The Rajwadi homeland of the Rajputs is a culinary haven for foodies worldwide. One of the few cuisines that can boast of an endless plate of mouth-watering dishes is Rajasthani food. It includes tangy drinks, spicy starters, mouthwatering sabzis, crunchy bread and side dishes such as chutneys, achars, papad and chhach. Not to mention the rich, crisp and delicate desserts that melt in your mouth. Rajasthan’s arid climate and rich past have left their mark on the state’s food. Beans, lentils, gram flour, maize, barley, millet, bajra, bread and dairy products – especially ghee – are some of the staples. While there is a greater focus on vegetarian cuisine, there is still a wide variety of meat dishes. From dal baati churma to laal maas, here are some mouthwatering Rajasthani recipes that you can easily try at home. So put on your chef’s hat and let’s start cooking! (Also read: Savour the spices: 5 must-try Indian pickle recipes for every palate )
Must-Try Rajasthani Recipes
1. Rajasthani Raab
(Recipe by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor)
Ingredients:
1 cup yoghurt
¾ cup maize flour (makai ka atta)
Salt to taste
Tempering
2 tbsps ghee
1½ tsps cumin seeds
3-4 green chillies, slit
1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
Roasted cumin powder for garnish
Red chilli powder for garnish
Method:
1. To make buttermilk, take yoghurt in a large jug. Add 3 cups water and mix with the help of a wooden churner.
2. Take maize flour in a large bowl, add 1 cup of the buttermilk and mix till a lump-free batter is formed. Add the remaining buttermilk and mix.
3. Heat a non-stick deep pan. Add the mixture and mix well. Stir occasionally and cook for 20-25 minutes on medium heat.
4. Add salt and mix well.
5. Heat ghee in a non-stick pan. Add cumin seeds and let them change colour. Add green chillies and mix well. Pour this into the prepared mixture and mix well.
6. Add coriander leaves and mix till well combined.
7. Transfer the raab into serving bowls, and garnish with roasted cumin powder and red chilli powder.
2. Rajasthani Kadhi
(Recipe by Chef Kunal Kapur)
Ingredients:
For Kadhi Mixture
1½ cups curd (dahi)
4 tbsp besan (gram flour)
Salt to taste
¾ tsp turmeric (haldi)
1½ tsp chilli powder (mirch)
5 cups water
For 1st Tempering:
5 tbsp oil (tel)
2 dry red chillies (sookhi lal mirch)
3 bay leaves (tej patta)
½ tsp fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
½ tsp asafoetida (heeng)
2 tsp mustard seeds (sarson)
4-5 cloves (laung)
2 tbsp coriander seeds (dhaniya)
2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
2 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
2 sprigs curry leaves
1 green chilli, chopped (hari mirch)
2 tsp ginger, chopped (adrak)
For 2nd Tempering (optional):
2 tbsp ghee
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
Method:
1. Take curd in a bowl, to that add gram flour, turmeric, salt and red chilli powder. Whisk it together to remove any lumps.
2. Pour water to make a thin batter and mix well. Keep this mixture aside.
3. Heat some oil in a pan, add dried red chillies, bay leaf, fenugreek seeds and asafoetida.
4. Add mustard seeds, cloves, coriander seeds cumin, curry leaves, green chillies, ginger and fennel seeds. Cook it in a low flame.
5. Add the batter to the pan and pass it through a sieve. Give it a quick boil and reduce the curry on a low flame.
6. Sprinkle dried fenugreek and lower the flame.
7. In a small pan heat ghee and add red chilli powder to it. Pour this on top of the kadhi and your Rajasthani kadi is ready.
3. Laal Maas
(Recipe by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor)
Ingredients:
6-8 dried Kashmiri red chillies, soaked
750 grams mutton on the bone, cut into 1 inch pieces
½ cup yogurt
2 teaspoons cumin powder
2 teaspoons coriander powder
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste
4 tablespoons ghee
2 black cardamoms
3-4 green cardamoms
1 inch cinnamon stick
3-4 cloves
1 bay leaf
4 medium onions, finely chopped
½ teaspoon garam masala powder
Salt to taste
Coriander sprigs for garnish
Lemon wedge for garnish
For smoking
2-3 charcoal pieces
Method:
1. Grind the soaked chillies to a fine paste in a blender.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the mutton, yogurt, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, one tablespoon ginger garlic paste and the red chilli paste. Mix well and set aside to marinate in the refrigerator for an hour.
