RAJASTHANI CUISINE
The Food of Rajasthan
Rarely has the world seen so rich a cuisine from so little that was available
from the land. Ehile the eastern region of the set has fertile soil capable
of crops of everything from wheat and maize to millets and corn, for much
part the desert's dry terrain, prone to droughts, was incapable of producing
even basic necessities of survival.
PICNIC FOOD
Jaipur many be known the world over for its impressive Hawa Mahal and
the fortifield old city of Amber but connoisseurs recognise it for another
speciality dall bati choorma > This cuisine owes its origin to the Jaipuri
penchant for picnicking in tyhe rainy season when the surrounding hills
turn lush. On such occasions the picnic meal almost invariable consisted
of dall bati choorma usully cooked on site rather that carried in a hamper.
An important feature of non-vegetarian cooking is the Rajput kitchen was
that it weas rarely cooked on the main stove in the kitchen and usually
employed the male head of the family as its chef.
REGIONAL SPECIALTIES
If jaipur has its specialty none of the other princely states have lagged
behind.
Bikaner has its savouries especially bhujiya, which has accounted for its
fame and the quality of its papads and badi remains unrivalled, The lean
mutton of the desert goats of this region too is considered the most favourable
Jodhpur has its kachoris puffed breads with stuffing those with mawa
being extraordinarily sweet while others have biting hot green chillies
laced with a masala that is also intended to singe the palate.
SHIKAR IN RAJASTHAN
Till the time of independence,m hunting expeditions or shikar where organised
with fanfare, At the top of the heap was simply the thrill of bagging tiger
or panther, mounting another trophy on the wall. Srummers and beaters would
round up the jungle's beasts as they marched towards the machan, the raised
platform where the hunters sat, their guns ready.
FOREIGN INFLUENCES ON RAJASTHANI FOOD
The Royal families, alone could claim some degree of variety in their
meals because of the influence, first, of the Mughal court, and later the
English, Mughal cuisine was varied and lavish and used the huge variety
of ingredients at its disposal, all of which was harder to come by in the
desert, even in the erstwhile palaces.
The British influence was to formalise the manner in which the meal was
eaten at the table and to make the Rajasthani dishes somewhat more bland.
Over the years however, even this Indianised somewhat, with stews and bakes
and roasts including Indian spices, so the peculiar Anglo Indian cuisine
of the pqalace too created an all too distinctive cuisine.
