we talk about Rajasthan, it would be unjust if you did not mention the royal legacy it brings with itself. Traditionally the land of Rajasthan is believed to be the home of the Rajputs. The Rajputs were known to be the fierce royal clan in Indian history, and they have contributed immensely to Rajasthani food. Among the prevalent things about Rajput food was the extravagance of non-vegetarian dishes. It was common for the Rajput kings to go for shikar or hunting. Consequently, they cooked the meat they hunted. 

Famous Dishes of Rajasthani Cuisine That You Must Try

When we talk about the food from Rajasthan, we must mention some of the most pioneering dishes. These constitute the formation of Rajasthani cuisine as a totality. It is essential to remember that it is very different when we talk about Rajasthani food. The ones we get in hotels and those we see in everyday households are distinctive. The following will ensure that, as our readers, you have a good idea about the entire spectrum. We will be talking about dishes that belong to both genres.

Laal Maas

The first dish that we will talk about is often referred to as the showstopper of Rajasthani cuisine. It is the very popular Laal Maas. Legends say that Laal Maas came into being for its ease of cooking. Back in the day, the royals of Rajasthan used to travel a lot and the royal Khansamas or cooks used to accompany them. Travelling with many ingredients was not possible. Thus, the royal cooks conceptualized an extremely simple meal idea. For this, the cooks used to carry Mathania chillies along with mustard oil and salt.

As the preparation of Laal Maas started to become more popular, there were a lot of popular renditions of the same. The choice of meat changed depending on what the royal troop hunted. However, today, people use chicken and sometimes mutton. However, You must use farm fresh chicken Leg to make chicken Laal Maas for the authentic taste.

Here’s How to Make a Laal Maas Recipe

In nutritional science, red meat is defined as any meat that has more of the protein myoglobin than white meat. White meat is defined as non-dark meat from fish or chicken (excluding the leg or thigh, which is called dark meat).

from Wikipedia

Safed Maas

The next dish is extremely popular, like its other counterpart, the Safed Maas. Safed refers to white; hence, the literal meaning of the dish is white meat. The colour and essence of the dish extend the name. The Safed Maas is more complex than the Laal Maas because of the ingredients it needs. However, it is equally tasty and flavorful. 

Safed Maas originated in the kitchen of the royal family. Usually, when the esteemed guests visited the royal family, they served the Safed Maas. The idea behind this was that white is often regarded as a symbol of purity and royalty. Safed Maas is a popular dish; you can enjoy it with chicken breast and mutton. If you are in a hurry, you may buy fresh chicken online and cook it up quickly. 

Dal Baati Churma

When we talk about the food from Rajasthan, we must mention the staple dishes of the state – Dal Baati Churma. It is a traditional and celebratory Rajasthani dish that consists of dal (lentil soup), Baati (hard wheat rolls), and Churma (sweet, crumbled bread). Usually, they make the bati with Wheat flour, ghee and water. Finally, Churma is a sweet accompaniment made of bati crumbles, ghee and jaggery.

You can use a combination of moong dal, Toor dal, or urad dal. Then cook the dal with cumin, coriander, and turmeric to create a flavorful soup. You need to bake the baati in a traditional clay oven or tandoor. Make the dough from wheat flour, ghee, and buttermilk. Finally, shape it into small balls before baking them until golden brown. Crush the Baati into small pieces and mix it with ghee and jaggery to make Churma. You may also add chopped nuts and raisins to the mixture and serve it.

Rajasthani Village Chicken Curry

Legends say the Rajasthani village chicken curry is probably the most authentic and rustic flavour. As you can see from the name, the dish originated in the villages of Mathaniya. They could not access many spices, and the chilly was the only option. When these people worked as cooks for the royal families, they added their take. Ideally, you must cook the chicken on a traditional open fire to make the chicken robust with flavours. 

There are a lot of people who do not understand the difference between the Laal Maas and this chicken recipe. The major difference is that the authentic recipe for Laal Maas does not use onions. However, for the village curry, they use both onions and curd.

Here’s How To Make a Rajasthani Village Chicken Curry

Rajasthani Junglee Maas

Rajasthani Junglee Maas is another popular dish. The term Mass refers to meat; ideally, it can be any meat. The Junglee Maas is a common dish; however, nowadays, people are making it something extravagant. The people who lived in the forests of Rajasthan came up with the dish and hence the name.