3. Heat ghee in a nonstick pressure cooker, to that add black cardamom, green cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaf and sauté till its fragrant.
4. Add the onions and sauté till they turn light brown in colour. Then add the remaining ginger garlic paste and sauté for a minute.
5. Add the marinated mutton to the onions and sauté on high heat for two to three minutes.
6. Add salt and sufficient water to cover all the mutton pieces. Cover with a lid and let it cook under pressure for seven to eight whistles.
7. Once done, remove from heat and wait till the pressure is released.
8. Meanwhile light the piece of charcoal, place it in a small metal bowl and place the bowl in the centre of pressure cooker.
9. Add two to three cloves to the coal, pour some ghee and quickly cover with a lid and set aside for two to three minutes.
10. Put the curry back on heat, add garam masala and give a quick stir before removing from heat.
11. Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with coriander sprigs and a lemon wedge. Serve hot.
4. Dal Baati Churma
(Recipe by Chef Tarla Dalal)
Ingredients:
For the churma
1 cup coarse whole wheat flour (jada gehun ka atta)
¼ cup semolina (rava / sooji)
4 tbsp melted ghee
2 tbsp almond (badam) slivers
¼ tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder
5 tbsp powdered sugar
Ghee for deep-frying
For the dal
5 tbsp chana dal (split Bengal gram)
5 tbsp toovar (arhar) dal
5 tbsp green moong dal (split green gram)
1 tbsp urad dal (split black lentils)
Salt to taste
3 tbsp ghee
3 cloves (laung / lavang)
2 bayleaves (tejpatta)
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
2 green chillies, slit
A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
1 tsp garlic (lehsun) paste
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 cup finely chopped tomatoes
1 tsp coriander (dhania) powder
½ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tbsp chilli powder
½ tsp garam masala
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)
For the baatis
1 cup coarse whole wheat flour (jada gehun ka atta)
½ cup semolina (rava / sooji)
2 tbsp besan (bengal gram flour)
½ cup milk
4 tbsp melted ghee
1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
¼ tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
Salt to taste
Ghee for deep-frying
For the topping
4 tbsp melted ghee
8 tbsp finely chopped onions
2 tsp lemon juice
For the churma
Method:
1. Combine the whole wheat flour, semolina and melted ghee in a deep bowl and mix well. Add approx. ¼ cup of water and knead well to make a stiff dough.
2. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions.
3. Shape each dough portion in the shape of your fist and press with your fingers in the centre of each portion to make an indentation (as shown in the images 1 to 3).
4. Heat the ghee in a deep non-stick kadhai and deep-fry, a few dough portions at a time on a slow flame, till they are golden brown in colour from all the sides. These will take a long time to fry as the insides also need to be cooked.
5. Drain on an absorbent paper and allow them to cool.
6. Break the fried dough portions into small pieces with your hands and blend in a mixer into a fine powder.
7. Add the almonds, cardamom powder and powdered sugar and mix well. Keep aside.
For the dal
1. Clean and wash the dals. Combine the dals, 4 cups of water and salt in a pressure cooker, mix well and pressure cook for 3 whistles.
2. Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid. Do not drain the water and keep aside.
3. Heat the ghee in a deep non-stick kadhai, add the cloves, bayleaves, cumin seeds, green chillies and asafoetida and sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds.
4. When the seeds crackle, add the garlic paste and onions and sauté on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes, coriander powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder and garam masala, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
6. Add the cooked dals (along with the water) and little salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
7. Add the coriander and mix well. Keep aside.
For the baatis
1. Combine all the ingredients in a deep bowl and knead into a semi-stiff dough, without using any water.
2. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and shape each portion into an even sized round.
3. Flatten the rounds, make a small indentation in the center of the baatis using your thumb. Keep aside.
4. Boil enough water in a deep non-stick kadhai, add all the baatis into the boiling water and cook on a high flame for 15 minutes, while turning them occasionally. Drain and allow them to cool completely.
5. Heat the ghee in a deep non-stick kadhai, add 4 baatis at a time and deep-fry till they turn golden brown in colour from all the sides.
6. Repeat step 7 to deep-fry the remaining 4 baatis in one more batch. Drain on an absorbent paper and keep aside.
How to serve
1. Warm the dal again till piping hot.
2. Arrange 2 baatis on a serving dish, break them into pieces and pour 1 tbsp melted ghee evenly over it. Pour ¼ of the dal evenly over it. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of onions and ½ tsp lemon juice evenly over it.
3. Repeat step 2 to make 3 more servings.
4. Serve immediately with churma.