If you want to enjoy the dish, the best thing to do is have it piping hot, along with a couple of bhakris or hot rotis. Ghee is a popular element, but you need to get the original one.

Here’s How To Make a Rajasthani Junglee Maas Recipe

Ghewar

When we talk about the most famous Rajasthani food, we must mention the popular Rajasthani Ghevar. Ghewar is one of the royal dishes in taste and also in appearance. Legends say that Ghewar is a dish made in royal kitchens. The reason behind it is so that one could celebrate a victory or a conquest. From there, the recipe travelled down to ordinary households as well.

Ghewar today has a lot of versions. However, the original one is still prevalent. If you want to get good quality Ghewar, then you have to depend on local Rajasthani sweet shops. 

Rajasthani Mirchi Bada:

The Mirchi Bada or Chilly Fritter is a trendy Rajasthani dish. The best thing is that it is so simple that you can cook it up anytime you want.

Ingredients Required:

• Mirchi or Big Chillies (Bhavnagari Mirchi)
• Boiled Potatoes – 3 to 4
• Coriander Leaves
• Red Chilly, Turmeric, and Coriander Powder – 2 teaspoons each.
• Salt
• Dry Mango Powder – ½ teaspoon
• Asafoetida – ½ teaspoon
• Oil for frying
• Besan – 1 Cup

You first need to take the big chillies and then split them in half without going all down. In a bowl, mash the potatoes, add the masala to the potatoes and give it a good mix. Remember to add salt; otherwise, you will not be able to get the flavours. Once done, you need to prepare the batter. Take the besan, add some water, and create a thick batter. 

Make sure that you add some red chilli powder and some salt. Next, you need to take a big vessel, add oil to the same, and let it heat. Once done, you must stuff the chillies with the potato masala. Then dip it into the besan batter to give it a nice coating. Finally, fry the chillies in the hot oil until it’s golden brown and crispy, and make sure you serve it hot. 

Pyaaz ki Kachori

It is also essential to mention that Rajasthan’s general population is also naturally vegetarian. One of the unique things about Rajasthani cuisine food is that every district has its very distinctive touch. Pyaaz ki Kachori is a popular street food in Rajasthan. It is a deep-fried pastry filled with a spicy onion mixture. 

Ingredients Required to make Pyaaz ki kachori:

• Onions – 4 oversized and sliced
• Flour and Wheat – 1 Cup each
• Salt – as per taste
• Oil- 1 Cup
• Fennel, Carrom, and Cumin Seeds – 1 teaspoon each
• Turmeric, Cumin, Coriander, and Red Chilly Powder
• Amchur Powder – 1 teaspoon 
• Finely Chopped Ginger – 1 teaspoon
• Pinch of Asafoetida 
• Chopped Chillies- 3 big

And finally, the last dish that we are going to talk about is none other than the pyaaz ki kachori or onion kachori. You first need to grind the whole seeds first. Then prepare the filling. Consequently, add some onions to the oil and cook them until they are soft and mushy. Add the spices then the chopped ginger and the chillies along with the spice powder. Finally, add some salt as well to add flavour.

Now, make a dough out of flour and wheat and a dash of oil. Ensure that you add a little bit of salt as well for seasoning. Next, cut out some balls and then create a slight depression in the middle. Add the filling and then roll it out into round kachoris. Deep-fry the Kachori in hot oil until golden brown and crispy. And finally, serve Pyaaz ki Kachori with tamarind chutney and mint chutney.

Don’t forget to let us know which of these you have tasted and which is your favourite dish.

Here’s How to Order Fresh Chicken?

With Zorabian chicken delivery online now you can order the red or white chicken cuts you wish to cook straight on the website and have it delivered to your doorstep while you make the preparations for the dish. Cooking chicken dishes and enjoying them with family and friends has never been this easy.

Do try Laal Maas & Safeed Maas recipe using Zorabian Chicken and share the final dish pictures/video with us on the Zorabian Instagram Page. Buy your Zorabian chicken boneless, Chicken Breast Boneless and Skinless Chicken Leg Piece of your choice from our online store or general trade partner stores located near you and enjoy your favourite chicken dishes with friends and family. We bring you a number of melt-in-your-mouth chicken recipes, do check the Zorabian blog for more recipes that you will love cooking.